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 13, 2019 Volume 89 • Number 24
Greenwich Village, East Village, Lower East Side, Soho, Union Square, Chinatown and Noho, Since 1933 •
$1.00
GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT THE ‘G’ WORD Baldwin to lead gentriďŹ cation talk Page 3
PHOTO BY MILO HESS
Comic actor Alec Baldwin doing his “Saturday Night Live� Donald Trump impression at a Januar y 2017 mass protest at Columbus Circle.
A HOTEL WITH A CONSCIENCE The Walker Greenwich Village values community, locally and globally Page 17 COURTESY WALKER HOTEL GREENWICH VILLAGE
The Walker Hotel Greenwich Village boasts an elegant facade — but its mission is hardly super ficial.
We've Got the Power!
Older New Yorkers Demand (and Need) Rent Reforms 9P D8I@CPE D:D@:?8<C# ;<9I8 IF9C<J 8E; 9<K? =@EB<C No one needs more convincing that living in New York City is expensive – especially when it comes to rent. We need to do something about it, and with current rent laws about to expire, now’s the time. Older New Yorkers may know better than anyone about the struggles and worries of rising rent costs. Many live on fixed incomes and face escalating expenses for health care, utilities and food, while many pay for costs to care for loved ones. Our older residents are often one health or family crisis away from breaking the bank. As it is, a study by the Center for an Urban Future commissioned by AARP found that one in five older New Yorkers is living in poverty – up 11 percent during the past decade. And the number of New York City residents aged 65
regulated units to market rate apartments or game the system - at the expense of tenants - for their own financial gain. Many older New Yorkers already report having trouble paying their rent; 54% of city voters ages 50-plus – including 67% of Hispanics - said affordable housing was a major concern, according to a 2014 AARP survey - far surpassing other concerns. As the City’s population 88IG mfclek\\i ;\YiX IfYc\j k\jk`Ô\j fe i\ek cXnj Xk X E\n Pfib continues to age, affordable JkXk\ J\eXk\ glYc`Z _\Xi`e^ `e 8cYXep cXjk dfek_% housing concerns are likely and over grew twelve times Their friendships and to grow. We need to ensure faster than the city’s un- support systems, shop own- safe, quality and affordable der-65 population over the ers and pharmacists, and housing for older New Yorkpast decade, with a record their doctors are in the ers now and in the future. A 1.24 million adults aged 65 community. They attend strong rent-regulated housand over now living in the local senior centers for all- ing program is essential to five boroughs. important socialization this goal. Over two million One source of stability – and often meals. They households in NYC live in – and comfort – for many have routines crucial to rental housing and over older New Yorkers is their people as they age. one million households live home and their community. But seniors face the in rent-regulated or rentIt’s not unusual for seniors risk of losing their apart- controlled apartments. to live in their apartment ments to rising rent costs. We need to ensure more and community for 20, 30, Current loopholes allow than the renewal of existeven 40 years or more. landlords to convert rent ing state rent laws; we need
the Governor and state legislature to work together to enact comprehensive reforms. AARP supports three basic principles: ending high-rent vacancy decontrol, restoring preferential rent protections, and ensuring the Vacancy Allowance, Major Capital Improvements and Individual Apartment Improvements initiatives protect tenants while allowing landlords to address problems. This is our opportunity to ensure that New York does not lose affordable housing options for our seniors – and all our residents. The seniors who have built our communities deserve as much. Marilyn McMichael and Debra Robles have lived in their same rent regulated apartments in New York City for 30 and 20 years, respectively, and are active AARP advocates for rent reforms. Beth Finkel is AARP New York State Director.
TAKE ON
EVERYTHING NEW YORK CITY
HAS TO OFFER
TODAY Today is yours for the taking. And AARP is here in our community, helping you make the most of it. Whether you’re a family caregiver looking for some support or have ideas to help improve your neighborhood, we’re here to connect you to the tools you need. So go make today and every day the best it can be, New York City. 2
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Learn how at aarp.org/nyc Schneps Media
Baldwin gets serious at Judson BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
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ctor Alec Baldwin will be at Judson Memorial Church in the Village on Thurs., June 20. But he won’t be doing his uproarious portrayal of Donald Trump in comedy skits with the cast of “Saturday Night Live.” Instead, he’ll likely be significantly more serious. Because the topic will be serious. Plus, Baldwin says he’s not doing the Donald anymore anyway. In fact, Baldwin will be moderating a panel discussion called “Whither the Village?” which, according to an event flier, will focus on “the future of this iconic New York neighborhood.” The panelists will include Donna Schaper, the Washington Square South church’s senior minister, along with Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation (formerly Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation), and Allyson Green, dean of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. The event’s goal is “to dream a little” – that is, to brainstorm about how to stem the tide of gentrification that is blotting out the historic Village. “The story is we’re trying to make relationships with our neighbors about what to do next,” Schaper explained. “Alec Baldwin has become a friend of Judson in many ways. He wants to be at home someplace.” The Donald-imitating actor, who lives in the Village, is not a member of the congregation, however, Schaper said. “He’s been around [the church], he hangs out with us. We share a lot of progressive positions, as you know,” she said of Judson and Baldwin.
PHOTO BY MILO HESS
Actor Alec Baldwin doing his “Saturday Night Live” Donald Trump impression at a massive rally in Januar y 2017 outside the Trump International Hotel at Columbus Circle.
