Downtown Express by Schneps Media

VOLUME 30, NUMBER 04

Pencil lead

Downtown schools found to have high lead in water BY COLIN MIXSON Downtown schools need to get the lead out. Eight out of 10 public schools in Lower Manhattan have tested positive for dangerous levels of lead in their water, according to the city. At 26 Broadway, home to the Lower Manhattan Community Middle School and Richard R. Green High School of Teaching, lead was found at outrageous levels in January, including at one kitchen faucet that contained the toxic substance at 1,900parts-per billion, more than 70 times the average amount found in homes at Flint Michigan. “That is very, very high,” said Dr. Judith Zelikoff, a toxicologist and professor at the Department of Environmental Medicine and NYU Langone Medical Center. New testing protocols implemented by the city’s Department of Education, which require faucets and water fountains to remain inactive for eight hours before testing, led to revelations that water in many schools throughout the city contained lead at levels considered high enough — 15 parts per billion or more — to warrant immediate action by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Lead was found at dangerous levels at the following Downtown schools: • PS 234 Independence School at 292 Greenwich and 200 Chambers streets • Spruce Street School, 12 Spruce St. • District 2 Pre-K Center, 1 Peck Slip • The Peck Slip School, 1 Peck Slip • PS 150, 334 Greenwich St. • Lower Manhattan Community Middle School, 26 Broadway • Richard R. Green High School of Teaching, 26 Broadway (entrance at 7 Beaver St.) • Leadership and Public Service High School, 90 Trinity Pl. • Battery Park City School, 55 Battery Pl. Older buildings, such as the 89-year-old 26 Broadway, often have aging lead plumbing that can leach the heavy metal into water. But even Spruce Street School — located in a relatively new building that opened in 2011 — found toxic levels of lead in four out of 138 tests, posing a mystery as to why a new building should contain the contaminant. “That is brand new,” said Tricia Joyce, chair of

FEBRUARY 23 – MARCH 08, 2017

swindled! AG: Firm cheated 9/11 heroes with shady loans

BY DENNIS LYNCH A New Jersey-based financial company cheated 9/11 heroes out of millions of dollars owed to them for compensation and healthcare for injuries related to the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and federal watchdogs. Schneiderman and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accuse RD Legal and its owner Roni Dersovitz, along with two other entities, of “luring [victims] into costly advances on compensation fund and settlement payouts by lying about the terms” of their advance loans. RD Legal approached their victims — who included police officers and firefighters who worked at Ground Zero and also former professional football players suffering brain injuries — shortly after they signed deals for compensation payouts, but before they received most of their money. RD

Associated Press / Stan Honda

Hundreds of first responders are finally receiving compensation for illnesses cause by inhaling the toxic dust at Ground Zero, but New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says one firm has been swindling 9/11 heroes out of their money.

Legal offered to loan them the rest of their payout, but through what the AG’s office called “confusing contracts,” the firm burdened

them with massive interest rates, in some cases as high at 250 per9/11 heroes Continued on page 14

Also in this issue:

Downtown PROGRESS REPORT 2 017 Deluxe Dining

Roaring Retail

Page 6

Page 7

Pace Univesity’s $190M makeover

lead Continued on page 14 1 M e t r o t e c h • N YC 112 0 1 • C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 17 N YC C o mm u n i t y M e d i a , L L C

Page 7

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February 23 - March 08, 2017

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Lunar New Year comes home to roost at Brookfield

Photos by Milo Hess

Brookfield Place rang in the Year of the Rooster at the Winter Garden on Feb. 12 with the help of performers from the New York Chinese Cultural Center. In what has become a tradition at the Battery Park City shopping center, hundreds of families gathered to enjoy the traditional Chinese dances and colorful costumes. Particular crowd pleasers included the opening Lion Dance, and a troupe of adorable kids dressed up as the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mascot.

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February 23 - March 08, 2017

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

From school pictures to hundreds of family photos and thousands of selfies, children’s smiles brighten our lives. Let’s give them healthy smiles that will shine for a lifetime. Good dental habits start at a young age and continue as children grow with: • Regular dental checkups (2x a year) • Brushing and flossing (at least 2x a day) • A healthy diet with fruits and vegetables

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February 23 - March 08, 2017

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N AT I O N A L C H I L D R E N ’ S D E N TA L H E A LT H M O N T H

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ental braces have been used for decades to correct various alignment and spacing issues in the teeth. Braces can be crucial to the future of one’s oral health and prevent serious issues down the line. Roughly 25 percent of the people in North America who get braces are adults. But braces still are geared toward young people and getting them on the road to straight and properly aligned teeth early on. Braces correct a number of problems, including realigning the jaw and alleviating overcrowding of teeth. Crooked teeth can trap food and debris between them, making it harder to floss and brush. Wearing braces also corrects the bite. If teeth or jaws are not aligned correctly, it can lead to difficulty chewing food or create jaw muscle pain. Braces also may boost self-confidence because they can remedy

GXi\ekj j_flc[ jg\Xb kf X [\ek`jk fi dXb\ Xe Xggf`ekd\ek n`k_ Xe fi$ k_f[fek`jk kf \mXclXk\ k_\`i Z_`c[i\eËj ki\Xkd\ek e\\[j% appearance issues that may prove embarrassing. Parents eager to get their children on the road to straighter teeth may wonder when is the right time to get their kids braces. Many kids are getting braces earlier and earlier, but when to get braces typically depends on the child and the shape of his

or her teeth. The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that children see an orthodontist for an evaluation by age 7. The best time for braces will be when the orthodontist and parents collectively decide it’s time to correct the misalignment of a child’s teeth.

Some orthodontists prefer a two-stage approach to orthodontic treatment. They may use a dental appliance or a preliminary amount of braces to begin moving the teeth while a child still has most of his primary teeth. The second stage begins when all the permanent teeth are in. The thought is to shorten the overall duration of treatment. Other orthodontists follow the traditional approach of putting on braces once all the primary teeth have fallen out. This occurs between ages 9 and 14. This is often a less expensive approach because braces need only be applied and removed once. A number of studies have shown that, for common problems alleviated with orthodontic work, youngsters are better off waiting until all of their permanent teeth have come in. Antonio Secchi, a pro-

fessor of orthodontics at the University of Pennsylvania, notes that if parents choose to treat crooked teeth too early, the child may need another phase of intervention a few years down the road. Some problems, like crossbites, overbites, or severe overcrowding, warrant early intervention. Scheduling an orthodontic visit early on means children can get the care they need when they need it. The orthodontist will be able to monitor how teeth are growing in and map out the best treatment plan for all. Braces can help ﬁx an imperfect smile and alleviate oral health concerns. Parents should speak to a dentist or make an appointment with an orthodontist to evaluate their children’s treatment needs. Severity of overcrowding as well as bite issues will dictate when a child should get braces.

