The Villager - June 6, 2019 by Schneps Media

V i s i t u s o n l i n e a t w w w .T h e V i l l a g e r. c o m

THE June 6, 2019 Volume 89 • Number 23

Greenwich Village, East Village, Lower East Side, Soho, Union Square, Chinatown and Noho, Since 1933 •

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BLUES CLUB V.I.D. honors Johnson, blue inﬂuencers Page 14 True Blue NY received an award from Village Independent Democrats President David Siffer t, right.

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

TRANS-FORMATIVE Village slated for ﬁrst transgender monument Page 8

Transgender pioneer Sylvia Rivera in New York Cit y at age 18.

PHOTO BY KAY TOBIN/NY PUBLIC LIBRARY

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Gay City News editor-in-chief Paul Schindler accepts an award on the newspaper’s behalf from the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City at its May 23 Pride Kick-Off Gala.

MICHAEL SHIREY

Gay City News’ new logo being introduced in its June 20 issue.

BY CAROL HEADLEY

hen Gay City News was founded in 2002, New York State did not yet have a gay rights law and samesex couples could not get married anywhere in America. In fact, almost a third of the states still outlawed sexual conduct by gay people, which made criminals of LGBTQ community members. Seventeen years later, the community — here in the US and worldwide — has made huge strides. Same-sex couples can now marry legally in almost three dozen countries and major international organizations, such as the United Nations, make LGBTQ rights a critical focus of their work. At every step along the way, the editors and reporters at Gay City News have been there, telling the community’s stories from on the ground. The newspaper broke the news in 2006 that thenSenator Hillary Clinton said she had “evolved” and would support

GayCityNews nyc i 7b[R # 7b[R & & June 6, 2019 2

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The massive rainbow on Fifth Avenue for the annual LGBTQ Pride March.

New York State adopting marriage equality. When Andrew Cuomo signed marriage equality into law in 2011, he gave his ﬁrst two interviews to Maureen Dowd at the New York Times and Gay City News’ founding editor-in-chief Paul Schindler. 2019 is a deﬁning moment in the history of the LGBTQ community — nowhere more than here in New York City. It was June 28, 1969 when patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village fought back against a police raid, the sort of harassment typical of that era. After several nights of disorder, a new community had been born. The events of that week became the cornerstone of the modern gay rights movement. A community of millions, most of whom had lived their lives quietly, often in secret and in fear, became visible and politically engaged. The world would never be the same. As New York marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, the city plays host as well to WorldPride,

NYCPRIDE.ORG

The ofﬁcial logo for Stonewall 50/ WorldPride.

an event that with an opening and closing ceremony, a human rights conference, and dozens of other events planned, will draw an estimated four million out-of-town tourists. Gay City News’ Pride issue, which hits the streets on June 27, is the must-have resource guide to the events of Pride Weekend, which will also, of course, include the annual LGBTQ Pride March, on June 30, along with another human rights march earlier the same day. As it has been for almost two decades, Gay City News will be indispensible to coverage of Stonewall 50 and WorldPride events. In recognition of the key role the newspaper plays in the community, the city’s largest LGBTQ political club, the Stonewall Democrats, hon-

ored Gay City News with a special award at its Pride Kick-Off Gala on May 23. City & State New York is honoring editor Schindler as one of the Pride Power 100 in its June 24 issue; in 2010, the newspaper also honored him, as one of the Power Matrix 13 Power Players in the community. Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed.com, writing of the newspaper’s inﬂuence, said, “Gay City New editor Paul Schindler’s always strong opinions make the paper kind of a must-read even outside the community.” “The 50th anniversary of Stonewall and WorldPride provide a moment to reﬂect on and celebrate the huge strides the LGBTQ community has made,” Schindler said. “And looking at the work that remains to be done reminds all of us at Gay City News of the crucial mission we continue to have.” To be part of the June 27 Stonewall 50/ WorldPride edition of Gay City News, contact Ralph D’Onofrio at 718-260-2510 or rdonofrio@ schnepsmedia.com.

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L’marks considers 6 L.G.B.T. sites BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

ix L.G.B.T. historically significant sites are up for possible landmarking, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson recently announced. “As a preservationist, I have always believed that the cultural significance of a building is as important as its architectural significance,” Johnson said, in a statement on May 19. The locations include the L.G.B.T. Community Center, at 208 W. 13th St.; as well as 99 Wooster St., previously home to the Gay Activists Alliance Firehouse; 137 W. 71st St., James Baldwin’s former home; 31 Cornelia St., the site of the former Caffe Cino; 243 W. 20th St., the erstwhile Women’s Liberation Center; and Audre Lorde’s home, 207 St. Paul’s Ave., on Staten Island. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission was created in 1965 in response to public outrage over the demolition of the old Pennsylvania Station two years earlier. Since then, the agency has designated landmarks based on architectural significance and historical merit. A public hearing by the L.P.C. commissioners on whether to landmark the half-dozen sites will be held Tues., June 4. The commission will then vote on the sites at a later date. The process caps a four-year campaign by Village Preservation (formerly Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation) to urge the agency to landmark the L.G.B.T. Community Center and former Gay Activists Alliance Firehouse. V.P. has launched an online petition to rally support for the landmarking designations ahead of the June 4 hearing. And while the organization is glad these sites are being considered for landmark status, the group is also urging the city to formally landmark more historically significant L.G.B.T. sites, like Julius’ bar, at 150 W. 10th St. “In a city as diverse and progressive as New York, it’s hard to believe that until 2015 we had no landmarks reflecting L.G.B.T. history, and up until now only had one — the Stonewall Inn,” says the preservation group’s online petition. “All the threads of the rich tapestry of our city’s history deserve to be recognized and preserved. On the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which also occurred in Greenwich Village, we should be reflecting back upon that history of progress and honoring the people and places which made it possible.”

In the early 1970s, 99 Wooster St. was home to the pioneering Gay Activists Alliance Firehouse.

Open houses, ULURP on E. Side resiliency BY GABE HERMAN

s the public-review process for the much-debated East Side Coastal Resiliency Project moves ahead, locals are having a chance to learn more about the current state of the plan and to weigh in on it. The project’s goal is to protect the East Side waterfront from E. 25th St. to Montgomery St. from flooding. Peter Cooper Village, at 360 First Ave., at E. 21st St., is host to two open houses, one on Wed., June 5, from 4 p.m.

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to 8 p.m., and another on Thurs., June 6, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., on the lower level. Present at the open houses to answer questions will be representatives from city agencies, including the Department of Design and Construction, the Mayor’s Office of Resiliency, the Parks Department, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Environmental Protection. The resiliency plan’s current version calls for East River Park — including its sports fields, playgrounds and comfort stations — to be elevated 8 to 9 feet,

which is above the current and future 100-year floodplain. The project is expected to take threeand-a-half years and cost $1.45 billion. The work is to be jointly funded by the city and federal government. Links to information about the project, including the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP, application and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for it, can be found on the Community Board 3 Web site. The following week, there will be a ULURP public hearing on Tues., June 11, TVG

at 6:30 p.m., hosted by the C.B. 3 Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee, at P.S./M.S. 188, The Island School, at 442 E. Houston St. (Entrance at E. Houston St. and Baruch Drive.) Individuals who want to testify will each have two minutes to speak. In addition, on Thurs., June 13, the C.B. 3 Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Henry Street Settlement Youth Services Gymnasium, at 301 Henry St., near Grand St. June 6, 2019

Police Blotter DTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.

Sixth Precinct Went to pot

‘In the bag’

A male employee was assaulted over a plant inside Space Market, at 1 University Place, on Sat., June 1, around 2:50 p.m., police said. The worker, 38, said he got into an argument with a man over merchandise — a broken potted plant. He said the dispute escalated and turned physical when the man slapped his hand and bit his right leg. The employee sustained swelling, bruising, redness and pain to his upper right thigh. He refused medical attention at the scene. Michael Johnson, 43, was arrested for misdemeanor assault, and was also found to have an active warrant out for his arrest. He reportedly told arresting officers, “The plant was broken, I wanted a new one.”