In fact, according to the minister, it was while walking past the famously progressive church when just 10 years old that he felt an immediate connection to the place — and to the Village. “He likes the front sign,” Schaper said, of the historic church’s outdoor message board that bears thought-provoking aphorisms. “Alec talks about walking by in 1968 and saying, ‘This is where I belong, this is my people,'” she said. “We work really hard on those signs. He saw the Eisenhower quote: ‘Beware the military industrial complex.’ And, so, he basically made the Village his home when he saw that.” Schaper said while Baldwin saw the sign, it took him some time before he returned to the iconic Village house of worship and hotbed of activism. After
marrying his wife, Hilaria, they moved to the Village from the Upper West Side in 2011. He’s had a relationship with Judson for around the last two years. Meanwhile, the quote by “Ike” hasn’t lost its power. “It’s become a truth,” Schaper noted. “Why do we have the wars? They’re very profitable for people.” One thing the June 20 event won’t be is for bashing N.Y.U., something that was at a fever pitch not too long ago when the university was pushing its plan to construct four new buildings on its South Village “superblocks.” That megaproject was ultimately approved over the community’s fierce opposition. “We’re hoping to have intelligent conversation,” Schaper stated. “No yelling at people. It’s getting very boring.” She said she approached Baldwin to
moderate the discussion “because he’s famous and we’re not.” Speaking of N.Y.U., the event’s topic will be, as Schaper put it, “how to keep the Village as Village as possible, given that there’s one large institution here — and how can the bigness benefit the Village.” Another topic could be specific ideas about taking back street space for pedestrians, or as she put it, “What about closing University Place, Washington Square or Union Square to traffic? It would be good for businesses on University Place.” Getting N.Y.U. on board with this kind of thinking and planning is an objective for her. The event is also a way for the church to raise both its profile and some bucks for renovations. Judson is currently putting on new roof tiles — in the original red color. Now a growing congregation, they are able to install “100-year tiles” instead of the current cheaper ones, which only had a 30-year life. Also part of the picture, Schaper noted, is an activist group called Bricks and Mortals, which works with small churches and, like Judson, embraces a model of “citywide creative reuse of sacred sites — because it’s the only land left in the city, the churches, the synagogues.” She’s very bullish on the upcoming discussion. “I think it’s a real opportunity to stop gentrification,” she said. “Whither the Village? A Panel Discussion at Judson Church,” Thurs., June 20, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., 55 Washington Square South, tickets $20. Tickets are available at https://whither.eventbrite. com.
2 men are found dead in Downtown parks BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
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wo men have been found dead in Downtown parks over the past week, police said. On Thurs., June 6, about four minutes after noon, police responded to a call of an unconscious male inside Union Square Park, in the vicinity of Union Square West and 15th St. The officers found the man both unconscious and unresponsive. Responding E.M.S. medics pronounced him dead at the scene. Police have not released the man’s name, age or other information. Per police protocol, his name won’t be put out publicly until his family is notified, and a police spokesperson said that has not happened yet. Apparently, however, the man did have ID on him. Three days later, on Sun., June 9, Schneps Media
COURTESY NYC PARKS DEPARTMENT
A man was found dead in Father Demo Square on the morning of Sun., June 9. TVG
around 9 a.m., police received a call for an “aided male” — a catchall term for someone needing help — at Father Demo Square Park, at Carmine and Bleecker Sts. Responding officers found a man unconscious and unresponsive lying on a bench at the location. E.M.S. pronounced him dead at the scene. The police spokesperson said this individual did not have any ID. The medical examiner will determine the cause of each man’s death and, for each case, an investigation is ongoing. Robert Jackson, a Sixth Precinct community affairs officer, said that in the Demo Square death, “There doesn’t seem to be any foul play or drug overdose. The first report doesn’t mention it.” He said it’s possible it was a natural death, but couldn’t confirm that. As for the Union Square death, he said the initial report was short on details. June 13, 2019
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Police Blotter M102 bus at 14th St. and Third Ave. on Sat., April 20, around 10 p.m., when a male approached him from behind, put him in a headlock and demanded his property. When the victim, 22, fought back and refused, the attacker fled out of the bus in an unknown direction. No property was removed. E.M.S. responded but the victim refused medical attention at the scene. Police described the suspect as black, in his late teens to early 20s, and last seen wearing all dark clothing. 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 @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
First Precinct Shooting arrest Police have made an arrest in the shooting outside S.O.B.’s on Thurs., May 9. In the early-morning incident, two men were shot during a fight outside the music club, at Varick and Houston Sts. The suspect approached the crowd and fired four to five shots. A 26-year-old was wounded in the chest and abdomen while a 29-year-old was struck in his upper thigh, the New York Post reported. The victims were treated at Bellevue Hospital and reportedly expected to survive. On June 9, police reported they had arrested Swandy Sanchez, 19, of the Bronx, on charges of attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a firearm. What sparked the beef is still unknown since the suspect is not talking, according to police. “He’s not telling us what was the cause of the shooting,” a police spokesperson said, adding, “I know they’re still looking for others” who might be able to shed light on the incident.
10th Precinct Fight on Ninth
Fifth Precinct Violent robber A thug tried to grab a 59-year-old woman’s bag inside the J-train area of the Brooklyn Bridge subway station on Sun., June 2, but a younger man tried to fend him off, police said. Around 11:20 p.m., the suspect approached the woman and a 21-year-old male and attempted to take the woman’s bag. When the younger victim tried to intervene, he and the woman were both dragged down the stairs by the mugger. E.M.S. responded and transported the two victims to an area hospital in stable condition. The woman suffered a cut and contusion to her head, as well as injuries to her knees, back and hands. Police subsequently tied the mugger to another robbery early the same day, around 4:30 a.m., at the UPACA Houses, at 1980 Lexington Ave., at E. 121st St. In that incident, the suspect approached a 21-yearold man inside an elevator and physically assaulted him, leaving him with serious injuries. The attacker removed the victim’s cell phone and gold chain before fleeing outside the building in an unknown direction. E.M.S. transported the victim to an area hospital for treatment of a fractured eye socket, fractured nose and broken jaw. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.
‘Cartman’ Police said that on Mon., May 27, around 5:30 a.m., on the northbound 4/5/6 platform at the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall station, a man approached a sleeping 65-year-old woman sitting on a platform bench. He removed her pushcart, containing personal items, including books, two cell phones, papers, a MetroCard and a debit card, and fled. The suspect is described as black, age 30, 6 feet
COURTESY N.Y.P.D.
An alleged mugger wore a jacket with orange arm stripes when he robbed a woman, 59, at the Brooklyn Bridge station. tall and 230 pounds, with short black hair, wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans and gray sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.
Sixth Precinct 8th St. subway mugging A 19-year-old woman was knocked down and mugged by three men in the Eighth St./Broadway subway on Mon., May 27, at 2 a.m., police said. The trio followed the victim into the station, then forcibly removed her purse, knocked her to the ground and dragged her. The crooks fled the station in an unknown direction. The victim suffered bruising to her elbows and knees but refused medical attention at the scene. Her purse contained about $6, a credit card, an ID, a MetroCard and keys. The suspects are said to be late teens to early 20s. Two wore black shirts, one with red shorts and the other, yellow shorts. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.
