The Villager - July 18, 2019

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 July 18, 2019 Volume 89 • Number 29

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

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END THE CYCLE OF SORROW Bikers die-in for safe streets P. 6 C yclists held a mass protest on July 9 over the recent spike in bikers’ deaths.

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

LIGHT AMID THE DARKNESS Voices, vigil against ICE deportations P. 3 Hundreds rallied at the Lights for Liber t y event in Foley Square on July 12.

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July 18, 2019

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Lights amid immigration darkness

PHOTOS BY JIMIN KIM

Congressmember Jerrold Nadler, chairperson of the House Judiciar y Committee, left, spoke out against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies at the Lights for Liber t y rally.

Hundreds gathered in Lower Manhattan’s Foley Square on Fri., July 12, for Lights for Liberty.

The protest criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies and the deportation raids by Immigration

and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On the same day, there were more than 700 Lights for Liberty rallies

worldwide protesting anti-immigration policies and immigrant border camps between the U.S. and Mexico.

In blackout, Johnson shines, Blaz fizzles

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

T

he big event Saturday evening was supposed to be Day Two of the summer version of “Manhattanhenge.” The sunset would perfectly align with the borough’s east-west cross streets, creating a golden canyon effect, and everyone and her cousin would snap photos of it and post them on social media.

Instead a massive blackout hit the West Side, starting just after 6:45 p.m., and affecting roughly 72,000 Con Edison customers, according to the utility.

Power was eventually restored to all affected areas, five hours later, shortly before midnight.

The outage was initially confined to the blocks west of Fifth Ave. between 42nd and 72nd Sts. The New York Post reported that, by 9 p.m., the affected area had spread down to W. 12th St. in the Village, and police were telling motorists to avoid the blocks between W. 12th and W. 72nd Sts. west of Fifth Ave. The New York Times said the affected area didn’t go south of W. 30th St.

By Monday, Con Edison’s investigation had concluded that the “initiating event” of Saturday’s blackout was an electrical cable fire at W. 64th St., which, in turn, affected a substation on W. 49th St. “Our inspection of equipment and preliminary review of system data over the past 40 hours indicates that the relay-protection system at our W. 65th St.

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COURTESY COREY JOHNSON/TWITTER

The day after the blackout, Speaker Corey Johnson spoke at a press conference about next steps as Mayor Bill de Blasio — who had flown back from Iowa that morning — waited his turn at the microphone.

substation did not operate as designed,” Con Ed said in a statement. “That system detects electrical faults and directs circuit breakers to isolate and de-energize those faults. The relay-protection system is designed with redundancies to provide high levels of reliability. In this case, primary and backup relay systems did not isolate a faulted 13,000volt distribution cable at W. 64th St. and West End Ave. “The failure of the protective relay systems ultimately resulted in isolation of the fault at the W. 49th St. transmis-

sion substation, and the subsequent loss of several electrical networks, starting at 6:47 p.m.”

Helping New Yorkers remain calm through it all was Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who regularly tweeted out informative updates, earning major kudos in the process. Meanwhile, Mayor Bill de Blasio was pilloried for being out of town, in Iowa, on his apparently quixotic presidential campaign, and for issuing just one, fairly generic tweet in response to the crisis.

Johnson, of course, also represents TVG

District 3, which covers the West Side from the Village to Columbus Circle, which bore the brunt of the blackout.

Nicole Gelinas, a Hell’s Kitchen resident and Post columnist who lives near the problem substation, tweeted: “Corey Johnson is in touch with everyone, answering constituents’ concerned tweets, and doing minute-to-minute updates on the radio and Twitter where de Blasio is, like, where? Looking for a plane out of place whose population is smaller than people impacted by blackout.”

The mayor did not get back in town until 12:30 p.m. the next day, nearly 13 hours after electrical service had been restored, according to reports.

Other media figures likewise spun the blackout as a major moment for Johnson but another blot on de Blasio’s record, adding to his reputation as an “absentee mayor.”

Jessica Winter, executive editor of newyorker.com, tweeted: “Corey Johnson is the mayor now.”

Indeed, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi might dismiss Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her “Twitter world” as being just a lot of hype. But during the blackout, many really appreciated and relied on Johnson’s tweets.

Ben Max, executive editor of Gotham Gazette, praised Johnson’s Twitter skills, tweeting: “Given AOC [is] in another stratosphere, no one in New York politics comes even close to Corey Johnson in understanding how important twitter can be.”

July 18, 2019

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Police Blotter the wanted man.

Anyone with information should contact the Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Hot Line 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.

All tips are strictly confidential.

First Precinct Arrested for attempted rape On Sun., July 14, police said they had made an arrest in an attempted rape in Lower Manhattan from the previous Sunday.

Clarence Bradley, 23, of the Bronx, was charged with first-degree attempted rape, first-degree robbery and public lewdness.