Teen muggers A man was robbed on Horatio St. on Mon., May 27, around 9:50 p.m., police said. The victim told cops he was walking toward W. Fourth St., when he was surrounded by three or four males, who demanded his wallet. They pushed the man, 33, to the ground and took it. They then punched him in the face and ordered him to fork over his cell phone. The man gave it to them, then complied when they asked him to unlock it. The attackers ran off west on Jane St. The stolen property included an iPhone 6s, a wallet, eyeglasses and five credit cards, with a total value of $670. A canvass was conducted but was unsuccessful. The victim refused medical attention. Images from cameras were available from several nearby locations on Horatio and Jane Sts. The next day, according to police, four youths were arrested for felony robbery: Steven Kaiser, 15; Christopher McMillian, 14; Justice Delaney, 15; and Akhmadov Khumoyun, 14. None of the stolen property was recovered.

‘Tenant’ trouble From inside 780 Greenwich St., between Bank and Bethune Sts., a woman kicked the building’s front door and broke glass on May 27 around 6:25 p.m., according to a police report. After investigation by building management, it was determined the woman allegedly was not renting the apartment she was staying in, and that it was being rented to another woman who had signed a lease but not moved in yet. The leaseholder said the other woman did not have permission to be there. Responding officers found the alleged interloper inside the apartment, with a key that she said a previous tenant gave her. It was unknown who that previous tenant was. Damage to the apartment and to the building’s front door each exceeded $250. A pipe was found in the apartment containing alleged marijuana residue, and the legal tenant told police that it was not hers. Nicole Cannizzaro, 37, was arrested for felony criminal mischief.

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

Police say the woman in this sur veillancecamera image robbed the NY Grill & Deli, at E. 12th St. and Avenue A .

Shoplifters

A woman took the phrase “deli takeout” to another level when she allegedly stole $1,000 worth of property from an East Village store. Police said the unidentified suspect swiped unspecified merchandise inside the NY Grill & Deli, at 191 Avenue A, at E. 12th St., on Sat., May 25, around 4 p.m., then fled on foot in an unknown direction. The woman is described as white, age 20 to 30, and last seen wearing a dark jacket and dark shorts. Cops said she was captured on surveillance camera inside the location before the incident. A worker who answered the phone at the deli Thursday said his understanding was that the thief went into the place’s basement, where she stole two store workers’ backpacks and their contents, including an iPad tablet and possibly similar items. He said the woman also snatched some store merchandise, including what he called “CBD juice.” Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.

10th Precinct

Two men and a woman are wanted in connection with shoplifting incidents, two apiece in Greenwich Village and Midtown, police said. The Village thefts occurred at Sunglass Hut, at 755 Broadway, at E. Eighth St. On Tues., May 14, around 3:30 p.m., two men and a woman reportedly entered the store and took 11 designer sunglasses before fleeing on foot. Then on Thurs., May 16, around 4:15 p.m., the two men in the trio took 31 designer sunglasses from the same store and fled. The stolen sunglasses’ total value from the two thefts was $12,800. The trio are also suspects in the theft of a $1,900 handbag at Saint Laurent, at 3 E. 57th St., on Sat., May 11, and the stealing of three handbags, worth a total of $1,800, at the FURLA 5th Avenue Store, at 645 Fifth Ave., between E. 51st and 52nd Sts., on Tues., May 14. The suspects were described as between age 20 and 30.

Punched wife A man was arrested after assaulting his wife in front of 184 Seventh Ave., at W. 21st St., and causing property damage to a nearby deli, police said. On Sun., June 2, at 12:20 a.m., a woman, 51, was punched in the face by her husband, after the couple argued, a witness said. The woman refused to cooperate with police and answer questions, and left the scene. Police were unable to check if she had any injuries. The witness had video of the husband pushing the woman into the door of the nearby Kharian Deli. The woman was found to have an order of protection, and the man, a parole warrant. The witness told cops the man broke the deli’s door. A search of him turned up an ID card and debit card that did not belong to him. Randy Swinson, 50, was arrested for felony criminal contempt and misdemeanor criminal mischief.

Ninth Precinct Spray suspect ‘Fine’ thieves Police said that on Fri., May 24, around 4 p.m., in the vicinity of E. Fourth St. and First Ave., a 45-yearold man was notified by his credit-card company that a duplicate card had been fraudulently ordered under his name without his authorization. An investigation revealed that on Sat., May 25, at 1:30 p.m., three males, all between age 20 and 30, were observed on video surveillance using the duplicate card inside the Fine Fare supermarket at 42 Avenue C. The trio charged about $550 worth of store merchandise. 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 CrimeStoppers Web site at WWW. NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYP-

A man sprayed a chemical agent at several people at REBAR, a Chelsea club, early last Sunday morning, according to police. A 29-year-old man said that, on June 2 around 2 a.m., he was standing inside the club, at 225 W. 19th St., between Seventh and Eighth Aves., when an unknown man spritzed something, which police said might have been pepper spray, into his eyes and face, causing eye irritation and redness. The victim received medical care at the scene but did not go to the hospital. A canvass was conducted with negative results, but police said a video was available from the scene. Three other men at the club around the same time reported being similarly sprayed.

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.

