Downtown Express, 12/12/12 by Schneps Media

VOLUME 25, NUMBER 14

DECEMBER 12-DECEMBER 25, 2012

YIDDISH HANUKKAH AT THE WFC P. 24

DOWNTOWN COP MOURNS HIS PARTNER BY TEQUILA MINSKY It’s been over a month since Superstorm Sandy, but police Officer Nick Iordanou at the First Precinct still has a mourning band around his badge. “You spend a lot of time with your partner,” explained Detective Rick Lee, an officer at the Tribeca precinct. “When you lose one, it’s like losing a spouse.” Officer Iordanou nods; he thinks about Artur Kasprzak everyday. Kasprzak, the police officer who died during Hurricane Sandy, and was Iordanou’s partner for five and a half years. They spent a cops’ shift, eight hours a day, for those years, together. Artie — that’s what they called him — graduated the academy in December 2006 and came straight to the First. Officer Kasprzak was off-duty at his parents’ home in South Beach, Staten Island when the storm struck. As water started seeping into the basement, he shepherd his extended family members including his 15-month nephew — his godson into the attic, accessed from a steep staircase in a closet. He returned to the basement to check, his brother-in-law just feet behind at the top of the stairs when the water rushed in and in three seconds completely filled the basement and began rising half way up the stairs to the attic. Immediately the family dialed 911, Continued on page 11

HAPPY RETURNS

Downtown Express photo by Terese Loeb Kreuzer

This week, Battery Park City’s ice rink returned to the neighborhood Saturday (B.P.C Beat, P. 12), our UnderCover column returns with talk of a possible challenge to Councilmember Chin (P. 2), and Downtown Express has come back to our 616 Canal St. office after being displaced by Sandy (P. 21).

Students struggle after the storm B Y K A I T LY N M E A D E gueda Batista, 33, was sitting in a hotel room on 47th St,., rocking her 2 month old, Hunter. Despite being in the same city, it couldn’t be more different from her home in Rockaway Park, which had become a disaster zone when Sandy roared in two weeks earlier, taking the bay with it. “I remember sitting there thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, this is crazy,’” she said. Batista and her husband had spent 12 days after the hurricane trapped in their eleventh floor apartment with no electricity, heat, water

or open supermarket nearby. The food had gone bad and only the intervention of a neighbor with extra canned provisions had kept their situation from becoming desperate. When her brother had finally come to pick them up and drive them to the hotel, they piled in with as much as they could carry. The hotel was the closest one Batista could find to her school, Downtown’s Borough of Manhattan Community College where she is a business administration major. She had switched to part time at the beginning of the semester so that she could spend more time

with her newborn baby, but she hadn’t counted on the added difficulties Sandy would impose. “My baby was already outside his comfort zone. He wouldn’t eat. I had to go back to the hotel between classes to feed him,” Batista said in a phone interview. Then Batista received an email that she said changed her outlook. It was the same e-mail that B.M.C.C. had sent out to all students in affected zip codes, asking them to fill out a questionnaire about Continued on page 30

December 12 - December 25, 2012

WE’RE BACK

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Wishing You A Happy Holidays

With the return of Downtown Express back to our 515 Canal St. office this week, we’re announcing another comeback with this column — that of yours truly, UnderCover. After a two-year hiatus, we’re back with our gossipy, political and hopefully, humorous take on Downtown. Over the years some grew to like us, others to fear us while others of course, had other opinions. But deep, deep down UnderCover is all about the love of Downtowners. And just to show that we are not the cynical curmudgeons some might have thought us to be, we start with a heartfelt thanks to the Community Newspaper Group and the CUNY Journalism School for providing Downtown Express and its sister papers with temporary office space so we could keep publishing wihle our Sandy-dmaged office was being restored. Now onward to the column, which leans heavily on politics this week because we’ve been away far too long.

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Some may still be digesting President Obama’s win, but politicos tend to think a few elections in advance, so we were not too surprised that Democratic District Leader Paul Newell told us last week that he will absolutely run for State Senate in 2014 if State Sen. Daniel Squadron wins next year’s Public Advocate race. Squadron has not yet made his “official” announcement for the citywide race, but all systems appear to be go, and the stillyoung senator can run without risking his seat. Squadron dropped the “exploring” a campaign language in his group’s latest release announcing a fundraising, dim sum dining date with his family and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Jan. 6.

CHIN CLALLENGE? Paul Newell, who challenged Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver four years ago, said he frequently gets asked to take on a less powerful titan, Councilmember Margaret Chin. He and Sean Sweeney, a power in Downtown Independent Democrats, both said they think Chin is somewhat vulnerable next year, but both agreed it would be an uphill battle and were far from certain there would be a strong challenge. “A lot of people are dissatisfied particularly north of Canal St.,” Sweeney told UnderCover. He has differed with Chin on the merits of a Soho business improvement district, and said others are miffed with Chin’s positions over issues like N.Y.U. development and preserving 135 Bowery. Newell said he won’t run for Council because his interest lies in the state Legislature, where he could have a greater say on housing and transportation issues.

He said his co-district leader, Jenifer Rajkumar, also gets a lot of pleadings to run, but he and Sweeney did not sound confident she would jump in the race. Alas, we did not hear back from Rajkumar, but Chin told us she’s hearing that Rajkumar will run. “I think there’s a lot of talk going around,” she said, adding she’s confident in her record and is not worried about a challenge. Money never hurts, and Chin planned to kick her fundraising campaign this week in the Speaoprt with other events planned this month in Chinatown and FiDi.

JAMMING WITH THE STONES Trinity Wall Street has a plethora of honors attached to its name, and now Grammy nominee is one of them. The 55th Annual Grammy nominees were announced last Wednesday night in Nashville by Taylor Swift and LL Cool J. And Trinity Choir and Trinity Baroque Orchestra’s newly released recording of Handel’s “Israel in Egypt” is nominated for Best Choral Performance. The hotly contested category is shared by four other nominees, but they are maintaining their edge by using a rare version of the composition from 1756. The church tweeted that they were “thrilled” to be nominated last week. They were called “very beautiful” by the Rolling Stones, who tweeted their congratulations to the choir. The Stones collaborated with Trinity on a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” last week at the Barclays Center for the band’s 50th Anniversary. No word yet on what the church will be wearing to the red carpet, but we’re hoping for something Baroque-chic! Lady Gaga hasn’t done powdered wigs yet, has she?

SANDY DODGER We recently caught up with Kit White, a true South Street Seaport pioneer who started restoring his “new” Front St. building in 1978, decades before much of the historic block was renovated. White’s block took some of the hardest hits from Sandy in Lower Manhattan, but his building at 226 Front did much better, and he was able to help his downstairs tenant, Made Fresh Daily, reopen two weeks after the storm. He said his better fortune was due to a little foresight, and a little luck. The foresight was over 30 years ago when White was looking for a Seaport building to buy. He noticed most of the basements had water in it so he figured 226 which has no basement, was a better investment. The luck came when he was planning the original restoration and decided to put his electrical equipment six feet above ground. “I’d like to say I was so far-sighted, but I didn’t put them there thinking there would be a flood,” said White, an artist who trained as an architect. But he has always kept the East River in the back of his mind and remembers a ’91 nor’easter as the last time heavy floods hit the Seaport. He was surprised last year when a city planner came by and said the buildings on the block would be OK even if there was a massive global sea level rise of 18 inches. White recalls telling the planner that was ridiculous. “I’d love to talk to him now,” he said, “because it’s pretty obvious the city is vulnerable.”

December 12 - December 25, 2012

In fashion preview, board ﬁnds liquor license out of style BY J E SS S C A NL O N London-based company Spring Studios will soon open its first American outpost, Spring Studios New York, in Tribeca. One task lies in its path — getting a liquor license. The extensive application was discussed at last month’s meeting of Community Board 1’s Tribeca Committee. Although a community board’s vote is only advisory, it eases the application process. Spring Studios New York property at 50 Varick Street is a multi-floor 48,482 square foot venue that boasts capacity for 3,027 people. The original closing time listed on the application was 4 a.m. all week, 2 a.m. for the rooftop area. These times are debatable said Warren Pesetsky, the lawyer representing Spring Studios. “You go in with a wish list to the community board meeting,” he said later. Pesetsky continued that these hours were a starting point. At next month’s meeting, he would come with a modified proposal. Liquor licenses are a common agenda item for this committee. Braus estimates that it gets between three and ten applications in the average month. Spring Studios’ application will be postponed until January. An application typically gets an approval from the committee and full board before going to the State Liquor Authority for further processing. However, Spring Studio’s application was odd for a few reasons.

Spring Studios, a privately held company, works with the fashion industry for photoshoots, digital editing and similar services. A portion of its business would involve holding events that may involve celebrity guests and “paparazzi gates.” This point caused some concern that the business would dissolve into a nightclub-like setting of thousands. Director of events David Hemphill insisted that the largest events hosted in Tribeca would be more likely involve 300-400 people

Ameruso said that he had seen this sort of application before in the mid ‘90s. Applicants applied to open businesses with similar hours. He thinks Spring Studios is too close to a nightclub for his liking. “They need to scale down [their hours],” he said. Spring Studios New York acquired portions of 50 Varick Street, also known as the Verizon building, early in the summer of 2012. The namesake company is still one of

‘It’s a nightclub. It’s too big a venue, too big a risk to the community.’ — Marc Ameruso in attendance. For some members of the community board, something seemed off. “We’re not going to have an event of 3,000 people,” he said. Hemphill continued that the space would not be appropriate for an event that large downplaying the fact that the building’s capacity would allow it to be that type of venue. “It’s a nightclub. It’s too big a venue, too big a risk to the community,” said Marc Ameruso, a Tribeca Committee member.

many owners of the property, which has been divided into a condominium-style set-up. The property is immediately near some of the Holland Tunnel exits, a point Ameruso made in his argument against the liquor license. Eventually the application was put aside because it was decided that it could not be approved in its current form. Pesetsky put forward this suggestion, saying that he would return with stipulations for the venue.