Police said that on Sun., July 7, around 12:45 a.m., Bradley approached a 73-year-old woman in front of 11 Greenwich St., near Bowling Green in the Financial District, and demanded sex from her. The senior refused and Bradley then reportedly proceeded to punch her repeatedly in the face, seriously injuring her and knocking out some of her teeth. The goon then took her bag containing $20 before fleeing.

The victim was removed in serious but stable condition to an area hospital to be treated for a broken eye socket, plus multiple cuts and bruising.

Two days before he was collared, police put out a notice for Bradley’s arrest, which included his name and identifying tattoos. According to police, he has “RIP JOE” on his right forearm, “OCT 11” on his torso, a mouth with a tongue sticking out on his arm, “CLARICE” on his left forearm and a red feather on his arm.

According to the criminal complaint, a police officer who checked surveillance video from the scene, said it showed Bradley with his penis exposed at the time of the incident. Bradley reportedly subsequently told the officer that he was masturbating when he saw the victim, that he asked her the time, then punched her eight to 10 times and took her bag.

Ninth Precinct Avenue D fatal shooting A Crips gang member with a long trail of violence was gunned down outside the Lillian Wald Houses in the East Village early Saturday morning, police said.

On July 13, around 2:46 a.m., police

Violent beau

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

The alleged Union Square subway mugger.

responded to a 911 call for a male shot in the rear of 20 Avenue D, at E. Third St. Responding cops found a 35-yearold man in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the face.

E.M.S. transported the victim to Bellevue Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead. There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.

On Saturday morning, a spokesperson said police were waiting for the victim’s family to be notified before they release his name publicly. Surveillance cameras were being checked for what they may have captured of the shooting and a possible suspect.

“It’s very early,” the spokesperson said. “Detectives are out there doing video canvass.”

As of Monday afternoon, police still were not releasing any more information about a possible suspect — but they did have some new details about the victim, who sported a lengthy rap sheet.

“The victim was a Crip — a gang member,” another police spokesperson said. “He does have a history of violence and weapons possession. He has 28 priors, consisting of assaults and robberies, among others.”

The victim was a black male, but other than that, the spokesperson did not provide further details about the man, including his name or where he lived. A motive for the shooting was not given, either.

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

A photo of the alleged Times Square subway groper.

he woke up in his room in New York University’s Alumni Hall dorm, at 33 Third Ave., between E. Ninth and E. 10th Sts., to find his cell phone and credit card missing.

A subsequent investigation determined that an unidentified male had made several unauthorized charges with the card at a New Jersey Walmart.

Police did not say where or how the man thought he might have lost his phone and wallet.

10th Precinct Times Square subway groping There was a subway groping incident inside the Times Square subway station on Sun., July 7, police said. Around 1:50 p.m., a 31-year-old woman was walking through the station’s mezzanine, when a man grabbed her buttocks. The woman started to yell and the man fled in an unknown direction.

Police released a surveillance image of

Card turns up at N.J. Walmart A 21-year-old student told police that on Sat., June 29, around 3 a.m.,

A domestic incident turned violent in front of 364 W. 18th St., at Ninth Ave., on Sun., July 14, police said.

Around 9:50 p.m., a woman and her boyfriend were arguing, according to a witness, which escalated into a physical altercation. When the girlfriend was later interviewed, she told police that her boyfriend pushed her to the ground and strangled her, causing redness to her neck. She said the man continued to smack her while she was on the ground. The victim had cuts and bruises on her arms and left wrist. She also said that the man threw her phone against a wall, breaking it. She refused medical attention at the scene and at the 10th Precinct stationhouse.

Jonathan Clarke, 31, was arrested for criminal obstruction of breathing, a misdemeanor.

13th Precinct Union Square subway mugging There was a recent attack and mugging on a subway at Union Square, according to police.

On Mon., June 24, around 3:25 a.m., a 44-year-old man boarded a Downtown 6 train. Another man then punched and kicked him several times, before taking his wallet — which contained a credit card — before fleeing.

The victim suffered swelling to his left eye, but turned down medical attention at the scene.

Police released a surveillance image of the wanted man, who is described as 18 to 25 years old, wearing a yellow dorag and 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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Cyclists die-in, demand safe streets

BY GABE HERMAN

T

oo many cyclists are being killed on the streets, and to drive home the point that something needs to be done about it, hundreds of cyclists held a mass die-in in Washington Square Park on Tues., July 9.

Despite the push for increased street safety under the Vision Zero plan, there have been 15 cyclist deaths so far in the city in 2019, compared to seven at the same point in 2018, and 10 for all of last year.

“Ultimately, the balance of our streets should be tilted in favor of people — not the cars that clog our streets and hog our curbs,” wrote Ellen McDermott, co-interim executive director of Transportation Alternatives, on Streetsblog before the die-in. “Ever greater reclamation of street space is the answer — like we reclaimed Washington Square Park from the automobile six decades ago and never looked back.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio responded earlier this month to the growing number of cyclist fatalities.

“We are seeing a dangerous surge in cyclist deaths on our streets, and we are taking action,” the mayor said on July 1.

