Chelsea Now, Dec. 12, 2012 by Schneps Media

Ask Aunt Chelsea, pp. 22-23

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 08

THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

DECEMBER 12 - 25, 2012

CB4 Favors Pier 57 Plan BY MAXINE WALLY Buoyed by holiday cheer, new blood and a single-digit agenda, spirits were high at the beginning of Wednesday, December 5’s Manhattan Community Board 4 (CB4) general meeting — but as topics became more somber, the mood shifted. The Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) opened with a presentation on the proposed redevelopment of Pier 57, located along the West Side Highway, at 15th Street. Their plan to revamp the pier is meant to reposition it as, in the words of HRPT

Executive Vice President Noreen Doyle, “a cultural hub” offering food, film and fashion. Anchored by a multifaceted destination marketplace, the pier will feature a rooftop park, sit-down restaurants, shops and interactive services (including a cooking school and rooftop farm). The project’s signature element will insert repurposed shipping containers into the shell of the existing structure and use them as storefronts and for other

Continued on page 3

Sandy’s Surge Not Sinking Residential Urge at Pier 40

Welcome to a Neighborhood: Hudson Yards Breaks Ground BY SCOTT STIFFLER Grandiose by nature, groundbreaking events are typified by optimistic, sometimes overconfident predictions of things to come — but at December 4’s public unveiling of the Hudson Yards development, dirt appeared to be the only thing being shoveled

(despite a multitude of sweeping pronouncements by elected officials, union representatives and developers). Hailed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg as “Manhattan’s final frontier” as well as “the next major step in our city’s ongoing economic revival,” Hudson

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON Although the real estate industry doesn’t want to hear it, there’s no doubt Superstorm Sandy has irreversibly changed the way we look at building on the waterfront. And that realization certainly also applies to the idea of building housing not just on the actual shoreline but out on piers — such as the Lower West Side’s Pier 40, which stretches 800 feet into the Hudson River. Over the past year, the Hudson River Park Trust has been advocating to widen the range of possible uses allowed

Yards will create nearly 23,000 construction jobs and eventually serve as either the workplace or home to an estimated 40,000 people. Spread over 26 acres, its 13 million square feet will include over six million square feet of

on the sprawling, 15-acre West Houston Street pier, in hopes of coming up with some viable, revenue-generating development options. Prominent among that mix of options is residential housing, which is not currently permitted under the Hudson River Park Act of 1998. Earlier this year, an independent study by consultants of a range of potential uses for Pier 40 showed that market-rate residential housing — when compared with options

Continued on page 5

EDITORIAL, LETTERS PAGE 8

HEDDA INTO THE HOLIDAYS PAGES 11-14

December 12 - 25, 2012

Shops, Shed, Subway Heading to Hudson Yards Continued from page 1

destination shops, cinemas, restaurants, markets and bars patronized by New Yorkers and tourists pouring out of the new No. 7 subway line (set to open in 2014 at West 34th Street and 11th Avenue) and the final phase of the High Line. A four-acre thoroughfare running north from West 33rd Street, as well as a non-profit gallery/performance facility dubbed the Culture Shed, are predicted to be major draws — and a public school will be created to accommodate children living in the approximately 5,000 new on-site residences. First at the podium and soon to assume emcee duties, Related Companies Founder and Chairman Stephen M. Ross declared the partnership with Oxford Properties Group to be the latest cooperative vision in a city “defined by a series of moments where dreamers dug deep into their imagination, challenged the realm of possibility and brought the seemingly unachievable to life. For 21st century New York, today is our moment as we start the Hudson Yards, one of the most ambitious developments ever undertaken in the country.” To back that up, Ross cued a promotional video (“our fight song,” he called it) during

At left, a rendered vision of the completed Hudson Yards project puts it in league with another iconic skyline staple.

which crisp, computer-generated renderings portrayed the massive undertaking as a bold addition to the Manhattan skyline. “We’ve heard there are plenty of reasons to keep looking up,” said the narrator in a booming yet benevolent voice, as a series of postcard-worthy sunset and nighttime skyline shots depicted the completed project’s majestic towers as stand-

ing on par with the island’s other iconic vertical structures. Post-video, Ross compared the plan for Hudson Yards to the ambitious reach of the Empire State Building and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, vowing to match their yearning to “achieve the seemingly unachievable.” Another rendering featured in the

emerging neighborhood — not simply a sprawling development project of meant to draw tourists or house businesses. “One thing you rarely ever see in New York is the creation of a new neighborhood,” observed MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota — who linked the area’s future residential and commercial viability to another construction project of consid-

Lights on, 5,000 homes: A new neighborhood is about to emerge.

video showcased the 6.5-acre Public Square at the Eastern Rail Yard. Its central plaza, encircled by a canopy of lush trees, was dense with pedestrians. With many in mid-stride and one having stopped to check her cell phone, those enjoying the yet-to-be-created destination seemed to regard it as if it were already an established part of the West Chelsea landscape. That depiction was no accident. Through images and words, the groundbreaking’s central theme was that of an

erable ambition (coincidentally, perhaps, his own). “This project [Hudson Yards] and the extension of the #7 subway,” he confidently speculated, “will revolutionize the far west side. And once again, the MTA will be there to serve those new residents and to bring many others here — to the parks, restaurants, entertainment and retail development that will follow.” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn recalled a time when the current spirit of

Continued on page 19

December 12 - 25, 2012

CB4 Gets Earful on Brodsky Continued from page 1

purposes. The roof’s outdoor area — about 64,000 square feet of park — will be used for seating, open space and a pavilion with a small restaurant. The Tribeca Film Festival has agreed to host screenings at the park. Green initiatives make up a large part of the proposal, with plans for storm water reuse in maintenance cleaning, reuse of recycled materials and ongoing trash management. Extra space for bikers and runners will allow interface with the park, and a taxi drop-off across the street assuages excessive automobile use around Hudson River Park. HRPT also asked to change the non-compliant pier from an M23 to an M15 district, with requests to modify height requirements, use regulations and allow large retail establishments as much square footage as they need. This worried board member Burt Lazarin, who saw problems for the future. “Asking for a zoning map change from M23 to M15 changes height, but also uses,” he said. “By changing the rezoning, we open the door to potential changes down the road. We need ways to restrict it so that many changes cannot be made in the future.” During the question and answer period, longtime Chelsea resident Julia Martin expressed worries about the recent hurricane. “I hope you’re not planning on building anything serious on the ground floor,” she said. “Also, I hope you will supply shade in some form.” Because the pier is a historic structure, explained Doyle, the State Historic Consultation Office will not let them plant trees on the roof (since that is not considered a historic type of treatment). Instead, the park offers moveable structures with vines that slide on tracks. “In regards to the hurricane, everyone is thinking about that. In addition to thinking about flood gates, there are other things we’ll continue to talk about, like adding height to the ground floor,” Doyle concluded. Item One on the agenda, a letter to the Department of City Planning on Pier 57’s proposal, passed with great enthusiasm from the board. Amidst loud claps of approval, CB4 First Vice Chair Christine Berthet gave a thumbs up and mouthed, “great job,” in the direction of Doyle and her team. Following the Pier 57 presentation, there was news of one board member’s pregnancy, an upcoming holiday party and the introduction John Sharp, who was attending his first meeting as a member of CB4.

Bridal Veil Falls

Photo by Maxine Wally

Noreen Doyle, of the Hudson River Park Trust, makes the case for a revamped Pier 57.

“As a holiday gift, we’ve given the board a single-digit agenda,” chuckled CB4 District Manager Bob Benfatto.

PUBLIC COMMENTS During the public comment section, David Czyzyk — who presented on behalf of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer — spoke of their latest project: a task force to make sure services are still available for those affected by the hurricane. He also distributed a booklet on the fiscal cliff, and how potential tax hikes could affect New York City residents. “Start thinking about it now,” he said, in regards to the proposed program cuts. “Encourage your policymakers to do the right thing!” Katie Smith, a representative from Congressman Jerrold Nadler’s office, also touched on Sandy — saying she and her constituents were all working hard with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the

Environmental Protection Agency to generate increased funding — particularly in Washington D.C. — for recovery. Then, former board member Miguel Acevedo came forward to speak on agenda Item Five — a letter for liquor licenses at the Highline Hotel. “What was once a promise to create jobs is now a blowout from the Brodsky Organization,” a no-fee rental company, he said. Claiming Brodsky laid off 40 employees, then hired non-union workers at the General Theological Seminary church for lower pay — and is now trying to do the same to workers at the Desmond Tutu Center — Acevedo asked the community not to let this “union busting” continue. The mood in the room shifted, as the board discussed

Continued on page 4

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December 12 - 25, 2012

Tensions Rise as CB4 Talk Turns to Union Busting Continued from page 3

the now-contentious agenda item. “There were 45 jobs promised, but are they jobs promised to new people or to the people who were previously laid off?” asked Berthet. Acevedo introduced two former employees who had been fired and replaced by workers hired at a lower wage. They still were unemployed, despite having been promised reassignment after construction — what Acevedo called an excuse made by the employers. “When this came for the board meeting at first,” Lazarin said, “I abstained because I wasn’t sure if they were talking about changing their property. But now, after hearing Miguel tonight, I see it has nothing to do with the application. I can’t vote for it. If my vote will be facilitating the process that Miguel described, I don’t want my vote helping that.” A motion to send the item back to committee was put on the table, to which one board member David Bosleydid not agree. “If this goes back to committee, the state authority is allowing a hold of about only five days,” said Bosley. “This is a separate operator for the hotel. State liquor authority will not be involved in labor issues. We will not have the time frame

Photo by Maxine Wally

At the mic: David Czyzyk, representing Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, urged all to study up on the fiscal cliff.

to have the full board ratify whatever the committee has decided because that is way past the date.” “You know, it might just be a coincidence,” board member Jesse Campoamor said, “but I’m looking at Item Nine — a resolution on good jobs and responsible development, and here we are, talking about an operator that is, in effect, attack-

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AGENDA ITEM VOTES Item Three on the agenda, a letter to

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the Department of City Planning about a Midtown East Zoning Study passed, as did Item Four — a letter to the Department of Transportation regarding crosstown bike lanes. The committee also voted to pass Items Six and Seven, both letters to the State Liquor Authority in support of liquor license applications for Funky Joe’s (455 W. 56th St.) and Balkanika (691 Ninth Ave.).