?\cg b`[j ]\\c Zfd]fikXYc\ Xk k_\ì [\ekXc m`j`kj R outine dental examinations and cleanings are an important component of oral healthcare for both children and adults. However, many children do not visit the dentist until well after the time recommended by medical and dental professionals. Parents may be unaware of the dental health timeline, or they could be reluctant to bring their children for fear of how their kids will behave — especially if parents are harboring their own apprehensions about the dentist. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child go to the dentist by age 1, or within six months of the eruption of his or her first tooth. Yet, according to a survey commissioned by Delta Dental Plans, the average age of a child’s first dental visit is 2.6 years. Parents worried about how their kids will respond to the dentist can take the following steps to acclimate kids to dental visits to make them more

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GXi\ekj ZXe _\cg Z_`c[i\e Y\ dfi\ Zfd]fikXYc\ n`k_ ^f`e^ kf k_\ [\ek`jk% comfortable during their appointments: Be a positive role model. Children frequently learn by example. If they see their parents being diligent about dental care, they’re more likely to embrace proper oral hygiene. Bring children to your own dental appointments so they understand the process

and become familiar with the type of equipment used. Stick to the ﬁrst-tooth milestone. Take your child to the dentist on or about when his or her ﬁrst tooth erupts. Early dental visits will get kids used to going to the dentist and prevent minor problems that may lead to more complex dental issues.

Read books about the dentist and role play. Information can allay kids’ fears about the dentist. Read books together about dental visits and act out possible scenarios with your kids. Give kids toy dental health tools and have them practice exams on you and vice-versa. Be supportive and in-

still trust. Avoid telling your child that everything will be okay. If a procedure is needed, this could affect his or her trust in you and make the dental office an even greater source of anxiety. Simply be supportive and offer a hand to squeeze or a hug if your child needs you. Consider using your dentist. Some parents like to take their children to a pediatric dentist, but it may not always be necessary. Many family practices cater to patients of all ages, and the familiarity of the office may help make children feel more comfortable. Speak with your dentist about the ages they see. Steer clear of negative words. Dr. Michael J. Hanna, a national spokesperson for the Academy, suggests using positive phrases like “clean, strong, healthy teeth” to make the visit seem fun and positive rather than scary and alarming. Let the office staff come up with its own words to describe processes that won’t seem too frightening.

February 23 - March 08, 2017

Downtown PROGRESS REPORT 2 017

Deluxe dining Downtown Downtown set for a (Michelin) star turn in restaurant scene BY COLIN MIXSON A feast of Downtown restaurant openings last year saw Lower Manhattan solidify its reputation as a dining destination, but 2017 may be the biggest year yet for local foodies. Top-rate celebrity chefs armed with Michelinstarred menus are looking to compete with last year’s newcomers, and even spoiled uptown pallets are beginning to eye Downtown’s buffet of fine dining options come date night, according to Fidi’s resident food fanatic. “In the past, if you had a special event, you would go uptown, and increasingly we no longer have to leave the neighborhood to have those experiences,” said real estate guru and Fidi Fan Page author Luis Vazquez. “I think we’re getting to the point where we’ll see people come Downtown from other neighborhoods to dine.” The big news is about legendary Michelin-starred chef Daniel Humm’s upcoming 3 World Trade Center venture, a 7,000-square-foot “casual” diner, which will join Eataly, Daniel Boulud’s Épicerie Boulud, and Marc Forgione’s Lobster Press at the Westfield WTC shopping center sometime next year. Eleven Madison Park, Humm’s inaugural foray into the Manhattan-dining sphere, has earned universal

praise as one of the city’s finest dining options, meriting an enviable three stars from the Michelin Guide, and taking a top spot on the San Pellegrino list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, while his sophomore enterprise, NoMad, earned similar praise from foodies across the city. Also coming to Westfield’s up-scale shopping destination is renowned London steakhouse Hawksmoor, which will embark on its first venture across the pond later this year. Meanwhile, the simple, small-scale, but sumptuous Westville should be coming to new Wall Street digs near Water Street anytime now, offering eaters a highly praised, vegetable-heavy American cuisine. Del Frisco Grille inked a deal that will see the Texas-based chain join a number of high-profile openings last year, including Chef Jose Garces’s Amada, at Brookfield Place sometime this summer. The South Street Seaport will become a dining destination in its own right with famed chef Jean Georges Vongerichten’s two hotly anticipated openings, including a 10,000-square-foot restaurant at Pier 17, and a mammoth 40,000-square-foot food hall in the historic Tin Building, opening this summer. Vongerichten will be joined at the Seaport by vegan hotspot Chloe and its top-notch veggie burgers, also in the summer, with

Photo by Francesco Tonelli

Chef Daniel Humm — whose Eleven Madison Park restaurant in the Flatiron District has earned him three Michelin stars and foodie fame — will be bringing his talents to a new venture in 3 World Trade Center.

David Chang’s finger lickin’ amazing chicken chain MomoFuku following close behind. Last year, Downtown Express reported molecdining Continued on page 8

THE DOWNTOWN CONNECTION IS YOUR FREE RIDE AROUND LOWER MANHATTAN!

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February 23 - March 08, 2017

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Downtown PROGRESS REPORT 2 017

Retail renaissance rolls on More high-end stores are flocking to New York’s newest shopping district

BY DENNIS LYNCH Even more big-name retailers are moving to Downtown this year, continuing the neighborhood’s meteoric rise as a premier shopping district. Many stores are taking up spaces around the area’s three shopping hubs — Brookfield Place, Westfield World Trade Center, and the Seaport District — but other stores are venturing out to lease space at the other retail areas popping up all around the neighborhood. Several new stores are opening in and around the World Trade Center complex in 2017. Sak’s Fifth Avenue set foot in Downtown last year when they opened at Brookfield Place and they added a dedicated men’s store there on Feb. 23. The store includes a barber, coffee bar, a “tech bar” featuring cool gadgets, and a “leather spa” dedicated to footwear. You can also design your own custom suits with “fabrics, linings, buttons, details and more” at digital interfaces at the store. Swank shoemaker Allen Edmonds and Suit Supply will also open this year at Brookfield. Carmaker Ford opened its first FordHub “experiential” store at Westfield World Trade earlier this year. FordHub doesn’t actually sell cars, but you can create a custom 3D model of your dream car, play some racing video

games, take a selfie with a car’s lidar system (which uses light the way radar uses radio waves), and check out some of Ford’s big new ideas such as self-driving cars and regenerative braking. A bit further afield, Saks Fifth Avenue will also open a 55,000-squarefoot discount Sak’s Off Fifth store this year at One Liberty Plaza, just a few blocks from the mall. Hip women’s fashion retailer Anthropologie will open a 20,000-square-foot store at 195 Broadway and the equally hip Japanese retailer Uniqlo is rumored to be in talks for 100,000 square feet at the landmarked 23 Wall Street building across from the New York Stock Exchange building. Uniqlo is one of three retailers reportedly looking at the five-floor, 160,000-square-foot space, according to the Real Deal. TJX, the parent company of Target, T.J. Maxx, and Marshall’s signed a lease for a 68,400-square-foot space at 140 West St. earlier this year. The store will take up portions of the ground floor and lower levels of the landmarked skyscraper, which was known for years as the Verizon Building. TJX reportedly paid $350 and $100 per square-foot on each level, respectively, according to a recent ABS Partners Real Estate report.