“I have directed the N.Y.P.D. to immediately launch a major enforcement action that will encompass every precinct and crack down on dangerous driving behavior like parking in bike lanes.

“At the same time,” the mayor continued, “I have charged the Department of Transportation with developing a new cyclist safety plan to make biking in our city safer. No loss of life on our streets is acceptable. Last year was the safest year on record — and we have to keep pushing the envelope and increasing our efforts until we achieve Vision Zero.”

The next day, the Police Department said a three-week-long citywide initiative from July 1 to July 21 would pay special attention to dangerous parking and moving violations, such as doubleparking, parking in or blocking bike lanes, and speeding, failure to yield and distracted driving, like using a phone while behind the wheel.

Patrol supervisors will also respond to incidents where cyclists or pedestrians have been struck to investigate whether a right-of-way law has been violated.

Auxiliary police officers also will be doing education outreach for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians about safety tips, according to police.

Despite the promised crackdown, some cyclists have reported that police cars themselves have been part of the problem in recent years when it comes to blocking bike lanes. There is even a Twitter account devoted to the issue, called Cops in Bike Lanes, which was started in 2013.

“The N.Y.P.D. will work with all of

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PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

C yclists held a die-in at Washington Square Park on July 9.

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

A protester lay on top of a yellow cab near the die-in on July 9.

our city partners to implement a comprehensive plan to reduce and ultimately eliminate bicycle fatalities,” said

Police Commissioner James O’Neill when the mayor’s July initiative was announced. “The N.Y.P.D. vigorously TVG

supports Vision Zero, and enthusiastically promotes safety for everyone on our city’s streets.”

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Leader’s son jailed for child porn Arthur Schwartz said the New York Post, in its coverage, initially made a point of stressing that Jacob was a “de Blasio staffer,” when in fact he was merely one employee within the administration.

He blamed the Post’s “conservative” politics for its ongoing coverage of the story, saying that it would not merit mention otherwise. The tabloid likes to use the term “Democratic Party insider” for him and his son, he noted.

“The nature of what Jacob was charged with, in the end, most cases wouldn’t be covered,” he said of the major media.

The Post also reported that Arthur Schwartz shoved one of its photographers at Friday’s sentencing and screamed at him, “Get the f— away from me!”

Schwartz said it was Steve Hirsch, and that the photographer was blocking his way when Schwartz and his family members — including Jacob’s mother and others — were trying to exit an elevator and get to the sentencing.

“The elevator door opened and he was about to take pictures of my family who were there, and I pushed him out of the way,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz claimed that Hirsch also made a provocative remark to him.

“He was harassing me,” he charged.

Schwartz said that on his way back out, he was escorted to the stairs by a court officer who kept the shutterbug from getting a good shot.

Hirsch is a longtime East Villager who has covered the crusty punks in Tomp-

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

J

acob Schwartz, once a rising star in the New York Democratic Party, was sentenced Wednesday to one to three years in prison for possessing child pornography.

The judge’s sentence was part of a plea deal reached after Schwartz, 31, admitted guilt on May 28 to one count of promoting sexual performance by a child.

Schwartz will also be on the mandatory sex-offender registry for a minimum of 20 years.

He had additionally been charged with one count of possessing a sexual performance by a child under age 16, but he did not admit guilt to that as part of the plea deal.

Jacob Schwartz was arrested in May 2017, in what his father, Greenwich Village District Leader Arthur Schwartz, called a “personal tragedy” for him.

According to police, the younger Schwartz’s laptop computer contained “over 3,000 images and 89 videos depicting young nude females between the approximate ages of 6 months and 16 years old, engaging in sexual conduct… on an adult male.”

Jacob Schwartz is an alumni of the Village Community School. At the time of his arrest, he was living in Murray Hill, and employed as a computer programmer analyst with the city’s Department of Design and Construction, where he worked for Build It Back, a Superstorm Sandy recovery and rebuilding-assis-

FACEBOOK

Jacob Schwartz pled guilty to a child-porn charge in May and will serve one to three years in prison.

tance program.

He was also the president of the Manhattan Young Democrats and the Downstate region vice president of the New York State Young Democrats.

Arthur Schwartz had previously told this paper that he did not expect his son would wind up going to jail.

“I had hoped he wasn’t going to serve time,” he said Friday, noting the “modern trend” is against prison in such cases.

But, he added, that Jacob probably was sentenced, partly, “because of who I am and who he was.” He said Jacob will serve his time in a state prison.

Schwartz was the New York counsel for Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign, and is a prominent New York City union attorney.

kins Square Park on his “Crustypunks” blog, among others.

“No comment,” Hirsch responded by e-mail when asked to respond to Schwarz’s accusations.

“Nobody else [besides the Post] covered any of this stuff — except The Villager,” Schwartz said.

“I don’t think it’s an important story,” he added. “I think 14th St. is more important.”

He was referring to his lawsuit on behalf of Village and Chelsea block associations against the city’s efforts to ram through a “busway” plan for 14th St. that would ban cars from the major crosstown street daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Although they represent the same district, Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Schwartz are bitter political foes.