June 6, 2019

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Pr. 40: Mutiny on the waterfront ulously termed “public open space.” “The increase from 50% to 65% is only for ‘open space’ with no delineation on where that space be placed or how it be used and ith community board members and youth sports adshort of the 80% recommended by C.B. 2 in both 1998 when vocates up in arms over the recently released draft the park was created and in April,” Booth added. And he legislative amendments for Pier 40, at least one said, there is “no requirement that the open space be manlawmaker is saying local politicians now must “balance the aged by the Trust as a true park.” various needs” of the W. Houston St. pier and Hudson C.B. 2 also wants the number of potential office workRiver Park more sensibly. ers on the pier to be limited to 3,000 — something also But time may be running out. The state Legislature left out of the draft amendments. is set to adjourn by as early as June 19, and the HudIn addition, Booth said, there should be “clear speson River Park Trust — the park’s governing state-city cific language that a ULURP [Uniform Land Use Reauthority — is putting on a full-court press to ram the view Procedure] and EIS [Environmental Impact Stateamendments through. ment] is required. Electeds have stated this is a given, so Right before Memorial Day weekend, draft legislathe language should be crystal clear.” tive amendments to the Hudson River Park Act of 1998 For her part, Madelyn Wils, president and C.E.O. of were publicly released — and a public forum on them the Park Trust, testifying at the May 21 public hearing, was held the day right after the holiday, leaving scant said the draft amendments were “too limiting.” time for people to digest the proposals, let alone formu“The future of Pier 40 has been in a state of limbo late reactions. for more than two decades,” she said. “We do not beIn a first-of-its-kind process, since January, local lawlieve the draft in its current form creates a viable path makers and/or their staff met regularly to craft guidePHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY forward because of its combination of limitations and lines for how the pier might be redeveloped, and what Madelyn Wils, the president of the Hudson requirements. However, since I also feel we are collecrestrictions should be included in the park’s legislation. River Park Trust, called the draft legislatively closer than ever to finding a lasting solution, I am A key element of the new proposed changes to the tion, “too limiting,” yet said the Trust feels it hopeful that we can reach that goal by continuing to Park Act is to allow commercial offices on the 14-acre is “closer than ever” to finding a solution for work together.” pier — a use currently prohibited under the park’s Pier 40. Wils noted the Trust does believe Pier 40 should genfounding legislation. erate 25 percent of the park’s operating expenses. She Under the original Park Act, the 5-mile-long watersemblymember Glick and Senator [Brian] Kavanagh, to said the authority wants to develop 880,000 square feet front park is intended to generate its own revenue “to help craft a solution that will both protect and expand of “newly constructed commercial office space” on the the extent practicable” — while Pier 40 is designated as the ball fields and park space at Pier 40 while generating pier, and wants the pier’s lease to be 99 years — more a “commercial node,” albeit with at least 50 percent of the type of revenue the Trust needs.” than triple the current permitted length — which would its footprint designated for public open space. One of What Hoylman was referring to by the sudden “drop” allow a developer to get a better loan rate. the current draft amendments would bump that figure of legislation was the package of amendments that, “Adaptive reuse [of the existing pier shed] may be up to at least 65 percent. passed on the Legislature’s last day in session in 2013, feasible, though perhaps less likely to meet open space “Personally, I never saw the park as a profit center,” included allowing the Trust to transfer the park’s unand financial goals,” Wils noted. said Assemblymember Deborah Glick. “But, sadly, the used development rights to construction sites on the east Local youth leagues and Xavier High School, comcity and the state created this construction whereby the side of the West Side Highway. prising the Pier 40 Champions, wrote to the local polipark has to raise money to maintain itself.” Meanwhile, longtime waterfront park activist Tobi ticians crafting the amendments to say they support Like many others, Glick feels that since the park has Bergman, as this paper first reported last week, saying changing the Park Act, but that “certain changes are spawned all the development that has turned the Lower he was “demoralized” by the draft legislation process, needed” to win their support. West Side into the so-called “Gold Coast,” government, resigned from Community Board 2 at its May 23 meetIn short, the Champions said they want 50 percent of in return, should recognize that by funding the park ing. Bergman said the local politicians “ignored” the ex- the pier’s footprint — at least 320,000 square feet — to more generously. tensive Pier 40 resolution C.B. 2 passed in April. be designated active playing-field space at ground level. “We’ve had a great deal of development because of “No one is happy and the bottom line is it’s because On top of that, they want an additional 90,000 square the park,” Glick stated, “and the city and state have it’s not good enough,” Bergman said of the draft amend- feet of outdoor field space and 50,000 square feet of both gotten major increases — in property taxes for the ments. “There is no time to fix it and it should be indoor field space. city and income taxes for the state. But the reality is that dropped for this term. However, the leagues say they do not prioritize adapthere are some development nodes and Pier 40 is one of “The people who pushed hardest to amend the tive reuse over new construction, but “support all soluthem. It’s the only place we have major playing fields, so Park Act, including Congressman Nadler and Coun- tions” for the pier. we have to preserve those. cil Speaker Johnson, should now push the restart butUnlike Bergman, Dan Miller, another leading water“So my colleagues and I are trying to figure out a ton. The park is on the cusp of becoming one of New front park advocate on C.B. 2, doesn’t want to put off balance between the need to raise money and the need York’s great parks, and everyone needs to recommit to modifying the Park Act until perhaps the next legislafor open space. But we also, at the forum, heard very its future — adequately funded but undiminished by big tive session, which starts in January 2020. clearly from people that they don’t believe that building office buildings at Pier 40, Pier 57 and Pier 76.” “I want it to continue,” he said. “I don’t want to waste an office space on Pier 40 makes any sense. Carter Booth, C.B. 2 chairperson, gave blistering tes- a year. They are trying to find a compromise,” he said of “The Trust at the forum heard people in the comtimony at the public forum, expressing his “disappoint- the politicians. “I want it to go through because Pier 40 munity say they want more field space but they don’t ment on a number of fronts” in the process of the draft needs to be renovated. It’s an important asset, and here want an office building. We’re going to have to talk it legislation. it is rusting into the river.” over and see whether there is a compromise that works “Discussing a large office building in a park is a terLike Bergman, a past president of Greenwich Village for all,” Glick said. “And we’ll have to see how we can rible idea,” Booth said. “But if that is a discussion that Little League, Miller noted Pier 40 Champions strongly balance the various needs.” we have to have, limiting the scale and avoiding a new supported legalizing “air rights” transfers from Hudson Similarly, state Senator Brad Hoylman, who reprebuilding is better than the destructive direction this leg- River Park — which has already netted the Trust $100 sents the area surrounding Pier 40, though not the pier islation is sure to take things.” million for Pier 40 from the St. John’s Terminal develitself, said he is holding out hope of “crafting a solution” Booth blasted the fact that the proposed amendments opers. various stakeholders can be happy with. don’t require that adaptive reuse of the existing Pier 40 “We were told the air rights would be the answer to “I’m glad we were able to hear from the public beshed structure be considered first, before constructing a save the pier,” Miller said. fore a bill was introduced,” Hoylman said of the public David Gruber, another veteran development watchnew building on the pier. forum. “In the past, legislation concerning the Hudson “The preference for reuse appears that it can be over- dog on C.B. 2, echoed that it’s crucial that any project River Park Act has dropped in the middle of the night at Pier 40 go through ULURP, and that the board, in ridden by the Trust for any reason,” he said. with no public discussion. He also slammed the fact that the draft changes don’t general, favors adaptive reuse of existing structures. “As for what we heard, it was definitely a broad “We just think it’s not a development, it’s a park,” he range of comments from the public. I’m working with require an increase in the amount of actual sports-field my legislative colleagues who represent the pier, Asspace — though they do require a slight increase of neb- said of Pier 40.

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

June 6, 2019

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Monumental plan for trans activists told The Villager that she had lived for a time on the Greenwich Village waterfront. Rivera brought back STAR in 2001 to campaign for the city’s Transgender Rights Bill and inclusion of transgender protections in the state’s Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act, or SONDA. Johnson was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She moved to New York City after high school and struggled with homelessness, but advocated for gay and transgender street youth, along with sex workers and people in prison. Johnson performed with a drag group called Hot Peaches and was photographed by Andy Warhol. Her body was found in the Hudson River on July 6, 1992, and her cause of death remains unsolved. She was 46. “Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera are undeniably two of the most important foremothers of the modern L.G.B.T.Q. rights movement. Yet their stories have been erased from a history they helped create,” McCray said. “From their leading role at Stonewall, to their revolutionary work supporting transgender and non-binary youth in our city, they charted a path for the activists who came after them. Today, we correct the record. The city Marsha and Sylvia called home will honor their legacy and tell their stories for generations to come.” De Blasio declared the monument

BY GABE HERMAN

ransgender activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera will be getting a monument in the city, with the proposed location in the Village at the Ruth Wittenberg Triangle, Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray announced on May 30. The monument is part of the She Built NYC project, which honors pioneering women. It would be the first permanent public artwork in the world to honor transgender women. Ruth Wittenberg Triangle is blocks away from the Stonewall Inn, now a national monument and where Johnson and Rivera were key figures in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. In 1970, Johnson and Rivera cofounded STAR, standing for Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. The group provided housing and support for L.G.B.T. street youth, including transgender sex workers. The first STAR House was in Greenwich Village, and was the first L.G.B.T. youth shelter in North America. STAR was also the first organization in America led by transgender women of color. Rivera and Johnson were advocates for many causes and marginalized groups, including homeless people, H.I.V.-positive youth, young people of color marginalized in the broader campaign for L.G.B.T. rights, and people

PHOTO BY DIANA DAVIES/NY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Marsha P. Johnson protesting Bellevue Hospital’s treatment of street people and gay people, circa 1968-75.

with disabilities. They fought for all people to have proper access to healthcare. Rivera died from liver cancer at age 50 in 2002. She lived on New York’s streets from a young age, after running away from her grandmother at age 11 due to her criticism of Rivera being gender-defying, according to a She Built NYC bio. Rivera worked as a child prostitute before being taken in by a community of drag queens. She

would “send a clear message.” “Transgender and non-binary communities are reeling from violent and discriminatory attacks across the country,” he said. “Here in New York City, we are sending a clear message: We see you for who you are, we celebrate you, and we will protect you. This monument to Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera will honor their pioneering role in the fight for human rights in our city and across the world.” “I have been waiting decades to see these trans revolutionary women honored,” said Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker, cofounder of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group. “They were on the frontlines of the gay movement and deserve this honor.” The statues for the monument will reportedly cost about $750,000, and come out of $10 million that de Blasio has allocated for new public artworks. The city has issued an open call, with a deadline of Oct. 1, for artists interested in creating the monument. The traffic island bounded by Greenwich and Sixth Aves. and Christopher St., was named for legendary activist Ruth Wittenberg in 1990. Wittenberg served on Community Board 2 for 40 years and was part of the effort to close the Women’s House of Detention and create the Jefferson Market Garden on its former site. She is commemorated by a small plaque in the triangle’s pavement.

Cuomo onboard with new LIRR ‘gateway’ BY GABE HERMAN

enn Station redevelopment plans continue to move forward, including a new main entrance for the Long Island Rail Road that may make the cramped and dingy station a bit more agreeable to commuters. Final designs for the new entrance — at 33rd St. and Seventh Ave. — were unveiled by Governor Andrew Cuomo on May 16. The entrance will connect directly to the LIRR main concourse, and include three escalators, an elevator and a stairway. Currently, the only direct entrance to the LIRR level is on 34th St., and the goal of the new portal is to relieve congestion and safety issues stemming from high congestion. The LIRR 33rd St. concourse will be widened under the new project, from 30 feet to 57 feet. And the ceiling height will increase to 18 feet, from its current heights of 7 and 8 feet, which adds to the place’s cramped feeling. The project will also improve the station’s lighting. Construction for the new entrance is set to start in June, and finish by December 2020. Costs are budgeted at around $600 million. That includes $170 million from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s current 2015-19 capital program, with the rest coming from New York State. About 250,000 people take the LIRR daily, and another 235,000 use trains from New Jersey Transit. In addition, 115,000 people use the subway at Penn

June 6, 2019

COURTESY GOVERNOR CUOMO’S OFFICE

A design rendering of the new LIRR entrance on Seventh Ave. and 33rd St. It would sit just nor th of Penn Station’s main entrance.