Photo by Tequila Minsky

Saks Fifth Avenue opened its Downtown location at Brookfield Place last year, featuring its women’s selection, and opened a dedicated men’s store at the upscale shopping center this week.

Nike and Under Armour were reportedly looking at space there over the summer as well. Nearby at the Seaport District, highend Italian retailer 10 Corso Como is opening it’s fist and only U.S. location in the Fulton Market Building this year. And trendy Dutch clothing retailer Scotch & Soda will set up shop not far from there along Schermerhorn Row this year.

Property owners are looking to build and expand retail space in their buildings to capitalize on the boom in demand. Macklowe Properties will include 100,000 square-feet of retail as part of its residential conversion at One Wall Street. Fosun Property Holdings also looks to create twice that squarefootage of retail space below the plaza at 28 Liberty Street — a prime location just a few blocks from the Seaport.

On Pace Pace University embarks on $190-million expansion

BY COLIN MIXSON Pace University is retrofitting its Lower Manhattan campus to provide future scholars an edge in the competitive job market of the future, and the morethan-century-old school will invest a whopping $190 million in expanding and modernizing the university’s dual Downtown properties. The inaugural, $45 million thrust of Pace’s threephase master plan is tailored towards providing collaborative spaces on campus for the university’s population of resident scholars, who have transformed the institution from what was once largely a commuter college in to a place where students both live and learn, according to Pace University President Stephen Friedman DowntownExpress.com

The formidable façade cutting off the campus from the street (left) at One Pace Plaza is due to be scrapped for a more open and inviting layout (right).

“If you go back to the year 2000, Pace in New York City had 500 residential students — everyone else was a commuter — and now there are 2,600 residential students,” Friedman said. “So one of our main points of focus is on students and giving them places to collaborate and work together.” The work will see the first floor of the univer-

sity’s flagship, citadel-like property at One Pace Plaza undergo a complete redesign, with new accommodations including a welcome center, event spaces, student common areas, learning spaces, and study areas. paCE Continued on page 8

February 23 - March 08, 2017

Downtown PROGRESS REPORT 2 017 dining Continued from page 6

ular gastronomy trendsetter Wylie Dufresne had planned an opening at the AKA Wall Street hotel at 84 William Street, but the precision chef has since backed out of the deal and is set to be replaced by the Bromberg Brothers’ Blue Ribbon Federal Grill, which can be expected to open in the coming weeks. The gourmet grocers of Dean and DeLuca are looking to shift gears, and will be opening a diner at 40 Wall Street sometime this summer. The list of coming attractions builds upon a strong foundation of retail growth laid down last year, when Downtowners saw more than 200 new stores and restaurants — helmed by famed chefs including Wolfgang Puck, Tom Colicchio, and Eduard Fraundeder — opening in their midst, bringing the neighborhood’s total diner tally to 512, according to a report published by the Downtown Alliance. “We just witnessed a milestone year for retail in Lower Manhattan, bringing one of the last key elements together in our transformation to a live, work and play neighborhood,” said Downtown Alliance president Jessica Lappin.

PACE Continued from page 7

One Pace Plaza was originally built in the 1960s, with a closed, Brutalist style of architecture designed to provide students with a quiet sanctuary shut off from the hubbub of the overwhelmingly commercial Downtown area, according to Friedman. But just as the school has changed since the turn of the century, so too has Downtown, and the building’s façade will be altered with new windows in order to let in the redefined neighborhood’s new vitality. “What we’re doing now is really opening up One Pace Plaza to what’s become an incredibly vibrant and diverse Lower Manhattan,” the Pace president said. Additionally, the university’s art gallery, which is currently hidden away from the public in the Pace Plaza building, will be moved to first-floor, window-side accommodations at 41 Park Row, where student and faculty creations will enliven the streetscape and advertise the school’s artistic achievements, according to Gene Gallagher, vice president of strategic initiatives at Pace. “Putting the gallery front and cen-

ter in a public space will help to promote the reputation of Pace and create a much more welcoming streetscape,” Gallagher said. “You’ll be walking by an art gallery instead of offices.” Phase one work is scheduled to begin this summer, with construction expected to wrap up sometime in the fall next year. The second phase, likely to come as the university’s most costly investment amid the flurry of work, will add two additional floors on top of One Pace Plaza’s west building to provide a home for the Lubin School of Business. The majority of the façade work at the university’s main building is like to accompany the sophomore stage of Pace’s master plan, Friedman said. The final phase of the plan will see the campus’s remaining classrooms modernized, with cutting-edge learning learn aids installed to enhance the way Pace’s multi-disciplinary curricula are taught. “The whole process of teaching and what we teach has changed dramatically,” Friedman said. “Pace has gone through a major renaissance in terms of the physical space, the number of students we have, the range of academic programs, a major renewal of

the faculty — it’s a very different place than it was 10 or 15 years ago.” The inauguration of the renovation work will come as a capstone to Friedman’s decade-long career as Pace’s president, and the venerable academic man will be stepping down this summer to be replaced by Oberlin College president Marvin Krislov. Friedman took the top post at Pace in 2007 at a time he described as a “low point” for the school, with enrollment down, and taking over for a more conservative administration that placed a lower value in investing in the school’s future. By selling off properties at the school’s Westchester campus, Friedman was able to consolidate and modernize Pace facilities upstate, and set the university on a path towards growth that continues today, he said. The president, who’s second fiveyear term is coming to end, said his work now is largely complete, and while there’s always more to be done, he thinks it’s time to bring new blood into the task. “I think its an appropriate time to have new ideas and new energy to this really terrific story we have at Pace,” Friedman said.

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ELECTRIC BOOGIE A thief rode off with a delivery guy’s electric bike he had parked on King Street on Feb. 17. The victim told police that he left his battery-powered bike between Varick Street and Sixth Avenue as he delivered a parcel in a nearby building at 7:45 p.m., and when he returned a few minutes later he saw that his $2,000 ride was stolen.

