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THE May 16, 2019 Volume 89 • Number 20
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ECO LOGIC Enviro marchers tout solutions, sustainability Page 25
WOODY GUTHRIE’S TRUMP BLUES Folk icon penned songs about Don’s landlord dad Page 22
RENT-REGULATION EXPECTATIONS Tenant advocates are aiming high in Albany Page 6
PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
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G’voort playing field is in play BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELLDOMENECH
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recently released summary of community feedback on the design of Gansevoort Peninsula is inaccurate, according to Community Board 2 residents. The summary drafted by the Hudson River Park Trust states that community members want the 5.56-acre space to sport a soccer field, open green space and some sort of water-related feature, such as a beach or intertidal habitat. The peninsula is a remnant of when Manhattan’s Lower West Side extended out to a 13th Ave. It is located between Gansevoort and Little W. 12th Sts., across from the Whitney Museum of American Art. Since early March, the Trust and its contracted designers, James Corner Field Operations, have held a presentation, a Q&A session and two small group-planning events to solicit community input, with the most recent of these on March 26. “Most of the small working groups — even those dominated by people with strong preferences for particular program elements — endeavored to create balanced ‘plans’ for Gansevoort,” the Trust’s summary says regarding the March 26 event. “In the end, all groups had some form of beach and a variety of field sizes to accommodate passive recreation and other desired programs. “For a huge constituency, the size of the site supports the strong request for large sports fields. The Trust and design team have been made aware of the community petition signed by more than 2,000 individuals requesting a field measuring 75 x 120 yards (225 x 360 feet) as the highest priority for the site.” The majority of attendees at last week’s C.B. 2 Parks and Waterfront Committee meeting said that, with a general lack of soccer fields in the borough, plus the future of Pier 40 unclear, a sports field is desperately needed. Most were willing to compromise “balance” in order to secure a full-sized soccer field.
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
Brainstorming park ideas for Gansevoor t Peninsula at the workshop was a handful.
meeting. Instead, a Trust representative — its senior vice president of design and construction — listened to community members speak about the summary and answered a few questions at the end. The summary and the absence of a formal presentation by a representative left many community members skeptical of the Trust’s intentions on Gansevoort. Several attendees were unaware that a Trust representative was present at the meeting. Although the Trust V.P. was there and took questions, by all accounts he did not do a good job of identifying himself to the meeting. Daniel Miller, a member of the C.B. 2 committee, said he did not become aware until afterward that a Trust official had actually been there. Miller added he would have liked to have seen more representation of the Trust’s senior leadership at the meeting — such as Madelyn Wils, the Trust’s president,
At the March 26 planning event, which ran three hours, the Trust set up tables inside the new 75 Morton St. middle school, and community members broke into small groups. They placed paper cutouts of a soccer field, trees and fences, among other things, on cardboard maps of the peninsula. Participants said that access to the water was important, as well as green space. But there was a strong sentiment among those present for the playing field, which could accommodate a range of sports, including soccer and baseball. Before the event began, representatives from the Downtown Soccer League spoke about the need for a field. Every table of participants made sure to place a soccer field on their map. According to Rich Caccappolo, chairperson of the C.B. 2 Parks and Waterfront Committee, the committee was given the impression that a Trust representative would formally present the summary’s findings at last week’s
and/or Noreen Doyle, its senior vice president — as well as someone from James Corner, the chosen designers for the project. In fact, Will Rogers, president of Downtown Soccer League, warned that “special interests” could well be angling for the prime park space, enabled by the Trust. “At this time in our lives,” Rogers said, “when we are looking at what is going on with government and the challenges that are being faced between the choices of special interests and what is best for the community…this is a microcosm of our entire country’s future playing out in a small way here.” Some attendees at the committee meeting speculated that the Trust wants to please neighbors of the park, such as the Whitney Museum. The Whitney will be installing “Day’s End,” a sculpture of a “ghost pier” by artist David Hammons, off the south edge of Gansevoort. A Trust spokesperson, though, said that the planned Whitney installation “does not limit other programming decisions at Gansevoort.” “We are looking for a design that makes more for the local community and less a destination,” Caccappolo said. He added that the a park on Gansevoort should be a space to get away from the madness of nearby attractions like the High Line. “We hope that the Trust will not just engage with us but consult us on how to best strike that desire,” he stated. The Parks and Waterfront Committee is currently drafting a resolution on the status of community desires for Gansevoort Peninsula that will be presented at the next C.B. 2 full-board meeting. “We appreciate all the input we’ve received for the Gansevoort Peninsula project thus far,” the Trust spokesperson said. “These meetings are designed to provide a forum for community members and general public to share thoughts and ideas for the project, and we encourage everyone to participate. We are now working with our designers and engineers on a feasible concept design.”
Two wounded in shooting outside S.O.B.’s BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
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wo men were shot during a fight outside S.O.B.’s music club early Thursday morning, police said. According to the New York Post, the suspect, believed to be in his 20s, approached the crowd and started firing bullets around 1:40 a.m. in front of the club, at Varick and Houston Sts. A 26-year-old was wounded in the chest Schneps Media
white T-shirt, dark-colored pants and white sneakers. It was not immediately clear what led to the shooting, authorities said. S.O.B.’s, which stands for Sounds of Brazil, previously was rocked by a shooting on Sept. 12, 2013. Four people suffered nonfatal bullet wounds — two with leg wounds, two others with graze wounds — in that incident, which sparked a chaotic, mad
and abdomen while a 29-year-old was struck in his upper thigh, according to police, the Post reported. Police said the gunman fired four to five shots. The victims were treated at Bellevue Hospital and reportedly expected to survive. The suspect fled westbound on Houston St. He was described as a male black with his hair in braids, wearing a TVG
rush for the exit by frightened clubgoers, during which some were trampled and left with cuts. The shots, reportedly from a single gunman, broke out just after midnight, right before the rapper Fat Trel was set to take the stage to perform cuts from his new mixtape, “SDMG” (Sex, Drugs, Money, Guns). May 16, 2019
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Police Blotter First Precinct
10th Precinct
Cases case
Grumpy incident
The Soho Apple Store was reportedly robbed by four young men on Sun., May 12, at 3:30 p.m. Two employees said that four men tried leaving the store, at 103 Prince St., with 15 $130 iPhone cases with builtin battery packs. When two employees tried to stop them, one of the thieves pushed one of the workers against the door and left. The employee was uninjured. Police said the quartet were all young black males around age 18. The guy said to have pushed the worker was 5 feet 10 inches tall and 170 pounds, wearing a black sweatsuit. Another wore black sweatpants and a black sweatshirt. Another sidekick sported a black shirt and a red jacket. The fourth alleged thief was clad in a gray Champion-logo sweatshirt and sweatpants with black sneakers.
A harassment violation was filed with police after an incident outside Cafe Grumpy, at 224 W. 20th St., between Seventh and Eighth Aves., police said. On Tues., April 23, at 11 a.m., a 57-year-old man was sitting in front of the cafe with his dog, when an unknown man approached him and his sidekick, and then threw water at him. “I’ll kill you and your dog,” he allegedly said, scaring the victim. There were no injuries. The harasser is described as white, 30 years old and 6 feet 2 inches tall, with close-cut hair.
Thompson try The live-in super at 98 Thompson St. told police he saw a man trying to break in to the apartment building on Wed., May 8, around 12:15 a.m. The suspect, unsuccessful in gaining access to the building, allegedly tried opening the door with a plastic card before slamming the door’s glass window and cracking it. He fled on a bike soon after. Police described the suspect as a 5-foot-8-inches-tall black man with a short haircut, last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and black jeans.
Fifth Precinct
COURTESY N.Y.P.D.
Police say this man tried to break into an apar tment building at 98 Thompson St. COURTESY N.Y.P.D.
A photo of the alleged Grand St. subway groper.
pers Web site at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
Police arrested a 15-year-old on Mon., May 6, in connection with the incident.