December 12 - 25, 2012

Durst Plan Still Afloat Continued from page 1 like entertainment or commercial offices — would offer the best mix of high revenue with low impact on the pier and park. But the idea of putting towers on the pier generated strong opposition in some quarters, notably from Assemblymember Deborah Glick. More recently, Pier 40 Champions, a coalition of Downtown area youth sports leagues, offered its own twist on the residential plan, proposing that the towers could be built not on the pier, but on parkland right at the foot of it. Previous attempts at redeveloping Pier 40 — designated as the biggest “commercial node” in Hudson River Park, which is intended to be financially self-sustaining — have failed because, the Trust and park advocates maintain, the park’s legislation is too restrictive. Meanwhile, Pier 40 has become a major economic drain on the park: The crumbling structure takes in $5 million in annual revenue from its parking operation, but, according to the Trust, costs $7 million a year just to maintain. Before Sandy struck town, residential use was seen by many influential stakeholders as offering new hope. In fact, it still seems to be the case, with residential advocates not yet ready to abandon ship, as it were. However, at hearings on Pier 40 earlier this year and in previous phone interviews with this newspaper, Glick repeatedly warned about what she saw as the perils of building so far out into the Hudson in an era of rapid climate change. A fierce critic, in general, of permitting residential use in Hudson River Park, she said that building on piers amid rising sea levels is simply asking for trouble.

(TOO) ACCURATE FORECAST Some, no doubt, dismissed Glick as being alarmist. But then Sandy slammed New York City with a shockingly high, 14-foot storm surge and her words were proved prophetic. After Sandy, Glick suggested it’s time to start seriously thinking about whether there should be a ban on new construction in Zone A, the city’s mandatory evacuation zone during major storms and hurricanes, which includes the Lower West Side’s edge along the waterfront. As for Pier 40 during Sandy, the storm surge topped its deck and filled its groundfloor level with four feet of the Hudson River. Some cars still parked on its lower level were deluged with salt water. However, Madelyn Wils, the Trust’s president, said Pier 40 parkers were all called beforehand and told to move their cars up to the three-story pier’s higher floors.

FIELD LEFT IN DISARRAY The pier’s most visible damage was to its enormous FieldTurf-covered playing field in the pier’s courtyard. While sloshed around by the river water, the gravel fill layer

beneath the artificial turf became uneven in spots, while the turf itself was left stretched out into small hills and wrinkles in places. Over all, Hudson River Park sustained $10 million in damage from the superstorm. Wils said that the park’s newer structures generally held up exceptionally well, while older structures sustained the most damage. One new structure, the Pier 25 playground in Tribeca, was nearly destroyed.

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LEAGUES, SCHOOLS FUND FLUX Repairs to the Pier 40 field started this week, thanks to the financial help of local sports programs and schools that use it. Downtown United Soccer Club, Greenwich Village Little League, P3, Xavier High School and Gotham Girls have committed a total of $50,000 out of the $52,500 cost of repairing the field, and nine other local leagues and schools have pledged or given smaller amounts. While the repairs are underway, the larger question remains of whether residential housing either on or near Pier 40 is an idea that should now be off the table or is still a viable option, at least in the view of its advocates. In an interview last week, Trust President Wils, when asked about the prospect of residential use on Pier 40, started by saying that the pier’s biggest problem right now is its old infrastructure and utilities. The pier is still currently being powered by two large, external generators. That said, she went on to explain that when building new structures on the waterfront, the key is that “you build them to meet new conditions” — as in rising sea levels and storm surges.

‘NEED TO BUILD DIFFERENTLY’ “When you build new,” she said, “you’ve got to think about these things. Buildings Department regulations have to be reviewed, about how buildings are built on the waterfront. I don’t think that means that people don’t build on the water or close to the water — but they build differently.” Specifically, she said, under current building codes, boilers and electrical structures are required to be sited in basements; if these were allowed to be installed at higher levels, possibly rooftops, properties would be better storm-proofed.

AMAZINS’ LOW-LEVEL OF PLAYIN’ Giving the Mets’ new stadium in Willets Point as an example, Wils noted, “Citi Field is built six feet below the floodplain. The field is raised. The bottom of the stadium is solid, six feet tall all around. They built to the floodplain. You can build differently. When you build new, there are ways to build.” Asked about Glick’s proposal to seriously consider a halt on all new construction in Zone A, Wils responded, “You should go to Rotterdam, and you should go to Amsterdam — they are below the floodplain. They have engineered a way to live there.” Wils noted she, in fact, recently did visit Rotterdam.

Continued on page 18

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December 12 - 25, 2012

City Steps Up Meningitis Alert Amidst Callen-Lorde Criticism BY DUNCAN OSBORNE Citing new meningitis cases among gay and bisexual men in addition to the 12 it reported on September 27, New York City’s health department expanded the target population for its meningitis vaccine campaign in a November 29 announcement. And the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, the Chelsea clinic that has vaccinated about 700 of the nearly 2,000 people vaccinated to date, is saying the health department is moving slowly and not publicizing the campaign sufficiently. The department first noted the outbreak on September 27. On October 4, it recommended vaccination for any HIV-positive man who had sex “with another man that he met through a website, digital application (‘App’), or at a bar or party since September 1.” In the latest alert, the department recommended that men, regardless of HIV status, who live in ten North Brooklyn neighborhoods and have had sex with another man since September 1 should get vaccinated. The agency also suggested that men who have had sex with another man in the past three months be offered the vaccine “regardless of HIV status” or where they live. In effect, the department now recommends that all gay and bisexual men who have had recent sex with a man should consider getting vaccinated. While HIV-positive men probably see their doctors regularly, that may not be true of HIV-negative men so they

may not hear about the vaccine campaign. “Now they’re talking about HIV-negative men who may or may not be engaged in healthcare,” said Dr. Gal Mayer, CallenLorde’s managing director of clinical services. “Where is the public messaging? Where are all the alerts for gay men to come in and see their provider? That’s what is needed at this point. If we really want to vaccinate 10,000 people, I think it’s time to step up the public messaging.” At an October 16 presentation at the Physicians’ Research Network, Dr. Marcelle Layton, the assistant commissioner at the department’s Bureau of Communicable Disease, told attendees at the educational group, “The estimate is about 10,000 that we’re aiming to vaccinate,” according to a video posted on the network’s website. “We recognize that uptake has been slow,” Layton acknowledged, after saying the department was “investing a little bit of money” in a media campaign. In an email, the department press office told Gay City News it is “working with community based organizations, the medical community, and key opinion leaders (e.g., bloggers) to inform them about the outbreak and spread the message to persons eligible for vaccination.” The agency has advertised “on several social media sites” and will distribute “posters and palm cards” at medical facilities and gay-friendly venues.

In the latest alert, the department reported seeing 16 “invasive meningococcal disease” cases among gay and bisexual men since 2010, with 11 occurring in the past 12 months. Four of the men are dead. The agency estimated that “fifteen to twenty percent of the initial target population” — of HIV-positive men — have received the first dose of the two-dose vaccine since October 4. At the network event, Layton said that one or two men who visited New York City may have carried the bug to other jurisdictions. The press office said one such case was under investigation. “We are investigating one case right now to confirm that it is, in fact, part of this outbreak, and will work with the appropriate jurisdiction to report this case when it is confirmed,” the press office wrote. Two other North American cities that had meningitis outbreaks among gay men responded faster. Two of six gay men with meningitis in Toronto died in an outbreak from “early May to mid-July of 2001,” according to a 2003 study. Toronto health officials administered 3,850 vaccine doses free of charge in 50 locations, including bathhouses and a community center, from July 25 through August 18 of that year. Toronto saw no additional cases. An October 2003 outbreak in Chicago that killed three of six infected gay men led to an eight-day vaccination campaign

that administered 14,267 doses at six sites, according to a 2007 study. There were no new cases. “So eight weeks later, we’ve vaccinated 2,000 people, of which Callen-Lorde has vaccinated 700, and there’s been two additional cases,” Mayer said. “It’s really not moving very quickly.” In a 2009 study in Clinical Infectious Diseases, New York City health department staff reported on a 23-case meningitis outbreak among drug injectors in Central Brooklyn in 2006 that killed seven people. Between June 28 and September 30 of that year, the department vaccinated 2,763 people. The study noted that an additional three cases were seen after the campaign. Among infections in this year’s outbreak that were analyzed, the department noted, in the September 27 alert, that “6 of 7 infections are related to a strain of N. meningitidis that was responsible for the 2006 outbreak in New York City.” The Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), which is not licensed to administer vaccinations, held a community forum on meningitis and is informing its clients about the vaccination campaign. “They’ve been contacting us with great frequency,” Marjorie J. Hill, Ph.D., GMHC’s chief executive officer, said of the health department. “I think they’ve been, from our perspective, they’ve handled this in a very thoughtful and thorough manner.”

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December 12 - 25, 2012

Identity Crisis: 10th Precinct Warns of ATM Scam BY RYAN BUXTON Creative criminals with technology on their side accounted for a wave of identity theft in Chelsea, Community Affairs Officer Michael Petrillo said at the 10th Precinct’s Community Council November 28 meeting. Overall crime was up by nine percent during the last 28 days — an increase propelled by a whopping 29 percent rise in grand larceny. The most common type of grand larceny during November was identity theft, a crime. Special operations officer Lt. Wilfredo Ramos told the meeting’s attendees that what looks like an average ATM could include disguised gadgets designed to steal personal information. Ramos provided details concerning a trend in identity theft in which a device will be place on top of an ATM’s card reader and a microscopic camera installed above the machine’s screen. The add-ons, which can be powered by cell phone batteries, are hard to spot and look like normal parts of the ATM. “You swipe your card, type in your PIN, get money, and then month later your account is wiped out,” said Ramos. “Criminals put a device on top of card reader that records the [credit card] strip and a pinhole camera to capture your PIN.”] ATM patrons should keep that in mind, he warned, in order to identify and avoid a trap. “Any ATM I go into, before I go in, I tug the swiper, the card reader, and cover the PIN [numbered keyboard] with my hand,” said Ramos. “This is your money. You’ve got to protect it.” Petrillo added that common sense goes a long way in avoiding identity theft, recommending the use of secured ATMs inside a bank rather than machines that sit out on the street. “This ATM is sitting out here all night,” he warned. “There’s no camera watching it. Ask yourself, ‘Do I need my money that bad?’ ” But identity thieves don’t need hidden cameras to swipe some serious cash. It can be as easy as pilfering an ID card from a purse and then opening a credit account in someone’s name, said Petrillo. A quick theft is particularly simple during the holidays, when shoppers turn up

Photo by Ryan Buxton

Community Affairs Officer Michael Petrillo talks with a community member about the condition of her block following Hurricane Sandy.

in hordes and can absentmindedly leave their valuables vulnerable. “You see it all the time, especially during the holidays,” said Petrillo. “You go shopping, you go from store to store, and you’ve got your pocketbook open. Zip it up.” That increased traffic during the holidays — and the rising risk of crime that comes with it — is on NYPD’s radar. Petrillo told residents that officers will give extra care to busy areas like Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the coming weeks. “The holiday corridor is in effect, and you should see a little more police presence on those main shopping areas,” Petrillo assured the residents in attendance. Later in the meeting, Petrillo gave a brief update on how the precinct fared during Hurricane Sandy, recalling how it was powered by an old generator (which Petrillo estimated was from the 1960s).