Ninth Precinct Rough exit Police said a man was about to get off a southbound
There was an assault in front of 369 W. 16 St., at Ninth Ave., police said. On Fri., June 7, around 3:50 a.m., a 35-year-old man was reportedly trying to break up a dispute between a friend and a stranger. A police officer observed the stranger punch the man on the left side of his face, causing minor swelling but substantial pain. The victim refused medical treatment at the scene. Matthew Wirken, 29, was arrested for misdemeanor assault.
Cops to noose A white worker allegedly hung a noose at the work area of a black worker at a rooftop construction site at 401 Ninth Ave., at W. 33rd St., according to a police report. The incident occurred Tues., June 4, around 2:20 p.m. The white worker is said to have confessed at a safety meeting to tying a rope in a noose shape. “I did it,” he reportedly told police. Craig Roseman, 52, was arrested on June 7 for felony aggravated harassment.
Times Sq. upskirt perp An alleged subway perv was caught trying to video up a woman’s dress in the Times Square subway station, according to police. On Sat., May 11, at 3:30 p.m., a 26-year-old woman was exiting the station up a stairway, when she noticed a man behind her putting his cell phone under her dress. When she confronted the creep, he fled the station to parts unknown. Police released surveillance images of the suspect taken from near the incident’s location, and just after it took place. The man is described as age 20 to 30, and last seen wearing glasses and all dark clothing.
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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PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
Hare Krishnas were getting a bit closer to nir vana in Washington Square Park at the Hare Krishna Festival.
Krishna, bus, mariachi music melange Music was in the air — including atop a bus and in the park — on Saturday. More specifically, a mariachi band teamed up with the roving Abracadabra bus in Union Square, and Hare Krishnas danced ec statically to hypnotic beats in Washington Square Park at their Hare Krishna Festival. The mariachi band members were celebrating President Trump’s declaration that he was calling off his threatened tariff war with Mexico over immigration. Abracadabra, which also vibed for a while with the Krishnas in Washington Square, finished up on Avenue A at Tompkins Square Park. Although the groovin’ bus has been doing monthly jaunts around the Downtown area, including stops at the Whitney Museum, Washington Square and Tompkins Square, a band member said it’s a big production to put on and they may be taking a break for a little while.
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PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
A relieved mariachi band grooved with the Abracadabra bus crew at Union Square.
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9/11 Environmental Action presents, in cooperation with the WTC Health Program at Gouverneur:
An Information Session on 9/11 Health Care and Compensation Presentations and Q&A with: Dr. Sonia Cabrera of the WTC Health Program at Gouverneur, and the Deputy Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
Gouverneur Health Center Auditorium 227 Madison St. (between Clinton and Jefferson) Thursday, June 20 6pm to 7:30pm Doors open at 5:30pm La traduccione en Espanol esta disponible. Seating is limited. Please RSVP to info@911ea.org OR 212.330.7658
H8=C:EH B:9>6
Please join us for the 26th Annual Meeting of the Village Alliance
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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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RSVP Required 212.777.2173 info@villagealliance.org
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Obituary
Ben Green, 73, C.B. 2 chair, activist BY LINDA CRONIN-GROSS “Death is the only pure, beautiful conclusion of a great passion.” — D. H. Lawrence
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o wrote longtime Village resident and activist Ben Green’s favorite author. But Lawrence could have been talking about Ben Green himself, who died Fri., May 17, in New York City at age 73, after living his own life of great passion. From early childhood in Nashville, Tennessee, Green was always on the go, always doing things for others. He was one of the most popular guys in his high school, playing football until he wrecked his arm, captaining the debate team and editing the yearbook. At one point, he even considered going into the ministry and he participated in missions to Mexico, building orphanages and serving the needy during summers. It was clear, even then, that making the world a better place was simply in his DNA, and that he would be a fighter for justice wherever he went. In his early 20s, after graduating from Vanderbilt University, Green decided that the place to be was New York City, specifically Greenwich Village. At that time, the Village was the beating heart of various rights movements and of a generational push for progressive change. He found his forever home on Christopher St., where, according to friends, he was a great neighbor and a caring citizen. His apartment was often a gathering spot for other tenants in his building, or for those who simply wanted to know what was happening. His sister Alicia recalls strolling with him through the Village with many, many residents stopping Green and greeting him. One lady even commented to her, “I hope you do as much for your community as your brother does for his!” Ben Green had a special place in his heart for the arts and for preserving and protecting his community, both its people and its places. And that passion is reflected in his eclectic achievements as a professional and as an activist over the last 50 years.
Ben Green.