However, the Tribeca Committee welcomed the arrival of a business that would bring new employment opportunities to the neighborhood. The company estimates it will create 300 new jobs by opening this new location in Tribeca. “Anything that creates jobs I’d support,” Braus said. At the Tribeca location, it plans to have in-house dining for employees and clients. Additionally it plans a small lounge that would be open to the public as dictated by the terms of a liquor license. The lounge would be located on the second floor. Alcohol would also be served on floors five through seven and the rooftop under the plan presented in December. Based on the plans submitted as a part of the application, these spaces are largely studio areas designed for photo shoots and events like fashion shows in their day-to-day usage. However drinks would be readily available for any client who wanted to order one. Like a restaurant, bar or hotel, a single liquor license would apply to the entire property owned by Spring Studios at the address. However, a business not of any of these three categories applying for a liquor license is a bit unusual. “It’s definitively a unique situation,” said Evan Lacher, a Board 1 staffer. “We’re used to restaurants and bars applying for liquor licenses.”

December 12 - December 25, 2012

PURSES PURLOINED

SCHOOL GIRL SLASHED On their way home from school, two teenage girls were attacked by high school peers. The victims, both 14, told police they were walking home from Chelsea High School in Soho at 3:45 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 7 when the incident occurred. They had reached the northwest corner of Canal St. and Avenue of the Americas when they were approached by two acquaintances, both female. The suspects had had previous arguments with the girls, according to the report, and engaged them in a verbal altercation that turned physical when one of the pulled out a razor blade and slashed one of the girls across the face, under her left eye and down her left arm. They then fled the scene. The victim was transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center, police said.

CELL PHONE ROBBERIES One man’s business day went sour when his phone was jacked from his jacket on the way to the subway. The victim, male, told police he was on the northeast corner of Morris St. and Trinity Place on Wed., Dec. 5 at about 4:45 p.m., walking away from a meeting at 1 Battery Plaza, when he was bumped by the robber, who swiped the cell phone from the victim’s front jacket pocket and took off. The man notified police, who conducted a search of the area, but turned up no results. The phone was a BlackBerry, valued at $400. Another man, 29, was on his to work when his phone was forcibly taken while riding the C Train. On Sun., Dec. 2, at 6:45 a.m., the Bronx resident was

accosted by a different robber who grabbed the victim’s Apple iPhone 4S (valued at $350) from his hand. In the ensuing struggle, the thief pulled out a knife, the victim told police. According to the report, the victim backed off, allowing the suspect to escape through the open train doors at the Chambers Street station. The victim cancelled his cell service.

NO ‘JOKE’ ROBBERY Three employees witnessed an attempt at shoplifting that turned into robbery when they confronted the thief. While working the cash register at Duane Reade on 1 Whitehall St., on the morning of Tues., Dec. 4, an employee noticed a man enter the store, walk to the overthe-counter medicine aisle and stuff several pieces of merchandise into his pockets before exiting the store without paying. Moments later, the robber, described as a small, bald man with a goatee, reentered the store for more. At this point, the employee called the store manager to deal with the situation. The manager and another employee confronted the man and asked him to return the store’s property. The man reportedly replied, “I have a joke to tell you,” at which point he removed the merchandise from one pocket and a box cutter from the other. Witnesses said they drew back and the man exited the store with the box cutter still displayed. However, during the excitement, his knit hat had apparently fallen off, making D.N.A. identification possible. The suspect was also reported to have removed a Mastercard from the location that did not belong to him.

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Two employees of Fraunces Tavern, at 54 Pearl St., learned the break room was easier break into than they thought. The two 22-year-old women left their wallets in their purses inside the unattended employee lounge on the night of Thurs., Dec. 6. Later that night, they came back to the break room to find out that their purses and wallets — which contained credit cards, I.D. and cash — were missing. One woman’s wallet, of the Coach variety, was valued at $200, and they lost $540 in cash combined. No unauthorized usage was reported on their cards before they cancelled them. According to police, there was a surveillance camera in the room, but it was not working due to flooding, so no footage exists of the thieves. Another woman, a temporary resident of New York City left her purse unattended while she went to the restroom of Blue Planet Grill on 120 Greenwich St. On Mon., Dec. 3, at about 8 p.m., the 44-year-old, she reported to police that she removed her purse and wallet from her bag before heading to powder her nose. During the time she was gone, someone must have taken her purse and wallet, though she said she did not realize the theft until the next day. Police reported that there were charges in excess of $7,000 dollars made on her cards before she notified police. The Louis Vuitton wallet and purse together were valued at about $1,400.

GLASS ATTACK Hell hath no fury like a woman with a glass in hand. A young man, 22, was assaulted by a woman in the Sway Lounge at 305 Spring St. just after midnight on Sun., Dec. 2 according to a police report. The victim told police he was sitting at a table at the bar at about 12:05 a.m. when he reportedly asked the woman to leave his table. She threw a glass at him, striking him on the left side of the face and drawing a deep slash in his face. The victim said he was taken to New York Downtown Hospital by E.M.S., where he got eight stitches. Police did not indicate why the woman was at his table or why she was asked to leave.

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

Downtown teacher honored Seven New York City teachers have been recognized for their outstanding achievements in math and science classrooms, including Michelle Persaud, a science teacher from Murry Bertraum High School. “She has a special talent as someone who can create really interesting curricula,” said Mary McCormick, president of the Fund of the City of New York, which presented the awards with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation last week. Persaud has established traditionally college-level courses in anatomy & physiology, biomedical technology, psychology, and forensic science. Persaud has been instrumental in finding ways to overhaul the curriculum and create engaging, dynamic courses. Students can receive college credit for some of her classes from Syracuse University, which trains high school teachers to conduct college-level courses. James Spencer, the associate dean for science at Syracuse, said in an interview with the Fund: “We look for master teachers and Michelle is one of the best. Young children tend to love science, but lose that interest by high school. Michele gets these students re-interested in science.” She also participates in an after-school program run by the Y.M.C.A.. The director of the program, Hannah Arafat, told the Fund, “The success of the program is due to Ms. Persaud. She develops lesson plans, she

Courtesy of the Fund of the City of New York

Michelle Persaud of Murry Bergtraum

provides resources for teachers, and she’s the essence of the feedback loop between our program and the school’s teachers.” Persaud became an NYC Teaching Fellow in 2001 and has been at Murry Bergtraum on Pearl St. since 2007. McCormick said Persaud was not available for comment More than 100 teachers were nominated by students, parents, colleagues, and administrators for the Sloan Awards for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics. Persaud and other winners received $5,000, with an additional $2,500 awarded to their schools.

— Kaitlyn Meade

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Developer Su is sued by former Hester St. tenants BY SA M S P O K O N Y Capping an increasingly tense battle that began more than three years ago when 128 Hester St. was demolished, the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former tenants have now filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against their former landlord William Su and his associates, who also own the recently opened Wyndham Garden Hotel at Bowery and Hester Streets. The suit, filed in State Supreme Court on Oct. 25, lists 10 plaintiffs and seeks a combined total of $11 million in damages based on both â&#x20AC;&#x153;illegal and wrongful evictionâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;the defendantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; negligence and wrongful intentional actions.â&#x20AC;? The former tenants are also seeking a refund on rent they paid from October 2006 to August 2009, when the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Buildings ordered the evacuation and subsequent demolition of 128 Hester St. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even though Su didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t purchase the building until July 2007. In addition, the suit calls for the defendants to return each plaintiffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s security deposit, along with accrued interest. The deposits for each evacuated apartment were kept by the landlords even after the building was gone, â&#x20AC;&#x153;in violation of law and contract,â&#x20AC;? according to the suit. While John Gorman, the lawyer representing the former tenants, acknowledged at a press conference on Tuesday that actually getting the full $11 million for his clients is

highly unlikely, he spoke with total confidence about the prospect of coming out on top in court â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at least in terms of getting rent abatements. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubt in my mind that there will be a recovery [of rent],â&#x20AC;? Gorman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These people lived in hazardous conditions, so they shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to have paid rent.â&#x20AC;? Gorman spoke on Tuesday alongside Christopher Kui, executive director of Asian Americans for Equality, the advocacy group that has led what it calls a â&#x20AC;&#x153;justice campaignâ&#x20AC;? for the former Hester Street tenants â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and against Su and the Wyndham â&#x20AC;&#x201D; since June. AAFE has also been involved in advocating for the tenants ever since they lost their homes. AAFE and other community groups have condemned Su and his associates for what they call his refusal to provide housing or compensation to the eight families â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a total of 29 tenants â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who were left homeless when 128 Hester St. was ordered to be demolished due to the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unsafe condition. AAFE has also asserted, citing comments from the D.O.B., that Suâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s construction of the Wyndham in the adjacent lot at 91-93 Bowery, played a part in the structural deterioration of 128 Hester St. In addition, the group claims that the owners neglected to repair the apartment building, with the ultimate goal of simply knocking it down to make way for the Wyndham.