Station station or visit its retail stores. This project is part of a larger Penn Station reconstruction that includes turning the Farley Post Office, at Eighth Ave. between W. 31st and 33rd Sts., into the new Moynihan Train Hall. Named for the late Senator Patrick Moynihan, the hall is also scheduled to open in December 2020. It will boast nine platforms and 17 tracks to service LIRR and Amtrak trains. “Penn Station was one of the great railroad stations of the world, but now it’s not fit for the greatest city in

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the nation,” Cuomo said when the main entrance’s final design was unveiled. “That’s why we are creating a world-class train hall at Moynihan and today we are announcing a new East End Gateway to bring more access, safety and light. Passengers will be able to come in that [33rd St.] entrance and avoid the front of Penn Station, there will be less traffic and you’ll have access to the subway and the LIRR. It will be a gateway to a world-class facility. This is not a proposal — we are getting to work now.” Praising the station’s upcoming changes and giving credit to the governor were local leaders, including state Senator Brad Hoylman, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Assemblymember Richard Gottfried and Vikki Barbero, chairperson of Community Board 5. “This new iconic entrance, along with widened corridors, heightened ceilings and new retail, will dramatically improve the experience for the 600,000plus people who use Penn Station daily,” said Janno Lieber, M.T.A. chief development officer. Lieber thanked Cuomo for his leadership on the project. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has famously sparred with Cuomo on transportation issues, also touted the project as a much-needed improvement. “Penn Station opens New York City up to hundreds of thousands of people each day,” de Blasio said. “Those who use it deserve a station as vibrant as the city itself. We look forward to working closely with the governor, the M.T.A., local officials and the community to make the vision a reality.” Schneps Media

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Talking Point

Let camps hire mental health pros BY ALICIA SKOVER A

ith camp beginning at the end of June, children attending New York summer camps who have mental health issues won’t be getting the care they need and deserve. Under current law, New York camp directors are unable to hire mental health practitioners to address the myriad of mental health problems campers arrive at camp with each summer. In May, the Senate Democratic majority passed legislation, S.3834-M, to support children’s mental health and physical well-being by allowing licensed professionals to be hired at children’s summer camps. The New York State Camp Directors Association (NYSCDA) urges the Assembly to pass its version of the bill, A.3074 -A, so summer camps, just like schools, are able to employ social workers and mental health practitioners. As a New York camp director and the president of the New York State Camp Directors Association, I have seen firsthand the harmful effects campers with various mental health issues suffer when they don’t receive the appropriate services while attending camp. No child should be denied the support he or she needs due to an archaic law preventing camp directors from hiring licensed professionals. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that one in five children in the U.S. experiences a mental disorder, it’s imperative to New York

COURTESY NYSCDA

Kids should have all the resources available for a great summer camp experience, the writer says.

camp directors that children attending their camps are provided with the safest experience possible. Bordering states allow camp directors to hire licensed professionals, as do schools. Children attending New York camps deserve the same care from licensed

professionals as they get while in school or at camps in adjacent states. Skovera is president, New York State Camp Directors Association

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June 6, 2019

Editorial

FLASH

BACK

Figuring out 14th St.

overnment credibility and integrity is an enormous issue right now. So it’s puzzling and concerning to see what has been going on with the plans for 14th St. It’s not even a question of whether we are in favor of the Transit/Truck Priority lanes. Really, it’s this process that has been, frankly, bizarre. When the sky was falling and the “Lpocalypse” was coming, and everything was going to be utterly “unprecedented,” we were told that a no-cars “busway” was needed on 14th St. because, with the L train out of service, tens of thousands of displaced straphangers would need this. Then, earlier this year, Governor Andrew Cuomo shocked everyone by saying the L-train “shutdown” would only be a “slowdown.” It appeared Andy Byford, head of the New York City Transit Authority, threw in the towel on the busway, as did Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Mayor Bill de Blasio. But recently, the plan was resurrected, though with a few changes. The Truck/Transit Priority lanes would be an 18-month-long pilot plan. Though, as one member of the 14th St. Coalition put it, usually a pilot is maybe three months. Eighteen months sounds like something permanent. The reason for the T.P.P. plan, we’re now told? The buses on 14th St. are just, well, too slow.

Locals suspect there is more to it: that turning 14th St. into a corridor for faster-moving buses (though there will be trucks in their way now in a single lane) is about two things, “tourism and Google.” Tourism meaning getting people to the High Line, to the Whitney Museum, eventually to Pier 55, Barry Diller’s art pier. And Google meaning the tech giant will have offices at Pier 57 and already has a solid line of buildings stretching from Eighth Ave. to the pier. The L train stops at Eighth Ave. The implementation of Select Bus Service — and dropping the Abingdon Square loop — is a huge issue for West Village seniors. Cutting the number of stops on the M14A on the Lower East Side is another nightmare for seniors, though some stops were restored. Then there are the bike lanes on 12th and 13th Sts. It’s much safer biking in them than the narrow ones on 9th and 10th Sts. Yet they take up so much of the side streets. These lanes were put in for the “L-pocalypse,” allegedly temporarily. Now they’re permanent. So the city is determined to make 14th St. an “experiment.” Residents fear, understandably, their side streets will be flooded with spillover traffic. As for why buses are losing ridership and so slow on 14th St., let’s be real: It’s the explosion of ride-hail app cars, like Uber, Lyft, Via, etc. Let’s cut the dissembling. Just give it to us straight.

PHOTO BY LIZA STELLE

Peter Obletz on the High Line, in a Jan. 7, 1982 Villager ar ticle.

BY GABE HERMAN

he front page of The Villager on Jan. 7, 1982, featured a profile of Peter Obletz, who for years advocated to save the High Line from demolition and reuse it for transportation and recreation. At the time, the elevated freight rail line was abandoned and overgrown. Train use for transporting goods had declined starting in the 1960s with a rise in trucking. By the ’80s, train traffic on the High Line had ceased completely. The southernmost part of the High Line, between Spring and Bank Sts., was demolished in the ’60s, and calls grew into the ’80s for the remainder of the structure to be razed. But Obletz told The Villager that he wanted to save the viaduct. One of his ideas was for a sleek railroad car that would make leisurely trips to a new railroad museum, while passing community gardens and concession stands along the High Line. Another was for a trolley car that would make regular stops along the line, for use by local Chelsea and Village residents. Obletz saw his schemes as helping address transportation needs in an area undergoing development. “These ideas are not for any crackpot sentimental or historical reasons,” he said, in the article by Elizabeth Weiner. The train enthusiast was a West Chelsea resident. The Villager article described him “sitting in his renovated stationmaster’s quarters under 11th Avenue, with his two vintage private railroad passenger cars sitting on the tracks outside like faithful guardians.” Obletz, then 35, had been a consultant to the Metropolitan Trans-

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June 6, 2019

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portation Authority and Sweet 14, a local development corporation for E. 14th St., and was chairperson of Community Board 4 in the 1980s. He was also a partner in a private luxury rail tour company backed by American Express. Obletz told the newspaper that his personal interest in trains “became so intermeshed with the political and economic development of Manhattan that I had to get involved.” His efforts to save the High Line included forming the West Side Rail Line Development Foundation in 1983, and buying the High Line for just $10 in 1984, which was eventually overturned in court. Obletz died in 1996 and didn’t get to see the High Line park. “He was the first saint of the High Line,” Joshua David, a co-founder of Friends of the High Line, told The Villager in 2013 about Obletz. Another article, on Page 3 in the same issue, described problems on Bleecker St. from excessive truck traffic, largely stemming from the Abingdon Square intersection. The problems began in 1957, according to the article by Carol Hall, when Manhattan’s two-way avenues were changed to one-way arteries. At the busy Abingdon Square intersection, which includes Bleecker and Hudson Sts., and Eighth Avenue, “traffic that once whizzed past now veered from southbound Hudson onto Bleecker,” the article said. “The result was a greater number of accidents and increased congestion on an already bustling street.” Ads in the issue included The Candle Shop, at 118 Christopher St.; Garber’s Hardware, still in business today; and the new film “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” showing at the 8th St. Playhouse at Sixth Ave. Schneps Media

