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The Paper of Record for Greenwich Village, East Village, Lower East Side, Soho, Union Square, Chinatown and Noho, Since 1933
April 19, 2018 • $1.00 Volume 88 • Number 16
M.T.A. misses the bus on switching to electric during L train shutdown BY SYDNEY PEREIR A
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he Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan to shuttle 70 buses an hour over the Williamsburg Bridge, and create a high-efficiency “busway” on 14th St., during the proposed L train shutdown, offers the chance to bring the city’s surface-
transportation system into the future. But critics say it won’t. Village and Chelsea community groups, joined by disabled-rights activists, recently filed suit against the city’s plan. In addition, some are critical of the M.T.A.’s missing the opportunity to use the 15-month BUSES continued on p. 10
‘Plugged in’ Villager wins 7 NYPA awards in newspaper contest
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n the strength of its editorials, columns, obituaries, in-depth reporting, and news and feature writing, The Villager racked up a total of seven awards in the New York Press Association’s 2017 Better Newspaper Contest. The plaques and certificates, recognizing outstanding journalism donee during last year, were
handed out at NYPA’s spring convention in Albany last weekend. The entries were judged earlier this year by members of the Michigan Press Association. The Villager took home first place in the prestigious category of Editorials. Written by Lincoln Anderson, The Villager’s editor AWARDS continued on p. 8
PHOTO BY SHARON WOOLUMS
Friday the 13th was unluck y for Johan Figueroa-González a.k.a. the Village’s “living sculpture.” See Page 15.
‘Historic mistake’: Hotel imperils museum house BY SYDNEY PEREIR A
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t was standing room only at a Community Board 2 meeting to discuss a proposal propo to build an eightstory b building next door to the 186-year-old 18 Merchant’s House Museum last Wednesday night. Developers have been seeking approval for the hotel project since at least 2011. The C.B. 2 Land Use & Busi-
Real News! Butson Award!......p. 2
ness Development Committee meeting on April 11 was yet another hurdle. Developers of the Kalodop II Park Corp. are seeking a zoning text amendment, which they need in order to get a special permit to build the hotel at the site. They recently submitted an application for the hoped-for zoning changes to the City Planning Commission. Much of the audience at last week’s meeting, however, was
vehemently against the proposal. “The significance of the house and the history of the city of New York cannot be overstated,” Margaret “Pi” Gardiner, the Merchant’s House Museum executive director, told the meeting. The historic building, she added, “is extremely vulnerable.” And Gardiner would know — at least from her perspective of 28 years as the East VilMERCHANT’S continued on p. 6
Dylan’s Chelsea Hotel door goes for $100K .......p. 4 On that note..: Record Store Day is Saturday. .. p. 12 www.TheVillager.com