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According to a D.O.B. memo written just before the agency evacuated the tenants in August 2009, an inspector wrote that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The owners informed the Department a few weeks ago that they wish to demolish 128 Hester St. and have effectively stopped maintaining the building.â&#x20AC;? Stuart Klein, the lawyer representing Su and his associates, seemed unfazed by the multimillion-dollar suit that had just been filed against his clients. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rather scant, and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t articulate much,â&#x20AC;? Klein said of the five-page document. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was actually shocked by the brevity of the complaint, but aside from that, this is nothing terribly shocking.â&#x20AC;? He went on to question the suitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s timing, since administrative action by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal is still pending against the former Hester Street owners. In 2010 D.H.C.R. initially planned to order Su and his associates to pay nearly $1 million in relocation fees to the former tenants, but that order was later withdrawn, and still hangs in limbo today. As a result, Klein explained that he may simply attempt to have the lawsuit against his clients dismissed, since the unfinished administrative action may legally prevent the tenants from making some of their claims against their former landlords. But he said in an interview last week that he would have to investigate this option further, and that he would likely

know by the following week whether or not he would aim to have the suit dismissed. If he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t attempt to get a dismissal, Klein said he will deny that Su and his associates did anything to create the hazardous conditions at 128 Hester St. The attorney has stated on numerous occasions that the former owners spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on repairs to the building, but this has never been fully substantiated. At a press conference in October, Klein produced documents that showed only about $15,000 worth of work. The former tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lawsuit finally brings to a head the heated war of words that has grown in intensity and sheer spitefulness ever since AAFE began their justice campaign in June. That campaign included numerous protests by AAFE and other community organizations outside the Wyndham, which at 18 stories is Chinatownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest hotel. In response, Klein threatened multiple times to sue AAFE for libel and slander against Su, but never followed through. Susan Stetzer, district manager of Community Board 3, said the Wyndham, which opened Nov. 1, is not hiring locally. In October, Klein promised it would provide jobs to about 60 area residents. Stetzer said many qualified locals applied online for jobs at the hotel, but, â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were all rejected without any explanation. The hotel didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even give them interviews.â&#x20AC;?

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

Post Oﬃce on John Veterans, service members is back open and families, we’re here to help. B Y KAITLYN MEADE The John Street Post Office reopened on Friday, almost a week ahead of schedule, Residents were notified of the change with fliers delivered along with their mail. The facility at 114 John St., a few blocks from the Seaport, was without power and reportedly heat in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, leaving residents East of Broadway in a postal bind. Packages had to be picked up and dropped off at 90 Church St., a 15-minute or so walk from John Street, as did any mail from the facility’s P.O. boxes. The Church Street station was having its own problems. Southbridge Towers resident Michael Altman said he stopped by to pick up the mail from his John Street P.O. box and waited for 45 minutes — and only one person was served in that time. Paul Hovitz and other concerned residents of Southbridge Towers brought up the problem at a recent Community Board 1 meeting. A representative of U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler’s office reported that a mobile unit should have been stationed on the street. But some checking on Hovitz’s part confirmed that the mobile unit, which was scheduled to be up and running by Nov. 19, was not in place until ten days later.

Nadler’s office went to work, contacting the Postmaster General to get a mobile unit in place and expedite the process of reopening the John Street location. Ilan Kayatsky, communications director for Congressman Nadler’s office wrote in an email to Downtown Express that they intended to “sort out exactly why results and communication have been so problematic on this issue.” Within the week, the John Street office was up and running. “I have to give credit to the Congressman and staff for pressing the issue,” said Hovitz.

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

Sandy’s surge not sinking residential urge at Pier 40 BY L I N CO LN A ND E R S O N 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 on the sprawling, 15-acre West Houston St. pier, in hopes of coming up with some viable, revenuegenerating 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 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 Assembly Member 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. 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

Downtown Express 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.

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. 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 layer beneath the artificial turf became uneven in spots, Continued on page 18

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Less foot traﬃc leaves Stone St. eateries unturned

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B Y TERESE L OEB KREUZER A year ago at this time, or even six weeks ago before Sandy came calling, Stone Street’s restaurants would have been bustling with office workers at lunchtime and happy hour and with neighborhood residents at dinnertime. Now, though all of Stone Street’s restaurants have reopened, empty tables abound. Many large office buildings in the neighborhood are dark as they will probably be for months to come. Many residents have moved away. On the two short blocks between Hanover Square and 85 Broad St., what is purportedly Manhattan’s oldest paved street is home to 13 restaurants with two more scheduled to open in February. Six of these restaurants are owned in whole or in part by the Poulakakos family. Five are owned or co-owned by Ronan Downs. The other two are singletons. Most were flooded by Sandy, sustaining thousands of dollars in damage. The first of Downs’ restaurants to reopen was Beckett’s, normally a boisterous sports bar, which welcomed a few customers on the evening of Friday, Nov. 2. One of his other restaurants, The Dubliner, didn’t reopen until Dec. 3, and then it was cash only with a limited menu.

Downs estimates that the physical cost was $40,000 to $50,000 or more for each of his restaurants. “But we don’t really know yet,” he said, “because a lot of the machinery [that we reinstalled] could break down in a month’s time. We’ve already noticed that some it has to get fixed. It’s all the corrosion from the salt water. But the loss of business is where we really lost. That’s around $150,000 for each store.” Stone Street’s other restaurateurs tell a similar tale. “A lot of damage was due to lack of electricity,” said Nelson Baez, general manager of Smörgås Chef, a Scandinavian restaurant at 53 Stone St. “We lost $10,000 to $15,000 worth of food because we had to throw everything out. We lost some equipment as well.” On Sat., Nov. 3, the entire staff of Smörgås Chef came in to help clean up. The restaurant reopened for brunch the next day, with a limited menu. Few people showed up to eat, however. Baez believes that between lost business, damage and food spoilage, the restaurant took a $50,000 to $60,000 hit for the week it was closed and the days of reduced business thereafter. The restaurateurs of Stone Street Continued on page 31

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

Police oﬃcer remembers his partner Continued from page 1

trying to get through to an overwhelmed response system, and then called Officer Iordanou enlisting his help in notifying emergency services. Fallen poles and debris filled the waters surrounding the house. Rough waves toppled an inflatable Zodiac boat. With power lines down, the rescue was temporarily called off. The family was rescued by boat around 2 a.m. but the basement wasn’t accessed until five hours later. “We were partners longer than any two here,” Iordanou says. Having graduated the academy a half year apart in 2006, the two hit it off, choosing to be each other’s partner. “We thought alike. We trusted each other.” “We had our routine,” Iordanou says, starting their 7:05 a.m. shift with Artie picking up a tea with milk and sugar. “He brought his lunch.” They’d drive, regularly checking in with people on their beat. Iordanou recalled their more memorable policing moments. “Most recently in August, we had a gun collar with a 32-calliber on Park Place and West Broadway.” He points to the green and white bar on his shirt that they both had received for an arrest three years ago on Canal St. and Sixth Ave. Following an assault that bloodied a Parks Department officer in Soho’s Vesuvio Park, a fistfight and foot chase down West Broadway with a big guy ensued. Kasprzak also helped save a man clinging to a column in the East River, after his attempt to swim the river went awry. Artie retrieved the life ring and rope from the patrol car and heaved it within the man’s reach, pulling him to safety. The partners often would go out for dinner with their significant others — Iordanou with his now wife and Artie with his long time girlfriend Lisa, who was also saved that night. For years, Artie’s photo, used on a placard promoting the 3 C’s of police work — crime fighting, counter-terrorism and community relations — hung at police headquarters. Now, a framed copy hangs in the First Precinct. Artie was also known as one with always a smile on his face. For the time being, Officer Iordanou who recently transferred to crime analysis at the First, works indoors. He misses the street but he’s not ready for a new partner. “You’re starting from the beginning,” he explains. Officer Kasprzak was born in Rzeszow region of Poland 28 years ago and came to the United States when he was 10 years old with his parents and sisters. His parents speak very little English and considered it a real achievement for them to have a son who was a police officer. Artie was a high school police cadet before he attended College of Staten Island. He played softball and loved working on cars especially his rebuilt Ford Mustang. On Nov. 8, rows of police, more than four deep, stretched for blocks outside Staten Island’s St. Stanislaus R.C. at the funeral of Officer

Kasprzak where the mayor gave a eulogy. Kasprzak’s death was reported in Poland, and because of his selfless acts the President of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski, awarded him with the Medal of Sacrifice and Courage, which the Consul General of the Republic of Poland presented to his family. The family’s house was completely destroyed and they are deciding what their future plans are. Nonetheless, so moved were they by the outpouring of support from the Lower Manhattan community they sent this letter of thanks: On October 30, 2012, our family experienced a loss far greater than we could have ever imagined. Our beloved Artur, a police officer from the NYPD’s First Precinct, lost his life at the hands of one of the worst storms this city has ever seen. To the members of the community he served, Artur was a symbol of bravery and courage—qualities inherent in the many brave men and women of the NYPD. But to us he was a son, a brother, an uncle, and his girlfriend’s one true love. We have received an outpouring of support from members of the First Precinct’s residential and business communities, the Polish community, the law enforcement community and many others. People donated gift cards, baby clothes, food and so much more, but the most valuable gifts our family received were the prayers of those whose lives Artur touched. It is our sincere hope that each of you understands the extent to which your kindness has comforted us. We would especially like to thank Deputy Inspector Edward Winski, all the members of the First Precinct in Manhattan, and officers from the 122nd Precinct in Staten Island. Artur considered you part of his extended family, and in true fashion you have taken care of us as though we were one of your own. As we prepare ourselves for a future without Artur, we know we will move forward with a heavy heart. Although it will be a long journey, we know your kindness, goodwill, and astounding generosity will carry us far into the healing process.

Downtown Express photo by Tequila Minsky

Officer Iordanou, left, outside the First Precinct where he worked with Police Officer Artur Kasprzak, right, who was killed in his Staten Island home during Superstorm Sandy.