A 23-year-old man was busted for allegedly attacking a police officer on West Broadway on Feb. 14. The arresting officer reported he was attempting to interview the suspect between Prince and Spring streets regarding a lesser crime at 1:30 p.m., when the man allegedly punched the patrolman in the face. The officer was able to apprehend the suspect at the scene, and later received treatment for his injuries at Lenox Hill Hospital, cops said.

HAIRY SITUATION Cops are hunting the four shoplifters who nabbed more than $1,000 worth of cold and allergy medicine, along with about $700 worth of men’s hair-growth formula from a Broadway drug store on Feb. 9. An employee told police she spotted the crooks inside the pharmacy between Thomas and Duane streets at 6:41 p.m., when the pack of thieves nabbed the small fortune’s worth of over-the-counter drugs and fled.

CROOK IN TRAINING A modern-day Fagan and his under-aged sidekick made off with a woman’s purse as she worked the front desk of a North End Avenue hotel on Feb. 5. The victim told police she had placed her purse under the counter she worked behind at the hotel between Murray and Vesey streets at 4:10 p.m., when a child suddenly grabbed her valuables and fled. Upon reviewing surveillance footage, investigators spotted an older man coaching the young fellow on the art of crime, cops said. — Colin Mixson DowntownExpress.com

ADVERTORIAL

TOP DRIVER DISTRACTIONS Using mobile phones

Leading the list of the top distractions behind the wheel are mobile phones. Phones now do more than just place calls, and drivers often cannot pull away from their phones, even when driving. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, studies have shown that driving performance is lowered and the level of distraction is higher for drivers who are heavily engaged in cell

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phone conversations. The use of a hands-free device does not lower distraction levels. The percentage of vehicle crashes and nearcrashes attributed to dialing is nearly identical to the number associated with talking or listening.

Daydreaming

Many people will admit to daydreaming behind the wheel or looking at a person or object outside of the car for too long. Per-

haps they’re checking out a house in a new neighborhood or thought they saw someone they knew on the street corner. It can be easy to veer into the direction your eyes are focused, causing an accident. In addition to trying to stay focused on the road, some drivers prefer the help of lane departure warning systems.

Eating

Those who haven’t quite mastered walking and

chewing gum at the same time may want to avoid eating while driving. The majority of foods require a person’s hands to be taken off of the wheel and their eyes to be diverted from the road. Reaching in the back seat to share some French fries with the kids is also distracting. Try to eat meals before getting in the car. For those who must snack while en route, take a moment to pull over at

a rest area and spend 10 minutes snacking there before resuming the trip.

Reading

Glancing at an advertisement, updating a Facebook status or reading a book are all activities that should be avoided when driving. Even pouring over a traffic map or consulting the digital display of a GPS system can be distracting.

February 23 - March 08, 2017

lead Continued from page 1

9/11 heroes Continued from page 1

Community Board 1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Youth and Education Committee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really interesting and concerning.â&#x20AC;? Whenever lead is detected at 15-partsper-billion or higher, the source point for the water is immediately taken out of service until remediation work can be completed and additional tests show results below the so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;action level,â&#x20AC;? according to the city. Furthermore, all parents of children at schools with high lead results were sent letters by DOE Deputy Chancellor Elizabeth Rose providing detailed information on the tainted water sources, the lead levels found there, and the possible health consequences associated with lead consumption, which include a range of neurological conditions, along with kidney damage, and reproductive issues. The letter describes the danger posed by the contaminated faucets â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which at 26 Broadway included 13 hallway water fountains â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as â&#x20AC;&#x153;lowâ&#x20AC;? due to the new testing protocols requiring water to stand overnight prior to sampling. School staff have been directed to flush the water system at effected schools every morning, causing lead concentrations to drop â&#x20AC;&#x153;sharply,â&#x20AC;? according to the city. Young children under the age of eight

cent, Schneidermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office said in a statement. Lawyer Michael Barasch, a leading attorney for people entitled to compensation and healthcare for 9/11-related injuries through the Zadroga Act, said he â&#x20AC;&#x153;blew the whistleâ&#x20AC;? on the scheme and referred RD Legal to the Attorney General over the summer after one of his clients â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a former NYPD officer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; signed up for such a loan from RD Legal. The victim wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to get the bulk of his settlement from the government for more than a year, but he needed his compensation money as soon as possible to move out of the northeast to a more asthma-friendly part of the country. Barasch said RD Legal advertised a 19-percent interest rate on the loan but really charged him an eye-watering rate of 61-percent. Barasch said that anyone who encounters such lenders should consult a lawyer before signing any contract for a loan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall for the same trap, if it sounds too good to be true,

New York Public Library

Like many older buildings Downtown, 26 Broadway â&#x20AC;&#x201D; built in the 1920s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has aging lead pipes. Two public schools located in building have tested positive for elevated levels of lead in the water.

years old are most susceptible to lead poisoning, but only as a result of chronic exposure, according to Zelikoff. Parents who feel their children are at risk should consider having them tested for lead in their blood, Zelikoff said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always err on the side of caution, and people who are concerned about it need to go to a physician and have their blood lead levels tested,â&#x20AC;? she said.

always have an attorney or expert in this area review the contract to be sure,â&#x20AC;? Barasch said. Selling advance loans on legal settlements isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in itself a crime. Sometimes a person will take a loan before theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve reached a settlement agreement or court verdict, and the lender takes the risk that they may not receive a favorable settlement. But that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the case with Baraschâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s client, who was guaranteed his payout. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were taking no risk, there was zero chance [the victims] wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t win their settlement,â&#x20AC;? Barasch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With a car accident, at least thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the possibility they may not win.â&#x20AC;? New York state law criminalizes usury â&#x20AC;&#x201D; defined as lending money at rates higher than 25 percent of the loan. RD Legalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions also violated the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, according to the Attorney General. This is not the first time Dersovitz and RD Legal have been accused fraud. Last summer the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accused RD Legal of defrauding investors as well.

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Academic Excellence Since 1832 Sony Pictures Classics

Brookfield Place will screen martial-arts epic “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” on March 8 as part of its “Pictures Under the Palms” free film series, but the public will help select the last movie.