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He praised the precinct’s officers for carrying out their duty to the city amid hardship, and noted that of approximately 130

officers, only four or five were unable to make it to work immediately following the storm. One community member made a complaint during the meeting about the number of bicycles left tied to trees for days on end. Petrillo agreed that it’s an issue, but he clarified the rules about bikes and explained that in many cases, officers’ hands are tied. “We’ve been dealing with this for years,” said Petrillo. “For us to remove a bicycle, it has to appear derelict — broken, rusted. We can’t just go up to the bike and take it. We’re not allowed to do that.” Petrillo did say, however, that many instances of bikes left on the street can be easily handled by an officer and an observant resident. He recommended keeping watch and reporting any neighbors who consistently leave bikes bound to trees, in which case an officer can talk directly with the offender about where bicycles should be stored. The Community Council meeting takes place on the last Wednesday of the month, at 7pm. There is no December meeting. The Council resumes on January 30 (at 230 W. 20th St., btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). For info, call Community Affairs at 212-741-8226. For Crime Prevention, 212-741-8226. For Domestic Violence, 212-741-8216. For the Youth Officer, 212-741-8211.

December 12 - 25, 2012

EDITORIAL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NID’s Time is Now We’ve previously come out in support of the proposal for a neighborhood improvement district, or NID, for the Hudson River Park and surrounding blocks. That support hasn’t lessened as the proposal has been honed and is now starting its journey through the public review process. Rather, the more we see about this NID, the more we like it. Clearly, Hudson River Park is in serious need of funds. By next year, the Hudson River Park Trust says it will be operating at a $7 million deficit. And that doesn’t even take into account the situation of Pier 40, which needs somewhere around at least $30 million just to stabilize its roof and support piles — and much more than that for a long overdue, full-scale renovation. Obviously, the estimated $6 million the NID would raise for the park from adjacent property owners is not the ultimate answer to the waterfront park’s problems. The NID’s funding would only account for 20 percent of the park’s annual operating costs — yet that’s a significant amount. And until designated “commercial nodes” like Piers 57 and 76 are developed and start generating some revenue for the park, the NID’s revenue stream will be even more critical. Pier 40 already brings in millions of dollars for the Trust — around 40 percent of its annual operating budget — but the Trust hopes to boost that figure by opening the Hudson River Park Act to allow a wider range of uses on Pier 40. The community is by no means unified on what should happen with Pier 40 — whether some sort of residential or office use on the pier, or next to it, is the right way to go. On the other hand, there seems to be more support for the NID. The annual tax assessment for residential co-op and condo owners would not be large, around $75. Large commercial property owners would be able to pass on at least some of the assessment to their tenants. As one speaker at a recent outreach hearing on the proposal said, the annual fee is — depending on the size of one’s home — roughly the cost of a tip or a dinner at an upscale restaurant. In effect, the assessment would help keep the park and surrounding area in top condition precisely for those who, on the whole, use it more than anyone — local residents. Assemblymember Deborah Glick has been a vocal critic of residential housing at Pier 40. But she has repeatedly voiced her backing for the NID. Glick’s currently gauging community reaction, however, at venues like the outreach hearings, and wants to make sure the public is adequately informed on exactly what they’ll be paying for and getting. She’s right: Many residents in the area bordering the park may not fully understand the NID proposal, and many may not even have a clue about it. A “needs assessment survey” has been mailed out, and hopefully this is alerting residents about this process, and winning their support. Hopefully, our article in this week’s issue of The Villager also helps clarify the proposal by laying out some of its key facets. Clearly, at 5 miles long, running the length of Hudson River Park and extending two to three blocks inland, this would be one big NID. It would be set up and operate under existing regulations that govern the city’s nearly 70 business improvement districts, or BIDs. This would, in effect, be a BID, but would focus on maintaining the park, as well as the bike path’s planted edges, the highway median and other surrounding public spaces. The NID would also focus on safety, which is definitely needed since large motor vehicles do currently cross the bike path, and the highway is simply dangerous to cross, for kids and adults alike. Again, this NID has a lot to offer. But the outreach must ensure that the public is genuinely informed. In an era of declining government funding for parks, this district would be one part of the puzzle of shoring up the park’s finances — but a very important part. Bottom line, this NID is needed.

After Sandy, NuCare lived up to its name To The Editor I thank Jane Hogg for writing about the support NuCare Pharmacy, on 9th Avenue & 25th Street, gave to the community surrounding Penn South during hurricane Sandy [“Hooked Up & Juiced: Local Merchants Give, not Gouge,” Nov. 14 issue]. They dispensed water and ice and let people charge batteries there. They were smart enough to have their pharmacy on the grounds of Penn South and hook up to its power grid, and selfless enough to share their power with neighbors surrounding, but outside of Penn South. This is another instance of a small business helping its immediate community, even though it is not labeled as a community help agency.

Estelle Katz: Comrade and friend To The Editor: Re “Life of Estelle Katz Long on Good Causes, Great Friends” (obit, Nov. 28): I lived with Estelle Katz and her daughters for about two years. She remained a lifelong friend. She stood up for what she believed in. She had a great sense of humor and was extremely altruistic. I know that because when she worked in the hospital, I became a patient there and she did everything to help me. I first was friends with her daughter Ann. I then met Vivan at World Fellowship. I love them both. She was a very warm person. I am only sorry that I didn’t see her more often after my husband died a few years ago. She was always helping people. She was a dedicated person, my Comrade and friend. I will always love her. Carla E. Smith

Carol Weinstein

Katz was a ‘fearless warrior’ Affordable Housing a matter of supply and demand To The Editor: Re: “Activists Address Affordable Housing’s Disappearing Act” (news, Nov. 28): We will never have affordable housing if we don’t acknowledge that supply and demand set housing prices, not landlords and real estate developers. There will be less than 1,300 new condos built this year, in a city already suffering from a housing shortage. This is unacceptable. We need to build tens of thousands of units to stabilize prices and tens of thousands of additional units to lower prices. Nearly every economist in the world, including those on the far left such as Nobel laureates Paul Krugman and Assar Lindbeck (a Socialist Party member in Sweden) agree that rental price controls (whether they escalate annually or not) lead to housing scarcity, higher prices for marketrate units, and lower quality housing for all. Rent control and rent stabilization are not the answer and never will be. Join likeminded citizens on Facebook discussing how we can change our housing policies and create less expensive and higher quality housing for all New Yorkers (facebook. com/nycrenters). The Renters’ Alliance

That’s some crazy slang To The Editor: Re “Slipper Room Rises as Sun Sets on Column” (arts, Nov. 28): Sad day in hell hearin’ yer leavin’! Your column was ALWAYS aces widdis kid. Thanks VERY much for ALL your efforts. Break a leg with your new ventures. Keep a smile…on the dial.

To The Editor: Re “Life of Estelle Katz Long on Good Causes, Great Friends” (obit, Nov. 28): Estelle was a fearless warrior for peace and justice. She and fellow comrades stood in fair and harsh weather, weekly, to protest the Iraqi and Afghan wars. You could count on encountering Estelle at marches and rallies for affordable housing, health care, equal pay, living wages and for human, women’s and civil rights. Anne Sidney Emerman

Granddaughter recalls Katz To The Editor: Re “Life of Estelle Katz Long on Good Causes, Great Friends” (obit, Nov. 28): I am Estelle’s youngest granddaughter. She was one of my favorite people — not only because she stood for all the right things but because she laughed, she shared and she always thought of us. She was brave to her last breath and I will talk to her in my heart always. Sara Hazzard

Katz an early adopter of Activists Forever! To The Editor: Re “Life of Estelle Katz Long on Good Causes, Great Friends” (obit, Nov. 28): Estelle was an early supporter of Activists Forever! Friends & Family of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. If we could all live like her, the world would be a much better place. Her vision of peace, equality, justice and socialism are beacons for us to strive to reach, as she did. Georgia Wever

Dr. BOP

Continued on page 9

December 12 - 25, 2012

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Continued from page 8

Katz championed prisoners To The Editor: Re “Life of Estelle Katz Long on Good Causes, Great Friends” (obit, Nov. 28): Estelle also worked to get good books toprisoners, over many years, and sought the help of Int’l Publishers Co/NYC in her endeavors. She was very pleased when her efforts met success, but there were intractable prison officials who gave her grief. She was an outstanding fighter for peace and justice and a better world. Betty Smith

God save us from GLWD To The Editor:

Not in sync with Soho

Better head for the hills

To The Editor: Re “Neighbors Say God’s Love Plan Doesn’t Deliver” (news article, Nov. 28): Although I understand God’s Love We Deliver’s intent, I feel this particular design fails them. Yes, there are several attractive and useful facets to the plans as seen in the presentation at the meeting. Sadly, there are many more facets that fall flat. The street corner in question is a main entrance point to Soho. A look at the existing buildings in Soho reveals that brick and subdued tones dominate the exteriors. Certain details stand out and these nuances surprise the eye and excite the imagination. I do not see any of that in this current GLWD design. My hope is that GLWD will take these criticisms to heart and come back with an architectural design that will enhance Soho as so many other designers have done before them. GLWD are loving, sensitive and creative people. I know they can do better.

To The Editor: Re “Quinn Floats Ideas for Fighting Future Floods” (news article, Nov. 28): Who would pay for all of these suggested projects? I agree with implementing worthwhile and practical public service projects. However, surge gates for New York City seem impractical in a world that is slowly naturally warming, with sea levels inexorably rising. Although, I can recall the immediate infusion by Congress of $50 billion into New Orleans after Katrina — an amazing amount of money that promptly disappeared into the political morass of New Orleans politics with no visible impact on hurricane relief.

Lawrence White

Re “Neighbors Say God’s Love Plan Doesn’t Deliver” (news article, Nov. 28): I don’t think the article fully expresses the feelings of betrayal expressed by the community at God’s Love We Deliver’s misleading presentation. They call themselves “good neighbors” but are attempting to violate a covenant they agreed to with the city and the neighborhood, in order to allow a developer to build a grossly out-of-scale, luxury residential tower — for whose wealthy, partygoing condo owners GLWD would provide rooftop access. Spring Street is not the wide boulevard ready and waiting to accept increased truck traffic (as depicted in GLWD’s brochure), but a narrow, curving street corner that is already congested and dangerous. Their aluminum reclad design is totally out of keeping with everything in this historic district, and will cause hundreds of families to permanently lose the light and air that make their small apartments habitable. Simply put, this design is an abomination that will hasten the destruction of historic Soho and create a terribly negative impact upon those of us who have lived here for most of our lives. Is this the work of a great and worthy charity? Or is it merely a front for greedy and brutal real estate profiteers? Why must this charity damage a residential neighborhood and why must they expand on pricey real estate when they could easily find a less expensive home with plenty of room to grow? Does the convenience of the Soho location for the annual visit of Mayor Bloomberg and various fashion celebrities justify the need for placing this operation where people live?