Among his many accomplishments were being director of community affairs for former Assemblymember William Passannante; executive director of the Federation to Preserve the Greenwich Village Waterfront and Great Port; chairperson of Community Board 2 from 1994 to 1996; founder of the Christopher St. Block Association; co-founder of the Christopher St. Patrol; president of the board of directors of the Westbeth Center for the Arts; director of public relations for the Museum of the City of New York; public relations director for Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater; director of the SHARE Alternate AIDS Care Facility from 1987 to 1990; and a member of the advisory board for the Hudson River Park Conservancy, the predecessor to the current Hudson River Park Trust. The Federation to Preserve the Greenwich Village Waterfront and Great Port fought against the current plan for Hudson River Park, instead favoring a very open, undeveloped park without any commercial aspects. Green also had the special honor of being entered into the 1996 “Who’s Who in New York” for his work as a tenant activist, gay rights advocate and historic
preservationist. Forced to retire due to health issues, Green nonetheless continued to be active and decided to devote more time and energy to his life’s passion, writing a play about his beloved D.H. Lawrence. His incredibly thorough research took him all over the American Southwest and extensively through Europe, including Russia. He was even able to deliver a paper he wrote about the author to the D.H. Lawrence Society in Italy. He loved his family, and, although none of them lived in New York City, they visited often. “Uncle Ben” was always encouraging the interests of his nieces and nephews — and, later, their children — and sent relevant books, and shared museums and other cultural aspects of his beloved city with them. Green’s sister found out, a little too late, that one of the bonuses of visiting Uncle Ben was — no rules, no curfews! He was concerned for each and every one of them and they soaked it in. He leaves behind his sister Alicia and her husband John Maniatakis, of California; niece Michelle Kastner and husband Chris, and their children Natalie and Brendan Kastner, of Virginia; niece Stasha Clark and children Megan and Donny; nephew George Maniatakis and wife Deja, and children Raegan and Mila Maniatakis, all in California, and many more extended family in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Green was not only adored by his family but by friends and the community, and will be sorely missed. “Ben had such strength in his soft-spoken and kind demeanor,” one friend reflected. “A true Southern gentleman. Ben loved local politics, the theater, his neighbors and most importantly, living in New York City. And New York City loved him.” A memorial for Green will be held in Tennessee at a date and time to be determined. Donations can be made in Ben Green’s name. Please send to: N.Y.U. Langone, Development Department, One Park Ave., fifth floor, NY, NY 10016. Please note on donation: “Honoring Benjamin Green, GU Oncology-Dr. Arjun Balar.” People can also give online. Please remember to note that the donation is to honor Ben Green, as shown above: http://NYUlangone.org/give/funds/perlmuttercancer-center
Dist. 3 to be brighter, greener, less thirsty BY GABE HERMAN
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ighting, water fountains and tree care were the winners in the most recent round of participatory budgeting for the Village, Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson announced the participatory-budgeting winners for District 3 at his fifth annual West Side Summit on May 19. The top vote-getter was a project to improve lighting in park areas at the Elliott-Chelsea Houses and Fulton Houses, two New York City Housing Authority developments in Chelsea. The project, which garnered 2,017 votes, will cost $600,000.
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es to do participatory budgeting, gets a total of $1 million in capital funding for local projects. In all, 3,748 residents voted this year in District 3. Each person was able to vote for up to five projects, and anyone age 11 or older was eligible to vote. District 3 covers much of the Lower West Side, and includes Chelsea, the West Village, Hell’s Kitchen and the Garment District. All 10 of Manhattan’s City Council districts participated in this year’s participatory budgeting process, with the exception of Lower Manhattan’s District 1, which is represented by Councilmember Margaret Chin. This was the sixth consecutive year
Coming in second place was upgrading water fountains for the district’s public schools. A total of 35 new water bottle-refilling fountains will be installed throughout the district. This project received 1,993 votes, and will cost $300,000. In the third spot was a street treeprotection package. It will provide a tree guard, watering Treegator and informative care tag for street trees district-wide planted since 2017. A total of 1,953 votes were cast for this tree package, which will cost $200,000. Voting in the district took place from March 30 through April 7. There was also early voting at an expo in Chelsea on March 28. Each district that choosTVG
that District 3 held participatory budgeting. There were 12 project nominees this year, addressing a range of issues, from accessibility and park upgrades to transit improvements. At the March 28 “P.B.” expo, Speaker Johnson toured all of the projects at separate stations and told this paper that people had done a great job in coming up with all of them. He said he was especially fond of two projects related to accessibility, one for accessible bathrooms at Park West High School and another for an accessible entrance at P.S. 51. Those proposals were not winners, but Johnson noted at the expo, “All the projects here are very exciting.” Schneps Media
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Judge extends 2 Bridges stop-work BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
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New York Supreme Court judge extended a temporary restraining order to block developers from beginning work on three high-rise towers in The Lower East Side’s Two Bridges neighborhood. The ruling is a temporary win for advocacy groups, the City Council and Borough President Gale Brewer. The Post reported that Justice Arthur Engoron said on Wednesday, the city’s opinion seems to be: “We can do pretty much anything we want because zoning allows it. I just can’t believe that’s the case.” Brewer tweeted: “It’s hard to see how these projects can continue without public review. Totally agree!” The extension runs until Aug. 2, when Engoron will present a written decision on whether the planned 1,008-foot rental tower at 247 Cherry St. by JDS Developments; a planned 798-foot tower at 260 South St. by L+M Development and CIM Group; and a proposed 730-foot building at 259 Clinton St. by Starrett Corporation would require approval under the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP, before starting construction. The neighborhood was formerly designated an Urban Renewal Area, where the city tried to improve living conditions by creating mixed-income housing and employment opportunities. In 1972, Two Bridges was designated a Large-Scale Residential Development, or L.S.R.D., area, under which the city is more lenient on normal land-use regulations in order to promote good site planning of large buildings that span multiple property lots. According to the city’s Environmental Impact State-
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
Marc Richardson, of Land’s End One Tenants A ssociation, also a member of TUFF-LES, was among the speakers at the Wed., June 5, protest against the Two Bridges tower projects.
ment for this current L.S.R.D. project, the towers would create more than 2,700 new residential units, 690 of those affordable. Of the affordable units, 200 would be for seniors. Critics say it is unclear how the affordability would be measured. The towers would also create 11,000 square feet of retail space. Opponents argue it was wrong for the City Planning Commission, last year, to O.K. a joint “minor modification” application on a special permit for the multi-building project, which allowed the towers to skirt going through a ULURP public review. Last December, two days after the towers got the
green light from City Planning, the City Council, under Speaker Corey Johnson, along with Borough President Brewer, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan State Supreme Court against the Department of City Planning, the City Planning Commission and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration. Brewer and Johnson argued that the decision usurped the City Council’s power over land-use issues and that the development was nothing close to a “minor modification” to the existing neighborhood. Another opponent of the towers, Councilmember Margaret Chin, added that the project must go through ULURP because of the impact it would have on density and traffic, among other things, in the working-class neighborhood. In March, a collection of Lower East Side and Chinatown activist groups, including Lower East Side Neighbors, Chinese Staff and Workers Association, Youth Against Displacement and National Mobilization Against Sweatshops, along with local residents, filed another lawsuit demanding a complete stop of the towers, saying they would exacerbate gentrification. They also argued that the large-scale residential development designation does not exempt the towers from broader zoning laws regulating the impact they would have on light and air in the neighborhood. In March, a second lawsuit against the Two Bridges L.S.R.D. project was filed by another group of community organizations, including Tenants United Fighting for the Lower East Side (TUFF-LES), CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), Land’s End One Tenants Association, and LaGuardia Houses Tenants Association. That suit argues that the project’s approval should be annulled since the city did not follow the right process.