Choose your own adventure Brookfield Place invites public to help pick the final flick at Winter Garden movie series BY COLIN MIXSON The Brookfield Place shopping center is adding a twist to its annual free film series: inviting Downtown film buffs to help choose the final flick. The “Pictures Under the Palms” series kicked off Wednesday in the Winter Garden with Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” followed by Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris” on March 1 and martial-arts epic “Crouching Tiger Dragon” on March 8. But the March 15 showing is still up in the air, and Brookfield wants the public to weigh in on what picture to pick. Folks have until March 8 to vote at brookfieldplaceny.com, choosing from three options: • “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012): Wes Anderson’s Oscar and Golden Globe nominated pubescent romance follows the meticulously crafted dalliance of two eccentric youngsters, whose adventurous flight from society sees them

chased by a cast of grownups including Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman, among other stars. • “O Brother, Where Art Thou” (2000) Three convicts, played by George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, flee justice in pursuit of a buried treasure in this comedic satire set in the rural south of 1937 Mississippi, and loosely based on Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey.” • “Romeo and Juliet” (1996) Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo and Claire Danes as Juliet, Baz Luhrmann’s modern retelling of Shakespeare’s immortal romance features the Bard of Avon’s original dialogue, but represents the Montagues and Capulets as two warring mafia families. The winning film will be shown at Brookfield’s Winter Garden on March 15, which will be well stocked with comfy chairs and free popcorn.

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www.TransﬁgurationSchoolNYC.org February 23 - March 08, 2017

E D ITO R IAL

Accepting ‘sudden-onset unattractiveness’ Publisher

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BY LENORE SKENAZY When you go to the periodontist for oral surgery and all you’re worried about is the potential pain, you may forget to ask whether you will spend the next couple of weeks looking like a chipmunk beaten up by a gang of biker squirrels. Or at least I forgot to ask. So now when I look in the mirror, I see a face with golf ball bulges turning purple, lips stretched wide like taffy and my jaw the shape of a juice box. On the subway, I wrap my scarf as high as I can and try to ignore the fact that now when I breathe, I fog up my glasses. When I dared to venture out to the bakery (perhaps the source of this whole problem), I ran into an acquaintance and had to act like I wasn’t melting from shame (and the boiling scarf). “It’s, uh, great to see you too! Bye!” Even at home I am surprised to feel sickeningly self-conscious around those nearest and dearest. Surely, beauty is not purplish-skin deep? Or is it? Being suddenly disfigured, even temporarily, made me wonder how other people — the gashed, pocked and bloated — face the world, so to speak. So I asked around. My Upper East Side friend Mandy recalled the time she went to a fancy restaurant for lunch and ate something that made her feel like her throat was closing up. “Then I looked at my arm and there were all these blotches on it and I was starting to panic,” she said. “So I staggered across the street and bought a big bottle of Benadryl and the pharmacist told me to take a double dose right now, and I was like, ‘OK.’” The problem was that night she was

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Chic tower — with double the expected units — set for 125 Greenwich St. (Jan. 6)

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.

Should be taller. A LOT taller, as originally proposed. 125 Greenwich may be nice-looking, but it is lost among its taller bretheren. Manhattan needs much-taller buildings (1,500+ foot), not more 700-900 footers. Dan Gold

Member of the New York Press Association Member of the National Newspaper Association

February 23 - March 08, 2017

meeting a new guy. They had tickets to “An American in Paris.” So she ran home, changed into clothes that covered as much of her as possible, and met her date at the theater. The show, as far as she can recall, was delightful. “But I fell asleep and the guy kept elbowing me gently to wake me up, till my head lolled back on the seat again.” Each time she fell back asleep, she snored. “And every time I would wake up I was furiously itching myself all over.” It may not come as a huge surprise that they did not date again. But for Mandy, at least, the sudden onset unattractiveness was short-lived. Marisa Christina Steffers, a grant writer in Manhattan, went through chemo 12 years ago, just a year after her husband died. Their son was in second grade. Today she is the proud mom of a college freshman, but the permanent loss of her eyelashes and eyebrows still smarts. “I get called ‘sir’ a lot, then they look and go, ‘Oh, sorry.’” What surprised Marisa most was how hard it has been to adjust. “I can be as vain as the next person, right?” Of course, right! It’s not just you, Marisa! It’s all of us. When entrepreneur Kathryn Booth Trainor picked up MRSA, the antibiotic-resistant illness, the disease manifested itself in black holes on her face the diameter of a pencil eraser. As she noted matter-of-factly, even when psychological researchers show very young kids pictures of people

with some kind of physical imperfection, the kids “attribute that they’re stupid, lazy, dishonest, evil — things that are all truly NOT indicated by how somebody looks.” We are a culture hard wired, it seems, to distrust the imperfect, no matter how dumb and cruel that is. Genevieve Gearity fainted at the Herald Square subway station last August, breaking all her front teeth. “Luckily for all the other passengers, I was off the train before it happened.” Yes, she’s a comedian — for real. But going out in public wasn’t funny. That first week, “Even with the check-out person at Duane Reade, I was talking with as little space between my lips as possible, trying to hide these jagged teeth.” Gone was the perk that non-celebrities and the non-disfigured take for granted: the ability to be invisible. Genevieve stopped going out, “until I woke up one day and realized: I don’t see people anymore!” She decided to bite the bullet (as well as she could) and go back onstage. “After six months of hiding from the public, I told the audience that I had broken all of my front teeth. Then I immediately covered my mouth.” THAT got their attention. So she told them, “That’s a fun trick you can use on first dates. Mention you have a terribly unattractive physical impediment, and then hide it. You will hold their attention the rest of the night.” And then, if they can see beyond whatever it is, you’ve got a winner. Lenore Skenazy is a keynote speaker, founder of the book and blog Free-Range Kids, and a contributor at Reason.com.

In the wind: Experts say thousands of Downtowners affected by toxic 9/11 dust still

missing from Zadroga Act rolls (Jan. 30) Maybe the people missing from the roles can’t provide the two pieces of evidence required. I only have one. The company I worked for no longer exists. The IRS itself does not keep records from that long ago. The IRS does not require you to keep records for more that seven years. The CPA that did my taxes during that time doesn’t keep records that long. Jon

Downtown pols demand Lower Manhattan

traffic study (Feb. 16) There goes he entire ambience, and the value of the real estate with it. j hashey And it was such a great idea to remove 8 acres from the neighborhood in the form of the un-9/11 memorial; now serving mostly as a barron plaza for tourists to pose in front of 1 WTC and the Oculus. And what a shame all the traffic the officials’ original master plan called for didn’t materialize. Brilliant design and planning. All responsible should be proud. M Burke DowntownExpress.com