Two years ago, when the story broke of Jacob Schwartz’s arrest, Glick told this paper that the focus should be on the victims.

“It’s a terrible circumstance for the Schwartz family,” Glick said at that time, “although I reserve my compassion for the obvious victims, who are all these young girls who have been sold or trafficked and whose images have been proliferated around the Web. Those are the real victims and that is the really horrible part of this.”

Glick did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.

Activists: Save Village from ‘tech spread’

BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

T

he Village area’s leading preservation group is calling on local politicians to make good on what it says were promises to protect the East Village from becoming a “Silicon Alley.”

On June 28, Village Preservation sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Councilmember Carlina Rivera, outlining a list of protections it says were promised a year ago when upzoning for the planned Tech Hub, at 124 E. 14th St., was approved by the City Planning Commission. The preservationists argue that since no steps have been taken to fulfill those alleged pledges, the surrounding streets are slowly morphing into an extension of “Midtown South.”

During her 2017 City Council campaign, Rivera expressed support for the Tech Hub provided that the city enact some zoning measures to protect the surrounding area from commercial and residential development. But when the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee

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has hurt the neighborhood in a different way.

“The developer has encroached upon the sidewalk and two or three lanes of eastbound traffic, forcing pedestrians waiting for the bus to stand in the street,” the letter states. As a result, buses have to use one open lane to pick up and drop off passengers, during which all eastbound traffic is blocked on 14th St. “It is deeply disturbing to see that a full year after the approval, while the developer has moved full-steam ahead with their project, there has been no movement whatsoever on any of these incredibly modest protections which were promised,” Andrew Berman, director of Village Preservation, wrote in the June 28 letter to de Blasio and Rivera.

Rivera spokesperson Jeremy Unger said the councilmember was proud that work is moving forward on the tech training center, which Rivera believes will help bring low-income residents and people of color from the Lower East Side into the tech world. Unger

and Land Use Committee both voted to approve the proposed upzoning for the site last year, Rivera voted for the required rezoning for the project without the protections.

According to the preservation group’s letter, another protective measure that was promised but has yet to be started was a campaign to teach nearby residents in rent-stabilized buildings about their rights and how to recognize signs of tenant harassment.

In the meantime, demolition of the former P.C. Richard & Son store and construction of the Tech Hub on the site has begun and the “effects of the upzoning have already been felt,” the letter reads.

Those “effects” include the destruction of the former St. Denis Hotel, at 11th St. and Broadway, and the three historic low-scale buildings at the northeast corner of Third Ave. and St. Mark’s Place to make way for a “boutique office building.”

Another broken promise claimed in the letter, this time by the Tech Hub’s developer, RAL Development Services, TVG

pushed back against claims that no measures related to preservation and tenant protection in the area around the Tech Hub have taken place. He cited the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s recent designation of seven historic buildings along the Broadway corridor as individual landmarks; “Know Your Rights” tenant resource fairs with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development that are set to start this month; the City Council allocating funds to protect the historic Merchant’s House; and continued meetings with L.P.C. on the possibility of further landmarking in the area.

“Councilwoman Rivera is continuing discussions with the administration on additional protective zoning measures,” Unger assured.

“Our office will work hand in hand with the project’s community advisory board to ensure that staging and safety measures are following Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Department of Transportation and Department of Buildings protocols, in light of the most current 14th St. transit projects.”

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Board 5 O.K.’s new protected bike lane

by Port Authority

COURTESY NYC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

A photo of existing conditions on Eighth Ave. between 42nd and 43rd Sts., which features a wide sidewalk and protected bike lane. The configuration on this block is, for the most par t, what D.O.T. is proposing for the sevenblock stretch between 38th to 45th Sts.

BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

T

he Department of Transportation’s proposed Eighth Ave. protected bike lane and sidewalk extension from 38th St. to 45th St. has been approved by Community Board 5.

According to D.O.T., the plan is to paint 10-footwide sidewalk extensions along the avenue and create a northbound protected bike lane separated by a series of plastic bollards. Three feet of buffer space to the east of the bike lane would further protect cyclists from traffic. The traffic lane to the immediate right of the buffer space would be an alternating taxi lane and left-hand turn lane at 39th St., 41st and 43rd St. Sts. The proposed plan would also extend metered parking until midnight along the avenue between 38th and 45th Sts., with vehicles allowed to use parking spaces for five-hour intervals.

Outside of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, at 41st and 42nd Sts., the scheme changes a bit, with D.O.T. planning on creating a taxi boarding island to the east of a curbside bike lane and painted sidewalk. In other words, along this stretch, the bike lane and pedestrian space would flip, so that the taxi boarding area would be the one adjacent to motor-vehicle traffic.