Sincerely, The Kasprzak Family

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

B Y TERESE LOEB KREUZER

WEST THAMES BRIDGE A bridge across West Street at West Thames is well on its way to getting built. The money is in the bank — ($20 million from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and $7 million from the Battery Park City Authority.) The New York City Economic Development Corp. has issued R.F.P.s (Request for Proposals) for a design team and a consultant or consultant team to provide construction management and related services for the replacement of the existing Rector Street pedestrian bridge, which was only supposed to be a stopgap after 9/11. As anyone who has crossed the Rector Street bridge recently has undoubtedly noticed, it is getting quite rusty, especially on the west side. Design proposals for the West Thames bridge have already been submitted and are currently being reviewed, said Matt Best of the Mayor’s Office, during a presentation about the bridge to Community Board 1’s Battery Park City Committee on Dec. 4. SHoP Architects created a working design for the new bridge, but will not necessarily be the ones to bring it to completion, Best said. There is no roof on the bridge as currently designed, but the B.P.C. Committee had previously requested a roof, and that possibility is

Downtown Express photos by Terese Loeb Kreuzer

Battery Park City’s ice-skating rink opened on Dec. 8 in Wagner Park. It will be there until March 15.

being examined. That crossing can be “windy, cold, icy and wet,” said C.B. 1 committee member Tammy Meltzer, who traverses it frequently with her children. “If the bridge isn’t covered, it will be a safety hazard,” she said. The West Thames bridge will connect Joseph P. Ward Street on the east side with Little West Street between West Thames Street and Third Place on the west side. Construction is scheduled to begin before the end of 2013 and to be completed by the fall of 2015.

ICE RINK OPENS Nothing could keep Battery Park City from having its own ice-skating rink again — not Superstorm Sandy, not unusually warm weather, not rain. Ice was wanted by the B.P.C. community and after a few unexpected delays, ice is back. On Dec. 8, the Liberty View ice-skating rink opened at Wagner Park under a oneyear contract between George Haviland and the Battery Park City Authority that can be renewed for an additional five years. Haviland

owns Howell Ice World in Farmingdale, N.J. the Northford Ice Pavilion in Connecticut and the Middletown Sports Complex in Delaware. He manages six other facilities. The Battery Park City ice rink is open daily. Haviland said that he will adjust the hours based on attendance, but right now, he said, it looks as though the rink will be open Mondays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Continued on page 13

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Grants to Chinatown businesses

Downtown Express photo by Terese Loeb Kreuzer

With The Accidentals singing Christmas carols in the background, Santa visited Battery Park City on Dec. 6 for the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy’s annual tree-lighting ceremony.

Continued from page 12

Fridays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The admission fee is $10 per person (adults and children). The fee for seniors is $6. Skates can be rented for an additional $5. There are no discounted fees for families, however, Haviland is offering a season pass with unlimited public skating time and skate rentals for $250 per person. The 60 foot by 120 foot rink is scheduled to be open through March 15. Beginning in January, the rink will offer a “Learn to Skate” program for a fee of $250 for seven weekly sessions of 30 minutes each including seven passes for public skating sessions. The coaches will be members of the U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA). On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 a.m., Liberty View will offer “Learn to Play Hockey” sessions for kids 10 and younger. The fee will be $250 for seven one-hour classes. In order to install the ice-skating rink in Wagner Park, Haviland had to build a substructure to level the lawn, which slopes nine inches toward the Hudson River. On opening day, there was no music and limited lighting for nighttime use, but Haviland said he is “working on that now.” He is also working on having a concession stand at the rink. The ice-skating rink can be rented for private parties. For more information about the rink, go to www.libertyviewicerink.com/.

SANDY SNARLS CONNECTION BUS ROUTE Superstorm Sandy took a nip out of the Downtown Alliance’s free Connection bus service, which runs between the South Street Seaport and the Civic Center district abutting City Hall. The operator of the buses had a garage in Red Hook that was severely damaged along with the seven Downtown Connection buses inside. Connection buses used to run every 10 minutes during the week and every 15 minutes on weekends, making 37 stops along the way, including several in

Battery Park City. Now the buses are around 20 minutes apart, depending on traffic. The Nextbus signs along the route, which formerly told when the next bus would arrive, can no longer supply that information because the substitute Connection buses don’t have GPS systems. Connection buses run seven days a week, except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Service begins at 10 a.m. and ends with a final run at 7:30 p.m.

SANTA REDUX There were a proliferation of Santas in Battery Park City during the first few days of December. First, he showed up on Dec. 2 at Vince Smith’s Hair Experience, 300 Rector Place, where he talked with kids and posed for photos at $25 a pop to benefit the Stockings With Care charity founded by B.P.C. resident Rosalie Joseph. Santa’s visit to Vince Smith’s salon raised almost $1,000 for Stockings With Care, which provides children in homeless shelters and other kids in crisis with the presents that they most wanted for the holiday. Next, on Dec. 6, Santa appeared at the annual Battery Park City Parks Conservancy tree-lighting ceremony in South Cove where cocoa and hot cider warmed cold hands. The Accidentals sang Christmas carols and Hanukah melodies while the crowd of several hundred people waited for Santa. He arrived in time to give the directive to throw the switch lighting up a cedar tree overlooking South Cove, and then he reached into his red velvet sack for an apparently inexhaustible supply of candy canes, which he distributed to the kids. The next day, he was back again, this time in the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center, where he sat on his sleigh, surrounded by Christmas trees and a few elves, and posed for photos to benefit New York Theatre Ballet. Though it’s not easy being Santa (some kids squalled when they were put on his lap), he liked the Winter Garden so much that he stayed for three days. Then he had to get back to the North Pole, where he had a lot to do before Christmas. To comment on Battery Park City Beat or to suggest article ideas, email TereseLoeb10@gmail.com

B Y SAM SPOKONY Chinatown’s Business Improvement District and the Chinatown Partnership are going to award grants to small businesses impacted by Superstorm Sandy. At press conference on Thurs., Dec. 6, the Chinatown Partnership and BID outlined a fundraising initiative to collect the money necessary to provide these grants, culminating in a holiday reception to recognize sponsors and partners. So far, the donations total over $40,000 for the relief fund. “We have hit our initial goal,” said Wellington Chen, executive director of the Chinatown Partnership. “Our results have been very, very positive.” Grants will be made available to businesses that are located in the BID’s service area, which is marked in blue on a map provided by the Partnership. Businesses must also have been open for at least a year or have a five-year lease, have 50 or fewer employees or an annual revenue of less than one-million dollars in 2011, have been closed for at least five days because Sandy and must show proof of financial losses. The application specifies that the grants can only be used for specific purposes, including short-term payroll, property and equipment repair, mortgage and loan payments, relocation costs and to replace or

compensate them for products damaged or lost after the storm such as perishable food. Businesses are required to indicate how they will use the grants beforehand. Grant applications are due by Tues., Jan. 8, 2013 and can be filled out online or hard copies are available at the Partnership’s offices at 60 St. James Place. Businesses owners can also go to the office for help filling out the application or to have it translated. “We are now open seven days a week,” said Chen, as they are operating as a Sandy Response Center for New York State. Businesses have already begun submitting applications, though the amount of each grant will be determined by how much money is raised. To that end, a holiday-themed reception will be held on Wed., Dec. 19 at Grand Harmony on 98 Mott St. Tickets are $25 per person, and open the doors to sponsorprovided food and drink as well as a silent auction. All proceeds from the event will go directly into a separate account specifically to fund Chinatown’s business grants. Most importantly, Chen said, Chinatown needs business. The Chinatown Revival Street Fair was an “injection of caffeine” to boost local business, but the businesses need “a strategic, systematic approach” to recover their losses and build toward more long-term stability.

December 12 - December 25, 2012

D.T. phone home? Verizon keeps many Downtowners on hold BY T E R E S E LO E B K R E U Z E R New York State Senator Daniel Squadron’s 25th senatorial district spans waterfront communities in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Superstorm Sandy brought some of them to their knees. Squadron staged a “Resource Fair and Community Conversation” in two sessions on Dec. 9th – one at the Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn and the other at Murry Bergtraum High School in Manhattan. An estimated 75 people attended the Brooklyn session, with around twice that many in Manhattan. Squadron invited representatives from a host of government agencies, utility companies and other organizations to answer questions from his constituents. Much of what they had to say was not good news. Janet Gazlay Martin, a director of engineering at Verizon, said that there are still more than 1,100 buildings without telephone service in Lower Manhattan. “We have buildings we can’t get into because they’re destroyed,” she said. She said that government offices, emergency service providers, health care facilities and schools had priority in the service restoration work. Next, she said, Verizon is attempting to get the largest buildings back on line. Crews have been brought in from other parts of the country to assist in this work. Martin said Verizon is installing fiber-optic wiring to replace copper wires. “Copper doesn’t work after it gets wet,” she said. “Fiber is more durable.” Among the problems that Verizon faces in restoring service is the need to buy terminating equipment for the fiber-optic wiring. “We don’t manufacture that,” Martin said. “The volume that we need is tremendous.” Verizon had previously said that it would take until May to restore downed service. Mayor Michael Bloomberg found that unacceptable. Verizon is now aiming for March but given the problems, it isn’t clear that that date is realistic. At a nearby table, Con Edison’s director of public affairs,

State Sen. Daniel Squadron held two resource fairs last weekend so utilities and others could answer residents’ questions about Sandy-related issues.

David Gmach, explained why most buildings in Battery Park City retained power even though the majority of buildings in Lower Manhattan went dark after Sandy. He said that electricity for Battery Park City buildings is transmitted via Brooklyn and not through the Con Edison facility on East 13th Street, where a transformer blew up. However, he said that he couldn’t answer any additional questions such as how many buildings are still without power or when it might be restored. He did say that Con Edison has completed the work that is directly under its control but that some buildings had damaged internal systems that would have to be repaired before electricity could be reestablished. Gmach was distributing literature explaining how to restore electrical service faster under a simplified certification process.