E D ITO R IAL

TRUMP Act would make all candidates’ taxes public BY BRAD HOYLMAN Days after assuming power, the Trump administration defiantly announced that President Trump would not release his tax returns. The reason? Simply put, they said that the people don’t care. The very next day, however, the administration backtracked, insisting that Trump’s taxes would not be released until an audit is complete. President Trump’s most recent theatrics should come as little surprise. New allegations that the Russian government may possess compromising information on the president, as well as reports that six different intelligence and law enforcement agencies have opened investigations into ties between top Russian officials and Trump’s presidential campaign have raised new concerns — and familiar excuses — about his taxes. But with a Republican Congress showing little appetite or interest in pushing the issue, it’s left to the states to take up the mantle of constitutional and democratic integrity. Here in the New York State Senate, I introduced the Tax Returns Uniformly Made Public (TRUMP) Act to require presidential and vice presidential candidates to release their income tax returns as a prerequisite to appear on New York’s ballot. Under the provisions of the TRUMP Act, any candidate for president or vice president would be required to file at least five years of federal income tax returns with the state Board of Elections no later than 50 days prior to the general election. The BOE would then have 10 days to redact personal information and make the tax returns publicly available. Failure to comply would disqualify a candidate from appearing on the state’s general election ballot. Such legislation enshrines in law what was until recently a fundamental political norm. Going back to the 1970s, every candidate for president has released their tax returns, giving the public a window into their financial holdings and potential conflicts of interest. Moreover, because presidents are exempt from most federal conflicts-ofinterest laws, tax information offers voters their only real opportunity to view candidates’ financial standings, including income and debts, investments, loopholes utilized and — in Trump’s case — a list of business connections and interests. The practice of releasing tax returns has become a political norm because DowntownExpress.com

State Sen. Brad Hoylman

all Americans believe presidential candidates should be held to a higher standard of transparency. Yet, during the 2016 election, while his opponents — Republican and Democrat alike — willingly adhered to this norm, Donald Trump stubbornly refused to release even one year’s worth of returns. And despite administration and campaign claims to the contrary, it is something voters care about. A recent ABC News / Washington Post poll found that 74 percent of adults want Donald

Trump to release his tax returns, with four in 10 saying they care “a lot” about the issue. Additionally, a national survey released last week by Public Policy Polling showed that Americans support the idea of the TRUMP Act by a 54–34 percent margin. That poll comes on the heels of a Public Policy Polling survey released two weeks ago showing 54 percent of voters in the presidential swing state North Carolina would support a version of the TRUMP Act. State legislatures around the country are taking note. Since I introduced the TRUMP Act, legislators in five other states — Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Virginia — have already introduced a version of my bill. And legislators in another eight — Maine, Maryland, Hawaii, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Oregon and Colorado — have made commitments to do so soon. All told, the coalition of TRUMP Act states represent upward of 90 million voters and 195 Electoral College votes — well over half the total needed to carry the presidency. Additionally, a change.org petition calling for passage of the TRUMP Act garnered more than 133,000 signatures.

And in an endorsement of the TRUMP Act, the New York Times editorial board consulted the eminent constitutional law scholar Laurence Tribe, who argued that my bill would withstand constitutional scrutiny. “It seems that New York might be able to simply add tax disclosure as a procedural ballot access requirement,” Tribe stated. When long-standing democratic norms are broken, it becomes necessary to protect them through law. That’s the purpose of this legislation. The public deserves to know if nominees practice what they preach and that personal priorities will never take precedence over the national interest. As with all things in our democracy, it will take the active support of citizens to make change happen. On Tax Day, the public will have that chance. People across the country will take to the streets in a Trump’s Tax Day March to protest the president’s refusal to release his returns. The Trump administration claims that Americans don’t care about his taxes. It’s time to prove them wrong. I will be out there on Tax Day, and I hope to see you there, too. Our democracy depends on it. State Sen. Brad Hoylman represents Manhattan’s 27th District.

# Jew s F or Re f ugee s

Photo by Milo Hess

In one of the most striking Downtown protests against President Trump’s draconian refugee and immigration policies, hundreds of demonstrators braved the frigid temperatures and freezing rain on Feb. 12 for a rally at The Battery organized by broad coalition of Jewish groups protesting Trump’s ban on refugees and visitors from seven mainly Muslim countries.

February 23 - March 08, 2017

Dates: Thurs., Feb. 23–Wed., Mar. 1

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE SUSPENDED FOR ASH WEDNESDAY

Photo by Brian Rose

Rose also includes images of the many murals and tributes to the towers that proliferated after the 9/11 attacks, including this one from Staten Island.

WTC Continued from page 10

the debris out of Ground Zero,” he said. “I wanted to make a book that would be more of what a New Yorker might see or might have seen over the years, and that would connect to me personally with all of these different parts of my work over the years.” “WTC” came about after an epiphany of sorts for Rose. Around 2012, he realized he probably had enough photos from over the past 40 years to put together a book about the whole life of the towers and their successor. He dug deep into his archives, searching through thousands of photographs for anything related to them. “It was an enormous job to try to locate all this work because it was from different eras, different times of my life,” he said. “Most of it wasn’t scanned, so I needed to go back to the

Photo by Brian Rose

The new 1 World Trade Center tower rises in 2011.

February 23 - March 08, 2017

original negatives, and in the case of the early photographs, those were 35 millimeter slides.” The towers are rarely the immediate subject those earliest photos, many which he shot as part of a grant program to photograph the Lower East Side and later the Financial District. Today, it’s almost impossible not to immediately look to the towers in these photos, but at the time, Rose was photographing them as part of the wider landscape. In fact, Rose said that at first, like most people, he “really didn’t care for them too much.” “They were just so huge, but you know after a while you got used to them and they became so much a part of the city that you took it for granted,” Rose said. “My opinion of them changed a little earlier [than when he decided to make the book], I started to appreciate them more as these sculptural elements that related in a way to a lot of sculpture and art that was happening back then in the sixties and seventies.” They are faraway, pylon-like shapes in the background of a shot from the Staten Island Ferry. Their light-grey silhouettes sit at the end of a shot down Henry Street. Their sleek, modernist facades provide a clean texture in the backgrounds of closer shots of people and scenes on the streets around them. Rose was living in Amsterdam on 9/11, but flew back to the city shortly afterwards to photograph the aftermath of the attacks. His shots are a stark contrast to his rather studious landscapes of two-decades earlier. He focuses on the human elements of the tragedy — people laying flowers at memorials and views of Ground Zero from a man-onthe-street perspective. Rose follows with shots he took around the Lower East Side in the mid-

Ash Wednesday is an ASP Alert Day! ASP rules ARE suspended but all others — meters, “Anytime…” signs, etc.— remain in effect. Subway: Uptown 1 and 2 trains will skip Franklin, Canal, Houston, and Christopher Streets from 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday (today) and Friday. In addition, 1 trains will not run at all this weekend, with service ending between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday. On Thursday and Friday, from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., N and Q trains will skip Prince and 8th streets. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m., R trains will not run. Between 11:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. Monday through Friday, through the end of the month, 3 trains will not run.