Op-Ed

Not going to the dogs on Gansevoort, Pr. 40 BY LYNN PACIFICO

hen I took the Gansevoort Peninsula survey, I was perplexed since nine out of 10 of the schematics we did at the Gansevoort design charrette included a dog run. But a dog run was not included as an option in the online survey — not mentioned anywhere. PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY The survey asks what we do in the park At least dogs still have the and lists a few options, Dachs Fest in Washington but nothing to do with Square Park, above, but the dogs — the largest sin- writer says four-footed locals gle-user group of parks have been losing ground. in New York City. In the “other” option, I put “dog walking”; but when I went over the survey before submitting it, my answer to that question had been changed to “walking” — “dog” having somehow been left out. I wrote to the field operations responsible for the survey about this but have not heard back. A dog run also wasn’t included in the charrette feedback information we received at the May Community Board 2 Parks Committee meeting. Shouldn’t it be that the community spoke and it wants four things with the dog run included? Why was a dog run excluded everywhere? No wonder I was told that not many dog owners answered the Pier 40 survey — it was also rigged. When I asked why a dog run wasn’t included for Pier 40, the rep from “Pier 40 for All” (an inaccurate name!) suggested that I rally the dog owners. For 25 years, the dog community has lobbied, gone to countless meetings, gathered thousands of names on petitions, and won 16 resolutions in support from C.B. 2 and local elected officials. I am so disillusioned with this community process that I no longer rally dog owners for anything, but continue alone. Why waste anyone else’s time? This is a dog (not) and pony show and would be a joke if it wasn’t for the fact that taxpaying dog owners continue to be left out. The youth-league sports people keep harping on how they are building community, but it doesn’t seem to matter that the community of dog owners that used J.J. Walker Field was destroyed when we were locked out of that field. When passing the field and asking where the players are from, half the time I’m told they are from outside of our community. Dogs are a field sport: How do you play Frisbee with them at the Leroy St. run? Not only does the Leroy run not take the place of what we lost, it is injuring our dogs. My Pax has gone lame from running on its asphalt surface and we are beginning the expensive vet process of X-rays, etc. She is in pain and often falls going up steps, smashing her head into the steps when her legs fail. She is my partner, so when she suffers so do I. None of the old dog-walking community uses the Leroy St. run. I miss standing in the old field and watching the changes in nature through the year. I miss having a decent place to go and play with my dog. I miss my community. I miss an honest response to community needs. Pacifico is president, Dog Owners Action Committee

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Letters to the Editor Smartest guy in the room To The Editor: Re “Draft punked: C.B. 2 outraged at Pier 40 legislation” (news article, May 30): Tobi Bergman has been a gift to our community. He got so many things done for us and stopped so many things from being done to us. At meetings, he was often the smartest person in the room and always had our best interest in mind. While he may be done tirelessly volunteering for us (I hope not), he will never stop working for our better tomorrow. Thank you, sir. It’s been an honor. FILE PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

John Paul DeVerna

Stop the insanity on Pier 40 To The Editor: Re “Public forum on Pier 40 and its future” (news article, May 23): You don’t have to be a genius to see where this is going. Another Amazon and Hudson Yards fiasco for all of us and a windfall for bankers and developers. The Hudson River Park Friends are dominated by hedge-fund owners, bankers and developers. Duh? I live in the neighborhood and was at Pier 40 the day before the public hearing. There wasn’t a single sign that I could see announcing the event. This must not be done behind closed doors. Pier 40 is a public space. Public spaces don’t have to be self-supporting. What insanity! The city and state gave away $6 billion for the Hudson Yards monstrosity. They can now fund a replacement for this pier that is designed for the nearby communities and the millions of city residents and visitors who will use it. Any politician who supports privatizing Pier 40 will need a new job soon. Bruce G. Trigg

Schooled her on musical bus To The Editor: Re “Rockin’ counterculture bus is a real trip” (arts article,

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Tobi Bergman, then-C.B. 2 chairperson, at a rally to save the Elizabeth St. Garden in September 2016. He recently resigned from the all-volunteer board, feeling local politicians are ignoring its carefully considered position on Pier 40. Along with development, parks was one of Bergman’s signature issues on Board 2. He was previously the C.B. 2 Parks Committee chairperson. Earlier in his career, he ran Central Park’s operations.

May 30): Great article. I saw this bus, its jubilant performers, even the parents, a few weeks back just north of Washington Square Park and I was wondering what it was all about. Joyfully, now I know. Darlene Nation

Double standard on vaccines To The Editor: Re “Push to end measles religious exemptions” (Health article, May 30): If, according to our local politicians, otherwise healthy but unvaccinated legal residents of this country pose a deadly threat to fellow citizens, then what about the thousands of unexamined children and adults who are encouraged to ignore our immigration laws and seek sanctuary in big population centers like New York City? Where is the concern and/ or outrage by our local elected officials over the health risks created by this out-of-control situation?

It feels like one big fat double standard. You either support public health and safety or you don’t. When my son was at the age for shots, the doctor tried to save time, I guess, and prescribed five instead of three at one appointment. The nurse — on her own — stopped it because she said, “It will make your baby very sick.” The closest I ever came to losing my son was when he became deathly ill after one round of shots. The “one size fits all” theory never works. God bless nurses and doctors who can afford to tell the truth. Martha Danziger E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to news@thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 1 MetroTech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Anonymous letters will not be published.

June 6, 2019

V.I.D. fetes Johnson, Bradlow, blue crew

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

No IDC NY received an award for exposing “fake Democrats” and allowing New York State to realize its progressive potential. Accepting the award from V.I.D. President David Siffer t, right, is Gus Christensen, center.

BY TEQUIL A MINSK Y

he Village Independent Democrats recently held their 62 awards reception, aptly titled, Blue New York, to celebrate a blue state government, voted in during the last election. Returning to Tio Pepe, the W. Fourth St. Spanish restaurant, the annual event recognized outstanding individuals and organizations noted for advancing the progressive agenda. With a blue majority in the state Legislature, as well as in Congress, the mood was much more upbeat than last year. As usual, the evening offered opportunities to schmooze with local politicians. Leading the program off in the liveliest of fashions, Sing Out Louise, the resistance chorus with a credo of “Get out there and make your voices heard,” distributed its original satiric progressive lyrics and got the crowd singing. Upon City Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s arrival, he was serenaded with a song tailor-made for him. Johnson received the V.I.D. Outstanding Leadership Award. He currently represents the Village, Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen in the Council. When he was just 29, he won the chairpersonship of Community Board 4. Johnson has a reputation as a tenacious advocate for his constituents and as a prolific sponsor of legislation in the Council. Another award recipient, the grassroots progressive organization No IDC NY, spearheaded the successful 2018 effort to replace six out of eight of the Independent Democratic Conference a.k.a. I.D.C. members; the incumbent

June 6, 2019

“fake Democrat” senators aligned themselves with Republicans. No IDC NY works to ensure that progressive lawmakers are elected and progressive legislation passed. True Blue NY — and the four founding women who had no previous political experience who accepted the award — was also recognized. The organization’s first task was to defeat the I.D.C. and Simcha Felder to flip the state Senate blue. They built a coalition of more than 60 diverse, grassroots groups, Democratic clubs and issue-driven organizations. A club stalwart for nearly 40 years and a longtime Villager who has held various V.I.D. offices, Frieda Bradlow received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Bradlow was a social worker, environmentalist, community activist and campaign director for longtime Councilmember Miriam Friedlander. She was a founding member of Downtown Independent Democrats but redistricting changed her territory. This award recognizes her perseverance, dedication and compassionate leadership. The Village’s new female district leader, Jen Hoppe, was introduced to the crowd. After some 14 years, Keen Berger said she would not run again as district leader. Four women showed interest in the unsalaried party position. After endorsements and a club election, Hoppe prevailed in a close race. Showing up during the dinner part of the event, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer arrived and, always welcome, was applauded upon arrival.

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

For a lifetime of progressive activism in Greenwich Village and “an enduring legac y of environmental concerns that know no bounds,” Frieda Bradlow received the V.I.D. Visionar y Award.

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who represents District 3 in the City Council, received the Outstanding Leadership Award from V.I.D. TVG

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COURTESY NORTHWELL HEALTH

Boyz II Men crooned smooth tunes at Side by Side.