Costly, labor intensive, needed To The Editor: Re “Quinn Floats Ideas for Fighting Future Floods” (news article, Nov. 28): The solution to many of the biggest problems facing America in general, and New York City in particular, is the re-creation and greening of our infrastructure so that it is brought into the 21st century. Power lines need to be underground. Permanent residences need to be moved out of flood plains. The ideas about surge barriers, etc., while amazingly expensive, have to be faced if the city is to survive. If the federal and state governments were to make a massive public works effort similar to what took place during the Depression or in preparation for World War II, it would put everyone to work, completely revive the economy and re-create this country. The politicians who allowed our bridges to rot and who timidly fail to address things like electric power lines coming down every time there is a storm, need to start thinking about something more long term than getting corporations to contribute to their next election campaign. These are the issues government alone can address and are the only reason governments are necessary. If the government spent all the hundreds of billions it would need to accomplish these tasks right here in the U.S., we could once again legitimately lead the world. Manufacturing would be revived, everyone would gain skills and our future would be secured. There is no way to avoid this inevitability.

David W. Behrens

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December 12 - 25, 2012

POLICE BLOTTER Robbery: Four perps, two with guns A 35-year-old male resident of West Chelsea told police that at approximately 4am on Sun., Dec. 2, he was walking eastbound on W. 22nd St. (on the south side of the street), when he noticed two males wearing dark clothing. He then crossed the street and, once in front of 457 W. 22nd St., he saw two other males (also wearing dark clothing). The two from the south side of the street followed the victim — then all four confronted him (with one of them stating, “Get on the floor, or I will kill you.”). Two of the men displayed guns, holding them to the victim’s head and back — while the other two perps went through his pockets, removing cash. Accompanied by the victim, police officers canvassed the area, but did not find the perps (who, immediately after the robbery, fled westbound on 22nd St., towards 10th Ave.).

Criminal Mischief: Window smash, phone grab The driver of a vehicle parked opposite 225 W. 19th St. returned at 3:30am on Sat., Dec. 1, to find his driver’s side window broken. An iPhone, valued at $200, was stolen from the car’s middle console. The police report noted the victim was unable to locate the phone (which they often are able to do, if the owner has installed a tracking app).

Robbery: Approached on stairwell A police report filed on Nov. 28, by a 54-year-old female, related an incident which took place at 10am on Fri., Nov. 2, inside of 419 W. 17th St. Using the stairs because the building still lacked power after Hurricane Sandy, the victim was approached between floors 13 and 14. An unknown person put an object to her backside, then instructed the victim: “Give me your pocketbook.” After taking a cell phone (valued at $50), an unspecified amount of cash and the pocket book itself (valued at $50), the perp fled down the stairwell.

Grand Larceny: Bad colds and upset stomachs call for desperate measures We’ve got a feeling that the products pilfered by these thieves were taken to get them high instead of treat them for feeling low. An employee of an Eighth Avenue pharmacy reported to police that at around 8:40pm on Wed., Nov. 28, three males entered the store. One of them distracted the employee, while the other two made off with $1,462.82 worth of Mucinex, Zegerid, Prilosec and Zantac.

Grand Larceny: Focus group not worth concentrating on A 27-year-old resident of the West 40s paid a costly price for buying into the promise of making a quick buck. After applying to be part of an Internet focus group and completing the online survey, the sponsoring company mailed him a $2,500 check — which he promptly deposited. He then was told to wire (via Western Union)

$2,100 to a man in Minnesota. After following their instructions, he was informed by his bank that the $2,500 was withdrawn from his account because the check was fraudulent. Attempts to reach the Minnesota contact, or the company, were unsuccessful.

Petty Larceny: Lost in the cloud Maybe she should have kept that pricey item close to the vest instead of socked away in a purse. At around 3am on Thurs., Nov. 29, a 22-year-old female who was enjoying Chelsea’s early morning nightlife (at 1 Oak, 453 W. 17th St.) noticed that her $400 iPhone had been removed from her purse. Although unable to provide police with the device’s IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number, the victim did have an iCloud feature on the phone which traced it to 18th St., then 11th St. Police canvassed the area, but were unable to recover the item.

—Scott Stiffler

Holiday Home Security Tips From now through New Year’s, time spent traveling, shopping and socializing can leave unoccupied homes vulnerable to opportunistic thieves. That warning, recently sent as part of the NYPD’s weekly Crime Prevention email, came with a tip sheet meant to foster some well-deserved peace of mind” by encouraging residents to “secure your property while you’re away — even if you’re only at the mall.” Below, find some of the NYPD’s top holiday security tips. For more info, or for crime prevention and personal safety tips, visit nypdcommunityaffairs.org. The Community Affairs office of Chelsea’s 10th Precinct can be reached at 212-741-8226. • Put interior lights on a timer, so they’ll come on in the evening if you’re away. But close your curtains. No need to show

off expensive presents under the tree. The same goes for the boxes the presents came in — fancy electronics boxes leave a tempting message for burglars.Lock your doors and windows. Remember to use a deadbolt. Burglars also look for unlocked ground floor windows, especially in your side or backyard. • Social media is now part of our lives, and is especially fun around the holidays. But be careful about what you post! If you blast your travel schedule across the Internet, everyone (including crooks) will know you’re not at home. Pass this tip onto your children. Also beware of identity theft. This is a favorite time of year for fake charities to gather your key financial info, like your Social Security Number and credit card number.

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.

THE 10th PRECINCT Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Elisa Cokkinos. Main number: 212741-8211. Community Affairs: 212741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212741-8216. Youth Officer: 212-7418211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212741-8210. Detective Squad: 212741-8245. The Community Council Meeting takes place at 7pm on the last Wed. of the month. There is no Dec. meeting. The Council resumes on Jan. 30.

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

December 12 - 25, 2012

Yule be Swell, Yule be Great! Your guide to Downtown December essentials

Photo by Bruce Colin

Dec. 16, with “A Village Noël.” The selections range from Gregorian chants to music of Medieval and Renaissance Spain to traditional and modern classics. Audience members can join the Chorale for a few familiar carols. MAYA, an acclaimed flute, harp and percussion trio, will also perform. At 5pm. Admission is $25, $10 for students. At Judson Memorial Church (55 Washington Square South, at Thompson St.). For info, call 212-517-1776 or visit westvillagechorale.org. At World Financial Center Winter Garden, at noon on Sun., Dec. 16. the National Yiddish Theatre-Folksbiene performs “My Yiddishe Chanukah.” This free concert combinines traditional holiday melodies with hot klezmer tunes. Musical director Zalmen Mlotek presents a lineup that includes Joanne Borts, Rachel Arielle Yucht, Dmitri “Zisl” Slepovitch, Avi Fox Rosen, Brian Glassman and Matt Temkin. At 220 Vesey St.. For info, visit worldfinancialcenter.com or call 212-417-7000. On December 24, at 5pm, it’s a holiday card snapshot or Facebook posting in the making — as you gather beneath the picturesque Washington Square Arch and join the Rob Susman Brass Quartet in the singing of beloved holiday carols. Can’t remember all the words — or any of them, for that matter? No pressure: The Washington Square Association is providing songbooks. Free. At the foot of Fifth Ave., one block south of Eighth St. Visit washingtonsquarenyc.org or call 212-252-3621. If the Dream Team were known for carrying a tune instead of dribbling a basketball, their starting players would be Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch. That’s actually two players short of a proper lineup…so in this resepct, our sports reference crumbles. And yet, it’s still worth noting that during last year’s “A Swinging Birdland Christmas,” this sweet and cheeky trio with world-class pipes brought their A game and knocked it out of the park. Poised to claim “Christmas Tradition” status, the third annual installment of this showbiz smorgasbord features music that harkens back to beloved seasonal variety specials, as played the Birdland Jazz Quartet (conceived by the immaculate Stritch on piano, with John Hart on guitar, Paul Gil on bass and Carmen Intorre on drums). Just as formidable is the betweensong patter, which manages to skate on a layer of ice thick with wit and thin on sarcasm (with a dusting of sincere niceties and naughty innuendo). Bonus Dream Team player: Jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein will bring his sharp wit, droll delivery and nimble digits to the proceedings. If you can’t make these holiday gigs, the Stritch/Caruso charisma is on display every Monday night, at “Cast Party” — Birdland’s raucous open mic shindig. At Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44 St., btw. 8th & 9th Aves.). For info, visit birdlandjazz.com or call 212581-3080 Six performances only: Fri., Dec. 21 through Tues., Dec. 25. All shows are at 6pm, except for the Mon. & Tues., with 7pm & 10pm shows. The cover is $30, with a $10 food or beverage minimum.

Chelsea Community Church’s 38th annual Christmas Candlelight Carol Service happens at 6pm, Dec. 16, at St. Peter’s.

Continued on page 12

BY SCOTT STIFFLER Like Times Square on New Year’s Eve, Macy’s windows on the weekends and that starved for attention, lit beyond recognition Norway spruce clogging pedestrian traffic around Rockefeller Center, the good people of New York City know what overblown seasonal trappings to avoid. They know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. But do they recall the most famous Downtown holiday events of all? Yeah, probably…but just in case, here are some choice Yuletide activities as fit for a starry-eyed tourist as a grizzled native New Yorker.

SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT Holiday music transports us back to a simpler time — when people could sing in public without being judged by a three-person panel, then slowly eliminated through a series of meanspirited call-in votes by the fickle American public. These events give voice to the most pitch-challenged among us, through singing with a large group or simply watching in silence as trained pros show how it’s done. You don’t have to live in the area to join the 300 West Block Association in their annual Caroling event — you just have to meet them in the lobby of 360 W. 22nd St. at 6:30pm sharp on Wed., Dec. 19. A brass quintet will accompany the carolers as they stroll the neighborhood while making a joyful noise that in no way, shape or form qualifies as a contentious quality of life issue to be discussed at the next Community Board 4 meeting. For more info, 300westblockassoc@prodigy.net. At Chelsea Community Church’s 38th Annual Candlelight Carol Service, the lay-led, nonedenominational congregation welcomes Ciaran O'Reilly and Charlotte Moore — founders of The Irish Repertory Theatre — who will read “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Clement Clark Moore’s beloved holiday poem has particular relevance, and resonance, given that the venue stands on land that was part of Moore’s estate. The service, comprising lessons and choral and congregational singing, includes music from the Italian Renaissance to early American shapenotes to Gospel. Organist Paul Murray will accompany. Free (offerings accepted). Sun,, Dec, 16, 6pm. At St. Peter’s Church (346 West 20th St., btw. 8th & 9th Aves.). For more info, call 212-886-5463 or visit chelseachurch.org. Founded in 1971 as a nonsectarian chorus, The West Village Chorale began its Greenwich Village Caroling Walk three years later — and they’ve never stopped strolling their historic, Dickens-like namesake neighborhoods while crooning seasonal carols and songs (except for those yearly breaks from January through November, which is totally understandable). The 2012 installment begins at 4pm, on Sat., Dec. 22, in the Meeting Room of Judson Memorial Church. Songbooks are passed out and the crowd goes on their merry way — then reconvenes at Judson for refreshments, conviviality and more singing. This is a free event (donations accepted). The Chorale will hold its first holiday concert in several years on Sun.,

Photo by Wayne Valzania

Soak up that Dickens-like charm, during the West Village Chorale’s annual Caroling Walk (Dec. 22).