2000s that were part of a project to rephotograph the changing neighborhood “in a sort of response to 9/11.” He photographed murals, tributes, and images of the towers he found on the streets and even in Chinese restaurants. Once he realized he had enough for a book, Rose decided the most logical way to complete it would be to follow the completion of One World Trade Center. He decided not to focus on the 9/11 memorial or museum, and instead “just deal more with the presence on the skyline of the buildings.” “A lot of this is about presence and absence — and as I say to people — the presence of absence,” Rose said. “The absence becomes so in-your-face, in a way that it becomes almost more real than the real thing.” The later shots are reminiscent of the landscapes he took as young man and bookend the collection nicely. They provide a straightforward, formal comparison of what once was, and what eventually became. “I’m not a photojournalist in the conventional sense, and I’m not exactly a documentary photographer in a conventional sense. It’s really about the landscape and the architecture,” he said. “But I felt like it was possible to tell a story through those kinds of images, and I think it’s also true of my work in general that these are the kinds of pictures that people can bring their own memories and perspectives to, and proj-

F trains will not service 14th St., W. 4th St., Broadway-Lafayette St., 2nd Ave., Delancey/Essex Sts., East Broadway, or York St. beginning 10:30 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday. We may be well into the new year, but it’s never late to get Transit Sam’s 2017 NYC Parking Calendar. Get your free copy to stay in the loop on ASP suspensions, holidays, and traffic alert days. You can download yours at www. gridlocksam.com or get a print for just a small shipping and handling fee ($4 for 1, $5 for 5, and $6 for 10); you can also send a check to Transit Sam, 322 Eighth Ave., Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10001. As of now, lower Manhattan will have a break from big demonstrations, but you never know when the next big traffic-stopper could crop up unexpectedly. For updates on sudden demo activity, follow me on Twitter @ GridlockSam.

Photo by Brian Rose

Near the end on Rose’s photographic chronicle, the new 1WTC becomes part of the cityscape, just as the twin towers did four decades earlier.

ect onto these images. So I’m not just trying to tell people how they should think about something.” “WTC” is Rose’s third book about the city. His first was about the Lower East Side and his second about the Meatpacking District. All of his books are available on his website www.brianrose.com. DowntownExpress.com

On the Shelves or On the Horizon 2017’s most anticipated video games

impressive demo is currently available to download for free. The combat is fun and challenging, but the real draw is its world and characters. This is a game for people looking for an action game that isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd of cliché fantasy and generic sci-fi settings. “Nier” is coming to PlayStation 4 on March 7, with a possible PC release later this year.

PREY

Via Square Enix

The narratively complex cult title “Nier” gets a sequel in “Automata,” hitting shelves in March.

BY CHARLES BAT TERSBY In the film industry, January is used as a dumping ground for movies too embarrassing to be released alongside year-end Oscar bait. However, the video game industry often saves some of its most promising titles for the new year, to avoid competing with blockbusters during the holiday rush — and so, 2017 is off to a great start with a roster of new

intellectual properties, and long-delayed sequels that reinvent classic franchises. Here are a few games already on shelves, and some of the most intriguing games on the horizon.

NIER: AUTOMATA The first “Nier” game had a multilayered story that required players to

Via Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks

Arkane Studios gets to take space thriller “Prey” out for a reboot, coming in May. DowntownExpress.com

go through it several times in order to fully understand the plot. It had moderate success when it launched in 2010, but it developed a cult following due to its dark story, unconventional characters, and wonderful soundtrack. The long-awaited sequel — “Nier: Automata” — arrives soon. Many members of the original design team returned for the sequel, and an

A game that spent even longer in development limbo is the reboot of “Prey.” The first “Prey” game came out in 2006, and there was an attempt at a sequel several years later, but the new “Prey” game has little in common with its ancestor, being more of a “re-imagining” of the franchise. The protagonist, Morgan Yu, is trapped on a space station that is overrun with aliens. Although the “kill aliens” theme is rather common in video games, “Prey” is made by Arkane Studios, the same team that created the acclaimed “Dishonored” series. Yu doesn’t just blast aliens with a laser gun; this game allows players to use a wide variety of alien superpowers, including the ability to shapeshift into VIDEO GAMES continued on p. 20

Via Ubosoft

Launch medieval attacks with a nuanced combat system, in “For Honor.”

February 23 - March 08, 2017

VIDEO GAMES continued from p. 19

a coffee mug. “Prey,” brings its unique brand of sci-fi adventure to PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on May 5.

FOR HONOR Another big game that hit shelves early in the year is “For Honor,” a new franchise where players take control of medieval knights, vikings, and samurai, then battle online using a complex hand-to-hand combat system. “For Honor” has the ruthless combat of a competitive shooter like “Call of Duty,” but the fighting is much more refined than blasting away with a gun. Projectile attacks are extremely rare, and this forces combatants to square off face-to-face in honorable combat with swords, axes and shields. It’s easy to block a clumsy attack, so players can’t rely on brute force. To win a fight, they have to use finesse to get around an enemy’s guard, and this requires quick reflexes along with the ability to spot patterns in their fighting style. It’s a brutal new take on the familiar online killing formula, and something that hardcore competitive gamers will enjoy. “For Honor” is out now on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA This made our list of the most anticipated games of 2016, but it was delayed until this year, now arriving with a hard launch date in March. It began development in 2012, right after the last “Mass Effect” game was released — so fans have been champing at the bit for five years. The “Mass Effect” series had a trilogy of epic space adventures on the last generation of game consoles, but the new game, “Andromeda,” has a dif-

Via Microïds

“Syberia 3” is the latest in a series of well-written, steampunk-styled narratives from designer Benoit Sokal.

ferent protagonist, and takes place in another galaxy (hence “Andromeda” as the subtitle). This makes it a perfect choice for people who who have heard of the series, but don’t want to catch up by playing through the original trilogy. For many people, all they need to know about this game is that it is the new title from BioWare, the creators of some of the best stories in the game industry, like the “Dragon Age” series, “Baulder’s Gate,” and “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.” It arrives on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on March 21.

SYBERIA 3 Another sequel with a ludicrously long development period is the third “Syberia.” This series of puzzle-based adventure games began 15 years ago. A sequel showed up a mere two years later, but the third game

PUBLIC NOTICE

Beth Gavriel Bukharian Congregation located in Forest Hill Queens New York, a nonprofit organization, is seeking Quotes for equipment and materials under the Bureau of Justice Funding. Work includes: system design and installation of Closed Circuit Television system, burglar alarm, access control system. Specification and bid requirements can be obtained and/or reviewed by appointment Tel 718-268-7558 Quote/Proposal response is required by: -March 2, 2017--Work is to commence by: March 7, 2017- and completed by April 10, 2017 20

February 23 - March 08, 2017

Via EA/BioWare

“Andromeda,” the delayed fourth installment of the “Mass Effect” franchise, is the first to take place in the new, titular galaxy.

wasn’t announced until 2009. After the developer missed its 2016 launch date, the game industry was surprised this month when it was announced that “Syberia 3” will arrive in April. Aside from the excellent writing, the series uses a steampunk aesthetic (before steampunk was all the rage), along with a quest to find a prehistoric “lost world,” where mammoths still walk the land. The new game features the return of series protagonist Kate Walker, along with designer Benoit Sokal and the composer of the second game Inon Zur. It also has “Snow Ostriches!” It hits PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on April 25.