It stated that customers with privately owned gas and electrical equipment that had been damaged by Sandy could have it inspected, cleaned and repaired by a licensed contractor who would then have to fill out a self-certification form that could be emailed or faxed to Con Edison. At a table staffed by representatives from New York City’s Small Business Services department, Bernadette Nation, director of the Emergency Response Unit, commented on insurance companies that are finding ways to limit their Sandy payouts to their customers. She said that she was reporting problems of this kind to New York State’s Department of Financial Services. But she also had harsh words for small businesses that had no insurance. She said that being an entrepreneur entailed taking risks and that the risks had to be factored in and covered as part of the cost of doing business. In addition to the resource tables, Squadron arranged for a “community conversation” in a separate part of the room so that attendees could discuss their Sandy experiences, air their grievances and make suggestions. Squadron’s policy director, Matthew Bethell, chaired this session while Mary Cooley, Squadron’s Manhattan District Director, kept track of the comments. They ranged over a variety of issues including insufficient information about what was happening at the height of the crisis to transportation problems to the need for translation services to the need for a better plan for seniors. With electricity and telephone service out, this group was especially vulnerable, according to participants in the “community conversation.” The long-term sustainability of the waterfront was also discussed as was the need for a structural assessment by the Army Corps of Engineers. The most disturbing thing about Superstorm Sandy, some people said, was that there is nothing in place to keep a catastrophe of this magnitude from happening again.

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

Statue ferry lays oﬀ workers as reopening is uncertain BY T E RE SE LO E B K R E U Z E R Its glassed-in observation lounge lined with pine boughs decorated with small, white lights, Classic Harbor Line’s yacht, Manhattan, eased out of its berth at Chelsea Piers onto the Hudson River, for the first of its December “Cocoa and Carols” cruises to the Statue of Liberty and back. Outside, the lights of Manhattan and Jersey City glimmered in counterpoint to the lights within the cozy, heated lounge as a jazz trio played riffs on holiday music. But as the boat approached Liberty Island, a dark, pinnacled silhouette glowered on the horizon. Ellis Island was dark — completely dark — as Liberty Island would have been, too, if juryrigged LED lights had not been directed toward the Statue of Liberty. Though the Statue survived Superstorm Sandy unscathed, both Ellis and Liberty Islands were severely damaged and will not reopen to the public in 2012. No anticipated opening date has been announced. Statue Cruises, which previously ferried an average of 10,000 people a day to Ellis and Liberty Islands at this time of year, now is reduced to taking around 2,500 people a day on harbor cruises and has had to lay off 130 employees, with more layoffs to come. Among New York City’s cruise and ferry lines, Statue Cruises was not the only casualty. The offices of Classic Harbor Line were flooded with four feet of water on Oct. 29,

courtesy of Superstorm Sandy. “It came above desk level,” said Capt. Sarah Greer. “Our monitors and computers were ruined.” She said they will cost $20,000 to $25,000 to replace. Circle Line Downtown, which operates New York Water Taxi’s small, yellow boats that zip around the harbor and the stately, 600-passenger Zephyr yacht, had a mixed experience with Sandy. The boats were fine but New York Water Taxi’s home port in Red Hook was demolished. Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport also took a hit and has not reopened. New York Water Taxi has been running its boats from Pier 11 at the foot of Wall Street and night cruises have been cancelled. On the plus side, New York Water Taxi has been enlisted by New York City to operate a temporary commuter service between Staten Island’s South Shore and Manhattan. The service started on Nov. 26 and has been transporting a few hundred Staten Island commuters a day, with free rides to work aboard the ferries beginning on Wed., Dec. 5. Tickets for the service would normally cost $2 each way. “Politicians and residents on Staten Island’s South Shore have been lobbying for a permanent, waterborne transportation option from this area for a while,” said Stacey Sherman, a spokesperson for New York Water Taxi. “We’re hoping that this

Downtown Express Photo by Terese Loeb Kreuzer

New York harbor.

offer will help us gauge actual interest so that we can assess the viability of a long-term service a little better.” NY Waterway ferries, also a common sight in the harbor, were sidelined on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30 by Sandy, but by Oct. 31, most service had been restored. Because of debris in the harbor, the U.S. Coast Guard limited the New Jersey ferry operation to daylight hours at first, but by Saturday, Nov. 3, service was back to normal

on most routes. The dock at Port Liberté in Jersey City was severely damaged and has not reopened. Several of the New York City harbor cruise and ferry companies are planning elaborate celebrations for New Year’s Eve. Classic Harbor Line, New York Water Taxi, the Zephyr and Hornblower Cruises will be plying New York Harbor on New Year’s Eve, with music, festive food and drink to accompany the fireworks.

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

BY JANEL BLADOW We survived and have been picking up. Things are now perking and with Christmas and New Year’s just weeks away, let the partying begin.

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Every week, more of our local restaurants, pubs and haunts reopen. Had dinner Monday, Dec. 3, at Mark Joseph (261Water St.) and split a Porterhouse steak for two with friends. Delicious as always. The team is back together even though several of the staff live in Brooklyn and Long Island and suffered serious damages to their homes. Jared, one of their great bartenders, only had his new home in Long Beach 28 days when Sandy hit. He’s now rebuilding walls, floors and fixtures. We’re glad they all made it back. Meanwhile, mark your calendars to watch “Blue Bloods” on CBS Fri., Jan. 6, 10 p.m. This episode, “Whistleblower”, was filmed in the restaurant. The show centers on a family of cops – from Tom Selleck as the police commissioner, Danny Walhberg as his detective son and Bridget Moynahan as his assistant district attorney daughter, among others. They all gather

around the table every episode to break bread and catch up on crime. So no wonder they picked MJ as the perfect spot to settle a beef. Prosecco, pasta and prosciutto was in abundance at Acqua Restaurant and Wine Bar (21 Peck Slip at Water St.) when it reopened Sat., Dec. 8, with fresh paint, new fixtures and a holiday twinkle. Owner Alberto Baudo told us he had to rebuild the bar, put in all new floors and replace all the furniture, not to mention all the rest of the destruction. Its cozy Italian café ambience is as inviting as ever. By Monday night the festivities were in full swing when they opened their doors to celebrate their return with friends and neighbors, wine and small bites. Chef Ivan Beacco outdid himself. He hopes to resume his delicious tasting tour of Italy’s 20 regions. Be sure to stop by. There’s a new man in the kitchen over at the Blue Planet Grill (120 Greenwich St.). The former sous chef of the wrecked River Café landed on his feet here as the new head chef. Philliberto Jimeneaz, who was at the well-known Brooklyn waterfront eatery for 10 years, will lead the team at BPG, known for its global fusion fare and artsy cocktails designed by mixologist Artemio Vasquez. SUteiShi (24 Peck Slip, 212 766-

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2344)is still among the missing but not completely. Last week the fave sushi spot started delivery service of a limited menu to FiDi, Seaport and Battery Park. So if you don’t want to wander out, order in Monday through Saturday, 5 – 10:30 pm. Two salty stalwarts, however, won’t be back for a bit. Both The Paris Café (119 South St.) and The Bridge Café (279 Water St.), two of the oldest and most loved local spots, suffered serious structural damages, not mention loss of food, furniture, equipment, glassware and liquid refreshments. Bridge Café owner Adam Weprin told us that he hopes to reopen but it will be months before he can get the 218 year old wooden building back in shape. Wednesday, Dec. 12, between deadline and when Downtown Express hit the streets, two fun events brought smiles back to the Seaport. Over at Jeremy’s Ale House (228 Front St.), the gang celebrated Christmas 2012 with their annual blowout. Owner Jeremy Holin laid out a food fest sure to please Santa Claus. And at Fish Market (111 South St.), Project Seaport, a fundraising effort to bring relief to the Seaport businesses under the umbrella of New York Cares, held a free

bash with a silent auction of New Yorkthemed items for sale. To help, visit www. projectseaport.com.

CALLING ALL LOOKIES…

A couple neighbors call all the folks who come to the Seaport to see the destruction “Lookies.” Now Wall Street Walks has tours just for them. The group has added Sandy-related elements of information and “sightseeing” to several of their tours. For example, a walking tour of the Dutch settlement then known as New Amsterdam began in September to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the Dutch arrival to our shores. Post Sandy, they discovered the old settlement of New Amsterdam was largely unaffected by the flooding and the tour shows you why. Several of their tours touch on the causes and effects of Sandy flooding such as much of FiDi is landfill and that many old waterways are now underground. Tour takers also witness cleanup activities and hear about the impact on local businesses. Hopefully, they stop and spread some green around the hood. The tours continue weekends through Dec. 31. Go to: www.wallstreetwalks.com for info and tickets.

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Pier 40 apartments still in the mix Continued from page 9

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. 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. “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. 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.” Can a similar approach work in New York City, though, to safeguard new construction on the waterfront? “There should be lots of lively discussions about this,” Wils asserted. “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

Downtown Express photo by Lincoln Anderson

On Tuesday, workers were unstitching a seam in Pier 40’s artificial turf, so that they could smooth out gravel that got caught and bunched up beneath it when Sandy flooded the field.

in the short term. Sandy was above the 100year 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 likely wouldn’t be before March. 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 Assembly Member noted As for residential development 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.” On the other hand, Assembly Member 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.” “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 W. 36th St.] and 40,” Gottfried said. “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.” 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. Similarly, Arthur Schwartz, co-chairperson of Community Board 2’s 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 Fort 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, rather than after Pier 40 was developed,” Schwartz said. 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 private fundraising arm — announced a plan for a hightech campus, plus automated, valet parking for the pier. As a result of the superstorm 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.

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

Seaport Museum reopens Dec. 14 BY T E RE SE LO E B K R E U Z E R It has been a stormy ride for the South Street Seaport Museum, headquartered at 12 Fulton St. with several outposts on Water Street and a fleet of historic ships anchored at Pier 16. After the 45-year-old museum nearly closed under its previous management, Susan Henshaw Jones, director of the Museum of the City of New York and president of the South Street Seaport Museum, and her staff were well on their way to resurrecting the South Street Seaport Museum’s attendance and finances when Superstorm Sandy struck, causing $22 million in damage. But nothing has deterred Henshaw Jones so far. On Friday, Dec. 14, the museum will reopen with two new exhibits and two exhibits that were in place before Sandy. The elevators and escalators are still not working. The electrical system is running from generators. Heat is spotty, but these are minor inconveniences next to the fact that the doors will once again be open.