Photo by Bill Westmoreland

Cabaret’s Christmas Dream Team, live on the Birdland stage.

December 12 - 25, 2012

Just Do Yule! Continued from page 11

DICKENS OF A GOOD TIME Like Shakespeare plays and chocolate chip cookies, “A Christmas Carol” lends itself to endless interpretations without ever sacrificing the enduring appeal of its core components. In the case of that good old Dickens tale, it’s the notion of finding redemption through compassion — even if it has to be dragged out of you by three menacing spirits. No matter. When it comes to second chances, saved souls and scoring the fattest goose in town for your Christmas feast, the end clearly justifies the means. These four interpretations of “A Christmas Carol” all end with Scrooge seeing the light — but offer different takes on the path to his December 25 wake-up call. Music in Chelsea’s public reading of “A Christmas Carol” puts the action in a chamber music setting, and features actors from as far away as Ohio and Pennsylvania — all gathering to raise funds for the Saint Peter’s Food Pantry. Robert Frankenberry performs the role of Scrooge. Taking a page from the author’s premise that judgmental ghosts monitor our every move, the organizers vow that, “Mr. Dickens will oversee the proceedings from afar.” The audience is encouraged to join in singing newly minted carols and help with the sound effects (disconsolate spirits, sea and wind, etc,). Prior to the event, a PDF of the score, “Christmas Carol Choral Bits,” will available for download in the

Photo by Jean-Marie Guyaux

See BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center’s “A Christmas Carol” for free, Dec. 22.

“Scores” section of rogerzahab.net. Fri., Dec. 28 at 8pm and Sun., Dec. 30 at 4pm. At Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church (346 W. 20th St., btw. 8th & 9th Aves.). Tickets are $10, $5 for students/seniors. For the third year running, Housing Works Bookstore Cafe has charged dozens of writers and performers with the task of bringing Dickens’ words from the page to the stage. “What The Dickens?” begins at noon, with Christmas caroling led by the New York City Master Chorale. Then, at 1pm, it’s every blessed word, beginning with “Marley was dead: to begin with” and ending with “God Bless Us, Every One!” Those scheduled to read include Kurt Andersen, Jami Attenberg,

Jack Davenport, Lev Grossman, Aryn Kyle, Ann Leary, Patrick McGrath, Eileen Myles, Elissa Schappell, Rob Spillman, Lorin Stein, Emma Straub, Peter Straub, Justin Taylor, Baratunde Thurston, Lynne Tillman, Amor Towles, Simon Van Booy and Lee Woodruff. Throughout the event, all books are 10 percent off. Free. Sat., Dec. 15, 1-4:30pm. At Housing Works Bookstore Café (126 Crosby St., btw. E. Houston & Prince Sts.). Visit housingworks.org or call 212-334-3324. At Abrons Arts Center, “Reid Farrington’s A Christmas Carol” features Downtown theater legend Everett Quinton and four other performers who slip in and out of the story’s dozens of characters. Farrington, a former

video designer for Wooster Group, mashes 35 different cinematic versions of “A Christmas Carol” with his live actors — blurring the distinction between performance and projection. Along the way, Quinton’s onstage Ebenezer shares miser duties with everyone from Mr. Magoo to George C. Scott to Bill Murray — all of whom have their own takes on Scrooge. God bless them, every one! At Abrons Arts Center (466 Grand St., at Pitt St.). Through Dec. 23. Tickets are $25, $15 for students/seniors. To purchase tickets and for a full schedule of performances, visit abronsartscenter.org or call 212-352-3101. To celebrate their rapid rise after being impacted by Sandy, the Borough of Manhattan Community College and BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center is making their first post-hurricane production a FREE event. Suitable for ages five and up, this musical version of “A Christmas Carol” (produced in partnership with Theatreworks USA) hits all the familiar narrative marks, with an emphasis on the story’s most humorous and touching moments — with the addition of songs meant to convey “Dickens' original message that the holiday season should be a kind, forgiving, charitable time.” Sat., Dec. 22, at 3pm. At BMCC Tribeca PAC (199 Chambers St, on the BMCC campus). Admission is free, but seating is limited. Ticket distribution, on the day of the show, begins at noon. For more info, call 212-220-1460.

Continued on page 13

Volunteers Needed for a Gum Disease Study! The New York University College of Dentistry Bluestone Center for Clinical Research is seeking volunteers with and without gum disease to take part in a clinical research study. The purpose of this research study is to find out which germs make gum disease worse.

The study requires you to come visit our clinic for up to 14 visits. To qualify, you must: • Be at least 25 years old • Have at least 20 natural teeth • Have not used tobacco products for at least a year

Compensation provided for time and transportation At the end of the study participants will receive a full dental cleaning.

Contact Information:

212-998-9310 Principal Investigator, Patricia Corby, DDS, MS

December 12 - 25, 2012

Yule be Great!

Your doctor spent 5 minutes? Photo by Robert Braunfeld

Our 3-D greeting card beats their big tree: The Flatiron Public Plaza’s oversized centerpiece is this season’s upstart alternative to Rockefeller Center.

Another reason to call.

Photo by Carol Rosegg

“It’s a Wonderful Life” gets the radio days treatment, at The Irish Rep.

Continued from page 12 As we went to press, The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership was well into their “23 Days of Flatiron Cheer” — whose press release came to us with a sassy diss of the Rockefeller Center tree and the confident assertion that “A New Month-Long FREE Holiday Tradition” would be anchored by the presence of a ginormous 3-D holiday greeting card strategically located in photoop-friendly distance of the iconic Flatiron building. The calendar of remaining events — curated with equal allegiance to hipsters, youngsters, foodies and pennywise culture vultures — includes the distribution of prestamped holiday cards (Dec. 14), holidaythemed improve theater (Dec. 13, 12pm & 1pm) and jazz music (Dec. 19, 5pm), face painting (Dec. 15), classic holiday caroling led by the Tada! Youth Theater (Dec. 16, 12pm & 1pm), a meet & greet with holiday characters (Dec. 18), candy cane, eco-tote and holiday cookie distribution (Dec. 20, 21 and 23, respectively) and complimentary gift wrapping (Dec. 22, 12-4pm). Kind of makes the “Twelve Days of Christmas” seem a little unambitious in comparison, huh? All events take place from 12-2pm unless otherwise noted above, and most events take place on the Flatiron Public Plazas, at 23rd Street

& Broadway. For a full schedule of events, visit discoverflatiron.org/holiday. Many of the activities will benefit City Harvest, Food Bank for New York City, and First Book. For anyone familiar with Frank Capra’s 1946 film about the ripple effect one person has on the fate of countless others, it’s no great spoiler to note that an angel called Clarence gets his wings a suicidal soul by the name George Bailey gets another chance. But there are still a few surprises to be had, in The Irish Repertory Theatre’s live radio play interpretation of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Adapted by Anthony E. Palermo from the screenplay — and set in a radio station during the 1940s — six actors bring 25 characters to life, with ample support from a very busy live sound effects artist (Zach Williamson). Charlotte Moore directs, and the cast includes Irish Rep veterans Rory Duffy, Peter Maloney and Max Gordon Moore. Through Dec 30. At The Irish Repertory Theatre's W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre (132 W. 22nd St., btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves.). Wed. & Sat. at 3pm/8pm; Thurs. at 7pm; Fri. at 8pm; Sun. at 3pm (additional performance Tues., Dec. 18 at 8pm; no performance Dec. 25). For tickets ($40) and info, visit irishrep.org or call 212727-2737.

Continued on page 14

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December 12 - 25, 2012

We Proudly Present an Embarrassment of Holiday Riches Continued from page 13 Foul of mouth, fast of wit and green of hair, Hedda Lettuce is taking her holiday schtick out of the crisper for another installment of the annual December debacle known as “Lettuce Rejoice.” Armed with cutting observations, catty insults and just enough sweetness (and blackmail dirt) to make St. Nick’s “Nice” list, Ms. Lettuce will assault her willing audience with utterly tasteless versions of beloved classics — including “Here Comes Tranny Clause” (in which a sinister tranny ruins Xmas) and “Do You Hear What I Hear” reimagined as “Do You Think That He’s Queer” (about a fag hag desperately seeking a sexual relationship with a gay man). The talented pianist Paul Leschen accompanies our gal. Not content to limit herself to profane parodies, Lettuce mounts “a demented homage to the dearly departed Amy Winehouse” and favors one lucky comer with a basket full of Boy Butter Lubricantto. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Sun., Dec. 16 at 9:30pm; Wed., Dec. 19 at 7pm; Sat., Dec. 22 at 9:30pm; Sun., Dec. 23 at 4pm & 9:30pm and Wed., Dec. 26 at 9:30pm. At The Metropolitan Room (34 W. 22nd St., btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves.). For tickets ($22/$25), visit metropolitanroom. com or call 212-206-0440. It’s as Jewish as Chinese food and a movie on Christmas…except it has neither of those two wildly popular Chosen People activities. From 10am-4pm on December 25, the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s trailblazing, tradition-busting “Hava’n a Good Time” event welcomes visitors of all ages for a day of music, crafts and…film. Okay, yes, the 3:30pm screening of “Keeping Up with the Steins” counts as a Christmas Day movie. But honestly, there’s not a spring roll or a scallion pancake in sight! On the plate for sure, though: There will be a kidfriendly craft station where children can make mosaic-themed picture frames — and a 1pm concert by Metropolitan Klezmer. Since its first gig in 1994, this ensemble (led by drummer Eve Sicular) has specialized in performing a Yiddish repertoire influenced by world music, drinking songs, swing and tango. Tickets for the concert are $15, $12 for seniors and students, $10 for members. The day-long event itself is free, with museum admission ($12, $10 for seniors, $7 for students, free for members and children 12 and younger). For reservations to the concert and more info on all museum events, visit mjhnyc.org or call 646-437-4202. At Edmond J. Safra Plaza (36 Battery Place). This concert from the One World Symphony recalls how, after 14 years of struggling to continue the legacy of Beethoven, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) cracked the symphonic code at the age of 43. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, op. 68 was the result. Artistic Director and Conductor Sung Jin Hong’s arrangement for voice and symphony features Mezzo Soprano Adrienne Metzinger. Net proceeds will benefit Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, and the post-concert

Photo by Jaka Vinsor

One World Symphony’s Dec. 19 concert benefits Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.