Sixth Precinct
Food freak-out Wallet snatch
Hateful attack
A 52-year-old man told police he was robbed near the corner of Grove and W. Fourth Sts. on Thurs., April 11, around 12:30 a.m. He reported being approached by a man who asked him a question. During that interaction, another man allegedly stole a wallet containing $100 from his pocket. The thief subsequently tried using the victim’s credit card at multiple locations. Police arrested Deshawn Donely, 55, for robbing the man.
Police arrested a man who they say spat gay slurs at a couple before attacking them at the Bleeker St. subway station on Sun., March 31, at 6:40 p.m. One of the victims reported that he was holding hands with his boyfriend while walking toward the turnstiles area. He reported then being approached by a man who called the couple “faggots” and “homosexuals” before punching both of them in the face. One of the victims chased the attacker out of the station where he fled to parts unknown. One victim suffered a bloody nose and swelling on the right side of his face. The other reported redness to his face following the attack. The perpetrator left his jacket, which contained hypodermic needles, at the station, police said. Ryan Sides, 38, was charged with third-degree assault on Fri., May 10.
Ninth Precinct Stole her phone Sexual assault Police said that on Mon., May 6, around 2:30 a.m., an unidentified male entered a residential building near E. 13th St. and Avenue B, along with a 37-year-old male victim. Once inside, the man entered the victim’s apartment and attempted to sexually assault him. The attacker then removed a computer laptop and tablet, around 25 computer hard drives, a jacket, a wallet, an ID and keys before fleeing on Avenue B. The individual is described as Hispanic, around 5 feet 11 inches tall and 150 pounds, with long black hair worn in a tall bun on top of his head. He was last seen wearing a black-and-blue jacket with a colored pattern on the back. Anyone with information should contact the CrimeStoppers Hotline.
Grand St. grope Police said that on Thurs., April 18, around 8:36 a.m., in the subway station at Chrystie and Grand Sts., a 17-yearold female was a passenger on the train when an unidentified male grabbed her buttocks. The groper fled in unknown direction. The victim was uninjured. The suspect is described as a male Asian in his 30s, last seen wearing a dark-colored jacket. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the CrimeStop-
There was a criminal mischief incident at Treehaus MiMA natural foods store, on Sat., May 11, around 8:30 a.m., according to a police report. At the store, at 470 W. 42nd St., at Tenth Ave., a man took food, and when he was approached by a male employee, allegedly threw the hot food at him. He then went outside the place and threw chairs at a glass window, damaging two chairs valued at $400 each. “I’m going to kill you,” the guy reportedly said. The suspect is described as black and around age 30. The employee was not injured.
Outnumbered A 17-year-old Chelsea resident said he was assaulted by six other youths on the corner of Seventh Ave. and W. 12th St. on Sat., March 16, around 6:45 p.m., according to cops. The victim reported being followed by the group, who demanded his possessions. He tried running away, but the gang caught up to him, threw him to the ground and began kicking him. The attackers fled after taking his AirPods, which fell out of his ears during the scuffle.
Two men are wanted for robbing a woman on W. 30th St. between 10th and 11th Aves., police said. On Wed., April 17, around 7:15 p.m., a 43-year-old woman was reportedly approached by the pair. One of them put his arm around the woman’s neck and took her cell phone from her hand. Both perps then fled toward the High Line park. The woman suffered bruises but refused medical treatment. The suspects are both described as Hispanic and about 5 feet 8 inches tall. One reportedly wore a blue shirt and black pants. Police said the other had a thin build, and wore a black jacket, camouflage pants and black sneakers.
Rico Burney, Gabe Herman and Lincoln Anderson
The Villager (USPS 578930) ISSN 0042-6202 Copyright © 2019 by Schneps Media is published weekly by Schneps Media, One Metrotech North, 10th floor Brooklyn, NY 11201. 52 times a year. Business and Editorial Offices: One Metrotech North, 10th floor Brooklyn, NY 11201. Accounting and Circulation Offices: Schneps Media, One Metrotech North, 10th floor Brooklyn, NY 11201. Call 718-260-2500 to subscribe. Periodicals postage prices is paid at New York, N.Y. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Villager, One Metrotech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Annual subscription by mail in Manhattan and Brooklyn $29 ($35 elsewhere). Single copy price at office and newsstands is $1. The entire contents of newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2019 Schneps Media.
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We’ll win! Tenant advocate sees big gains “This is the year we should finally be able to make a huge change,” he said. “This is a sunset year: The rent laws come up for renewal — they have to renew the laws.” his is shaping up to be the Year of the Tenant. The year Again, McKee predicted, “Cuomo is going to try to water the pendulum swings back in a big way in favor of everything down behind closed doors to help his real estate renters versus landlords. The year when rent regulabuddies who give him campaign cash. He’ll say he’s fighttion could make truly historic gains, not just in New York ing for tenant protections, but everything he’s saying is City — but statewide. vague. So says Michael McKee, the treasurer of TenantsPAC. “Cuomo will be behind vacancy decontrol,” McKee McKee has been fighting in the trenches for decades as said, “but not re-regulation.” one of New York’s longest-serving and most prominent A phone call for comment from the Real Estate Board tenant activists. of New York (REBNY) was referred to a new ad-hoc “We’re going to win,” he assured. “The only quescoalition, Taxpayers for an Affordable New York. The tion is how much.” group — which includes “property owners of all sizes With both houses of the state Legislature now conacross the five boroughs” — released a statement saytrolled by Democrats, and with a Democratic govering that, if these rent reforms are approved, it would nor, the stage is set for sweeping changes benefitting only backfire on tenants and advocates. renters. A package of nine bills is waiting to be passed “Responsible rent reforms protect tenants and ownin the current legislative session, which concludes at ers,” the statement said. “If these proposals pass, ownthe end of June. Together, the bills are being dubbed ers of hundreds of thousands of units won’t be able the “Universal Rent Control Platform.” to afford to invest in maintaining and improving their Vacancy deregulation, for one, is expected to be buildings.” scrapped. The coalition noted that 71 percent of rent-regulated “That’s gone,” McKee said. “Everyone expects that buildings are older, pre-1947, and so need more mainto go.” tenance, while the Manhattan tenants are white, plus Currently, unoccupied apartments renting for appear to be doing O.K. for themselves. $2,775 per month can be removed from rent regulaAccording to a 2017 survey by the city’s Departtion. This provision is a major impetus for harassment: ment of Housing Preservation and Development, on Bad-actor landlords attempt to harass tenants out of the Upper West Side, rent-stabilized households are their homes — through lack of heat or hot water, or 57 percent white with an average household income disruptive renovation work inside buildings — so they of $129,791. Upper East Side rent-stabilized housecan eventually boost rents above the threshold, and holds are 80 percent white with an average household PHOTO BY CHUCK DELANEY turn units market rate. income of $113,726. Chelsea/Clinton rent-stabilized Michael McKee, of TenantsPAC, says this is households are 47 percent white with an average houseThe “End Vacancy Decontrol” bill is sponsored by the year to make big strides on rent regula- hold income of $114,677. Meanwhile, Greenwich VilSenate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and tion, after decades that have seen it progres- lage/Financial District rent-stabilized households are Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal. sively whittled away. In another change that would rock the real-estate 79 percent white with an average household income scene, that same bill would also “re-regulate” apartof $209,912. ments that have been deregulated that currently rent For his part, state Senator Brad Hoylman is raring to Another bill would eliminate the vacancy bonus, for under $5,000 in New York City and $3,500 in approve the rent-regulation bills. His district stretches under which landlords can jack up the rent by 20 per- from the Upper West Side, through Midtown, Hell’s Nassau, Westchester and Rockland counties. McKee cent every time a new tenant takes over an apartment. Kitchen, Chelsea and the Village to Stuyvesant Town, and his fellow tenant advocates want this to apply to Another measure would end landlords’ ability to add the East Village and the Lower East Side. all apartments deregulated since vacancy control first rent hikes based on necessary major capital improvewent into effect — since 1994 in the city, 1997 in the “As a senator who represents tenants living in more ments, or M.C.I.’s, on buildings. Still another would than 50,000 rent-regulated apartments, I can assure suburbs. keep “preferential rent” for the life of one’s tenancy; in you that passing rent-law reform is my top priority in Under rent regulation, landlords would then only be other words, if a landlord is having difficulty filling a these remaining two months of the legislative session,” able