“In large part, we are re-opening as a statement of faith in our mission and community, “ Henshaw Jones said. Since Superstorm Sandy shut the museum down on Oct. 29, a fundraising campaign has elicited more than $100,000 in donations — a small part of what the museum needs, but a testament to the many people who hold it dear and believe that it is an essential part of the historic Seaport district. The museum reopens with “A Fisherman’s Dream: Folk Art by Mario Sanchez and Street Shots NYC”, a presentation of contemporary New York City street photography. They will join ongoing special exhibitions Compass: Folk Art in Four Directions, organized by the American Folk Art Museum, and Romancing New York: Watercolors by Frederick Brosen. The Museum continues to seek contributions to fully restore the damage done by Superstorm Sandy. Donations can be made on the South Street Seaport Museum’s website (www.southstreetseaportmuseum.org).

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South Street Seaport, a few years before the storm.

Pier 17 is back Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport reopened on Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. after having been closed for four and a half weeks. A preliminary report from the engineering firm engaged by The Howard Hughes Corporation, which has a long-term lease on the pier, indicated that there was no visible damage from Superstorm Sandy. Based on the ASCE Standard Inspection Manual, Pier 17 received an “A” rating from the inspectors. Though Pier 17 and the Pier 17 building have reopened, the Link Building and Historic Cobblestone Uplands remain closed indefinitely for remediation. Shoppers should be aware that Verizon and UPS are currently not servicing the South Street Seaport area. Seaport Management is encouraging Pier 17 merchants to offer 10 percent discounts on select merchandise through Dec. 31. Pier 17 at the end of Fulton St. is now open daily through the end of December. The hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

Editorial PUBLISHER

Jennifer Goodstein PUBLISHER EMERITUS

John W. Sutter EDITOR

Josh Rogers NYC RECONNECTS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Terese Loeb Kreuzer ARTS EDITOR

Scott Stiﬄer REPORTERS

Lincoln Anderson Sam Spokony EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Kaitlyn Meade

SR. V.P. OF SALES & MARKETING

Francesco Regini RETAIL AD MANAGER

Colin Gregory

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Allison Greaker Julius Harrison Gary Lacinski Alex Morris Julio Tumbaco BUSINESS MANAGER / CONTROLLER

Vera Musa

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

A park still worth building SUPERSTORM SANDY HAS BROUGHT

new emphasis to questions surrounding Hudson River Park, but one thing remains unchanged: It needs money. The storm showed that much of the park can withstand heavy floods so our well-documented reasons for its importance — it is responsible for real world economic gains as it dramatically improves quality of life in the city — remain. Like other parts of the city near water, clearly there will need to be design adjustments going forward. We continue our support of the proposal for a neighborhood improvement district, or NID, for Hudson River Park and surrounding blocks. The proposal has since been honed and is now starting its journey through the public review process. 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 district 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 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. 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.

reduce losses from operations for the fiscal years 2010-11 and 2011-12. This was possible ONLY because the board leased our commercial property at 55 Fulton St. to Key Food at market rent. The additional commercial rent eliminated the deficit for the current fiscal year and the store has been a great addition to the neighborhood. Despite these benefits a number of cooperators opposed this lease, preferring an empty store and a 15 percent maintenance increase. Mr. Hovitz ostensibly organized this group to provide cooperators with greater input into the management of Southbridge. It’s important to note that Mr. Hovitz, and any other cooperator, have multiple opportunities to participate. They may run for the board of directors, which Mr. Hovitz did unsuccessfully the last two years and may volunteer for one of the regular committees. These committees have significant input in decisions that affect all cooperators. I find it surprising that a shareholder who is so concerned with the decisions made by the current board has not volunteered for any committee during the six years that I have served on the board. The bottom line is that Southbridge is a very well managed cooperative. The recent response to Hurricane Sandy, and the reaction of our cooperators to the response, which has been overwhelmingly positive, reinforces the fact that our manag-

ers, staff and board of directors care deeply about the well being of our cooperators.

Troy Masters SENIOR DESIGNER

Michael Shirey GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Arnold Rozon

Letters to the Editor SOUTHBRIDGE RESPONSE

CONTRIBUTORS

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COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC ONE METROTECH CTR., 10TH FLR, BROOKLYN, NY 11201 PHONE: (212) 229-1890 FAX: (212) 229-2790 WWW.DOWNTOWNEXPRESS.COM NEWS@DOWNTOWNEXPRESS.COM Downtown Express is published every week by Community Media LLC, 515 Canal St., Unit 1C, New York, N.Y. 10013 (212) 229-1890. The entire contents of the newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2012 Community Media LLC. PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

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To The Editor: As a member of the board of directors, and treasurer of Southbridge Towers for the past 6 years, I would like to commend Ms. Meade for writing a well-balanced article (news article, Nov. 28 – Dec. 12, “Southbridge group presses its board for more input”). Ms. Meade stated that there were five issues of concern that were raised by the shareholder group that is led by Mr. Hovitz. However, in her account she did not address the fifth issue, which was about “the $5+ million we received for the sale of the Delury Park property.” In response, the board presented a full-page explanation, complete with 2 Excel schedules exhibiting the inflow and outflow of monies through our reserve accounts. Every dollar is accounted for. These funds were used to improve the facilities for the safety and enjoyment of all our cooperators and included new outdoor lighting that provide better lighting and are more energy efficient, an upgraded security system, new playground facilities for Southbridge families with children, new intercom, and design of upgraded lobbies that feature new and larger mailboxes. In addition, $1.5 million of these reserves were used to

Ronald Guggenheim Treasurer, Southbridge Towers

JOB WELL DONE To The Editor: As a community advocate, I have always considered our local media to be vital in accomplishing our goals. The Downtown Express continues to be an integral part of this effort. Aline Reynolds served our needs as both reporter and editor while fulfilling her responsibilities to NYC Community Media, her employer. We know this is not always an easy balance. We wish her well and bid a sad farewell. Paul Hovitz Publisher’s Note: We too are sad to say farewell to Aline Reynolds. We appreciate and thank her for her hard work here, hope our relationship with her continues, and wish her the best for the future. Jennifer Goodstein Publisher, Downtown Express

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Downtown Notebook

The latkes debate — to shred or grate? B Y TEQUILA MINSKY Hanukkah came early this year, the first night of candle lighting was the evening of Dec. 8. The holiday is celebrated with candles, playing dreidel, presents, and most important, eating latkes representing the miracle of the oil. Get out the potatoes. In preparation for the holiday, my friend Barrett and I made a batch of potato pancakes. (I supplied the potatoes and onions, he, the oil, eggs, baking powder, salt, and flour.) When he couldn’t find the right blade for the Cuisinart, he brought out the old hand graters – no problem. What’s a little muscle power? That’s where the conflict began. He uses the larger grate, almost shredding the potatoes; I use the smaller grate. It seems that in the tradition I grew up with, we used the finer grate on the box grater. Entrenched in my own family tradition, I never realized how prevalent is the choice for the style of a shredded potato latke. Admittedly, a perfunctory search on the Internet revealed a lot of recipes for the shredded variety. Barrett and I split the recipe, making them both ways. The shredded variety came out great. In my – the more dense – method, I forgot to press the pancakes while they were frying, so they were a bit puffy and round. The following evening, I made another batch, also adding more onion, that came out better. Of course, sour cream and applesauce were our complements. It seems that in addition to these two competing potato pancake styles, latkes now are taking on new identities with all sorts of variations. One savory recipe calls for herbs and cumin, one adds a jalapeno pepper, another mixes in zucchini, one is made with cauliflower while another variation uses sweet potatoes. In any case, I did find a nearby Lower East Side purveyor, so, if I don’t want to make my own, I can buy the authentic traditional kind, locally. Russ and Daughters makes a very

credible, edible latke. As for a recipe, here is my sister’s recipe, based on my grandmother’s: Grandma Sadie’s Potato Latkes (Adapted from Sandy Weiswasser) Makes about 36 2-inch latkes (10 to 12 servings) Here are Grandma Sadie’s secrets: Use only russet baking potatoes — they’re drier and yield a better texture. Grate the onion first, then add grated potatoes. The onion will help prevent the potatoes from turning gray. Press out as much of the water from the grated potato mixture as possible; it’s the excess moisture that makes the latkes soggy. Also, use a skillet that conducts heat evenly for best frying results. Serve with sour cream and applesauce. Corn or canola oil, enough to come about halfway up the skillet 1 very large onion, cut in half 6 large russet baking potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks and placed in cold water 2-3 beaten eggs 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste About 2 tablespoons flour, or more as needed 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional) Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Have ready a baking sheet/plate lined with paper towels. In the food processor, pulse to coarsely grate half of the onion. Add half of the potato chunks to the onions and pulse to coarsely grate the mixture. Place mixture in a sieve and press repeatedly until as much water as possible has been removed. Transfer mixture to a large

Downtown Express photo by Tequila Minsky

The author’s friend Barrett Zinn Gross making an early batch of Hanukkah latkes with shredded potatoes.

mixing bowl. Repeat with remaining onion and potato. Add to bowl. Add eggs, baking powder, salt, flour and white pepper, if desired, to potato mixture, mixing well; add slightly more flour if mixture does not stay together. When oil is hot enough (test by dropping a few strands of grated potato into oil; the oil should begin to bubble around them immediately), drop heaping tablespoonfuls of latke mixture into the oil. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning them over when bottoms are golden brown. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on the second side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined sheet as you work. Adjust heat and remove browned bits from the oil as needed. Serve hot.

A Note to Readers After being displaced for over a month due to damage from Superstorm Sandy, Downtown Express returned to our 515 Canal St. office. Our telephone service, however, has not been fully restored, and the most reliable way to contact individuals here is by email or cell phone. Please bear with us. You may send editorial inquiries to editor Josh Rogers, josh@downtownexpress.com and advertising inquiries to Francesco Regini, senior vice president of sales and marketing, francesco@downtownexpress.com. Because of the upcoming Christmas holiday, our next issue will be distributed on Friday, Dec. 28. Lastly, we wanted to let you know that starting with this issue, we are discontinuing NYC Reconnects as a standalone paper, but we will continue to cover the storm’s aftermath, marking these pages with the NYC Reconnects logo. We are also continuing to update the NYCReconnects.com site as well as DowntownExpress.com with Sandyrelated postings.