Northwell rocks vets, active military BY NORTHWELL HEALTH

n May 25, thousands of veterans, active military members and their families gathered at Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall for Side By Side: A Celebration of Service, created by Northwell Health. The two-part event honoring service members was the “official pinnacle event” of New York City Fleet Week. Bands Imagine Dragons and Boyz II Men and singer Gavin DeGraw and others performed as part of the inspirational day honoring service members. “Northwell was honored to stand with those who have given so much of themselves to this great nation, which was especially fitting over Memorial Day weekend,” said Michael Dowling, president and C.E.O. of Northwell Health, who more than a decade ago created Northwell’s Office of Military and Veterans Liaison Services. “It is our privilege and responsibility to continue our ongoing support to veterans and their families, including both medical care and behavioral health treatment for those struggling with PTSD. As a proud employer of thousands of veterans, we also remain committed to recruiting and assisting newly returned veterans trying to find a job and acclimate back into civilian life.”

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COURTESY NORTHWELL HEALTH

Singer Gavin DeGraw was par t of the starstudded lineup of per formers for Side by Side.

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The first half of the celebration at Rockefeller Center, which was free and open to the public, featured performances by Boyz II Men, Gavin DeGraw, Alex Boyé, Rock Star Karaoke, The U.S. Navy Band, and cast members from “Jersey Boys” and “Wicked.” Attendees also interacted with actual U.S. Navy equipment, and got to see a special presentation of Northwell Health’s “The Fin” — the first 3Dprinted amphibious prosthetic leg, which was named one of TIME magazine’s Best Inventions of 2018. A highlight of the daytime portion was hearing Navy veteran Dusty Kirby tell his extraordinary story and the moving onstage reunion with those who served with him in Iraq, as well as with surgeons from Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital who literally gave him his smile back by reconstructing his jaw, which was shattered by gunfire more than a decade ago. Northwell awarded its Patriot Awards to Kirby and Dr. David Hirsch, Lenox Hill’s chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery, who performed two pro bono surgeries to reposition Kirby’s jaw so it aligned with his teeth. Later that evening, Northwell Health provided free tickets to hundreds of service members and their families for a special performance by Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum band Imagine Dragons.

June 6, 2019

Obituary

Wally Elvers, 95, Villager, polymath 40, he became so adept that before long he was vetting advertising copy for medical accuracy in Spanish, often challenging (successfully) the prepared copy as readable among New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hispanics, but not equally understandable to Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mostly Mexican population. A recipient of the New York City Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Silver Apple Award for his volunteer service in 2001, Elvers was very proud of his 30-year â&#x20AC;&#x153;careerâ&#x20AC;? as a volunteer at the American Museum of Natural History. A fossil bivalve genus, Elversella, was named in his honor. He often noted that he had worked in almost every department in the museum. On his first â&#x20AC;&#x153;jobâ&#x20AC;? there, he developed a new technique for preparing 110-million-year-old fish fossils for study and display. His extensive research and fact-checking on the more than 1,500 specimens contributed fundamentally to the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spectrum of Life Wall (a.k.a. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wallâ&#x20AC;? to family and friends). To dramatize a rapidly growing problem in the Great Lakes, one 1997 exhibit, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Endangered,â&#x20AC;? featured a Volkswagen Beetle encrusted with zebra mussels from Lake Erie. With a zero budget to work with, Elvers sought out a car, someone to remove the gas tank and more, prior to dunking, a salvage company to lower, and then raise, the car, a

BY LITA ELVERS

alter Barton Elvers DDS, 95, passed away peacefully on April 17. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wally,â&#x20AC;? as he was known, lived just a block from his beloved Washington Square Park with his wife of more than 57 years, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bibiâ&#x20AC;? (nĂŠe Lita Melba AbrilLamarque). Methodical, analytical, detail-oriented, a problem solver and a very independent thinker, he was also very sociable. Always in a Western-style shirt and rarely seen without a bolo tie, he was known for his sense of humor, insisting that he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t â&#x20AC;&#x153;old,â&#x20AC;? but â&#x20AC;&#x153;mature.â&#x20AC;? He was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fudâ&#x20AC;? to daughters, Lauren Elvers Collins of Brooklyn, and Susan S. LeBlanc of Natick, MA, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;GrandFudâ&#x20AC;? to his grandchildren, Emily, Andrew, Griffin and Reeve. Born and raised in the Bronx, as a 12year-old he and a friend built a boat that they rode on the Hudson River a number of times. He earned his doctor of dental surgery from Columbia, then opened an orthodontic practice in 1949, but wanted something more challenging. Taking the phone book yellow pages

COURTESY BIBI ELVERS

Wally Elvers in 2014.

in hand, he looked for pharmaceutical companies. In the alphabetical listing, he quickly came across Bristol-Myers Products Division, then producing Ipana toothpaste. It turned out they were looking for a director of dental research. Thirty-two years later he retired as associate medical director. Among other responsibilities, he directed the clinical studies for the development of Excedrin. Deciding to learn Spanish at age

VILL AGE APOTHECARY

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tap and payâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is in play BY ALEJANDR A Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CONNELLDOMENECH

T H E C O M M U N I T Y P H A R M AC Y T H AT C A R E S

ew Yorkers can now use major credit cards and devices like iPhones, Android phones and Apple Watches to pay for subway rides at select stations. On Fri., May 31, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched OMNY, a new system that allows riders to â&#x20AC;&#x153;tap and payâ&#x20AC;? fares for single rides by using â&#x20AC;&#x153;contactlessâ&#x20AC;? credit, debit or reloadable prepaid cards or mobile phones. Contactless cards have a symbol on the front or back that looks like the image used to represent Wi-Fi, which riders can request from their bank or credit card company. Straphangers can use their iPhones or Apple Watches to pay their fares through Apple Pay. Android phone users can pay through Google Pay. However, OMNY is not yet available in all subway stations. Passengers can currently only use it to board Staten Island buses and the 4, 5, and 6 train lines between Grand Central-42nd St. and Atlantic Ave.-Barclays Ctr. The M.T.A. will expand OMNY,

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June 6, 2019

protective sealant coating to ensure the encrustation stayed attached to the vehicle, transportation of the vehicle, and much, much more. And he arranged for every bit of it to be donated. Always curious and interested in new things, in the early 1970s he heard about a brand new sport, road running. Not for speed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; running just to run. Before long, before dawn every day he was running down to the southern tip of Manhattan and back, about 5 miles in all. He also ran his share of 10K races, several in Central Park. Not that he was fast, but he never gave up. Also as a volunteer, for more than a dozen years he was an anchor at the registration desk for the tens of thousands of runners in the New York City Marathon. His wide range of passions ranged from photography to computers to gadgets to visiting factories to see close-up how things are made. The bigger the challenge, the more fun he had. Donations may be sent to Greenwich House Senior Center on the Square, 20 Washington Square North, NY NY 10011; or the American Museum of Natural History, 79th St. and Central Park West, NY NY 10024. A memorial was held May 9 at Greenwich House Senior Center on the Square.

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Demonstrating using Google Pay to pay a subway fare at one of the new OMNY â&#x20AC;&#x153;tap and payâ&#x20AC;? turnstiles.

which stands for One Metro New York, to other lines throughout 2019. By late 2020, the M.T.A. expects that all riders will be able to use apps in their â&#x20AC;&#x153;digital walletâ&#x20AC;? on their phones to pay their fare at all subway stations. The new system is expected to be a big help for visitors and tourists who may find the current MetroCard system confusing. Passengers will also be able to pay for transit using the existing MetroCard system until 2023. Schneps Media

Mayor de Blasio Must Properly Fund Meal Programs for Senior Citizens 9P 9<K? =@EB<C# 88IG EPJ ;@I<:KFI â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without my senior center, I would have no food to eat.â&#x20AC;? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a direct quote from a senior who wrote the New York City Department for the Aging about dependence on meal programs at senior centers. This senior is not alone. Across New York City, hundreds of thousands turn to senior centers and home delivered meals to meet their daily nutritional needs. In fact, more than half (56%) of New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seniors report that the meals they eat at senior centers account for their primary daily food and nutrient intake. These meals are key to preventing seniors from going hungry. The need cannot be stressed enough. And yet for years, City Hall has not been providing adequate funding to

keep pace with the growing demand for - and cost of - senior meals programs. And the nonproďŹ t organizations around New York that prepare and serve these vital meals have been forced to ďŹ ll a multimillion dollar funding gap created by City Hall. Currently, the Department for the Aging overall budget accounts for less than 1% of the total City budget. That insufďŹ cient funding is only exacerbated

by the fact that aging New Yorkers make up the fastest-growing demographic - while the percentage of seniors living in poverty has increased, especially in the Bronx, where 28 percent of seniors now live below the poverty level. The problems of poverty, health and livability are even worse for seniors of color, according to ďŹ ndings from a report AARP New York released last year titled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Disrupting