to charge annual rent increases based on the rates regulated apartment and gives you a rent below what he he said. “This package of rent-law reform bills will fiset by the local Rent Guidelines Board. can legally charge, he can’t later raise the rent on you. “All these people who moved into these apartments nally correct the decades of injustice served to tenants “I think Cuomo’s going to try to water these down at the hands of the landlord lobby and their sycophants that were deregulated, they would be protected from behind closed doors,” McKee predicted, “but we’re in Albany.” arbitrary rent increases and arbitrary eviction,” the vetwarning our friends in the Legislature to make sure eran tenant organizer said. Assemblymember Harvey Epstein — whose district As for how many apartments could potentially be that doesn’t happen. We know we’re going to win, but covers the Lower East Side, East Village, Stuyvesant re-regulated, McKee said, “Three hundred thousand is we’re going to try to win big.” Town and up to the United Nations — also foresees big probably the low end.” The pro-landlord Republicans are finally out of the gains on rent laws. Landlords voluntarily register apartments they repicture, according to McKee. “I think it’s going to be a good year for tenants,” he move from regulation, but it is not required. So, while “The Republicans are now literally irrelevant in both said. “The question is how much can we improve the the official number of deregulated units is around houses,” he scoffed. lives of tenants around the state.” 155,000, it’s likely much higher according to McKee. As for whether all Democrats would be onboard, he As for re-regulating apartments, Epstein said the However, the current Assembly version of the bill said, “There are Democrats and there are Democrats, reason the Assembly bill — as opposed to what advowould only re-regulate apartments going back to and that’s what we’re working on.” cates want — would only go back only six years and 2013. Of course, Big Real Estate will utilize everything in not to 1994, is because that’s what New York State Also part of the package, a separate bill, “Expand its arsenal to block the bills or dilute them. contracts law allows. the Emergency Tenant Protection Act,” would allow “They’re using their typical tactics of stealth and “I think it’s legal,” he said or re-regulation. rent regulation throughout New York State. Currently, cash,” McKee said. Cuomo supports ending vacancy decontrol, Epstein only New York City and three surrounding counties He said tenant advocates hope a negotiated bill will said. But whether the governor backs re-regulating can opt into the program. be done by late May or early June instead of at the end units is an issue, and also how far back retroactively he McKee said there is interest in many localities for of the legislative session when anything can happen. would support doing that, he added. adding rent regulation. He mentioned Rochester, Buf“Look what happened to the pied-a-terre tax,” he For his part, McKee, of TenantsPAC, will be doing falo, Syracuse, Binghamton, Newburgh, Schenectady, noted. “It was a done deal. It was in the budget — and his utmost to make sure the rent package passes. He’ll Albany, New Paltz, Hudson, “even in Akron, a little all of a sudden, the pied-a-terre tax was out of the bud- be posted in the state capital listening, lobbying — and county near Erie.” get. We expect the landlords will [try to do] the same not budging. “This has never happened in my 49 years of organizthing on rent.” “I’m going to be here every session day until the ing,” he marveled. “It’s very exciting.” end,” he vowed. Nevertheless, the tenant activist remains optimistic.
BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
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May 16, 2019
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9iffbcpe 9Xi 8jjfZ`Xk`fe gi\j`[\ek \c\Zk j_Xi\j j\Zi\kj kf _\i jlZZ\jj 9P J:?E<GJ D<;@8 Natoya McGhie, president elect of the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association, said that her life was forever changed by a strong, female mentor. This week on the Power Women podcast, McGhie told host Victoria Schneps about the impact that interning for Judge Nancy Bannon, who is now a Supreme Court justice in Manhattan Civil Court, had on her career. McGhie told Schneps how her experience working with Bannon in a oneon-one setting for a summer opened up her world. When she and Bannon would discuss the trials that the judge was conducting, McGhie described how it meaningful it was that an experienced judge trusted her opinion. Growing up in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, McGhie said that she was always interested in law enforcement. When she was 14, she moved with her mother and sister to Brooklyn, enrolling in Canarsie High School, then John Jay College. She met Judge Bannon in law school during a precarious time in her life Working at a bank, and attending law school classes at the New York Law School, McGhie said she wasn’t getting grades that would allow her to partici-
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pate in career-advanc- EXkfpX DZ>_`\ ing activities like law review moot court. Her relationship with Bannon built up her confidence. When she began working at Legal Aid Society after law school, Bannon asked her to join the board of the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association. This past year she co-chaired the mentor committee to pay her mentor experience forward by connecting eight mentors and mentees. “Power Women” is a podcast devoted to sharing women’s secrets to professional success. Tune in to the 15-minute podcast at SchnepsBroadcasting.com or wherever podcasts are heard.
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Exhibit brings home Auschwitz’s horrors BY GABE HERMAN
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comprehensive exhibit about the Auschwitz concentration camp has opened at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park. “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away” is produced in partnership with Musealia, an international exhibition firm, and the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland. Featuring more than 700 original objects and 400 photographs, the exhibit spans three floors of the museum. It opened on May 8, the anniversary of VE Day, 1945, when the Allies celebrated Nazi Germany’s surrender in World War II. The artifacts on display are chilling, and include personal items of prisoners and Nazi objects, as well. There are possessions of concentration-camp prisoners, like shoes, buttons and suitcases. There are identification tags and prisoner uniforms. There is a Hitler Youth bugle, an SS belt buckle and dagger, and Heinrich Himmler’s personal SS helmet that he wore. And there are materials that were used for medical experiments on prisoners, such as an operation table, test tubes and other medical instruments. Outside the museum, located at 36 Battery Place, a German World War IIera freight car has also been installed. Also in the exhibit are concrete posts, isolators and barbed wire that were once part of Auschwitz’s perimeter. The devastating objects in the exhibit are too numerous to name. But they each bring to life some of the profound horrors of the concentration camp, where 1 million Jews were murdered, along with tens of thousands of others from groups the Nazis viewed as “inferior” or “undesirable.” Along with the hundreds of objects and photos, there are video testimonials of survivors throughout the exhibit. There are models that show the layout
PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN
A single red women’s dress shoe from Auschwitz.
of Auschwitz, which was actually a complex of three main camps and nearly 50 sub-camps. The exhibit is very informative, not only about Auschwitz itself but the historical context of the Nazi rise to power
and the history of modern anti-Semitism. Other persecuted groups are also acknowledged, including the Roma and Afro-Germans. “We learn from this exhibition that we cannot be bystanders, it is our sa-
cred duty to educate,” said Bruce Ratner, chairperson of the board of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, at a press conference a week before the exhibit’s opening. “We need to redouble our efforts to educate, especially young people.” A common theme at the press conference was that the hatred on display in the exhibit is not a thing of the past. “We are fighting anti-Semitism every day,” said Ronald Lauder, founder and chairperson of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Committee and president of the World Jewish Congress. “We find out in country after country that young people don’t know about the Holocaust.” Lauder noted that there are a lot of populist ideologies with anti-Semitic elements spreading in present-day Europe. “It’s something we have to fight,” he said. “The only way to beat antiSemitism is through education — teaching children about the horrors of Auschwitz.” Anti-Semitism is an increasing problem in New York City, as well. The New York Police Department announced in early May that hate crimes were up 67 percent in the first quarter of 2019, including an 82 percent increase in antiSemitic hate crimes. More than 2 million people visit Auschwitz every year, noted Pawel Sawicki, spokesperson for the AuschwitzBirkenau State Museum. But he said this exhibit in Lower Manhattan can give those who can’t visit the actual site an experience, and prompt them to ask, “What can I do today?” Timed tickets to the exhibit, along with more information, are available at Auschwitz.nyc. The exhibit — which runs through Jan. 3, 2020 — is free for Holocaust survivors, active members of the military and first responders, and New York City public school students and educators.