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his April 1970 photo shows when the Garibaldi statue in Washington Square Park was being moved as part of the park’s renovation. The monument, featuring a bronze statue on a granite pedestal, was moved about 15 feet east to allow construction of a promenade in the park, according to the Parks Department. During the relocation, a time capsule was discovered that had been placed when the monument was dedicated in 1888. The glass ves-
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VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS JOSHUA SCHNEPS LINCOLN ANDERSON GABE HERMAN MICHELE HERMAN BOB KRASNER TEQUILA MINSKY MARY REINHOLZ PAUL SCHINDLER JOHN NAPOLI MARCOS RAMOS CLIFFORD LUSTER (718) 260-2504 CLUSTER@CNGLOCAL.COM MARVIN ROCK GAYLE GREENBURG JIM STEELE JULIO TUMBACO ELIZABETH POLLY
sel contained several documents, including newspaper accounts of Italian nationalist Garibaldi’s death in 1882, a history of the Committee for the Monument of Garibaldi, and news clippings and a poster for the statue’s dedication. General Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-82) fought for Italy’s unification in the mid-19th century. The statue’s sculptor, Giovanni Turini, was a volunteer member of Garibaldi’s Fourth Regiment during an 1866 war between Italy and Austria. — Gabe Herman
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Letters to the Editor
Take the pressure off Pr. 40 and park BY TOM FOX
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wenty years after the passage of the Hudson River Park Act, a major source of revenue originally intended to support the park’s operation and maintenance has yet to be secured. Failure to implement a major recommendation on long-term operating and maintenance is putting unnecessary development pressure on park assets, such as Pier 40. In 1990, when Hudson River Park was first proposed, city and state parks suffered from insufficient funding. To make the proposed park palatable to elected and appointed officials, the West Side Waterfront Panel suggested that the new park might be self-sufficient if radical new funding mechanisms for operation and maintenance were established. As the park was initially envisioned, the city and state would fund its construction. Community Board 2’s recent recommendation that the city and state fund bulkhead (seawall) restoration seems consistent with that commitment. However, back in 1998, all revenues generated in parks had to be transferred to the city or state’s general fund. To support long-term operation and maintenance of the new park, two new revenue streams, unique to this project, were recommended by the panel. The first was to allow the park to retain revenue generated within it. The first of these revenueproducing areas, Chelsea Piers, was completed in 1994. The second recommendation was the creation of a new mechanism to capture a portion of appreciation of adjacent inboard real estate within three blocks of the park. It’s clear that the $1.3 billion public investment in the park has drastically increased the value of adjacent inboard property and generated the new tax revenues initially anticipated. However, the second recommendation was conveniently ignored by elected and appointed officials when the Park Act was written in 1998, while they continued to demand the park be self-sufficient. Without that second funding stream, the park will never be self-supporting without the goose that laid the golden egg being killed by overdevelopment. This is even more puzzling given the rezoning of adjacent neighborhoods in Tribeca, Greenwich Village, Chelsea and Clinton (including Hudson Yards and Hudson Square) that were approved without new development projects in them contributing to the park — although all these projects’ marketing materials tout the park as providing public open space for increased commercial and residential populations. The original Friends of Hudson River Park studied the issue and in 2008 proposed the creation of a Neighborhood Improvement District to support the 4.5-mile-long park. The reconstituted Friends group, in 2016, released yet a second study confirming the value that the park adds to inboard property but has failed to propose a solution. The concept was favorably received at the recent meeting local politicians held to discuss possible legislative amendments for Pier 40. Without a second source of revenue from adjacent properties that have benefitted from the park, there will always be a scramble for funds. The Hudson River Park Trust’s efforts to increase development in the park will force local neighborhoods to continue to fight over limited resources. It’s time to formalize a way to capture inboard revenue generated by the park for its operation and maintenance. Any new legislation should address this and take pressure off Pier 40 to fund a disproportionate portion of the park’s annual budget. Fox was first president of the Hudson River Park Conservancy (which completed the Hudson River Park’s general project plan) from 1992-95 and founding board member of Friends of Hudson River Park from 1999-2011. Schneps Media
FILE PHOTO
Having a ball at the Leroy St. Dog Run in Hudson River Park.
The red balloon
Go, dogs, go!
To The Editor: Re “Wally Elvers, 95, longtime Villager, polymath” (obituary, June 6): What a wonderful testimony to the intelligence, love and fruitful originality of this lovely gentleman, who was my neighbor for many years, the husband of my friend Bibi, and the father of my two daughters’ friends Laurie and Susie. I remember a story Bibi told me many years ago, about how Wally’s parents arranged to take precautions against him getting lost when they went on excursions to the Bronx Zoo. They would buy a red helium balloon and tie it to his wrist, explaining that if he should ever find himself alone and without them, he should not run and panic, but rather stand still in the spot where he was and slowly raise his wrist up and down. His parents, who would of course be looking for him, would scan the horizon to see the red balloon rising and falling, and thus know where to look for him. What charms me about this story is how it demonstrates an encounter with a situation that for most of us would be fraught with terror, not to say hysteria, and shows us that the proper way to meet it is with reason, intelligence and originality.
To The Editor: Re “Not going to the dogs on Gansevoort, Pier 40” (oped, by Lynn Pacifico, June 6): Lynn is absolutely correct. We need more dog runs and they should be included as a part of every proposal for public spaces, including those on the waterfront. It’s always been a struggle to get dog runs in the Village, despite the fact that more and more dogs live here. The decision makers really shouldn’t be so dismissive of dog owners as we are an important part of the community and we vote!