Photo by WILSONMODELS

Lettuce laugh: Hedda gets her canes in a twist, at the Metropolitan Room (Dec. 16-26).

Photo courtesy of the Merchant’s House Museum

A 1950s Christmas in an 1850s setting? It all makes sense, at the Merchant’s House Museum.

Photo courtesy of Miramax Films

Chinese food, no. Movie? Yes. “Keeping up with the Steins” screens Dec. 25 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

wine reception features jazz by the Robert Page Jazz Trio. Wed., Dec. 19, at 8pm. At Holy Apostles Church (296 Ninth Ave., at W. 28th St.). Tickets ($20) are available at the door 20 minutes before start time. For info, visit oneworldsymphony.org. From fond childhood memories to old flames back in town for the holidays, this sea-

son has plenty of Ghosts of Christmas Past — but at the Merchant’s House Museum, they’ve got the real thing. After decades of documented paranormal experiences by staff and visitors, “Manhattan’s Most Haunted House” has, as of late, embraced its haunted reputation. Unfortunately, MHM’s late October Ghost

Tours (a major source of income for the nonprofit entity) were cut short by Sandy. While they’re not playing up your chances of running into a ghost at any of their December events, it’s worth noting that last year, as workers were installing “From Candlelight to Bubble Light: A 1950s Christmas in an 1850s Home,” they heard snoring coming from the other room and were taken aback when the piece of furniture it seemed to emanate from was unoccupied by any living soul. The staff wasn’t surprised — the same spectral snoozer has been heard before, in that very location. There’s no chance you’ll fall asleep, though, when touring the house in all of its “Bubble Light” splendor. Drawn from the vintage holiday collection of conceptual stylist and East Village art scene icon Deb O’Nair, this period mashup retro-decks the 19th century Merchant’s House halls (and family rooms and bedrooms and Greek Revival parlors) with hundreds of O’Nair’s post-1950s Christmas cards, ornaments, decorations, lit-from-within plastic holiday icons, Lefton “Holly” china and vintage holiday cooking paraphernalia. Though potentially jarring, the net effect of combining these seemingly disparate eras simply makes one nostalgic for two distinct periods of the past while pondering how one hand washes the other (“The holiday innovations of the 1850s,” MHM points out, “created and inspired the traditions of the 1950s”). “From Candlelight to Bubble Light: A 1950s Christmas in an 1850s Home” is on display through Jan. 7, noon to 5pm, Thurs. -Mon. Free with museum admission ($10, $5 for students/seniors). At the Merchant’s House Museum, 29 East Fourth St. (btw. Lafayette & Bowery). Find a full schedule of events by visiting merchantshouse.org or calling 212777-1089.

December 12 - 25, 2012

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., Jan. 2, 6:30pm, at the Fulton Center Auditorium (119 Ninth 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., Jan. 17, 6pm, at St. Xavier High School (30 W. 16th St., btw. 5th and 6th Aves., 2nd fl.). Call 212-4650907, 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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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 212-760-9830. For the Education Center (447 W. 25th St.), call 212760-9843. For the Fulton Center for Adult Services (119 9th Ave.), call 212-924-6710.

CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CHRISTINE QUINN Call 212-564-7757 or visit council.nyc. gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml.

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.

THE SAGE CENTER New York City’s first LGBT senior center offers hot meals, counseling and a cybercenter — as well as programs on arts and culture, fitness, nutrition, health and wellness. At 305 Seventh Avenue (15th floor, btw. 27th & 28th Sts.). Call 646-5768669 or visit sageusa.org/thesagecenter for menus and a calendar of programs.

FULTON YOUTH OF THE FUTURE Email them at fultonyouth@gmail. com or contact Miguel Acevedo, 646-671-0310.

At 147 W. 24th St. (btw. 6th & 7th Aves.)

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.

STATE SENATOR TOM DUANE Call 212-633-8052 or visit tomduane.com. CHELSEA REFORM DEMOCRATIC CLUB The CRDC (the home club of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, State Senator Tom Duane 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 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 lesbian, gay, bisexual, two spirit, trans and gender non-conforming people of color center for community organizing. Visit alp.org.

December 12 - 25, 2012

“THE COLONIAL NUTCRACKER” and “THE SNOW MAIDEN” Having presented acclaimed reimaginings of “Sleeping Beauty,” “Peter and the Wolf” and “Cinderella,” Dance Theatre in Westchester puts their stamp on Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet by placing the action in wintry colonial Yorktown during the Revolutionary War. “The Colonial Nutcracker” features the Sugar Plum Fairy dance and the Waltz of the Snowflakes everyone knows and loves, plus a red-coated mouse army and narration designed to enhance the experience of kids ages five and up. Sun., Dec. 16, at 2pm. Tickets: $10. At the

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts. Also at BCPA: Traditional Russian songs, dances and elaborate costumes are used to tell the story of why Grandfather Frost transforms a worthy young girl into “The Snow Maiden.” It’s performed in Russian with English subtitles, and recommended for ages six and up. Sat., Dec. 22, at 6pm. Tickets are $35-$50. To get more info and purchase tickets to both shows, visit brooklyncenteronline.org or call 718-951-4500. BCPA is located at the Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College (2900 Campus Road; 2/5 trains to Flatbush Ave.; on-site paid parking available).

December 12 - 25, 2012

The Skinny on Slimming Winter Soups sizzles, add onion, celery and butternut squash. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes. Add canned pumpkin. Cook for 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Take the pot off of the burner. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to taste. Puree half of this with your handheld blender and keep the other half chunky.

BY CARLYE WAXMAN RD, CDN Who wants to eat a cold salad or fruit and yogurt when it’s chilly out? The best way to stay warm and skinny this winter is with SOUP! Making healthy soups is a surefire way to lose weight during the winter months, when we tend to gain. Soups can be great as a lunch item with a hot slice of whole grain bread, as a midday snack before you hit the gym or at dinner, accompanied with a lean protein and vegetable. Just because I said soup makes you skinny doesn’t mean your soup has to be boring or limited to familiar recipes like tomato soup, chicken soup or just plain vegetable soup from a can. Try making a huge batch yourself. It takes less than an hour, and you can get four to six future meals from it! Don’t want the same soup all week long? Portion the finished, cooled soup into individual Tupperware (8-10oz portions) and freeze it, then go back to that soup when you’re ready a few weeks later. You can also bring it to work for lunch and use your “frozen soup” as your ice pack if you’re also bringing along other snacks for the day. If you haven’t invested in a handheld blender, I strongly recommend it. It’s small, cheap and fits in the drawer. You can whip it out and puree any of these soups or lightly puree them for a thicker consistency. Before I give you my favorite winter soup recipes, here are some tips on how to prepare any soup healthily: • If your recipe calls for heavy cream, use pureed cooked potatoes. It will give the soup that thickening consistency without the calories. • If you want your soup to taste like cream, good tip is to use a few tablespoons of heavy cream when the recipe calls for one cup. You can fill the rest of the cup with low-fat milk. • Instead of using olive oil or butter to sauté vegetables and meat prior to making it into a soup, try investing in a slow cooker. Most recipes will allow you to just throw all the ingredients into the pot without having to cook them individually (this will also cut down on your clean up time.) • Use low-fat cheese when the recipe calls for cheese. Since you’re probably adding the whole package, you can really save on calories this way. Below are some of my go-to staples for the winter. These recipes are easy, and can be prepared by my fellow friends who live in studios with six-foot kitchens, one pot and maybe a few utensils.

HEARTY GARDEN MINESTRONE Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, minced or chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 sweet onion, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 1 zucchini, chopped 1 yellow squash, chopped 1 can white beans or chick peas 2 cans of Hunt’s low-sodium stewed tomatoes 3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH CARROTS AND SMOKED PAPRIKA Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoon tomato paste 1 white onion, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 1 cup of baby carrots 1 cup of red lentils rinsed and drained 4 cups of water 1 mushroom, chicken or vegetable bouillon cube 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Photo by Carley Waxman RD, CDN

Meet Hearth Garden Minestrone soup, your new winter comfort food.

Directions: Add the olive oil and garlic to a mediumlarge pot cooked on medium heat. After it sizzles, add onion, celery and carrots. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes. Then add the lentils, bouillon cube and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, then simmer and cover for about an hour.

1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon basil ½ cup of uncooked pasta shells Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Heat the oil and garlic in a medium-sized sauce pan. After it sizzles, add onion and celery and cook until tender (about five minutes). Add zucchini and squash and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, stirring. Add canned beans, stewed tomatoes and stock. Bring the pot to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Simmer and cover. After about 30 minutes, add uncooked pasta shells and cook for another 20 minutes. If your consistency is too thick, simply add water and continue cooking until the desired consistency is achieved. Then add the basil, oregano, salt and pepper!

CINNAMON-SPICED PUMPKIN AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon ginger 1 tablespoon butter 1 sweet onion, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 1 pound of butternut squash, peeled and cubed (can buy pre-packaged) 1 can Libby’s pure pumpkin 3 cups vegetable stock 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg Directions: Melt the butter, ginger and garlic on medium heat in a medium-sized sauce pan. After it

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December 12 - 25, 2012

Surge Not Sinking Pier 40 Plans rather than after Pier 40 was developed,” Schwartz added of the unexpectedly high storm surge. “I’m sure that there are ways to prevent some of the water damage suffered on Pier 40. Even the Champions plan needs some tweaks. The buildings would have to be built with higher lobbies, and with flood-proofing, with electrical and heating systems higher up.”

Continued from page 5

Can a similar approach work in New York City, though, to safeguard new construction on the waterfront? she was asked. “There should be lots of lively discussions about this,” Wils predicted. “There are many, many ways to do it. We would not be the first to do it. I always thought this was an important subject, and now it’s become more important in the short term. Sandy was above the 100-year floodplain. Hopefully, we will come out stronger by dealing with this. Hopefully, what this storm has done will get the best minds thinking about how we change our building codes in the future and our infrastructure.” Assuming the state Legislature conceivably does agree to modify the park act to allow residential use on the pier, it wouldn’t be before March, since it doesn’t appear there will be a special session this month before the legislators reconvene in January.