According to the community board’s resolution, D.O.T. found that only 25 percent of taxi pickups at the Port Authority Bus Terminal use the existing curbside taxi stand. The plan also proposes banning lefthand turns at 42nd St. and consolidating M20 bus stops at 39th and 41st Sts. In its resolution, C.B. 5 insisted that the Police Department minimize the number of concrete barriers it installs and instead use plastic bollards whenever necessary, so as not to impede safety but also to maximize pedestrian space. The board also called on D.O.T. to return to the community board after the creation of the bike lane and extended sidewalk with data on the number of cars and bicycles using the section of Eighth Ave. with the new bike lane section.

The resolution notes that some community board members are concerned about dangerous cycling activity, in general, throughout the borough. Since the beginning of this year, 15 cyclists have died on the city’s streets.

C.B. 4 is slatted to vote on the proposed plan at its next full-board meeting on July 24.

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Digesting the loss of The Coffee Shop

Our Perspective

For Retail Workers, Difficult Times in a Seemingly Strong Economy

BY MICAEL A MACAGNONE

T

he Coffee Shop, the BrazilianAmerican diner, was a Union Square staple and a second home for models. After being open 28 years, it closed last October.

Forbes reported that Coffee Shop was one of the 100 highest grossing independent restaurants in the U.S. in 2017, raking in roughly $14.3 million in annual sales. Even so, the chic eatery was not able to break even.

Charles Milite, Coffee Shop’s co-owner and president, told Forbes that rent ate up 27 percent of the place’s gross revenue.

Plus, he said, the $2-per-hour minimum wage hike that was set to take place last December would have added $46,000 to the restaurant’s monthly payroll, or more than half a million dollars a year.

“When a restaurant is one of the topranked restaurants in America, saleswise, and can no longer afford to operate, you have to look at that and say there’s a shifting paradigm in the business,” he told Forbes.

Some part of the former Coffee Shop space will now become a Chase bank branch. An application for the bank was approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury on June 4, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York blog first reported.

Andrew Rigie, director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, described Coffee Shop as an iconic New York City restaurant whose closure is another example of the city’s expensive and complicated regulatory environment. He stressed that systems that protect small businesses, like the restaurant-industry tip credit — which allows restaurants to pay $10 an hour if employees’ tips meet or exceed minimum wage — must be preserved.

Rigie said eliminating the tip credit would be an enormous financial burden for small businesses on top of their normal operating costs.

Rigie added that Mayor de Blasio’s recent push for two weeks’ paid time off for employees, “on top of the already existent one week paid time off,” should not move forward.

“De Blasio should be figuring out how to support our small businesses, not how to make it harder for them to survive,” he said.

Rigie added, if people view two weeks’ paid time off as a moral imperative, then the city should subsidize it.

“We cannot address large societal issues on the backs of small business owners,” he emphasized. “Vacant storefronts and big chains are unrecognizable from what New Yorkers love.”

Rigie’s NYC Hospitality Alliance represents restaurants and nightlife venues throughout the five boroughs. He said he would love to see another local restauSchneps Media

By Stuart Appelbaum, President Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, UFCW Twitter: @sappelbaum hile the economy seems to be doing well, and retail companies, their CEOs, and their stockholders seem to be doing well, there’s a group that’s in danger of being left behind; retail workers, many of whom find daily life a struggle to not only advance, but to survive.

And that’s wrong, because traditional retail is still a strong and growing sector of our economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the retail industry continues to be one of the largest employment sectors in the U.S. and is projected to add half a million jobs through 2026. And while ecommerce is having an impact on brick and mortar retail, it still makes up less than 10 percent of total retail sales in the U.S. Traditional retail is still the dominant player today in the retail industry.

Unfortunately, retail workers have not benefited from growth in the industry, just like most working Americans haven’t seen any of the benefits of a supposedly strong economy. The median annual wage for a retail cashier stands at just over $22,000, and for a retail salesperson at just over $24,000. The Federal Poverty Level for a family of four hoovers at around $25,000.

Besides chronically low wages, especially for non-union retail employees, retail workers face a number of challenges that can make life a daily struggle of frustration. Scheduling issues abound, with many workers struggling with insufficient and inconsistent hours. The practice of “clopenings” – where workers are scheduled for late night shifts followed by early morning opening shifts – can wreak havoc with workers’ lives.

Harassment and inappropriate treatment by customers and supervisors is an issue for many retail workers, who are predominantly female.

E-commerce also presents challenges for retail workers, even while traditional retail remains strong. Stores often encourage customers to shop online, even while they are in the store, which can cost employees valuable time and commission pay. Customers will order products online, find they don’t fit or just don’t like them, and return them at brick and mortar stores, where employees have to process returns instead of making commission sales on the floor.

Above all, retail workers in the U.S. are getting fed up of being treated like commodities and having no say in their schedules, pay, and treatment.

That’s why over the past decade, many have sought union membership. In New York, workers at H&M and Zara have joined the RWDSU, negotiating strong contracts that give them the representation they need to help build better lives with their jobs. Longtime RWDSU members at retail stalwarts like Macy’s, Bloomingdales, and Modell’s have continued to negotiate good contracts that are helping adapt to the new realities of the marketplace and the competition and challenges brought upon by e-commerce.