RESIDENT EVIL 7: BIOHAZARD Many fans of this venerable zombie series were disappointed with

“Resident Evil 6.” It was less of a zombie horror game, and more of an action game where the zombies sometimes shoot back! The new game takes the series back to its roots, making the player an underdog who must scrounge for ammo and healing items, especially on the cruel “Madhouse” difficulty level. “Resident Evil 7” also has a more engaging story than most zombie games. Rather than controlling a tough soldier or police officer, players become an ordinary married couple trying to escape the clutches of a family of mutated swamp dwellers. It is a great game for newbies to try out the franchise, and a reason to return to it for older fans who dropped out of the series after the last installment. It is out now for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, with more downloadable content coming this year. DowntownExpress.com

Just Do Art Courtesy Jacob J. Goldberg Photography

At Metropolitan Playhouse through March 12, the timely subject matter of 1862’s “Leah, the Forsaken” includes religious profiling and closed borders.

BY SCOT T STIFFLER

Holocaust, and disturbing current events for her contribution to “Patterns.” A dream was the inspiration for the atmospheric paintings taken from Harnick’s “Under the Sea” series, in which she explores time, place, and memory. In the west gallery, “Reflections” presents the layered, colorful oil paintings of Joan Mellon — and along the On the Wall space immediately outside the gallery, the linear assemblage of Elizabeth Jacobson’s “Sticks and Stones” installation merges recyclable plastic containers with cement, wood, and stone to invoke primitive totems as a source, and symbol, of strength in the face of harsh words employed as hateful deeds. Opening reception Thurs., March 2, 6–8pm. Then, on view through March 23 at Carter Burden Gallery (548 W. 28th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves., Suite #534). Hours: Tues.–Fri., 11am–5pm and Sat., 11am–6pm. Visit carterburdengallery.org or call 212-564-8405.

MARCH ART AT CARTER BURDEN GALLERY

REFUGEE-THEMED THEATER

In keeping with its mission to recognize both the relevance and ongoing creative evolution of artists 60 years of age and over, a March 2 opening reception at Carter Burden Gallery invites you to interact with those whose work can be seen for the next three weeks in their W. 28th St. space. In the east gallery, “Changing Patterns” showcases art by Olivia Beens, Claire Boren, and Sylvia Harnick. Gilded and brightly gazed faces that speak to the themes of identity, feminism, and spirituality are hallmarks of Beens’ ceramic sculptures. Abstract mixed media is the chosen mode of expression for Boren, who drew upon her childhood during World War II, the

Closed borders? Religious profiling? Forced deportation? Yes, it certainly does sound like…1862? Yes. First produced in that year and last seen on the American stage in 1966, “Leah, the Forsaken” is 19th-century playwright, critic, and theatrical impresario Augustin Daly’s drama about Jewish refugees. When Leah breaks the law by exiting Hungary to pass the night in an Austrian town, she falls for Rudolph, a Christian citizen, but is forced into exile when an obsessed persecutor convinces her love that she has betrayed him. A potent reminder of how fearing the “other” can allow a mob mentality to flourish, this production by the revival-

minded Metropolitan Playhouse also strives to emphasize the play’s “nuanced affirmation of each individual’s potential for goodness, once freed from the burdens of ideology and custom.” Through March 12, Thurs.–Sat. at 7pm, Sun. at 3pm; at 220 E. Fourth St. (btw. Aves. A & B). Visit metropolitanplayhouse.org for tickets, which range from $10–$30. Meanwhile, a few blocks west — but still in the East Village — the Kraine Theater (85 E. Fourth St., btw. Second Ave. & Bowery) is the setting for Horse Trade Theater Group’s Frigid Festival presentation of “The Refugee Plays.” Set in the present day, five short works by Charles Gershman, Penny Jackson, Callie Kimball, Carlos Castro, and Sean E. Cunningham address the concerns of refugees from Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Central South America. Fri., Feb. 24 at 6:50pm, Thurs., March 2 at 8:50pm and Sun., March 5 at 5:10pm. Tickets are $18. Visit horsetrade.info for reservations. Also of note, March 3–5’s The International Human Rights Art Festival at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St., btw. Delancey & Rivington Sts.) presents work from dozens of artists — including “Draw the Circle,” in which solo performer Mashuq Deen depicts the challenges of an immigrant family as a child transitions from one gender to another (Sat., March 4, 7pm). For the schedule and tickets, visit dixonplace.org ($20 per day for 12–6pm events; evening events are $15 in advance, $30 at the door).

St. Lucian Sculptor’s NYC Debut On View In Chelsea BY ALEX ANDRA SIMON An internationally exhibited St. Lucian sculptor has brought his art to New York City for the first time. On view at 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel through March 4, “Journey” showcases Jallim Eudovic’s interpretation of uncovering mankind — an exploration, he noted, of what is often hidden from the public eye. Appearing as part of the gallery’s Winter Salon group show, the wooden tile piece “Journey” features the exposure of a different color on a solid background and, the artist explained, best describes the message he is trying to get across. “Your skin is who you truly are and I really wanted to do something I can relate it to,” Eudovic said. “Everything we own is giftwrapped and the skin on it — you have to pull back, and it’s a trick I wanted to correlate to conjure DowntownExpress.com

Photo by Daniel Marcion

Jallim Eudovic’s “Journey.”

these feelings. Our skin very much like when a snake changes its skin to become something else.” Eudovic comes from a family of artists, and through the years dabbling in multiple types of art helped him find his desire for sculpting, specifically incorporating humans into his works. “I started off doing modern art,

free-flowing forms, and it evolved into a more figurative [form] as I grew up,” he recalled. “Now I focus more on the human forms, the geometric forms, evolution, people, and human life.” To stay inspired in his creativity and motivated to create new works, Eudovic said he explores a variety of other art forms. “I’ve always been quite interested in creative writing, poetry, music, drawing, and painting,” he said. “But I gravitated to sculpting — it was in my immediate environment and that is what completes me.” Through March 4 at 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel (532 W. 25th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Hours: 12:30-5:30pm, Tues.-Fri. Visit 532gallery.com or call 917701-3338.

Courtesy Carter Burden Gallery

Olivia Beens’ ceramic work “Hecate’s Daughters at Women’s March” is on view at Carter Burden Gallery through March 23 as part of “Changing Patterns.” February 23 - March 08, 2017

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