Downtown Express photo by Sam Spokony

Chinatown kicks out the jams for post-Sandy relief Thousands flocked to Chinatown Dec. 1 to the post-Sandy revival street fair organized jointly by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of New York.

December 12 - December 25, 2012

TRANSIT SAM WEEKEND TRAFFIC FORECAST: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12TH TO TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18TH ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING REGULATIONS ARE IN EFFECT ALL WEEK

BY SA M S C H WA R T Z Slowly things are returning to normal in Lower Manhattan. I know many of you are still suffering. but there has been some progress on the transportation front in the

past week. The R train now goes as far as Whitehall St. but there’s still no service into Brooklyn. J/Z service has resumed in the Financial District including stops at both the Fulton and Broad Street stations. The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is fully opened and trucks are allowed back meaning fewer trucks (but still plenty) on Canal St. And the L.I.R.R., which took a severe hit to its signal system during Sandy, began full morning and evening rush hour service Monday. Brooklyn Bridge’s overnight closures have

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resumed. All Manhattan-bound lanes are closed 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Wednesday and midnight to 6 a.m. Thursday and Friday. Gridlock Alert days are coming up Thursday and Friday, and the city, as well as Transit Sam, urges you to use transit to reduce street congestion. Big shopping crowds and slow moving roadways is what you’ll face in major shopping areas in Lower Manhattan until New Years including on Park Row by J & R Music World by the Brooklyn Bridge, Century 21 on Cortlandt St. and shopping rows along Broadway (from Union Square down to Canal), Fifth Ave. in the Flatiron District and West Broadway in Soho will be extra jammed. And some good news for anyone who has ever lost a MetroCard or had one stolen. You can now file a claim directly on the MTA’s website at efixmetrocard.mtanyct.info and click on “Balance Protection Claim.” If your claim is successful, the MTA will refund the fare you paid to buy the card, proportionate to the amount of time you had left on the card. From the mailbag: Dear Transit Sam, A friend of mine had her car towed yesterday for an outstanding ticket she didn’t

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know about and for penalties for paid tickets she also didn’t know about. Do you know why? Rich via e-mail Dear Rich, Yes I do. Upon further review, turns out DMV and Finance had a different address on file, which is why your “friend” didn’t know about that one outstanding ticket. As for the late penalties, records also show your friend failed to pay the tickets on time, most likely caused by the address mix-up. What she needs to do is change the address on file with DMV, then plead “not guilty” in person and explain to the judge what happened. I’d say at the very least, the late penalties will be taken off. A reduced fine or dismissal appears less likely. Transit Sam Have a question about parking tickets, transit problems or to order my new 2013 parking calendar? Send me an e-mail at TransitSam@downtownexpress.com or go to www.gridlocksam.com for more info. Follow me @gridlocksam.

December 12 - December 25, 2012

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

Photo by Rob Reynolds

“The Colonial Nutcracker,” at BCPA on Dec. 16, sets the action in wintry colonial Yorktown during the Revolutionary War.

“THE COLONIAL NUTCRACKER” & “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).

Photo by Leah Reddy

From 2011: Jazz bassist Ron Carter reads ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to a group of children, at the Church of the Intercession. This year, Pat Battle does the honors.

’TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS One of New York’s longest running family holiday traditions is the annual recitation of Clement Clarke Moore’s “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” this year read by News 4 New York’s anchor Pat Battle, at historic Church of the Intercession. In 1822, as a Christmas present for his six children, Moore (son of Dr. Benjamin Moore, sixth rector of Trinity Parish) penned the now-classic poem (also known as “A Visit from St. Nicholas”). A lantern procession and wreath-laying at Moore’s gravesite will immediately follow, at Trinity Church Cemetery & Mausoleum, located across from the church. Free. Sun., Dec. 23, at 4pm. At The Church of the Intercession (Broadway & W.155th St., wheelchair access via the cemetery gate, on 155th). For info, visit trinitywallstreet.org and intercessionnyc.org or call 212-602-0800. HAVA’N A GOOD TIME From 10am-4pm on December 25, the Museum of Jewish Heritage welcomes visitors of all ages for a day of music, crafts and film. There will be a kid-friendly craft station where children can make mosaic-themed picture frames — and a 1pm concert by Metropolitan Klezmer. 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). GINGERBREAD SHIPBUILDING Inspired by a precision model of the Brooklyn-built USS Monitor currently on display at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center’s BLDG 92, this event challenges kids to construct a gingerbread version which will be “commissioned,” then displayed throughout the holiday season). Along with bakers from Clinton Hill’s Le Petit Bakery, renowned model shipwright Dan Pariser will oversee the proceedings. In addition to building supplies, kids will be given ship-shaped gingerbread cookies to munch. Families are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy or game, which will be donated to families affected by Hurricane Sandy. At 1pm on Sat., Dec. 15, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center’s BLDG 92 (63 Flushing Ave., corner of Carlton Ave. Take the F to York St. or A/C to High St.). Free for adults, $15 for kids. For info, visit bldg92.org/events. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR LISTING IN THE DOWNTOWN EXPRESS? Please provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Send to scott@chelseanow.com.

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Center

Learn the origins of The Snow Maiden, Dec. 22 at BCPA.

December 12 - December 25, 2012

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

Photo by Wayne Valzania

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

Photo courtesy of Arts Brookfield

The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene performs “My Yiddishe Chanukah,” at World Financial Center Winter Garden on Sun., Dec. 16.

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 212-

581-3080 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. Continued on page 25

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Just Do Yule! presents

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See BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? for free, Dec. 22.

Continued from page 24

DICKENS OF A GOOD TIME Like Shakespeare plays and chocolate chip cookies, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? lends itself to endless interpretations without ever sacrificing the enduring appeal of its core components. In the case of that good old Dickens tale, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the notion of finding redemption through compassion â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? all end with Scrooge seeing the light â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but offer different takes on the path to his December 25 wake-up call. Music in Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public reading of â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? puts the action in a chamber music setting, and features actors from as far away as Ohio and Pennsylvania â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all gathering to raise funds for the Saint Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Pantry. Robert Frankenberry performs the role of Scrooge. Taking a page from the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premise that judgmental ghosts monitor our every move, the organizers vow that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mr. Dickens will oversee the proceedings from afar.â&#x20AC;? 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, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Christmas Carol Choral Bits,â&#x20AC;? will available for download in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scoresâ&#x20AC;? section of rogerzahab.net. Fri., Dec. 28 at 8pm and Sun., Dec. 30 at 4pm. At Saint Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Dickensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; words from the page to the stage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What The Dickens?â&#x20AC;? begins at noon, with Christmas caroling led by the New York City Master Chorale. Then, at 1pm, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s every blessed word, beginning with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marley was dead: to begin withâ&#x20AC;? and ending with â&#x20AC;&#x153;God Bless Us, Every One!â&#x20AC;? 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 CafĂŠ (126 Crosby Continued on page 26

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We proudly present an embarrassment of holiday riches with his live actors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; blurring the distinction between performance and projection. Along the way, Quintonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s onstage Ebenezer shares miser duties with everyone from Mr. Magoo to George C. Scott to Bill Murray â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 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.

Continued from page 25

St., btw. E. Houston & Prince Sts.). Visit housingworks.org or call 212-334-3324. At Abrons Arts Center, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reid Farringtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? features Downtown theater legend Everett Quinton and four other performers who slip in and out of the storyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dozens of characters. Farrington, a former video designer for Wooster Group, mashes 35 different cinematic versions of â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;?

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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Christmas Carolâ&#x20AC;? (produced in partnership with Theatreworks USA) hits all the familiar narrative marks, with an emphasis on the storyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most humorous and touching moments â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with the addition of songs meant to convey â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dickensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; original

message that the holiday season should be a kind, forgiving, charitable time.â&#x20AC;? 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. Foul of mouth, fast of wit and green of hair, Hedda Lettuce is taking her holiday schtick out of the crisper for another Continued on page 27

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December 12 - December 25, 2012 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

Continued from page 26

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

Photo by Robert Braunfeld

The Flatiron Public Plaza’s oversized centerpiece is this season’s upstart alternative to Rockefeller Center. Visit discoverflatiron.org/holiday for a calendar of daily activities through Dec. 23.

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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).

Photo by WILSONMODELS

Lettuce laugh: Hedda gets her canes in a twist, at the Metropolitan Room (Dec. 16-26). Continued on page 28

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Continued from page 27

Eight can become one, according to new math as practiced by The New Shul. Downtown’s progressive synagogue has crunched the numbers, and come up with an elegant “Chanukiah Flashmob” equation. The purpose-driven, caffeine- fueled fun begins, appropriately enough, in front of your choice of eight Starbucks locations (from Broadway & Bond St., all the way to Union Square East). “Led by musicians bearing a branch of the light sculpture that will form our Chanukiah,” sosaith the Shul, “each group will sing and dance its way to Washington Square Park, where the light sculpture will be assembled. The celebration continues at Grace Church School with more music, dancing and holiday treats.” Free. On Sat., Dec. 15 at 4:30pm, meet in front of the Starbucks at the 8 Points of Light location of your choice (groups leave at 4:45pm sharp). For the meeting locations and more info, visit newshul.org. This concert from the One World Symphony recalls how, after 14 years of struggling to continue the legacy of Beethoven, Johannes Brahms (18331897) 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 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 season 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 retrodecks 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

Photo courtesy of Miramax Films

Chinese food, no. Movie? Yes. “Keeping up with the Steins” screens Dec. 25 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. See page 27.