There are almost 16 million retail workers in the U.S., and they are an important part of our communities, neighborhoods, and our economy. And while the retail industry is working for CEOs and stockholders, it isn’t working for many of the retail workers whose efforts are the underpinnings of an industry that continues to grow. For our economy to be truly strong, that needs to change.

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PHOTO BY GOOGLE

After nearly three decades in business on Union Square West, The Coffee Shop closed last October.

rant in the Coffee Shop space, because that is what makes New York special and gives us our culture. He said while a Chase bank is great if you want to deposit money, it will never replace the culture created by New York businesses, like restaurants and nightlife.

Gail Fox, former co-chairperson of the Union Square Community Coalition, said she was disappointed by Coffee Shop’s closing, yet was not viewing its demise “so broadly.” She noted the place closed, in part, because one of the owners was moving out of the city. Asked if she saw the loss of the hot spot as part of a larger trend, she said no since it was not solely an issue of rent and there have been many restaurants that have “moved on” from the still “vibrant” Union Square community.

That said, she hopes the Chase bank is small — an ATM would be enough for her — and that the space remains a food business, like a small food court.

“You were surrounded by aspiring actresses and models,” Fox recalled fondly of Coffee Shop. “The owners were most gracious to the community. And the food was the kind that would make you want to stop in.”

She hopes that what enters the space lends itself to the community in the same way Coffee Shop did.

Jennifer Falk, head of the Union Square Partnership Business Improvement District, declined to comment on the Coffee Shop space. A BID rep sent a list of new businesses in the neighborhood, and cited the BID’s Q2 Biz and Broker report: “The BID’s ground-floor retail vacancy rate remains one of the lowest anywhere in New York City, at just 4 percent at the beginning of the second quarter of 2019.”

www.rwdsu.org TVG

July 18, 2019

11

Editorial

Sharing the city streets With the recent tragic spate of cyclists’ deaths, once again the city’s bike culture — and its car and truck culture, as well — are under the spotlight, as we all try to figure out what must be done to make our city safe and livable for all.

After the most recent cyclist’s death, Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a three-week enforcement blitz, including cracking down on vehicles parked in bike lanes. Obviously, blocking bike lanes and double-parking create dangerous conditions, forcing cyclists to veer out into car traffic. This kind of enforcement is long overdue.

But a few weeks’ focus is not enough: This problem needs constant monitoring.

Meanwhile, sadly, in some cases, cyclists who were killed were somewhat at fault for making bad moves — such as riding off a curb into traffic or veering out of a crowded bike lane and into heavy-duty vehicle traffic.

Admittedly, New York City’s bike lanes can be pretty narrow. Not everyone rides with the speed and skill of a bike messenger. Yes, it can be frustrating to be stuck behind a clump of slow cyclists when you want — or need, perhaps because it’s your job — to go faster. It all happens so fast on the streets: One false move…

Even for expert riders, it is still a dangerous city for cycling.

Ideally, the city’s bike lanes are widened. That would be a start, and would help ensure that more cyclists, for their own good, stay in the protected lanes.

At the same time, there’s a lot of talk — and critical op-eds being penned — arguing that New York City is “not Europe,” has bigger streets, faster and meaner traffic, and that we will never have a Continental bike culture here. In other words, Gotham will never be a bike nirvana like Copenhagen. Frankly, that’s nonsense.

If we have proper bike infrastructure and if both drivers and cyclists are educated about street conditions and show respect for each other, it will work.

One thing that is not constructive, however, is the level of hostility and intensity involved right now. Bike activists proclaim that every time a new bike lane is blocked, it means climate extinction is just one step closer. Meanwhile, many local residents — such as in the Village and Chelsea, the Upper West Side and Upper East Side — complain too many cyclists are rogue riders, with no consideration of pedestrians or the rules of the road. Many older New Yorkers, especially, whose reflexes, quickness and balance are diminished, dread the thought of cyclists bearing down on them. One bad fall can be a death sentence for a fragile senior.

And let’s face it. We all know what’s causing all the traffic in our city. It’s not the bike lanes. It’s all the app-hail cars, the Ubers, Lyfts, etc.

The younger generation wants a bike-friendly city, and, no question, we are heading that way. If we all tone down the intolerance, we might reach some solutions on how to get there, while also making the streets safer for everyone.

THE OPENING OF THE TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK CHILDREN’S GARDEN IN 1934. (NYC PARKS ARCHIVE)

A children’s garden opened in Tompkins Square Park in the spring of 1934. This photo is from an opening ceremony that was performed that April.

STORY: “14th St. bus-plan rollout rejected, again” (posted on thevillager.com, 7/5/19) SUMMARY: The city Department of Transportation — not taking a long weekend after July 4 — went to court Fri., July 5, trying to get a judge to lift a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of the city’s “busway” plan for 14th St. But the judge said the situation was not an emergency, plus did not want to create a “ping-pong effect” by lifting the recently enacted T.R.O., which remains in effect until at least Aug. 6.