Carol F. Jochnowitz TVG
Aubrey Lees
Bus is a lifeline To The Editor: Re “Figuring out 14th St.” (Editorial, June 6): I’m 75, with heart and lung issues, but living in active retirement at Hudson and 11th Sts. thanks to the 14A bus loop down to Hudson and Bleecker Sts., plus the M11 and M8 lines, which help me get to various doctors and other appointments and Off and Off Off Broadway theaters at night. It’s what keeps me going. Ending the 14A loop (the line I use most) will bring my life-preserving active life to a semi-halt and will no doubt
shorten my life. So this is deadly personal for me. The notoriously bad M20 bus is so erratic, late and slow, I’ve missed many a curtain time waiting for one to come. Low-income seniors can’t afford Ubers or taxis. Subway stairs are just too much. Please don’t abandon us. It is literally a matter of life and death. John Doyle
Follow the meds To The Editor: Re “ ‘This is fi xable’: Parkland father on U.S. gun violence” (news article, May 30): I don’t know about the latest shooter but all the priors were on antidepressants. The problem is not the guns but the criminal pharmaceutical industry — they are truly the bad guys. Lynn Pacifico 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. June 13, 2019
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Eats
Vongerichten dives into seafood at The Fulton BY GABE HERMAN
A
new seafood restaurant from chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, called The Fulton, opened recently at the South Street Seaport. This is the first seafood restaurant from Vongerichten, who now has 36 restaurants worldwide, including ABC Kitchen, abcV and Public Kitchen in Manhattan. The Fulton opened on May 14 and is named in honor of the Fulton Fish Market. At Pier 17, at 89 South St., it’s “located in an area of the city Vongerichten fell in love with when he first encountered the energy of the former Fulton Fish Market in 1986,” according to the restaurant’s Web site. The fish market was nearby at South St. from 1822 until 2005, when it moved to Hunts Point in the Bronx. The Fulton’s menu offers a wide range of seafood, including many local East Coast options. There is a raw bar with oysters, clams and sea urchins. The crudos (or “raw”) section of the menu includes sashimi on ice and yellowfin tuna tartare. There are appetizers like clam chowder, mussels, soft shell crabs and warm octopus with fresh mozzarella. Main dishes include fish stew thickened with aioli, black sea bass and Maine lobster with spring peas. There are also pasta and rice options, and beef and vegetable sections on the menu. The restaurant has two floors and includes sea-themed murals, along with views of the nearby Brooklyn Bridge. The hand-painted murals, by artists Diego Castano and
PHOTO BY ROBERT BREDVAD
The Fulton is the first seafood restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, above.
Chandler Noah, are based on the Jules Verne classic “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.” Vongerichten is also working on opening a food hall in the South St. Seaport’s Tin Building. Scheduled to
open in two years, it will feature a wide variety of cuisines, including seafood and beyond. In the meantime, more information on The Fulton can be found at thefulton.nyc.
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Walker Hotel: More than a pretty face BY MICAEL A MACAGNONE
G
uests arriving at the Walker Hotel Greenwich Village are greeted by a facade featuring copper-clad bay windows, cast-stone trim and restoration antique-glass illuminated by gas lanterns reminiscent of the early days of Greenwich Village. The exterior of the hotel, on W. 13th St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves., was inspired by the Georgian-revival towers found on New York’s famed Fifth Ave. of the 1920s. Inside sits a parlor with a fireplace, Art Decoinspired wall coverings, a display of original works by emerging local artists, plush couches and a library featuring New York-themed books mostly by authors who called Greenwich Village home. The luxury boutique hotel’s 113 rooms boast private landscaped patios, balconies with views of the Empire State Building and deep-soaking marble bathtubs. But don’t just judge The Walker Hotel Greenwich Village by its cover. Its mission goes far beyond that. MarcAnthony Crimi, the hotel’s general manager, explained that every decision the hotel makes must serve local or global communities in some way. The Walker Hotel Greenwich Village, formerly The Jade Hotel, was acquired in 2016. Crimi was tasked with the rebrand in April of 2016. For starters, on a local level, the Walker Hotel Greenwich Village supports many nearby small businesses through partnerships. Just a few examples include the hotel’s work with University Floral Design to decorate public spaces in the hotel, The New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music to provide live jazz entertainment to guests every week, and C.O. Bigelow for in-room bath amenities. The hotel also includes Society Cafe, a marketto-table American restaurant led by Executive Chef Manuel Gonzalez-Charles, who personally shops at the Union Square Greenmarket four days per week to create an ever-evolving American menu. In doing so, Society Cafe supports farmers from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Walker Hotel Greenwich Village will also be an active participant in Pride this month. To celebrate World Pride, Society Cafe is partnering with Simple Vodka, which donates proceeds from the cost of a bottle to hunger-relief organizations, COURTESY WALKER HOTEL GREENWICH VILLAGE and also God’s Love We Deliver, the Greenwich For Pride Month, the Societ y Cafe at the Village-based organization that cooks and deliv- Walker Hotel Greenwich Village is par tnerers medically tailored meals to people in the metro ing with Simple Vodka and God’s Love We area living with serious illnesses, including H.I.V./ Deliver to provide hunger relief nationwide, AIDS. as well as nutritious meals to seriously ill Society Cafe has created three Pride-themed individuals in the metro area. Simple Vodka cocktails, half of the proceeds of which is being donated to God’s Love We Deliver. Crimi touted this dual partnership as working on and the L.G.B.T. Community Center. The Walker Hotel Greenwich Village also houses both the production side and the consumer side: Tour & Talk, a walking tour “talk back” that features Simple Vodka works to end hunger across America, prominent activist educators, including Emmy-nomwhile the proceeds from the cocktails’ sales go to God’s Love We Deliver, which attempts to alleviate inated filmmaker Cheryl Furjanic and Ken Kidd, an original member of Queer Nation and an active parhunger for the seriously ill in New York City. ticipant in the push to introduce the Equality Act in This year, the hotel also created a local partnership Congress. with Christopher Street Tours, a recently opened Crimi emphasized that he wanted the hotel to small business that provides tours of Greenwich Village focused on the L.G.B.T.Q. civil-rights movedo more than just host a party, which is what many ment in New York City. Among the tour’s stops are New York City businesses do to support Pride. He the Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, the New York sees these talk backs as an opportunity to educate. City AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle, Crimi explained that, surrounding Pride, the hotel
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The Walker Hotel Greenwich Village boasts an elegant facade, but its mission is hardly super ficial.