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.

cards, ornaments, decorations, lit-fromwithin 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 212-777-1089. “Why does everyone go crazy at Christmastime?” That’s the elusive question posed by Mark Finley’s “Christmas Moon.” What answers he’ll provide isn’t exactly clear — but the playwright does hint it might have something to do with temporary insanity, an ancient pagan curse or the mysterious machinations of the titular spherical object. This radio

play for the stage is being presented the Robert Chesley/Jane Chambers Playwrights Reading series, which itself is presented by TOSOS — The Other Side of Silence (a modern incarnation of the pioneering theater company founded in 1974 by Doric Wilson, and revived in 2002 by Wilson, Finley and Barry Childs). The reading takes place at 8pm on Sun., Dec. 16 — right after the TOSOS holiday party, which begins at 7pm. You’re invited to both free events. At the TADA! Theater (15 W. 28th St., 2nd floor, btw. Broadway & Fifth Ave.). For more info, visit tosos2.org.

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December 12 - December 25, 2012

B.M.C.C. students work to rebuild their lives after Sandy Continued on page 30

their needs. “I felt so taken care of with that email alone,” Batista said. She filled it out and sent it in. A few days later, she walked into the Single Stop U.S.A. office, an organization on nine New York community college campuses, that helps students apply for federal aid, tax preparation, legal and financial counsel. In the wake of Sandy, they became the B.M.C.C.’s central office for helping Sandy’s victims get back on their feet. Batista decided to take her bills with her, which had been piling up. “I decided to just share,” she said, though she was apprehensive about doing so. “Before you know it, I got awarded help with my bills!” She also received a MetroCard to get to and from school. “I’m so grateful they reached out to us when they did,” she said. Batista was one of about 7,000 B.M.C.C. students living in affected zones, from Downtown’s Flood Zone A to Staten Island to Canarsie and the Rockaways. B.M.C.C. no stranger to crisis, lost a building on 9/11, but a new type of response was needed this time. “It was different because this time around, it impacted not just the school, but their neighborhoods as well,” said Marva Craig, vice president of student affairs. As opposed to the three-week closure after 9/11, B.M.C.C. was only closed for a week after Sandy, and during that time remained in constant contact with students through e-mail and social media. They quickly realized that while the campus was in relatively good shape, many of the students were not. B.M.C.C. was provided with a list of impacted zip codes by government officials. They ran that list against the records of enrollment and sent e-mails — like the one Batista received — asking students to detail their needs. For some students, the primary need was for information. With transportation down, limited cell service and power outages, many students felt stranded. “The tears came to my eyes when a student wrote and said, ‘I am having a hard time with this problem, please help me, just tell me how to get there,’” The student was in Far Rockaway and just wanted to know how to get here,” Craig said of the initial confusion in the first week after the school reopened. For others, there was a need for more immediate and drastic help. One such student, 25, who asked to be identified as “Leah” for privacy reasons, was flooded out of her basement apartment in Rockaway Park. The landlord reported that water was 8 feet high — as high as the ceiling. Where the water met the ceiling tiles they peeled away like wet paper, she said. “If I was in there, I would have drowned.” Leah was renting the space from her

Photo by Terese Loeb Kreuzer

Borough of Manhattan Community College student Agueda Batista-Lopez, her husband, Carlos A. Lopez and son, Hunter.

fiancé’s father. It was a good price and it meant they could be closer. But it also meant that he felt able to treat her more informally than he would another tenant. She came back to her apartment after the storm to find most of her belongings in a pile on the curb. Some of it had already been thrown out. “I didn’t have a chance to go through it,” she said. “He wanted to get rid of it to clean out his basement.” The sense of betrayal was not just in the fact that that her things had gotten thrown away, but that she had not been notified beforehand. “I lost everything. I have proof,” she said, flipping through photos on her phone, including her textbooks, clothing, important documents, furniture and laptop. It wasn’t just the loss of necessities that upset her — it was losing her pictures, her school certificates, the sentimental objects that had made her place feel like home. One of the most devastating losses was her wedding dress, a white confection with red detailing that she got on sale at David’s Bridal for $200. Immersed in salt and sewage water, the dress can be repaired at David’s for an additional $139 — nearly as much as the garment itself. The ring, which they had planned on getting custom made, is on hold until the couple can figure out their finances. The wedding is also on hold, though they had planned to get married next year. Recovery has been a long and ongoing process. Before Sandy, she was balancing two jobs and two degree programs

(B.M.C.C. and cosmetology school). “I was making a decent living,” Leah said. “It was all turned around in the blink of an eye. It was that fast.” One of her jobs was flooded out and shut down, her business administration degree may come later than expected and she is currently trying to catch up on homework on the school’s computers when not looking for an apartment online. She also applied at B.M.C.C.’s Single Stop Office for emergency funds and is waiting on approval. Specifically, she is hoping to get funds to put down the initial first and last month’s rent on an apartment. “When I speak to a realtor, they say, ‘Ah, well. How can you prove to me that you can bring in the monthly rent?’” she explained. Until then, she is waiting to start a new job at Ann Taylor LOFT and is staying with her mother. She is trying to remain “mentally strong” for her mother and her fiancé as well as for herself. “I’m dealing with it. If help wasn’t available, I’d probably be in a worse state mentally speaking,” she said. “I’d probably do something crazy.” Leah is one of about 40 students with applications still being reviewed by the Single Stop Office, who have already helped approximately 60 students with various needs from food stamps, to transportation to counseling. “We have a board, and they gave us the first $25,000 and Single Stop U.S.A. gave us $25,000 to provide for our students,” said Craig. “We decided to funnel all our students through Single Stop — they can come in and fill out forms and outline their

needs and concerns. All in one place.” Deborah Harte, who runs B.M.C.C.’s Single Stop Office, said she’s concerned some may not be asking for help because they don’t have legal documentation. “One of my concerns with any tragedy is that that population will not readily come forward for fear these services out of fear of being reported,” said Harte. “We have to assure them that we don’t report. We collect documentation where we can for our funders…but not to the degree where we put them through the mill.” She added that there is no way to identify undocumented students unless they volunteer that information. For those that do come forward, the office facilitates SNAP and D-SNAP (Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) applications for food stamps, helps students rent books, find housing and attend counseling. The school has also extended the withdrawal deadline for students impacted by Sandy. But Harte was surprised by how many refused to drop courses, even in the face of adversity. “They were so convinced that despite everything, they could still continue their lives with some degree of normalcy.” For Batista, that meant moving back to Rockaway Park after the lights came on. However, she has been making the trek to school, with the support of her husband. “It’s challenging. You have to put your positive thoughts to work,” she said. And B.M.C.C. has been instrumental making that happen.

December 12 - December 25, 2012

Stone St.

170 William Street, New York, NY 10038 www.downtownhospital.org

Your Center for Treatment of Colon and Rectal Cancer

Photo by Terese Loeb Kreuzer

Three restaurateurs gathered in Smörgas Chef at 53 Stone St. to talk about the impact of Superstorm Sandy and what their restaurants are doing to recover. (Left to right): Nelson Baez, of Smörgas Chef, Ronan Downs, co-owner of five Stone Street restaurants, and Paul O’Connor, of Mad Dog & Beans.

Continued from page 10

thought they had prepared for Sandy. They moved as much as they could to higher levels of their stores and sandbagged their doors. But Sandy fooled them. The street itself never flooded. The water came into their basements from below, rushing through subterranean tunnels and drainage pipes. “There was no way to protect against what happened once Con Ed cut our power off,” said Downs. “We had pumps, but without power, they didn’t work. We brought generators in the next day, but by then, it was too late.” The problems were compounded because the telephones didn’t work and for most of the restaurants, the Internet was also down. Two Stone Street restaurants, Burger Burger and Pizza Pizza, depend on phone and Internet orders. Their delivery customers couldn’t reach them. Baez said that he’s talked with his business neighbors about trying to get more tourist business to make up for the losses due to closed office buildings. “We need to be proactive and not wait for the offices to come back,” he said. “Maybe some of the Seaport tourists would come here.’

Smörgås Chef and its sister restaurant, Crêpes du Nord, which opens onto South William Street, have joined forces with Mad Dog & Beans and with Downs and his restaurants to start an organization called Historic Stone Street to market the street. They have printed flyers advertising a 15 percent discount to their restaurants. “Hopefully, one positive thing that comes out of this — once we regain our business, — we’ll continue working together,” said Baez. He said that every week he and the others are seeing an uptick in business. “I’m not discouraged, but I do believe that the city has got to help,” said Downs. “They have to try to get people down here. They could show up and ask us how we’re doing.” However, he said that he had gone to see City Councilmember Margaret Chin, who he had never previously met. “She was great,” he said. “I really liked her and I liked all her staff. She listened to us first. She was encouraging that grants will come.” Downs said “I think people who don’t have businesses as strong as ours are in great jeopardy of not returning. And we could throw the towel in as well, but we’re not going to because I think we’re going to come back better and stronger than before.”

Dr. Daniel Hunt is a board-certiﬁed colon and rectal surgeon who specializes in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer, laparoscopic colon surgery, transanal microscopic surgery, colorectal disorders, bowel dysfunction, and sphincter preservation for rectal cancer. Dr. Hunt is a member of the Weill Cornell Medical team. He uses advanced procedures and treatment plans, combined with new technologies and microsurgery, to offer our patients improved safety, greater comfort and the preservation of normal bowel function. Together with Dr. Joongho Shin, a fellowship-trained colon and rectal surgeon from Weill Cornell Medical Center/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with a focused interest in the surgical treatment of colon and rectal cancer, they will ensure our patients will receive the fullest support in their battle against colon and rectal cancer. Dr. Shin is an expert in minimally-invasive approaches to treat colon and rectal cancer. His practice encompasses all aspects of the diseases of the small intestines, colon, rectum, and anus.

Outstanding Physicians. Exceptional Care.

Please call (646) 898-4718 for an appointment.

December 12 - December 25, 2012

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