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Op-Ed

Gansevoort needs nature and a field

BY LYNN PACIFICO

W

hen our mothers told us to go out and play, they might have just wanted us out of the house. But we benefitted from those afternoons in the park — in more ways than we imagined. Science is proving the staggering benefits of spending time in nature for all of us, but especially for children.

But West Village children can actually get a ticket for climbing a tree in the Hudson River Park. This area is lacking a real park, not a manicured garden parkway but a natural area, in which all children, including those who play league sports, can climb a tree and appreciate the wonder and magic of nature.

We have the chance to do this with Gansevoort Peninsula.

What makes the peninsula so special is that it is land — albeit, landfill — as opposed to the piers in our waterfront park.

This is especially important in Downtown Manhattan where we have so little park and open space. Here we cover our fields with plastic and our new “pocket” parks are being fitted with synthetic turf instead of grass, damaging not only to our ecosystem but also to us and our children.

To turf any part of Gansevoort would be a crime against nature and a missed opportunity for our community. Humans are a part of nature — something we forget. Our time on the ground is made even more valuable considering most New Yorkers live in the air.

We need at least one natural area in the West Village with native trees, wild flowers, bushes, grasses and weeds. (Weeds feed migrating wildlife, and should be allowed to grow where possible.) A nature trail winding through healthy, climbable trees and tall pines with picnic benches under shade trees would be a wonderful respite from the dry, concrete, brickand-asphalt of our active “denser by the day” city.

A get-down to the water where small boats could be launched would promote water activities and provide a meeting place for boaters.

We also need a sandlot multiuse field since there is none for our community after we lost JJ Walker field 20 years ago. If the Gansevoort field is turfed, the majority of our community will be locked out — again. A multiuse field is needed for people who want to play catch, Frisbee, make snow people or run their dogs during “off leash” hours, etc.

Off-leash hours have been amazingly successful where permitted, mainly in large city parks, but we have smaller parks south of Central Park. The entire city enjoys morning and evening off-leash hours except for Downtown Manhattanites.

Lately, it has become popular to say it’s unsanitary for children to play where dogs play. But, realistically, these are the same pets that sleep in the beds of their owners — adults and children alike — and which are kissed and loved intimately as family members. Having a dog has proven to be healthy on all levels, as well as aiding the prevention of childhood developed allergies. Our ancestors lived with their animals for millennia before disinfectant wipes.

Once, Gansevoort was the western end of a Native American trail. Back then, the area was used for fishing and planting, but I am sure that folks relaxed and played there, too.

At the new Gansevoort park’s opening ceremony, it would be fitting for the peninsula to be blessed by Lenape tribe members. They could rededicate it to nature — and the “wild,” natural part of it could be regiven its last Lenape name: Sapohanikan.

Pacifico is president, Dog Owners Action Committee

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Letters to the Editor Bone-nanza for tours

Hitting the wall

To The Editor: Re “Bones to be reburied in Washington Square Park” (news article, July 11): This is dignified, and it makes me proud. Thank you, Community Board 2, for your resolution that says the community board “looks forward to consideration of additional narrative markers which might elaborate on the rich history of the park.”

I hope these markers are illustrated and include information about the area’s Native American heritage.

Jared Goldstein Goldstein is owner, Jared The NYC Tour Guide

Feeling the Pride again!

To The Editor: Re “Alterna March reboots to Pride roots” (news article, July 11): This! This is what I used to go to when attending a Pride parade! Love this! Thank you for publishing.

Kelli Anne Busey

Losing pride in Pride To The Editor: Re “The problem with Pride” (Guest Editorial, by Elissa Stein, July 4): We’ve just banned billboards on barges on our rivers.

Let’s stop letting commercial groups use our L.G.B.T. and ethnic parades as an advertising medium. If they really want to support the groups staging the parades, let them hold up a banner on the sidelines or get listed in a program for the event. But taking up all that space and time with their tacky walking and squawking ads is intolerable and stretched this “Pride” parade into a 12½hour ordeal.

My first Christopher St. Liberation Day march was in 1974 and it was joyous and I have attended every one since until this year. In time, however, the march turned into this unrecognizable parade to nowhere.

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PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

At the Queer Liberation March, John Kelly, spor ting a Howl! Happening galler y T-shir t, held a sign for Marsha P. Johnson, the legendar y Greenwich Village gay-liberation activist and self-identified drag queen. Johnson was a prominent figure in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising.

Time for the city to set limits on commercial exploitation of these events. Thank goodness for Reclaim Pride — a true commemoration of the Stonewall Rebellion.

Andrew Humm

Rave review for Reinholz To The Editor: Re “Wolff dishes more (alleged) Trump dirt” (arts article, July 4): Mary Reinholz’s superb writing style, plus her excellent research into the facts, make this a nuanced, informative and thought-provoking read.

Kudos to you for having such an outstanding journalist contributing to your paper.