is striving to sincerely support the L.G.T.B.Q. community, rather than merely reap financial benefits from Pride. In addition to supporting small businesses and organizations in the city, the Walker also has a global reach. Coffee at the hotel is sourced from Coffee of Grace, an organization that trains Rwandan farmers — mostly women — how to cultivate the coffee bean, then buys the beans at above-market prices, and ships them privately back to New York City, to ensure the majority of the profits remain in the farmers’ village. Finally, the beans are roasted in Tribeca. The Walker Greenwich Village is also a member of the Clean the World Foundation, which addresses global health issues by using recycled and repurposed supplies from the hospitality industry. The housekeeping team at the Walker collects unused bath products left behind in guestrooms. The foundation separates the product from the plastic, and then recycles the product into new bar soap that is then distributed to emergency relief efforts around the globe. Crimi wishes all hoteliers would use their ability to effect positive change in their communities and beyond. “You do not need to be a big-box store with a huge budget in order to make a difference,” he stated. Crimi acknowledges that hotels might not be the ultimate catalyst for “changing the world,” as he put it. But he firmly believes that if every hotel took small actions similar to those of The Walker Greenwich Village, a measure of change could certainly be created. June 13, 2019
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PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
Getting into David Datuna’s “Cloning Eternity” in Washington Square Park. The other piece was a skull of similar size and materials.
Through the looking glass(es) Artist David Datuna’s installation “Closing Eternity” offered parkgoers in Washington Square a unique perspective during its 12-hours-only run, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., on May 31. The work’s two pieces, made from myriad eyeglass lenses, reflected the viewers’ images back toward them in a kaleidoscopic effect. In 2017, Datuna created an ice sculpture, “This Too Shall Pass,” in 10-foot-tall letters, in response to President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. Erected in Union Square Park, it quickly melted.
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June 13, 2019
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Penn South creativity wows at annual show BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELLDOMENECH
M
ore than 50 residents of the Penn South Co-operative had their artwork displayed at the Penn South Social Services’ third annual multimedia art exhibition last weekend. Dozens of paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs lined the walls of the residential co-op complex’s community room on June 8 and 9. The exhibition was open and free to the public. The artists were diverse in age and experience. “Each year it gets better and better,” said Bridget Oteri-Robinson, a Penn South board member and an organizer of the exhibition, of the artwork displayed. “It’s fascinating the amount of talent we have here.” Throughout its 57-year-old history, the Penn South Co-op has been a model housing community. In the 1970s, the co-op created the Penn South Energy Conservation Plan to deal with the rising cost of energy in the city. According to Penn South’s Web site, in 1976, the co-op began to prepay some real
estate taxes to help the city during the financial crisis. And in 1986, the co-op created Penn South Social Services to improve the quality of life of co-op residents, in particular, its older population who were aging in place. The multimedia art exhibition is another example of how the co-operative is responding to residents’ needs and working to enrich the Chelsea community. According to Oteri-Robinson, the art exhibition started after a co-op resident approached the P.S.S.S. two years ago with the idea of starting a sketching group. “We said this is a fantastic idea,” she recalled. At the same time Oteri-Robinson and other P.S.S.S. members were approached about the sketching group, they were also working on a fundraiser, which they decided to turn into an art exhibit. Originally, the art exhibition solely featured work from members of the art groups within the co-op, its senior center and the ceramics studio. But now it is open to anyone within Penn South.
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
Ar tist and Penn South resident Ev y Williams in front of her painting “Spiritual Journeys.”
Labyrinth Dance Theater presents Conceived, Choreographed and Directed by Sasha Spielvogel
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
PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH
“A Vast Expanse,” by Joseph Meloy.
June 14th–17th, 2019 The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater 405 West 55th Street, NYC (at the Corner of 55th St. & 9th Ave.)
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
LabyrinthDanceTheater.org Schneps Media
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June 13, 2019
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Manhattan Happenings kids age 5 and older; all children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Sun., June 16, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m, at 6th St. and Avenue B Community Garden. For more information, visit https:// greenthumb.nycgovparks.org/gardenevents.html?qs =2019/06/16/cooking-workshop-for-children-kids-getcooking-cook-your-culture .
BY MICAEL A MACAGNONE
MOVIES “Movies Under the Stars”: As part of the Stonewall 50th Anniversary and Celebrate Pride celebrations, the Washington Square Park Conservancy will be screening “Rebels on Pointe” (2017), directed by Bobbi Jo Hart. There will also be a Q&A with featured dancers from the film prior to the screening. The movie documents the world famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male drag ballet company founded in New York City 45 years ago. It juxtaposes behind-the-scenes access, rich archives and history, intimate character-driven stories and amazing dance performances shot in North America, Europe and Japan. Thurs., June 13, Q&A a 8 p.m., followed by the film screening at dusk, around 9 p.m, at the Washington Square Park Arch plaza. Free.
KIDS / FAMILY Egg Rolls, Egg Creams and Empanadas: This daylong, free festival highlights the traditions of the Lower East Side via Chinese opera and acrobats, klezmer performances, salsa and
PERFORMANCES PHOTO BY YURI KALINA
“Sunset on the Hudson”: Nearly every Friday this summer, Hudson River Park will be offering free concerts set against a backdrop of beautiful sunsets. This week, the “Sunset on the Hudson” series presents the work of the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra. The evening promises to include some of the greatest music in 3/4 ever written, including the work of Scott Joplin, Richard Rogers, Johannes Brahms and Johann Strauss II. Fri., June 14, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Pier 45 (Christopher St. Pier), in Hudson River Park. Free.