INTER-PIER EVERGLADES?

Photo by Tequila Minsky

Attesting to Pier 40’s decrepit infrastructure, more than a month after Superstorm Sandy, the pier is being powered by two large external generators at its southeast corner.

On lessening the impact of storm surges, Schwartz opined, “Marshes off the lower tip of Manhattan, and maybe even between some of the piers in Hudson River Park might be helpful. New Yorkers have discovered their waterfront. We need to be creative, and not run away from it.” Added David Gruber, CB2 chairperson, “I think that all these plans of building on or near the waterfront need to be looked at carefully in light of what happened. It doesn’t mean you can never build there, but you really have to examine all proposals carefully.”

EAST COAST EMERGENCY! Glick, for her part, said Sandy unfortunately proved her dire warnings were right on target. “There’s more than one occasion where I have taken a cold comfort in my assessment — and that is true in many areas,” the assemblymember noted. “I had raised a concern months and months ago that there were comments from the National Geological Survey that the East Coast was seeing a faster rate of sea-level rise than the rest of the world. At the same time, last year after [Tropical Storm] Irene, Joe Lhota [head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority] said they were having problems at South Ferry with rising sea levels.” On new construction in Zone A, which includes Pier 40, Glick said, “It’s one thing to rebuild lives and homes and businesses [that are already] in Zone A. It is quite another to plan new construction.”

NOT WON OVER BY CHAMPS

‘WE CAN STILL BUILD’

DURST RAISES LEVEL OF PLAY

How about the Pier 40 Champions plan, where towers wouldn’t actually be built on the pier, but just to the east of it, on the strip of parkland between the pier and the bike path? Would that be better situated in terms of withstanding future storm surges? she was asked. “I remain unconvinced that that is hardly better,” Glick answered. “No — not any better. I remain unconvinced that that is a better option. Period.” On the other hand, Assemblymember Richard Gottfried over the past year became a convert to the idea of residential housing as a potential savior for Pier 40. A co-author of the Hudson River Park Act, it was Gottfried who wrote prohibitions against housing into the act. But he now says alternatives need to be looked at because, as he put it back in May, “The park’s extraordinary capital need is crippling the park.”

Tobi Bergman, head of P3 (Pier, Park and Playground Association), part of the Pier 40 Champions coalition, expressed confidence that new construction can happen in Zone A, at least in Downtown Manhattan and at least for the foreseeable future. But he added, “Clearly, future construction will need to be done differently. There will be new regulations regarding construction in vulnerable areas, and any construction on or in front of Pier 40 will have to comply.” The bigger challenge is “to figure out how to protect existing vulnerable buildings, including those at Pier 40,” he noted. As to where the hypothetical towers would best withstand a storm surge, Bergman conceded, “I don’t know if building in the area in front of the pier is better than on the pier in that regard. We are proposing [the towers-off-the-pier option] for other reasons, including creating opportunities for a better park on the pier, connecting the buildings to the neighborhood context, and substantial cost reduction.”

In that vein, Sandy has caused developer Douglas Durst to re-examine his alternative Pier 40 proposal. Three months ago, Durst, the chairperson of the Friends of Hudson River Park — the park’s former watchdog group turned private fundraising arm — announced a plan for a high-tech campus, plus automated, valet parking for the pier. As a result of the superstorm’s flooding the pier’s playing field, Durst said what had merely been one of several design options in their proposal is now a firm component of it — namely, that the ball field would be raised up one level so that parking could be put underneath it. This move would preserve the fields from being damaged in future storms. The ground-floor parking garage “would be sacrificial to potential flooding,” Durst explained — though adding that, in the event of a storm, “cars could be moved up” to a higher floor. A field can’t be moved, but cars can, he said. The developer said his group is finalizing their plan and will release it shortly. “We’re just suggesting this to the Trust,” he noted of the office-and-parking scheme. “It would have to go through an RFP [request for proposals] and we would not be responding to it.” Durst has previously expressed the opinion that building residentially on Pier 40 simply would not work. Now, with the experience of Sandy, he said, it “proves the point that building residential out over the water was not a good idea.” He added that the Trust is currently also reviewing the Pier 40 Champions land-based building plan, which, he maintained, is just further proof that the notion of building on the pier was misguided. But, Durst assured, his own Pier 40 proposal would be viable, even with the threat of future storm surges. “I think,” he said, “if it’s done correctly — to plan for an event — yes.”

BUT WE’RE NOT ROTTERDAM Told that Wils had cited the example of Rotterdam as a place where people are building and living next to the water, Glick said, “Yes, but they have protections.” For hundreds of years, the Netherlands has been working diligently to keep the sea at bay with an elaborate system of barriers. Breaking with Mayor Bloomberg, who opposes the idea, Council Speaker Christine Quinn recently called for an immediate study of storm-surge barriers for New York Harbor (during a high-profile speech on climate change). But even if the Army Corps of Engineers supports such a project, it could take years before the barriers are built. As for residential on Pier 40, Glick said, beyond the fact that it’s currently illegal under the park act, Sandy now proves it just won’t work. “It was never a good idea. This makes it less good,” she said of Sandy’s eye-opening impact. “Madelyn can continue to push for something that’s not allowed by law,” she added.

OPTIONS, THEN AND NOW “It is important for the future of the whole park that the Hudson River Park Act should give the Trust a variety of options at Piers 76 [on West 36th Street] and 40,” Gottfried said last week, referring to another so-called commercial node. “The Pier 40 Champions concept for building housing on the land adjacent to Pier 40 was an important idea before Sandy, and probably more important after Sandy. Anything built on the pier or on the nearby Zone A land — whether park benches, playing fields, parking garages or buildings — needs to take Sandy’s lessons into account in its engineering and design.” Although he indicated that the Champions plan for towers in front of the pier might be wiser than putting towers on the pier, Gottfried later added that anything a block east of Pier 40, since it’s about the same level as the pier, would likely also have the same issues with storm surges — which would include the towers in the Champions plan.

MIMI TO BATTERY PARK CITY Similarly, Arthur Schwartz, co-chairperson of the Community Board 2 (CB2) Parks and Waterfront Committee, said, “I don’t believe that the storm means you abandon all construction in Zone A. That would be like telling people in Miami Beach and Ft. Lauderdale that they should abandon their homes. The hurricane points to infrastructure problems — like the need for surge buffers of some sort — but also points the way to what I will call ‘rising-tide technology.’ Clearly, Battery Park City survived with a 30-year-old version of that technology. Their lights didn’t go out, and most buildings avoided being flooded.” Simply, Battery Park City was built at an elevation higher than the shoreline. “It’s better that this happened now,

December 12 - 25, 2012

At Hudson Yards Groundbreaking, High Hopes for Things to Come

The Public Square will have 6.5 acres of open space, 240 trees, a central plaza and 1 acre of lush gardens.

Continued from page 2 shared purpose had yet to congeal. “In 2005, before I was Speaker, there were a lot of ideas [about uses for the site] and some potential for agreement,” she noted, feigning dim memories of “something about…a stadium?” Quinn characterized the years of debate over what to do with the abandoned rail yards as “different than other topics of neighborhood disagreement.” Those at the table, she noted, “yelled until they could agree. You can always get it done if you don’t give up and don’t walk out of the room.” Located at the northeast corner of 10th Avenue and 30th Street — and set for occupancy in 2015 — the 1.7 million-square-foot, 47-story South Tower will be joined by a 2.4 million square feet North Tower (at the southwest corner of 10th Avenue and 33rd Street). The two structures will be linked by a retail complex. Having purchased 740,000 square feet of space, the South Tower’s marquee resident was represented at the groundbreaking by Lew Frankfort, Chairman and CEO of high-end lifestyle accessory manufacturer Coach Inc. Quinn thanked Coach not only for becoming the first major business to commit to the project, but for their current presence in the area. “Lou,” said Quinn in reference to the 1,600 nearby workers, “You hung in there, during the tough years on 34th Street.” Two more tenants (announced but not named at the December 4 event) have signed on to occupy the South Tower — bringing it to near-capacity. “This is going to be the Gold Coast for the city,” said Bloomberg, who confidently asserted that the city’s staggering financial contribution to the project — three billion dollars — would inspire action on the part of the private sector. “You make the right investment,” he said, “you have a multiplier effect.”

The South Office Tower, viewed from the High Line spur.

December 12 - 25, 2012

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CHELSEA: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT They shaped the indie theater landscape 2012’s most innovative 15 BY MARTIN DENTON & MICHAEL CRISCUOLO (of nytheatre.com, indietheaternow.com and nytheatreblog.com) It’s that time of year again, when nytheatre.com celebrates a group of individuals and companies who have made a significant contribution to the NYC indie theater landscape. This is the ninth consecutive year that we’ve recognized a group of theater artists in this manner, and we couldn’t be happier to introduce these folks to you. The list is based on nominations made by nytheatre.com’s staff of contributors, and then selected by the board of our parent company, The New York Theatre Experience, Inc. Information about our prior honorees is available on the nytheatre blog.

THE AMORALISTS is a theater company co-founded in 2007 by Derek Ahonen, James Kautz and Matthew Pilieci. They specialize in new plays that are gritty, dangerous, unpredictable and morally ambiguous. One Memorable Thing They Did in 2012: Produced resident playwright Derek Ahonen’s sprawling and ambitious theater noir, “The Bad and the Better” — complete with a 26-member cast.

SPENCER ASTE is a veteran character actor of remarkable versatility. One Memorable Thing He Did in 2012: Delivered another standout performance as one of the denizens of a Dust Bowl town in AXIS Company’s production of Randy Sharp’s “Last Man Club ” — and from December 7-23, Spencer will be appearing in the annual AXIS holiday play “Seven in One Blow, or The Brave Little Kid.” FRED BACKUS is a multifaceted actor and director, and a veteran of the indie theater scene. One Memorable Thing He Did in 2012: Directed the world premiere of Pamela Sabaugh’s funny and moving solo show, “Immaculate Degeneration,” at the New York International Fringe Festival. ZACK CALHOON is a talented actor and playwright, whose blog “Visible Soul” features the popular “People You Should Know” series (in which he interviews up-and-coming writers, directors and actors). One Memorable Thing He Did in 2012: He wrote “Rino,” a political comedy inspired by Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 1” — which received its world premiere production at The Brick Theater’s Democracy Festival this past summer. SOL CRESPO is a skilled actor and playwright. She is also the Company Manager of

Photo by Laura Barisonzi Photography

A big hand, for terraNOVA Collective.

Barefoot Theatre Company and a company member of Pregones Theater. One Memorable Thing She Did in 2012: Delivered a pair of memorable performances in Flux Theatre Ensemble’s productions of Eric Browne’s “Menders” and in August Schulenberg’s “Deinde.”