Nordstrom, tech-based vet at Greenwich Lane BY GABE HERMAN
T
he Greenwich Lane condo building, at the former site of St. Vincent’s Hospital on Seventh Ave., will soon have tenants in its three empty retail spaces. The Rudin Family, and its venture partner Global Holdings Group, announced the three retail leases, which will now give Greenwich Lane full occupancy. At 13 Seventh Ave., between W. 11th and 12th Sts., the department store company Nordstrom signed a lease for 2,413 square feet. It will open a Nordstrom Local store, which will be a
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“We searched for the right location to launch our concept for nearly a year and considered many addresses,” said Josh Guttman, co-founder and C.E.O. of Small Door. “The Greenwich Lane proved the perfect fit for Small Door, as an upscale, pet-friendly development in the heart of Greenwich Village.” The three retail spaces are currently vacant. At another space in the development, at 7 Seventh Ave., between 11th and 12th Sts., Northwell Health Physician Partners is operating with several specialty practices. “The prime location of this project in the heart of Greenwich Village makes it the ideal spot for Nordstrom Local,
“neighborhood service hub,” according to the announcement. Services will include online order pickup, alterations and tailoring, and clothes styling. At 15 Seventh Ave., at W. 12th St., there will be a start-up veterinary business called Small Door. The company was founded in 2017 and is tech-driven, with a membership model, a mobile app and 24/7 access to its medical team. The 3,117-square-foot Village location will open this fall and be the company’s first flagship practice. The third lease, for 3,500 square feet at 1 Seventh Ave., at W. 11th St., was completed with an unnamed national retailer. TVG
Small Door and our other retail tenant,” said Michael Rudin, senior vice president at Rudin Management Company. The Greenwich Lane consists of five buildings and five townhouses, centered around a 14,000-square-foot landscaped courtyard. Rudin also developed the park across the street — which later had a separately funded AIDS memorial added — and is called the NYC AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle. Along with the AIDS Memorial, the park has several slate medallions inset into its paving that pay tribute to St. Vincent’s Hospital, which was at the location from 1849 until April 2010. Schneps Media
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Women of Wall St. fetes leaders, urges parity BY SCHNEPS MEDIA
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n May 7, Schneps Media â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the parent company of The Villager, Chelsea Now, Downtown Express and Manhattan Express â&#x20AC;&#x201D; honored 26 passionate, ambitious and brilliant women for their influence in banking and fi nance at the Women of Wall Street Awards. It was the awardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; inaugural event. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams (a founding member of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Men Who Get Itâ&#x20AC;? club) gave remarks. The speakers panel included Cheryl Casone, host of FBN:am on Fox Business Network; Elizabeth St.-Onge, partner at Oliver Wyman, and more, the W.O.W. Awards honorees were recognized for their successes but also their empowerment of the next generation of female financial leaders. The event raised $1,200 for the nonprofit Girls Who Invest, founded by W.O.W. honoree Seema Hingorani. Girls Who Invest is a nonprofit organization founded in April 2015 dedicated to inspiring and empowering young women to pursue invest-
PHOTO BY CORAZON AGUIRRE
Honoree Samantha Saperstein of JPMorgan Chaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Women on the Move initiative, center, with Schneps Media Publisher Victoria Schneps-Yunis, left, and emcee Cher yl Casone at the Women of Wall Street Awards. Sapserstein won this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trailblazer Award.
ment careers in the asset-management industry â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a field challenged by a lack of diversity. The event addressed the issue of gender parity in the banking and finance industry. With many firms making significant investments in programs or benefits for women but not seeing results, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a clear need for the culture to change. Participants highlighted the day-today culture, unconscious biases and micro-aggressions that are much harder to address but are required in order to move the needle. Schneps Media is thankful to the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generous sponsors for helping bring this important topic to the forefront while championing the women who dedicate themselves to supporting, empowering and promoting more women in the industry. A special thanks to Citigroup, MHR Fund, JPMorgan Chase, Investors Bank and Flushing Bank. If you would like to nominate a deserving woman for the 2020 Women of Wall Street Awards please visit www.schnepsevents.com/ wows2020 .
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The City Council is coming for our closets. Choice matters, and the City Council has no right telling us what we can or cannot wear. Today, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to ban fur sales, tomorrow, it could be leather, silk or wool. Text NOFURBAN to 345345 to tell the City Council to let YOU decide what you want to wear.
Enough Already. STOP THE FUR BAN.
furnyc.org/get-involved Paid for by Fur Information Council of America Schneps Media
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Letters to the Editor
I’m all for a 14th St. bus-freight corridor BY CHRIS SAUER
I
live on 15th St., and I have to say that I’m frustrated and a bit embarrassed by the uproar that I’m seeing from some of my neighbors over the idea of a 14th St. devoted to moving buses and freight. I write because I want to make clear that not everyone in the neighborhood is unhappy with the mayor’s announcement. The mayor says he wants to try to get people moving. Is that really objectionable? Don’t get me wrong, I understand the fear that some of these folks are expressing. I don’t want to experience any more traffic than I already do. I’m also sure most New Yorkers feel the same, no matter where they live. Traffic sucks, but the problem is cars, not better infrastructure for buses. There’s nothing “drastic” about efficiently using our public space. The real threat to our neigborhoods from the L-train upheaval is an increased number of single-occupancy vehicles roaming the streets as more New Yorkers take taxis, Ubers and Lyfts to their destinations. Reliable, frequent and quick-moving bus service will reduce the number of vehicles on our streets, making them safer, quieter, less polluted — more of a neighborhood and less of a highway. I want fewer cars on our streets not more. To my eyes, the for-hire vehicle companies were out in force on the first weekend of the L-train slowdown, driving — apparently — thousands of more people into Manhattan by car. Those for-hire vehicles ended up on my block, and the blocks of my neighbors, in huge numbers. I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed a marked uptick in traffic. New York City is increasingly stratifying along economic lines and that is reflected in the failure of our public transportation system. We’ve allowed our subways and buses to fail, and those with enough expendable income have been able to cushion the blow by resorting to for-hire vehicles. We need to reverse that dynamic, and that requires dramatic improvements to public transit. In the fairest big city in America, you shouldn’t have to be rich to have a reliable way to get around. The 14th St. bus and freight corridor is a revolution in favor of working New Yorkers who take buses. This is why we should support the plan for 14th St.: It will make our lives easier going forward, and it marks a serious attempt by the city to keep surface-level transit working, free from the constant competition of double-parkers “just grabbing a cup of coffee.” Bus priority goes a long way toward solving the immediate crisis of the L-train slowdown, as well as the longer-term crisis of second-rate transit that repels riders and brings unnecessary traffic into our neighborhoods. Most people know that being progressive in this situation means taking a stand for improving public transportation, for the duration of the slowdown and beyond.