Disparities: Solutions for New Yorkers Age 50+â&#x20AC;? With the fast-growing population and poverty numbers comes the need for more meals. In the last three years alone, there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of seniors accessing meals. And those meals have become more expensive, increasing 18 percent in the last decade. But hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the kicker: New York City spends 20 percent below the national average on senior meals, despite the fact the everything is more expensive in the city. We recently joined senior advocacy organizations LiveOn NY and Project FIND to call on Mayor de Blasio to increase funding by $35 million to cover the full cost of the approximately 13 million meals that are served annually at senior centers and through home delivered meals. Every senior deserves

access to a quality, nutritious meal. Kitchen staff and senior center professionals responsible for ensuring the availability of these meals must be paid a competitive, living wage (they mostly have not received raises in many years). And nonproďŹ ts shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be forced to cover the gaps left by the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inadequate funding. These basic investments are integral to ensuring the dignity of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s older adults and to promoting a fair city for all ages. We are committed to ensuring New Yorkers can age safely â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and with dignity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in our city. We want an age-friendly city that cares for its seniors. We wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop the pressure on Mayor de Blasio until he does the right thing for all seniors across New York. For Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest city, it is not too much to ask of City Hall.

Please join us for the 26th Annual Meeting of the Village Alliance

Monday, June 24th 6:00 - 7:30 PM St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University Manhattan Campus 101 Astor Place (at Third Avenue)

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PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN

The nearly completed mural at the Houston Bower y Wall on June 2.

Queen’s a believer in grafﬁti wall “I am so honored to be rocking the Bowery Mural wall!!” she wrote on Instagram on May 30, after work on the mural had begun. “My ‘BELIEVE’ mural is taking shape and it’s amazing to do this in the neighborhood that I grew up in. I love you NYC!!” “We are thrilled to help bring Queen Andrea’s inspiring work to the streets of New York,” said Jennifer Breithaupt, Global Consumer Banking C.M.O. at Citi. “As a brand committed to advancing gender equity and welcoming what’s next, we are extremely proud to highlight such a talented female artist who is breaking new ground and showing that anything is possible.” The artist posted again to Instagram on June 5 after the work was finished, writing of a photo of her in midair in front of the mural: “Jumping for joy the other night after we completed some very complicated geometry sections of my Bowery mural. The enPHOTO BY GABE HERMAN tire process was so intense, amazQueen Andrea working on the muing and challenging, and I’m so ral on May 26. grateful for every moment of it.”

BY GABE HERMAN

he latest artwork is now up at the Houston Bowery Wall Mural, and is a colorful piece called “Believe.” Its creator is local artist Queen Andrea, real name Andrea von Bujdoss. The artist could be seen working on the mural since late May at the big Houston St. and Bowery intersection. It was finished on June 4 and is scheduled to stay up through September. The work features the word “Believe” in big letters across the center, and in the lower right also says, “Love more.” The words and background are in bright colors of mainly yellows, blues and reds, and there are geometric shapes throughout the design. Queen Andrea is a fi ne artist, muralist, graffiti artist, typographer and graphic designer. This work is presented by Citi, in partnership with Goldman Global Arts. Queens Andrea’s design will also be featured on 300 Citi Bikes and 25 Citi Bike kiosks from June to October.

June 6, 2019

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Challenging his audience on climate change BY ALEJANDR A Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CONNELL-DOMENECH

abriel Rodriguezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack of Cupsâ&#x20AC;? asks audiences not just to worry about climate change but to do something about it. Performed in the Pete, the groundfloor theater at The Flea Theater in Tribeca, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack of Cups,â&#x20AC;? begins on the Island of Higher Ground. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a stretch of land where humans gather each year to listen to the story of â&#x20AC;&#x153;the wave that ate the world,â&#x20AC;? told by a traveling storyteller, Jack of Cups (Rodriguez). In this post-apocalyptic world, land is scarce and communities are built around water-filtration systems. Jack then tells his listeners their worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creation story, as Effie (Kayla Yee) interprets the story through dance. He heard the story from an old witch named Ursula he met in faraway land called Sagebrush after some playing children led him to her home in a series of underground caves. The audience then learns how this new world was born. When the Earth was inhabited by too many people with too much â&#x20AC;&#x153;extra stuff,â&#x20AC;? the ocean swallowed the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land. Though certainly timely, a story about a world destroyed by humans admittedly is not new. But â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack of Cupsâ&#x20AC;? offers a more hopeful ending to a world almost destroyed by climate change, and features a few tropes. Jackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secondhand telling of how the Earth was destroyed and guidance from a group of children is reminiscent of the film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.â&#x20AC;? A world consumed by the ocean is extremely similar to the premise of the 1995 film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Waterworld,â&#x20AC;? where the majority of the planet is underwater after the polar ice caps melt. But the importance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack of Cups,â&#x20AC;? and why audiences should watch it, is how it pushes viewers from being complacent when it comes to preventing climate change. Besides, according to the United Nations, humanity has less than 12 years to get its act together before irreversible damage from climate change. Walking toward the performance

Gabriel Rodriguez, the play wright of and main character in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack of Cups.â&#x20AC;?

space, audience members first pass along a path of plastic rings cut from water bottles that leads to the theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backyard, which is decorated with towers of strung-together plastic water bottles. At the end of the show, Jack addresses the audience and asks viewers to examine what â&#x20AC;&#x153;stuffâ&#x20AC;? in their life is necessary. The showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program is e-mailed to audience members, along with a link to a resource packet on how to disrupt, engage and redefine climate action in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a reminder that everyone can take steps toward creating a better and cleaner world.

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June 6, 2019

Eats

Ess-a-Bagel on a roll with new store BY GABE HERMAN

anhattan mainstay Ess-a-Bagel has expanded to a third location, with a new store near bustling Herald Square. The new bagelry, at 108 W. 32nd St., between Sixth and Seventh Aves., celebrated its grand opening on May 20. It offers the same classic bagels, large and fluffy, from natural ingredients, hand-rolled and baked on site. The big space features an extensive menu that includes more than 20 types of cream cheese, from vegetable to jalapeno, banana nut to “lite scallion.” There are plenty of egg options, and sandwich varieties, such as fish, cheese, meat and salads. And there are side salads, soups, knishes and more. Ess-a-Bagel was founded in 1976 and remains a family-run business. It was started by Florence and Gene Wilpon, and Florence’s brother Aaron Wenzelberg. The original location, at First Ave. and E. 21st St., often featured lines that went down the block. In 1993, Florence expanded to a second location, at 831 Third Ave., between E. 50th and 51st Sts. After Florence’s death in 2013, her sister Muriel and niece Melanie took the reins. In March 2015, the original First Ave. location closed, but the company opened a new store the following year nearby at 324 First Ave., at E. 19th St. At the Herald Square grand opening, Melanie said she was “very excited” about the third spot for the business. She said there are no immediate plans for more stores, and as the business expands, the focus is on keeping the authenticity. PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN

The newest Ess-a-Bagel is nestled amid the bustle of Herald Square.

Labyrinth Dance Theater presents Conceived, Choreographed and Directed by Sasha Spielvogel

“It really was her baby,” she said of aunt Florence’s connection with the bagel business. “Made with lots of love, she would say.” Ess-a-Bagel now ships nationally, and is also in Brookfield Place, near the World Trade Center, in the Amazon Go store. Catering also brings in good business, including breakfast catering for companies. “Bagels are no longer just a New York thing,” Melanie said. “They’ve gone worldwide.” But the local love continues, even as word has spread of the handmade bagels. Melanie recalled a snowstorm in the

Celebrating and Honoring Thirty Years of Love, Loss and Hope; Gay Life in NYC 1965-1995

Come Back Once More So I Can Say Goodbye June 14th–17th, 2019 The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater 405 West 55th Street, NYC (at the Corner of 55th St. & 9th Ave.)

city a couple of years ago, when they stayed open but had to close a little early. A man was upset about the early closing and said he had braved the storm to come just for their bagels. Melanie said people’s passion for the bagels can be a lot of pressure, but it’s a good problem for a business to have. And Melanie is also proud of the charity work they do, including with children and to fight breast cancer. Ess-a-Bagel’s new Herald Square location is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. More information can be found at ess-abagel32.com.