ADYANA DE LA TORRE is a proficient actor and director, as well as the Artistic Director of Ticket 2 Eternity Productions. One Memorable Thing She Did in 2012: During the summer, she produced two plays by Matthew Ethan Davis simultaneously: “Falling Awake” (which she directed), at the Midtown International Theatre Festival and “Ticket 2 Eternity” (which she starred in), at the New York International Fringe Festival.

RICHARD HINOJOSA is an expert playwright and puppeteer and the Artistic Director of Sick Little Productions. One Memorable Thing He Did in 2012: He wrote “Awkward Levity,” an evening of three dark comic one-act plays (one of which he directed), which world premiered for Sick Little Productions last winter. This month, Richard performs as a puppeteer in Alphabet Arts’ production of “Sweatshirt Man” at The Bushwick Starr. JOHN HURLEY is a prolific and accomplished director, and the Artistic Director of Impetuous Theater Group. One Memorable Thing He Did in 2012: Directed a newly re-imagined version of Jules Feiffer’s “Feiffer’s People” for The Brooklyn Comics & Graphic Festival and The Brick Theater.

Photo by Monica Simoes

David Nash and Anna Stromberg in The Amoralists’ “The Bad and the Better.”

MARIAH MCCARTHY is a savvy, inventive playwright and the Producing Director of Caps Lock Theatre. One Memorable Thing She Did in 2012: Wrote and produced “The Foreplay Play” (about a potential foursome between a straight couple and a lesbian couple), which was given an intimate, site-specific production inside an actual Brooklyn apartment.

NOVA Arts Festival, which showcases the art of solo performance. This year’s edition featured performers Daniel Irizarry, Avery Pearson, Kelly Kinsella and David Calvitto, among others. Currently, terraNOVA is presenting two nproductions: the world premiere of Robert Askin’s “P.S. Jones and the Frozen City” at the New Ohio Theatre and a return engagement of Adam Szymkowicz’s solo play “UBU” — directed and performed by Daniel Irizarry, at IRT.

MICHAEL MRAZ is a gifted and ubiquitous actor. One Memorable Thing He Did in 2012: He starred in Serious Theatre Collective’s production of “The Apocalypse of John,” which ran at this year’s New York International Fringe Festival, as well as at the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe.

ERIN TREADWAY is an accomplished actor and a company member of Loading Dock. One Memorable Thing She Did in 2012: She gave an outstanding performance as the title character in Leegrid Stevens’ play, “Spaceman,” which received its world premiere at Incubator Arts Project in October. UNITED SOLO THEATRE FESTIVAL is

KIA ROGERS is an inventive and omnipresent lighting designer, and a creative partner with Flux Theatre Ensemble. One Memorable Thing She Did in 2012: She designed lights for 59E59’s acclaimed production of Paul David Young’s “In the Summer Pavilion.” Kia’s work can be seen in Flux Theatre Ensemble’s production of Adam Szymkowicz’s “Hearts Like Fists,” currently at The Secret Theatre.

terraNOVA COLLECTIVE is a theater company founded in 1996 and dedicated to supporting playwrights and the development of new works for the stage. One Memorable Thing They Did in 2012: They produced their 9th Annual solo-

the world’s largest solo theater festival, led by Artistic Director Omar Sangare. One Memorable Thing They Did in 2012: They presented the third installment of their annual festival, which featured performers Bob Brader, Tim Collins, Anita Hollander, Herb Newsome, Antonio Sacre and Elizabeth Claire Taylor, among dozens more.

JORDANA WILLIAMS is an imaginative director and a company member of Gideon Productions. One Memorable Thing She Did in 2012: She directed the world premieres of Mac Rogers’ epic science fiction trilogy “Advance Man,” “Blast Radius” and “Sovereign” — for Gideon Productions.

December 12 - 25, 2012

Holiday

c s e o o s p H ro Aries Fight the temptation to see relationship potential in a fleeting mistletoe smooch. Lucky pole: North. Taurus Don’t gulp spiked eggnog when a series of modest sips will do. Lucky Donald Fagen album: Kamakiriad.

Gemini Sparkle from tree tinsel will reflect in the eye of the soulmate you’ve yet to meet. Introduce yourself! Lucky dog treat: Snausages. Cancer A drunken text message sent by an old flame compels you to put that thing they liked back into your bag of sack tricks. Lucky oil: Canola.

Leo An urge to purchase candy canes sets the stage for your greatest

Dear Aunt Chelsea, How do I put this...I am skipping the holidays this year! Seems like a reasonable to-do, right, especially with Hurricane Sandy? My parents are okay with the notion. So I have been counting down the days till I get to enjoy my little staycation — warm under the covers, ordering take-out while enjoying my favorite holiday TV specials. Well lo and behold, I get a call from my dreaded aunt, an undesirable creature who claims to be “beyond distraught” by my decision to skip the holidays and has thus taken it upon herself to venture up north and join me. As you can imagine, this will defeat the purpose of staying home. Instead of relaxing, I’ll be stressing. My merry and gay time will be replaced with a depression-induced drinking binge. All in all, it will prove to be a counterproductive holiday UNLESS I somehow convince this vile woman to stay away.

mid-December adventure ever. Lucky billing cycle: Quarterly.

Virgo Nobody’s getting you that present you’ve been dropping hints about. Buy it for yourself or move on. Lucky cane: Candy. Libra A window display’s fanciful oversized menorah inspires you to think big, in matters of the heart. Lucky Streisand movie: Yentl.

Scorpio Shortly after the polite sampling of a holiday dish you despise, a stranger favors you with a similarly unselfish act of kindness. Lucky element: Barium.

Sagittarius Don’t let nostalgia for bygone holiday activities turn you into a mopey mess. Lucky Holiday Special star: Andy Williams.

Capricorn An active verb from that Christmas carol you hate holds the key to a nagging December 23 question. Lucky syrup flavor: Peach Cobbler. Aquarius Infomercial impulse shopping is the answer to this year’s Secret Santa gift quest. Lucky number: 346. Pisces Let go guilt from unkept New Year’s resolutions. Your willpower returns, with a vengeance, on January 14. Lucky shape: Rectangle.

Please Aunt Chelsea, I implore you! What can I possibly do? The Tormented Nephew Dear Tormented: Apart from the occasional cup of spiked eggnog, I’m a teetotaler myself. I do, however, believe that once in a blue moon, every adult who pays their own bills is entitled to a drinking binge — but only in the form of a mischievous group bar crawl, not a depression-induced solitary indulgence. You know what else adults are entitled to? Living their lives as they see fit. You simply must tell your well-meaning but boundary-busting relation she’ll be on her own if she insists on inviting herself to the Big Apple. There will be plenty for this bossy lady to do, though. Perhaps she can browbeat the homeless or roam Staten Island to tell Sandy victims what it’s really like to be “beyond distraught.” You (and the rest of us) owe no explanation or apology to a busybody who seems to know everything but how to mind her own darn business.

So lock the door, turn off the phone, pull up the covers and enjoy the simple pleasures of a Chelsea staycation — and keep a kind word in your heart for that dreadful creature. I like to think it was Bob Cratchit’s generous toast to Uncle Scrooge that made the old grouch see the error of his ways. Perhaps some good vibes sent auntie’s way will yield similar results. After all, it’s the season of faith, hope and miracles!

Dear Aunt Chelsea, I’m confused with this notion that regifting is a no-no. If so, what am I gonna do with all those fruitcakes and sausage platters? Gifted in Chelsea Dear Gifted: Being a woman of a certain age, I bristle every time I hear the word “regifting.” In the frank and honest days of old, we called that “pawning off.” There’s nothing kind, or clever, about taking another person’s gesture of friendship and dumping it on an unsuspecting soul. That said, I won’t waste any further time shaming you — as Aunt Chelsea’s inside info (courtesy of a certain crimson-schnozzed reindeer) assures her that each and every act of 2012 regifting earns the thrifty giver a place on Santa’s 2013 “Naughty” list. Think about that, Gifted. To make the coveted “Nice” list, round up all the presents you were lucky to get but feel are beneath you, donate them to charity and take their cash value as a deductible. Better yet, do what my good friends Adam and Karen used to do when they hosted their legendary New Year’s Eve parties: Instruct every guest to bring a gift they don’t want, and place it beneath the tree. Then, find one in the pile that’s to your liking and walk away with it. This is “regifting” in its most pure and noble form — because one person’s unwanted fruitcake is another’s tasty treasure.

Continued on page 23

December 12 - 25, 2012

Continued from page 22 Dear Aunt Chelsea, As the holidays approach, what is your take on this whole Santa thing with kids? At what age should they stop receiving presents from Santa? Personally, I grew up knowing there was no Santa. Real Deal

fact that you opted for tofu stuffing at Thanksgiving speaks volumes about your strength and resolve. Resist the temptation to wear your PETA T-shirt to dinner and bring a few of your most imaginative, delicious vegan dishes as a peace offering. Don’t pipe up as the plate of roast beast makes its rounds — just politely decline and remember that anyone who stands up to animal cruelty can withstand a little ribbing from the animals one happens to be related to.

Dear Deal: Your letter doesn’t indicate how old you are, but clearly you’ve got some growing up to do. Why else would you question the very existence of a beloved holiday icon who brings joy to the little ones you’d have us disappoint come Christmas morning? In one cynical swoop, you’ve robbed kids of presents and taken away the most precious gift of all: belief in the one and only Santa Claus. So, Deal, here’s my take on this “whole Santa thing.” He’s as real as you are, he’s been cc’d on this letter and he’s all set to put your name on his “Naughty” list through the good graces of a big red indelible marker (a gift from me). Whew! Sorry if I went a little overboard with the tough love. I just hope yours isn’t another joke letter from those merry pranksters at Penn South — in which case, ignore everything I just said and have a wonderful holiday season (while Aunt Chelsea washes the egg, sans nog, off her face)!

British Pub & Eatery

Wishing You A Happy Holidays

Dear Aunt Chelsea, I recently became a vegetarian and have been working hard to abide by my decision. Thanksgiving was tofu stuffing and green bean casserole. But when I’m at home, my family ribs me on my ribless, wingless and altogether meatless diet. I’m afraid that when I go home for the holidays, it will be very hard to keep my resolution. What can I do to stay strong?

Now Accepting Reservations for Parties, Christmas, New Years, & All Your Other Special Occasions!

Chicken in Chelsea Dear Chicken: Like political debate and spirited boasts about whose team is going to win the big game, the holiday dinner table is (irony!) no place for a discussion about food. You can lay out a fine case for the notion that meat constitutes murder — but there’s just no way you’re going to win hearts and minds at this sort of family gathering. As for your own decision to go (and stay) meatless, the

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”).

Cheers! 57 7 Murray M St between Church and West Broadway

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December 12 - 25, 2012

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