We’ve allowed our subways and buses to fail
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Bus plan is the pits To The Editor: Re “Loony to cut Abingdon bus loop, seniors protest” (news article, May 9): At the Community Board 2 meeting on May 2 held at N.Y.U.’s Meyer Hall, about as far from 14th St. as one could be (by contrast City Council Speaker Corey Johnson PHOTO BY held his hearing on ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH the same subject at M14 crosstown buses on 14th St. The New School, adjacent to 14th St.) there were strong and vocal responses from the community, which Lincoln Anderson described so eloquently for To The Editor: The Villager. Re “Loony to cut AbingThe concerns held by the Union Square Coalition, don bus loop, seniors protest” whom I represented, centered (news article, May 9): I have been saying this for around meeting the needs of the riders, as opposed to the years: The Department of New York City Transit Author- Transportation and New York ity, which dwelt more on bus City Transit Authority are not speeds rather than the comfort senior-friendly. They always marginalize those with mobiland convenience of its riders. If buses arrived on reliable ity problems. Sadly, neither is two-minute headways, there Transportation Alternatives, would be no need for Select which has morphed into a biBus Service, with its free rear cycle advocacy group. They entries, since not that many all worship speed over need. The thing is that transporting people would be waiting. The bus stops removed at people is not only about comFifth Ave. and Union Square muters. It’s about getting to should be immediately re- doctors appointments, parks, turned. The Fifth Ave. stop nursery school, visiting family, allows a transfer to the Fifth grocery shopping, etc. Funny they should mention Ave. bus Downtown to N.Y.U. and Washington Square and that ridership has dropped in Uptown to the spine of Man- the past 10 years. Remember hattan. Union Square not only what happened in 2010? They connects with three subway cut bus service to our area and lines but with the Greenmar- changed routes drastically. ket, which serves up to 20,000 Waits became longer, with nopeople four times a week, and where to sit. Here’s a thought: local stops, with Mt. Sinai Hospital. By eliminating bus stops, with seating, during non-rush the Transit Authority forces hours. Keep providing necesriders to walk further to their sary service to non-commuters destinations, thus increasing who need surface transport. — not decreasing — trip time, plus making the trip less con- Lora Tenenbaum venient and comfortable, especially discouraging seniors and others who find walking difficult. I hope the Transit Authority will revise its plans. To The Editor: Re “Loony to cut AbingBarry Benepe don bus loop, seniors protest” (news article, May 9):
Agencies ignore seniors
Getting set to sue
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The removal of the Fifth Ave. and 14th St. bus stop going west is a disaster for those of us who use that 14th St. corridor daily. To have no stop between Sixth Ave. and Union Square is a hardship for seniors and many other others. Now we hear that the M.T.A. plans to eliminate the M14A bus stops on Hudson St. I’m all in for suing the city. It seems they want to get rid of senior citizens and the middle class. Ellen Datlow
Freedom of the press To The Editor: Re “Jaywalking ticket for doing my job” (op-ed, Clayton Patterson, May 9): You don’t need permission to exercise your constitutional rights. Freedom of the press means you can photograph anything in public without some pig interfering. Never stop resisting anti-Amerikan government repression. Nick Zedd E-mail letters, maximum 250 words, to news@thevillager.com or fax to 212-2292790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 1 MetroTech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Please include phone number for confirmation. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Anonymous letters will not be published.
May 16, 2019
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May 16, 2019
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Opinion
Don’t rubber stamp our garden! BY EMILY HELLSTROM
I
went to my daughter’s closet last Thursday morning to dig through her art bin. I was looking for a rubber stamp. As an Elizabeth St. Garden volunteer and supporter, I decided to bring it to City Hall to hold in my hand while giving testimony in favor of saving Elizabeth St. Garden. You see, we had been told, “Don’t bother showing up at the City Council hearing. They will never vote against the local councilperson out of deference. They just use the rubber stamp.” This rubber stamp is a symbol of what is wrong with the process. How else to explain how this got so far? When land that has been public since the 1800s is sold to a developer for a dollar, decided during a secret backroom deal with former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver without so much as a courtesy call to Community Board 2…rubber stamp. After the residents held hearing after hearing where hundreds of people turned out to show their support for the garden…rubber stamp. When thousands of letters have been written in support of this stunning outdoor community center that many call the soul of our historic Little Italy neighborhood…rubber stamp. The borough president came to our Harvest Festival, saw the diversity of the community gathered together and declared that this space should never be destroyed, but
PHOTO BY THE VILLAGER
Elizabeth St. Garden activists Emily Hellstrom, left, and Jeannine Kiely with a banner at hearing on funding for the city-sponsored housing project slated for the garden.
then out came…rubber stamp. So our grassroots coalition went further. We realized how deep this housing crisis was and pleaded with our
elected officials to help us find an alternative, so that green space and housing would not be pitted against each other, tearing our community apart. And they did! The leaders of our community board found a piece of land that could house up to five times as many seniors and they passed a resolution to allow that swap. And what do we get… rubber stamp. Did our councilmember ever even bother to visit the Elizabeth St. Garden to see why this community has never given up? Sit down with us work on a solution? Did she forge coalitions, and find a win-win compromise, actually do the work of a leader, and harness the boundless energy of garden supporters? She could save the garden and, in return, demand that we unite our efforts in the charge for making more affordable housing. But no, she did not. She is simply relying on this rubber stamp. But I have faith that the City Council knows better. That they will put an end to this cynical process, that robs people of their voice. At the Council hearing earlier this month, joined by well more than 100 garden volunteers and supporters, I asked the councilmembers to vote against the destruction of our precious green space and put away this dreaded rubber stamp. I said that, in doing so, they would have a community ready to get to work. Put away the rubber stamp, because we are ready to participate! Hellstrom is a board member, Friends of Elizabeth St. Garden
Banning fur would be bad for New York BY K AREN GIBERSON
A
ban on any fur products is unacceptable. The bill, which was just introduced in late March, is being inexplicably fast-tracked to the hearing stage, which was scheduled for May 15. This does not allow our industry ample time to prepare or accurately study the implications of this decision. We are baffled why there is a sudden rush to pass this legislation. If government can pick and choose to eliminate a specific material, then what’s to stop politicians from telling us what else we can’t wear, eat and create moving forward? As the fashion capital of the world, we must work with textiles and fabrics that our customers are demanding today. Our industry has embraced a variety of materials, including vegan leathers, faux furs and other options that are being developed every day. That said, calf hair, shearling and fur still play a significant and sustainable role in our designs – from shoes, handbags, gloves and hats, to trim and cuffs on coats. Fur is already a heavily regulated industry, with rules covering everything from farming and trapping standards to ethics to labeling. The animal byproducts are used in a variety of other products, from the beauty industry to Schneps Media
York City, the owner has two choices: close up the business and fire all employees or lay off workers and rent space in New Jersey, Yonkers or Nassau County to ship the product. Either way, once again New York City loses muchneeded manufacturing jobs — but this time it’s by its own direct action. Losing valuable blue-collar jobs is not the only unintended consequence of this legislation. Councilmembers have championed environmental issues. In this case, they fail to recognize the negative environmental impacts of synthetic materials. Most fake furs are petroleum-based and are not biodegrade. One faux-fur coat is the equivalent of thousands of plastic straws. My biggest concern, however, is that
compost and fertilizers. We encourage everyone to learn more about the process. If you don’t like these materials, you don’t need to use them, to manufacture with them or buy them as a consumer. New York City is the hub of retail, wholesale, trade shows and commerce for many fashion accessory companies. The ban preventing any sale of these products would cut off one of designers’ largest markets, negatively impacting their livelihoods and those of the suppliers and retail shops they work with. In all, a recent economic study commissioned by the International Fur Federation Americas found the ban would result in $850 million in lost taxable business revenue and cost New York City 7,500 jobs in the first year alone. According to a survey we conducted this month of accessory and outerwear companies in Manhattan’s Garment District, more than 90 of the factories there use these materials, making items such as gloves, handbags and outerwear. One of them, Cockpit USA, makes shearling coats for the United States military. These are specialized experts. If the “fur ban” passes, some of them would need to close their businesses, while others would face significant layoffs. Let’s be realistic: If the law passes and a manufacturer can’t sell in New
a fur ban would be just the start. Animal-rights activists have made no secret of the fact that their eventual goal is to ban the use of all animal products. If the City Council succeeds in banning fur today, they will next take aim at leather, feathers, wool and silk. To wear fur, like any consumer product, is a choice. It’s one New Yorkers have been making for hundreds of years and fur is a product that remains in high demand today. It’s not the job of City Council members to legislate away livelihoods simply because fur is a choice some of them wouldn’t make for themselves. Giberson is president of the Accessories Council, a trade group for accessory, eyewear and footwear brands.