Beneﬁtting GMHC Ali Forney Center Live Out Loud and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Special Thanks to:

Honorary Host Committee: John Cameron Mitchell Terrence McNally and Tree of Stonewall PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN

LabyrinthDanceTheater.org 20

June 6, 2019

The store boasts more than 20 kinds of cream cheese.

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Manhattan Happenings BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

ART ‘Flashy’ student show: The first-ever art exhibition featuring work from 75 Morton/M.S. 297 students will take place for one night only on Tues., June 11, at La Nacional, the Spanish Benevolent Society, at 239 W. 14th St. “Made x Morton” will feature the work of 75 sixth and seventh graders from the school, whose symbol is a thunderbolt. Light refreshments will be served at the event, which goes from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Penn South arts-travaganza: Penn South Social Services will host its annual multimedia art exhibit on Sat., June 8, and Sun., June 9, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event will celebrate the talent of more than 50 Penn South artists and will be held at the Chelsea middleincome housing complex’s Community Room 8A, at 343 Eighth Ave., between 26th and 27th Sts. Artwork will be raffled during the exhibit. Raffle drawing will begin at 3 p.m.

BIKING Heady stuff: The Department of Transportation will be giving away free bike helmets, fittings and bike-riding lessons on Sat., June 8. The protective gear will be distributed at the Chelsea Park soccer field, between W. 27th and W. 28th Sts. between Ninth and 10th Aves., from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Bike-riding classes kids will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

E-WASTE DISPOSAL Trash it…safely: The Downtown Alliance business improvement district is hosting a free e-waste collection on Sun., June 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fulton St. between Gold and Cliff Sts. The event will provide Lower Manhattanites an opportunity to safely dispose of broken electronics, like defunct computers, TVs, monitors and cell phones.

THEATER ‘Hamlet’ at the Battery: Shakespeare Downtown will perform “Hamlet” from June 13 to 16 and again every day starting June 20 to 23 at the Castle Clinton National Monument, at 251 Water St. All performances are free and will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., with no intermission. Tickets can be picked up the day of performance on site starting at 6 p.m.

MUSIC Chelsea sounds: The Chelsea Music Schneps Media

Lots of different kinds of great ar t will be on view at Penn South this weekend — and some of it will be raffled off to luck y ticket holders.

Festival will celebrate its 10th season, from June 6 to 15. The theme of this year’s festival is “200° due Clara,” inspired by the 200th anniversary of the birth of Clara Schumann. The Festival honors the legacy and con-

tributions of a pioneering performer, caring collaborator and artistic confidante through events highlighting the performing, visual and culinary arts. During the festival, events will be held throughout Chelsea, featuring TVG

classical, jazz and contemporary music in evening concerts, plus lectures, walking tours and family events. For more information on performances, visit www.chelseamusicfestival.org

June 6, 2019

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Sound off! Write a letter to the editor news@thevillager.com Schneps Media

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June 6, 2019

Real Estate

A townhouse on W. 136th St. needs some work but has beautiful original elements.

Become a landlord (in a small way) garden and four units. Located in the Mt. Morris Park Historic District, it’s huge (five stories, 21-feet wide) with beautifully restored original detail and chic touches like pressed-tin wainscoting. $4.35 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5647046 /21-w-121st-st-harlem-ny-10027)

BY MARTHA WILKIE

n Brownstone Brooklyn, it’s common for row house owners to have income-producing rental units. Resident Laura Hansen needed a renter to pay the mortgage, but ended up with much more. “Our first tenant was an acquaintance who became a good friend, despite the fact that she introduced me to her friends as Mrs. Roper,” said Hansen. (No one under age 50 will get this “Three’s Company” reference.) “We hosted parties together and spent hours stoop-sitting with our dogs and kids. She wasn’t handy and called us often about landlord stuff, but the relationship enriched our lives and made our little commune work.” In Manhattan? Agent Hanina Levin with Wohlfarth & Associates works with buyers seeking this setup. “My townhouse buyers are looking mainly in Harlem,” she said. Being a landlord is complex and you must do your homework. “I had a deal fall apart,” Levin said, “because the seller had done major renovations and could not provide documentation from the Department of Buildings — and refused to get it retroactively.” She has more horror stories, including one in which a family bought a house with a garden-level apartment, intending to rent it, but found that it apparently wasn’t up to code.

June 6, 2019

A four-story brownstone in Hamilton Heights has three units (and two tenants in place). The owner’s duplex has a private entrance, garden, pretty bay windows, and a yoga studio. $2.75 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5761787 /530-w-148th-st-hamilton-heights-ny-10031/) This Harlem Victorian townhouse is spacious with great restored historic details.

Designer Christoph Haerter of H2 Architects has added rental units. “Each project poses its own set of demands and unique challenges,” he said. “However, they all share the quest for the right solution within a tight regulatory framework (always) and budgetary constraints (almost always): a space that serves people well and provides comfort and retreat.” A stunning Victorian townhouse in Harlem has a TVG

A 1900 townhouse in Harlem was just renovated and features an owner’s triplex, with a drop-dead gorgeous kitchen and a one-bedroom garden-level rental. $3.195 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5690755 /322-w-140th-st-harlem-ny-10030/) And if you’re up for the challenge, a three-story, 11-unit row house in Harlem has a charming facade. Needs full renovation, but original details like stainedglass windows, fireplaces and an ornately carved staircase remain. $1.8 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/BKMLS-2689333/239w-136th-st-harlem-ny-10030) Schneps Media

D O N AT E Y O U R C A R

Scoopyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Notebook

Wheels For Wishes benefiting

Make-A-Wish ÂŽ Metro New York

WATERFRONT WATCHDOG WHISPERINGS: We hear a rumor that Tobi Bergman, who recently resigned in frustration from Community Board 2, may be trying to start up a new independent watchdog group for Hudson River Park. The Friends of Hudson River Park used to fill that role, and even aggressively filed lawsuits against city agencies to force them out of the park; in its original incarnation, Friends sued to get the Department of Sanitation to vacate its garbage trucks from Gansevoort Peninsula and also sued the W. 30th St. Heliport to force it to end tourist helicopter flights. However, the group, recently renamed Hudson River Park Friends, today is basically a fundraiser for the park and an advocacy group for the Hudson River Park Trust, the state-city authority that runs the 5-mile-long riparian green ribbon and its piers. So, we told Bergman word is going around that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooking up plans to bring back a â&#x20AC;&#x153;realâ&#x20AC;? independent advocacy group for the waterfront park. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not exactly true,â&#x20AC;? he hedged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But if you heard a rumor and have no real information, then the right place for it might be Scoopy. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just one of many people who think the Trust and the Friends are too closely joined at the hip. Stay tuned.â&#x20AC;? Bergman resigned from C.B. 2 two weeks ago, two days after a public forum on draft proposed amendments to the Hudson River Park Act for Pier 40 that local lawmakers had put together. Bergman charged the pols had â&#x20AC;&#x153;ignoredâ&#x20AC;? the community boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carefully considered position.

SOME NEW BIDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;NESS: We hear

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Scoopy the cat was The Villagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office mascot in the paperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early days. In fact, there were a number of Scoopys over the years.

* Car Donation Foundation d/b/a Wheels For Wishes. To learn more about our programs or

from a reliable source that plans are well underway to form a Seventh Ave. business improvement district to cover the area between Sixth Ave. and Hudson St. from Houston St. to 12th St. The group plans to raise around $1 million, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re told â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but word is much of that cash would go toward two executivesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; salaries, which not everyone is exactly thrilled about. Brooke Schooley, a Village resident, is apparently leading the charge to get the BID up in running. As usual, strong buy-in by local property owners would be required to create the BID. Landlords would have to pay a special assessment to the city that would then be kicked back to the BID to pay for supplemental services, like extra sanitation and security. But landlords could also legally pass on this charge to their commercial tenants, which has some local merchants sweating. Residents, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re told, would pay a very small annual charge, only a few dollars. Another meeting about the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formation is planned for this month. Our source tells us heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still pretty skeptical, but trying to keep an open mind.

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