The Girl (Lianne Gennaco) and The Bear (Seth Gilman) having fun in “My Undying Love: An Amusement.”
plena music, Puerto Rican mask making, Hebrew and Chinese scribal art and, of course, the festival’s namesake: kosher egg rolls, egg creams and crispy empanadas. Sun., June 16, noon to 4 p.m., at the Museum at Eldridge Street Synagogue, 12 Eldridge St. “Kids Get Cooking & Cook Your Culture”: NYC Parks GreenThumb will host a cooking workshop for children at an East Village garden. Participants will help create healthy dishes from a local family-inspired seasonal recipe, with veggies and herbs from the garden, plus from local Greenmarket farmers. For
“Undying (and Amusing) Love”: Composer/librettist Melissa Shiflett’s “My Undying Love: An Amusement,” a one-hour opera for audiences of all ages, will receive its world premiere at University Settlement. Shiflett has assembled a cast of singers whose cred-
its include the New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera and Los Angeles Opera for this comic entertainment, described as “amusing, unsentimental, joyous and jazzy.” The production sports costumes by Matthew Pedersen, whose credits include the Metropolitan Opera and Steppenwolf Theatre, and set design by Justin Tolbert, who has designed for the Arthur Miller Society. Fri, June 21, to Sun., June 23 (Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m.) at University Settlement, 184 Eldridge St. Tickets $25; $18 for students and seniors. For reservations, visit MUL@ymronline. net or call 347-448-6039.
FORUM “Crackdown on Sexual Harassment”: The Women and Families Committee of Community Board 8 will host a special public forum, “Crackdown on Sexual Harassment: What you need to know now.” The talk will feature Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr.; Dana Sussman, deputy director of the NYC Commission on Human Rights; and Rick Rossein, CUNY Law School professor and expert on combatting sexual harassment. Thurs., June 13, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., at E. 82nd St.
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To qualify for the $90 bonus, you must open a Flushing Bank Complete Checking account1 during our celebration month of June, an opening balance of $1,000 is required with an average balance of $1,000 or more each month through September 2019. Plus, get up to $200 when you open a new Complete Checking account and complete the required activities2. For more information, visit your local Flushing Bank branch, call 800.581.2889 (855.540.2274 TTY/TDD) or visit www.FlushingBank.com. Small enough to know you. Large enough to help you.® 1 Effective June 3, 2019 through June 30, 2019. New Complete Checking account with new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. A new checking account is defined as any new checking account that does not have any authorized signatures in common with any other existing Flushing Bank checking account(s). An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. The minimum opening balance required for Complete Checking is $25, but a minimum opening balance of $1,000 is required in this account to qualify for the respective advertised bonus. The new account must remain open, active, and in good standing through September 30, 2019 with an average balance of $1,000 or more each month. One $90 bonus per new Complete Checking customer which will be credited to the qualifying Complete Checking account in October 2019. A 1099 statement for the bonus value will be issued. The promotion and offer are subject to change and termination without prior notice at any time. 2 This offer is limited to one Complete Checking account per household. Minimum deposit required to open a new Complete Checking account is $25. No minimum balance required to be eligible for the Bonus. Direct Deposit – You will receive $100 for signing up for and receiving a recurring direct deposit of $250 or more. Tax refund checks do not qualify as direct deposit. Direct Deposits must be completed prior to 90 days after the account is opened. Debit Card Purchases – You will receive $50 for the completion of 5 debit card purchases. Each debit card purchase must be $25 or more. Online Banking Bill-payments – You will receive $50 for completing 5 online banking bill-payments via Flushing Bank’s Online Banking portal. Each online bill-pay must be $25 or more. Debit Card Purchases and Online Bill-payments must be completed prior to 60 days after the account is opened. THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ANY CUSTOMER CAN RECEIVE IS $200. The compensation will be credited to the checking account on or about the end of the month following the completion of the above qualifying transactions within the required time after account opening. A 1099 will be issued in the amount credited to your account. Other fees and restrictions may apply. All offers are subject to change and termination without prior notice at any time. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
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Real Estate
Is Manhattan the seniors’ paradise? BY MARTHA WILKIE
S
ome say Manhattan is only for the young or rich, but it’s also good for older people — as long as they have the means to live here. An Upper East Sider who just turned 80 said she values the convenience. “As an ‘elderly’ person there is no better place to live,” she said. “Almost everything I need is within a four-block radius: grocery store, pharmacy, cleaners, hardware store, bookstore — you name it. And if I can’t get out, they deliver.” And she loves her neighborhood. “The people, children and dogs are all familiar and make me feel connected and secure,” she said. “And, of course, there is the wonderful culture: movies, theater, music, dance, libraries, museums — and good public transportation. And for a glorious walk in the country, there is always Central Park!” Agent Ina Torton manages a special team, Next Move, dedicated to helping seniors leaving their longtime homes and finding new places to live, ones well-suited to aging in place. Factors to consider include wheelchair-accessible entrances and A.D.A.-compliant bathrooms. “Seniors move for different reasons, such as downsizing or to be near their children,” Torton explained. “Some want to escape the suburbs and be in the middle of the action. I’m a senior and I wouldn’t live anywhere else. There’s nothing like it!” Buildings or neighborhoods can become NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities) and get free services from the city. “Department for the Aging funds supportive-services programs at dozens of NORCs in the city, where residents can access health and social services where they live,” Torton noted. “Services include health and wellness activities, fitness classes,
case-management assistance, help with benefits and entitlements, educational activities, outings and volunteer opportunities.” Searching for suitable apartments is difficult, although The New York Times does have a “wheelchair accessible” filter and the city maintains a list of NORCs online. In Morningside Heights, a spacious studio in a NORC on La Salle St. has a nice eat-in kitchen nook and is well priced. $349,000. (Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5662616/100-la-salle-st-apt-21e-morningside-heights-ny-10027/) A two-bedroom, two-bath East Harlem rental has a doorman, elevator, no steps to enter and a stall shower. $3,995.
This Uptown NORC also spor ts a spacious eat-in kitchen nook.
Movin’ on up to an East Harlem rental with no steps up.
(Brow nstoner.com /listing/CIT IHABITATS-7018149/181-e-119th-stapt-8d-east-harlem-ny-10035/) On the Upper East Side, a one-bedroom, one-bath condo offers a gorgeous terrace, doorman and concierge. $798,000. (Onemanhattanre.com/upper-eastside /condo-for-sale /400 -e-90th-st6f/350332) In Chelsea, a one-bedroom, one-bath has a stall shower, doorman, elevator washer/dryer, valet service and a loungelike lobby where one can hang out and chat with neighbors. $1.5 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/ ELLIMAN-3785155/101-w-24th-st-apt-7bchelsea-ny-10001/)
A gorgeous terrace comes with this Upper East Side one-bedroom.
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