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Village E.D. gets a community checkup level of emergency care. One local resident said she ith Lenox Health Greenwich had both good and bad things Health having been open for to say based on her experience five years now, the Commu- there. She said the facility nity Board 2 Social Services Commit- saved her life, and the place tee held a forum to get a better sense of was clean and the staff were how the emergency department is do- respectful and kind. But she said she had experienced a ing and engaging with the community. The healthcare facility is at 30 Sev- wait of more than an hour. Hellinger said the averenth Ave., between W. 12th and 13th Sts., right across the avenue from the age wait time for a person former site of St. Vincent’s Hospital, to get to a room after registering is four minutes, which closed in 2010. The meeting was held on April 29 and then another eight and led by Susanna Aaron, the com- minutes to see a physician. He said it could mittee’s chairperson. Local residents expressed varying be faster for a pressing views, some claiming good experiences issue or longer if the with Lenox Health Greenwich Vil- facility is very busy. PHOTO BY “We try to be as GABE HERMAN lage, its doctors and staff, while others efficient as possible,” Lenox Health Greenwich Vilvoiced strong dissatisfaction. lage’s freestanding emergenc y depar tment — Negative reviews were often related he said. Some residents meaning it is not physically attached to a hospital with beds — to long wait times, including for when is the first one in Manhattan and just the second in the entire cit y. patients needed ambulances to transfer said it took too long them to a full-service hospital, since for an ambulance Hellinger said people are tested four out of five. L.H.G.V. doesn’t handle trauma cases, to transport them from L.H.G.V. to a Hellinger said the issues over rates and big bills from services that patients higher-level-care facility. One person when they arrive to check their health, said it sometimes took as long as 14 and that people are billed based on and billing were tough to address and weren’t told were optional. L.H.G.V. is Manhattan’s first stand- hours, though ambulances usually ap- their ability to pay. He said L.H.G.V. not unique to L.H.G.V., and he cited has a financial-assistance program and larger challenges within the healthcare alone emergency department, or E.D. pear to be sitting outside. Hellinger and other L.H.G.V. offi- a charity program for writing off some system. But on other issues raised at It was pointed out at the meeting that the meeting, he said, “We’re certainly the facility, unlike St. Vincent’s, is not cials were not able to speak to specific bills. But that response didn’t satisfy sever- going to take all of this feedback. My a trauma center, and that while it does examples cited at the meeting. But a offer urgent-care sevices, it doesn’t patient advocate said the facility has a al locals, who felt that charges weren’t team here and I will go back and we’re handle many of the most dire cases that command center that works to dispatch explained beforehand and people going to look at all the wait times you ambulances as efficiently as possible to weren’t always told that services like discussed.” need an emergency department. ambulances and tests were optional. Alex Hellinger, executive director of various facilities. Tom Connor, a member of C.B. 2, Another resident said he called 911 Anna Allen, co-founder and execu- said he didn’t think people fully unL.H.G.V., said they treat 90 percent of patients who come in, while another 8 because he wasn’t sure if he needed tive director of Say Ah!, a nonprofit derstood what an upsetting experience percent are stabilized and then trans- medical attention, and ended up be- specializing in teaching healthcare lit- it can be to be transported by ambuported to another facility, such as a full- ing taken by ambulance to L.H.G.V. eracy, said there are big gaps in what lance. service hospital, that can provide the He wound up having many tests done people know about using the healthcare “We have to make all of these serappr opr i ate there, which all resulted in big charg- system and its financial aspects. vices more humane,” he said. es despite his actually being in good “We need to do a better job, the inThe senior activist recalled a previhealth. surers, the healthcare system and foous meeting with L.H.G.V. where many rums like this, of educating people on of the same complaints were raised, what we’re responsible for financially, met by similar responses that the probwhat we’re not, and that you can say no lems were a surprise to hear about and to care,” she explained. Positive experiences were also shared people should get in touch about such at the meeting, with some citing friend- issues. “There’s something wrong there,” he ly and thorough care, plus nice facilities said. “Why do you think the commuthat are not overcrowded and chaotic like others in Manhattan. Other attend- nity is still complaining about the same ees, however, said there should be more things that they complained about from beds. By definition, though, a stand- Day One?” He asked for a way for people to easalone E.D. does not have hospital beds, other than a couple for very short-term ily share experiences, good and bad, perhaps in smaller meetings. recovery from procedures. “I don’t want to come to another The L.H.G.V. patient advocate said he was sorry to hear reports about bad meeting in three years and the same experiences with services and wait questions are going to come up,” Contimes, but that over all the facility had nor stated. “And you’re again going to PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN The stand-alone E.D. has ambulances attached to it that can trans- received very high scores. He said 75 say, ‘I didn’t know that was happening, por t patients to a full-ser vice hospital for higher-level care if percent of patients gave a rating of five here’s my card.’ Well, we can’t buy that out of five, and another 20 percent gave anymore.” needed.
BY GABE HERMAN
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Schneps Media is proud to present our eighth annual Stars Under 40 Awards, honoring 28 young professionals under the age of 40 who exemplify outstanding leadership skills, not only in their chosen fields, but also in their communities. Honorees will be celebrated at an awards dinner on Thursday, May 16, at Sirico’s Caterers in Dyker Heights. Procedes from the evening’s raffle will be raised for Humble Heroes–Bini Fund, a group of volunteers who, dis-
RISING STAR
guised as the most infamous superheroes of our time, visit local hospitals and grief centers, bringing hope and joy to kids fighting life’s injustices. The event would not be possible without the support of our wonderful
RISING STAR
sponsors. A huge thank you to Spectrum/Charter, Artisans Of Medicine, JP Morgan Chase, Flushing Bank, Ben Bay Realty, CandyMingles, and New Beginnings Cleaners. Stars Under 40 Awards and Net-
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
working Event at Sirico’s Caterers (8023 13th Ave. between 80th and 81st streets in Dyker Heights) on May 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit www.schnepsmedia.com/stars2019
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
HEALTH HERO
Dr. Ramsey Joudeh, Artisans of Medicine.
Jonathan Bennett, Brooklyn East Collegeiate Charter School.
DYNAMIC DUO - EDUCATION
Gabriella Castellano, J.D. Candidate 2020.
Abdul Elenani, Cocoa Grinder franchise.
DYNAMIC DUO - ENTREPRENEUR
Jennifer Champagne, Champagne’s Sweets.
DYNAMIC DUO - COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Chanel Adams, The SlimHeart Campaign.
Marguerite Cavalcante and Lisa Connors, Play & Say Pediatric Therapy Services.
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Julian Bannister and Yannick JulesBannister, New Beginning Cleaners. TVG
Valerie and Ken Restrepo, Leathernecks Tattoo.
Angela Buccinni, The Muse Brooklyn. Schneps Media
Schneps Media celebrates young leaders
DMV Service Centers LLC / JSA Tags Inc.
Claudia Forero, CandyMingles.
John Garcia, Khols.
Laura A. Hirschman, Compass.
Spectrum / Charter Communications.
Amanda R. Maurer, JP Morgan Chase.
Natoya McGhie, Kings County Supreme Court.
Frank Muraca, Equity Services, Inc.
Tricia Nelson, Earthly Wonders Beauty.
Maria Nitti, Isabella’s Creations.
Hartini Pandis, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty.
George Pristouris, Parkway Restaurant
Gabrielle Spinelli, St. Francis College.
Hadiatou Wann, author, speaker, creator.
Nick Campanile, PC Richard & Son.
Milton Lopera,
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Lynne “Kitty” Cutrone,
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Gottfried sees hope for single-payer care BY GABE HERMAN
A
ssemblymember Richard Gottfried presented details of his single-payer healthcare bill to the Community Board 6 Health and Education Committee in late April. Gottfried — who chairs the Assembly’s Committee on Health — has sponsored the New York Health Act in the state Assembly since 1992. There now seems to be growing momentum among Democrats, including on the national level, for a single-payer system, which has been endorsed by many of the Democratic presidential nominees. The bill would give universal health coverage to all New Yorkers. It would eliminate premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, co-pays, co-insurance and out-of-network charges. Progressive taxes, including payroll and non-payroll, would help pay for the new health system. Gottfried said at the meeting that, over all, $11 billion would be saved under the new healthcare system. While $44 billion more would be spent to provide coverage to everyone, there would be $55 billion in savings, including $20 billion from administrative costs and savings from lower drug prices and reimbursements to providers, according to the plan. Gottfried stressed the urgent need for reforms in the healthcare system. He said that medical costs are the top reason for personal bankruptcies in New York. He noted that his own parents had their lifetime savings wiped out from medical costs from needed home care. In the current system, often a family member has to give up a career to stay home and care for a sick relative, he said.
A ssemblymember Richard Gottfried.
Gottfried also cited a study that found 60 percent of American households could not afford a sudden expense of $1,000, and he noted that the average family deductible for health insurance is $3,200. “I think this is something that we should all be pretty angry about,” Gottfried said of the current healthcare system. Premiums and deductibles are both rising much faster than wages, Gottfried said, and employers are shifting more of the cost of healthcare to their workers through higher deductibles, which are out-ofpocket expenses. Insurance plans have restricted networks and many insurance companies will unfairly deny coverage for a
service, and assume the customer will get frustrated and eventually go away, Gottfried said. He added that insurers benefit when sick patients go to another company. “Insurance companies really don’t like having customers who use healthcare,” he said. “Think about that the next time you hear that insurance companies compete. They compete by getting people who need their coverage walking away and going to the other company.” New York expends tens of millions of dollars on things that don’t make people healthier, Gottfried said, including bureaucracy, administrative costs, and not having bargaining clout with drug companies on prices. When questions were taken from community board members and the audience, Gottfried was asked if people could buy extra insurance on top of the new plan. Gottfried said that would be allowed if the insurance found something that his bill doesn’t cover. Another person asked about preventing people moving here from other states for the healthcare benefits. Gottfried said New York has expanded its Medicaid eligibility and other health coverage, but that people didn’t migrate here for programs like Medicaid or Child Health Plus, so there was no evidence that would be such a problem. Gottfried’s bill has passed the state Assembly the past four years, but never came to a vote in the Republican-led state Senate. Gottfried told this paper after the meeting that, now with a new Democratic state Senate, he is optimistic the measure can be passed. However, a vote on the bill reportedly won’t come up in the state Senate before 2020, and the issue continues to be debated.
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There are lot of ways to describe AFib. Make sure you know what to listen for. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) have a 5 times greater risk of stroke. We have guidelines and tools that may help you diagnose faster and more easily support your patients.
For more on how to expand your AFib approach visit Heart.org/AfibTools Made possible with funding from Š 2019 American Heart Association, Inc. a 501c(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
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PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
Will Kaufman, a musician and professor, sang Woody Guthrie songs that the famed folkie penned about his landlord Fred C. Trump. There was no music attached to Guthrie’s lyric s, so Kaufman added his own.
Woody Guthrie and the Fred Trump blues BY TEQUIL A MINSK Y
V
illagers and folk-music enthusiasts recently packed the beautiful Church of St. John’s in the Village for a “live documentary” on the life of Woody Guthrie, with a special twist: the singer’s battles with his landlord Fred C. Trump, father of President Donald Trump. Guthrie and his family moved into the Beach Haven apartment complex near Coney Island in December 1950. While conducting research, Will Kaufman discovered writings by Guthrie about his landlord, the senior Trump. Judy Bell, custodian of Guthrie’s archives, also found in files lyrics or song fragments that Guthrie wrote about his landlord. The April 30 event featured songs and spoken word. With no associated music found, Kaufman added his own to the multiverse lyrics by Guthrie, in order to perform “Mister Trump Made a Tramp Out of Me.” Mister Trump has made a tramp out of me; Paid him alla my bonds and savin’s, To move into his Beach Haven; Yes, Trump has made a tramp out of me. “Old Man Trump, Beach Haven Ain’t My Home” is another one of the unearthed Guthrie songs. Kauf-
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PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
Alongside a slide show of archival images of the life of Woody Guthrie, left, images of Fred Trump, right, and Dust Bowl photographs, Will Kaufman presented a songand-spoken word “live documentar y” of Guthrie’s life, highlighting Guthrie’s battles against Fred Trump, his Brooklyn landlord.
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man spoke about how riled the folk-music icon was at the apartment complex’s segregated policies, and also how Fred Trump was able to “work the system,” profiteering when building his public housing the complex. Kaufman, a musician and academic, has written three books on Guthrie (“Mapping Woody Guthrie,” “Woody Guthrie’s Modern World Blues” and “Singing for Peace”). His nearly two-hour presentation, embellished by a slide show of archival photos of Guthrie’s life, included many images of landlord Trump, as well as of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, where Guthrie was raised. When it comes to folk music, Woody Guthrie is as iconic as it gets. His life and his political, folk and children’s songs have inspired decades of folk singers. Focusing on the life and music of Guthrie seems apt for a fundraiser for the second edition of the upcoming fall local folk-music festival, The Village Trip, founded by Liz Thompson. In addition to Washington Square Park, the festival — which will run Sept. 26 to 29 — will also feature events at six other Greenwich Village venues. Schneps Media
A taste of World’s Fare to whet the appetite BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
T
he smells of cheesecake nachos, lasagna dim sum and woody Filipino coffee hit WeWork users in waves as they came in and out of the office at 222 Broadway last Thursday. The co-working space had transformed into a bite-sized World’s Fare, the massive food and beer festival set to take place at Citi Field on May 18 and 19 that will feature cuisine from 100 different cultures provided by more than 100 vendors. Last week’s event was a special tasting event for the press. Like its namesake, the World’s Fair, this Fare seeks to highlight innovation. Counter space at the Downtown WeWork was filled with cake stand after cake stand with new takes on old classics, like mini cheesecakes made from ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines, and French pastry puffs with Asian-inspired flavors, like black sesame, hojicha and strawberry jasmin, almost too pretty to eat. Tables were filled with rows of paper food boats carrying unique flavor fusions, like Southern pulled pork slathered in spicy Korean barbeque sauce. All of the food present featured a flavor, texture or a look atypical even for the always-changing New York City food scene. And the stories behind the restaurants and pop-ups responsible for these creations are just as delicious as the food. Besides, food is also a means for learning about different cultures and people. Among the vendors on hand was Black 6 Coffee Trading Co., which started two years ago as a veteran-led nonprofit called the Black 6 project that provided disaster relief and charity aid around the world. In 2018, Black 6 traveled to the northern part of the Philippines to respond to a landslide. While there, the group saw a coffee farm and learned about the nation’s coffee history. They decided to bring back some beans
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
Buns filled with chicken parmesan were ser ved in bamboo steamer baskets at a food-tasting event at 222 Broadway. Raviolo restaurant, one of the more than 100 vendors at this year’s World’s Fare, takes Italian classic s and ser ves them in traditionally A sian fashions in order to create “t wobite delights.” Schneps Media
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
A tray of Domi pastr y puffs sit waiting to be eaten. Domi’s puffs come in A sian-inspired flavors, such as sesame, jasmine, yuzu curd and green tea and are a twist on the classic French treat.
212 - 254 - 1109 | www.theaterforthenewcity.net | 155 First Ave. NY, NY 10003
24th Annual Annual 24th
L.E.S.
The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts
Friday, Saturday, Sunday May 24, 25, 26, 2019
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
Miniature ube cheesecakes from the Vietnamese restaurant Ginger and Lemongrass feature a purple yam used in a variety of desser ts, especially in the Philippines.
Performances begin begin 6pm 6pm each each evening evening Performances Saturday: Youth Youth Program Program 1-4pm, 1-4pm, Film Film Program Program 12pm-12am, 12pm-12am, Saturday: Cultural Festival Festival on on East East 10th 10th Street Street 12pm-5pm 12pm-5pm Cultural Sunday: Poetry Poetry Program Program 4-7pm 4-7pm Sunday:
to roast and sell in Queens in order to fund future medical missions. Then there is Bart Hubbuch, owner and founder of Memphis Seol, who started his passion project after being let go from the New York Post for tweeting about President Donald Trump’s election in 2017. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Hubbuch, who, after 30 years in the newspaper business, was ready for a change. He is happy working for himself. To learn more about the World’s Fare and to buy tickets, visit http://theworldsfare.nyc/ .
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Marching for Mother Earth and an ‘Eco City’ BY BOB KR ASNER
T
his is how the East Village throws a parade: colorful and loud, with heart and a sense of purpose. In fact, Saturday’s “Ecological City: Procession for Climate Solutions,” organized by the nonprofit organization Earth Celebrations, was all of that and more. Beginning at the Sixth Street Community Center, the creatively costumed group made their way to the beat of drums to 21 different community gardens and landmarks. They stopped at each one for a short performance, all with the common themes of our climate change and sustainability. Dancers from the Artichoke Dance Company, covered in plastic bags, entertained the crowd at El Sol Brillante garden, on E. 12th St. Elsewhere, poems were read, children sang and performers rolled in the dirt. The battle between Mother Earth and the Evil Pirates was enacted on E. Ninth St. The six-hour extravaganza ended at East River Park, where the city’s reconstruction plan to safeguard against flooding is vigorously opposed.
PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
This costume was definitely causing some buzz.
PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
Bazile Deenks blew the shell to star t the parade.
THE HILARIOUS MUSICAL COMEDY RETURNS TO THE YORK
“FLAT-OUT HILARIOUS!”
BOOK BY JOSEPH
STEIN • MUSIC AND LYRICS BY STAN DANIELS JOSEPH STEIN FROM THE NOVEL BY CARL REINER MUSIC DIRECTION BY PHIL RENO CHOREOGRAPHED BY JENNIFER PAULSON-LEE DIRECTION AND MUSICAL STAGING BY STUART ROSS PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH RIKI KANE LARIMER AND KEYLIGHT PRODUCTIONS BASED ON THE PLAY BY
PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
The marchers opposed the cit y’s plan to bur y East River Park under nearly a dozen feet of dir t to raise it and protect it from flooding. Schneps Media
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Scaffold falls outside 2nd Ave. blast site BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
I
n an eerie follow-up, a sidewalk scaffolding outside the scene of the fatal 2015 East Village gas explosion came crashing down to the ground Friday afternoon. Fortunately, there were no injuries. A Fire Department spokesperson said a call came in at 4:12 p.m. reporting the accident. When this paper called shortly before 5 p.m., the Fire spokesperson said the first responding unit was still on the scene, but was telling other emergency responders â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including the Collapse Unit â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to either â&#x20AC;&#x153;come in slow or turn aroundâ&#x20AC;? and go back to their stationhouses. Yvonne Collery, who lives at 125 Second Ave., said it was her understanding that the structure had been hit by a truck, causing it to fall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I heard the shed fall,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After going downstairs, I learned a box truck had been cut off by a car and tapped the corner of the shed. That is when it collapsed.â&#x20AC;? Collery previously wrote in this paper about how her twin cats Laszlo and Lulu survived the gas explosion on the block. In the March 2015 disaster, an illegal gas-siphoning system that had been rigged up in the basement at 121 Second Ave. caused a thunderous explosion that turned into a raging infer-
PHOTOS BY YVONNE COLLERY
Firefighters responded to the scene at E. Seventh St. and Second Ave. on Friday afternoon after a protective sidewalk shed collapsed.
no. Two men were killed: Nicholas Figueroa, 23, a customer at a Japanese restaurant in No. 121, and Moises Locon, 27, a worker there. In the end, three adjacent buildings were destroyed: 119, 121 and 123 Second Aves. A new residential building is now being constructed at 119 and 121 Second Ave. The design by Morris Adjmi Architects calls for a market-rate, sevenstory apartment building, with 21 residences, plus ground-level storefronts, to replace two of the three historic tenement buildings destroyed by fire. The parcels were purchased in 2016 for a reported $9.15 million by the Nexus Building Development Group. In the years following the devastating explosion, homeless â&#x20AC;&#x153;crusty travelersâ&#x20AC;? have taken to camping out on the sidewalk outside the empty corner site in the warm weather. Things came to a head this past summer when local residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outrage over the crustiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; behavior â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including public urination and allegedly menacing behavior â&#x20AC;&#x201D; boiled over. The New York Post ran a photo of one of the homeless youth intoxicated and lying on the sidewalk and urinating next to a free WiFi kiosk. Police cracked down by installing light towers, but eventually the weather turned cold and the crusties headed off to warmer climes.
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Real Estate
The coveted London Terrace half-Olympic-size swimming pool.
London Terrace: Charming — and that pool! BY MARTHA WILKIE
Y
ou’ve probably walked by London Terrace, a massive complex of 1,700 rental and co-op apartments in West Chelsea that takes up an entire city block. Those in the know understand it’s actually two entities that are managed separately: London Terrace Towers (co-ops) and London Terrace Gardens (rentals). Construction began in 1929 and the complex once boasted not only porters and doormen, but a bevy of hired help, including nursemaids and pageboys — which you can see today in charming vintage films on the complex’s Facebook page. It was, briefly, the largest apartment building in the world. Bruce Wayne Solomon is an agent with Douglas Elliman and the unofficial “mayor” of London Terrace. He’s lived in four apartments there and brokered sales and rentals in the buildings for more than 20 years. “It’s been my pleasure to welcome almost half of the current residents,” he said. “We all boast about the half-Olympic-sized indoor heated pool that I call the ‘crown jewel’ of the building.” A resident told me, “I’m often the only person swimming in the pool. I do swan dives and languorous laps and feel like a glamorous 1930s movie star.” The complex has always been popular with the creative set and was home to such notables as Debbie Harry, John O’Hara and Susan Sontag. “London Terrace is filled with some of the nicest, smartest and most creative residents — from actors to neurosurgeons,” Solomon said. “It’s the West
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Chelsea version of The Dakota.” Along with the spectacular pool, amenities include steam rooms and saunas, a gym, a landscaped, furnished roof deck with stunning views, 24-hour attended lobbies, and parking (additional fees apply for some). Pets are welcome. Streetlevel retail offers convenient shopping, plus a post office. However, the days of ringing for a telegraph boy are sadly long gone. A sunny fifth-floor studio co-op with charming views of 19th-century townhouses across the street has an elegant foyer, dressing room and bed alcove. 465 W. 23rd St, Apt. 5I. $625,000. (Elliman.com/new-york-city/465-west-23street-5i-manhattan-kiddbrv) A 15th-floor alcove studio co-op offers Empire State Building views and lovely paneled walls. Heat, hot water, gas and electricity are included in the maintenance. 410 W. 24th St, Apt. 15D. $495,000. (Elliman.com/new-york-city/410west-24-street-15d-manhattan-ooopeyx) This studio co-op has 9-foot beamed ceilings, a dressing room, oak flooring and original steel-frame doorways. $555,000. (Elliman.com/new-york-city/465west-23-street-12k-manhattan-ukvewlj) A rental studio has beamed ceilings, a charming black-and-white bathroom with a vintage look, a dressing room and a sweet little kitchen. $3,000. (Compass.com/listing/405-west2 3 r d - s t r e e t- u n i t- 3 c - m a n h a t t a n ny-10011/208576906637892513/)
A classic black-and-white tiled bathroom comes with this studio at 405 W. 23rd St. TVG
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â&#x20AC;&#x153;More Parks Sausages Mom!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Please!â&#x20AC;?
LOOK FOR OUR CIRCULAR IN TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAPER!
by Maurice W. Dorsey VISIT PCRICHARD.COM FOR A STORE NEAREST YOU
More than his ad, Henry G. Parks, Jr. was a man before his time. Pioneering in the American free enterprise system he embarked on a journey leading to a multi-million dollar industry. After many endeavors in business, The H.G. Parks, Inc. trading as Parks Sausage became a reality in 1951. With strong aggressive leadership, brilliant marketing and advertising, Mr. Parks build a business that never posted a losing year under his ownership. Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sausage was the ďŹ rst African American owned business to issue stock publicly. Mr. Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success caught the attention of some of the leading corporate boards in this country along with national organizations, city, state, and federal leaders. They sought to bring him aboard to share his knowledge, leadership skills, and ability with other leading American business, government and non-proďŹ t leaders. This is the story of a businessman who was African American and was optimistic and determined while achieving ultimate success.
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