To The Editor: Re “Just say No to East Side Resiliency Plan; I did” (op-ed,

by Paul DiRienzo, July 4): Great to see someone reporting on and taking a stand with their positions about the city’s plans for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Plan. Regarding Gouverneur Gardens, I wanted to just clarify a couple of quick things.

In his column, Paul DiRienzo writes: “Gouverneur Gardens would have to cede land along Montgomery St. for a wall that the Mitchell-Lama co-op building would then apparently have to care for and insure.

The wall’s ability to protect the E.S.C.R.P. from nature’s flanking maneuver isn’t a sure thing.”

My current understanding is that we won’t be giving up our land, but rather ceding access to the city to our property for their floodwall system. In our case, the floodwall would be on the public sidewalk adjacent to our property. Never have we been told that we would have to care for the wall, and we certainly wouldn’t agree to that.

One of our biggest concerns, however, is liability. But I don’t believe we are being asked to cover any insurance for the floodwall along our area.

Your comment about the wall’s ability to protect us all is duly noted and will remain a concern we seek to address.

Thanks for your continued care on this very important issue — and especially for taking the time to highlight Gouverneur’s role and concerns within all this. It’s much appreciated.

Frank Avila-Goldman

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.

Janet Wolfe

July 18, 2019

13

Village paramedics saved his life

BY GABE HERMAN

L

enox Health Greenwich Village came in for some mixed reviews at a Community Board 2 public forum in May about the stand-alone emergency department. But one grateful patient recently thanked paramedics from the facility for saving his life.

After Sam Swartz’s heart stopped on a scary day in 2018, two paramedics were able to shock him back to life while they were transporting him to Lenox Health Greenwich Village, at Seventh Ave. and W. 12th St. Swartz was one of six patients to thank Northwell Health E.M.S. first responders at a Northwell Health Second Chance Luncheon on May 22 at the company’s corporate headquarters in New Hyde Park, Long Island.

Swartz thanked paramedics Sonny Hodge and Christopher Foote, saying that he felt “very, very lucky to have had this crew that day.” He added of the paramedic pair, who brought him into the cardiac catheterization lab for a procedure once they reached Lenox Health, “I felt like we were all on the same team that day: We were all on team ‘me.’”

Swartz has had three separate cardiac-related issues.

“One day, I’ll figure out how I survived these events. But I know I couldn’t have done it without you,” he told the paramedics.

COURTESY NORTHWELL HEALTH

Sam Swar tz with life-saving paramedic s Sonny Hedge, left, and Christopher Foote.

Lenox Health Greenwich Village opened five years ago at 30 Seventh Ave., between W. 12th and 13th Sts., across the street from the former St. Vincent’s Hospital main campus. The hospital closed in 2010.

The C.B. 2 Social Services Committee held a forum two months ago to get community feedback

on the now five-year-old freestanding emergency department’s performance. Some local residents at the forum described good experiences at the facility, including with doctors and staff. Others, however, voiced strong dissatisfaction on issues like long waiting times to receive care and unexpectedly costly bills.

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The 14th Republic; bank opens NYC branch

PHOTO BY JILLIAN NELSON

Gristedes supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, center, and fellow VIP’s showed a united front of optimism at the pre-grand opening reception for the new Republic Bank branch at 14th St. and Fifth Ave.

Republic Bank and its founder, Vernon Hill — and his valued associate Duffy — held a VIP reception at 90 Fifth Ave. on July 10, two days before the grand opening of the bank’s new branch at 14th St. and Fifth Ave. This is Republic’s 28th location in the U.S.,

and its first in New York City. Hill, the current chairman of Republic Bank, was the founder of Commerce Bank, which was sold to TD Bank. The new Republic 14th St. location reoccupies the former space of a Commerce Bank branch that opened in 2003.

PHOTO BY JILLIAN NELSON

Republic’s Vernon Hill and Duff y were totally loving this one: a $1 million deposit from former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis. Not pictured behind jumbo-sized check: Duff y wagging his tail like craz y.

PHOTO BY JILLIAN NELSON

You can take that one to the bank! Republic employees swear on the Bible of Vernon Hill, who writes that patrons should be more than mere customers: If a business is doing it right, Hill holds, they should be fans.

PHOTO BY JILLIAN NELSON

The man of the hour, Republic Bank founder Vernon Hill, and the star of the evening, Republic’s mascot, Duff y.

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July 18, 2019

15

Save our pavement! Tompkins skaters cry

BY GABE HERMAN

L

ocal skateboarders are pushing back against a Parks Department move to lay down synthetic turf in a corner of Tompkins Square Park that has been popular with skateboarders going back three decades.

The planned upcoming East Side Coastal Resiliency Project would close East River Park for three-and-a-half years while 8 to 9 feet of dirt is piled up there to protect against flooding.

Meanwhile, to compensate for that park going offline, the Parks Department intends to make alterations to other nearby parks to provide supplemental green space.

But despite Parks calling these modifications “improvements,” the idea of turfing over the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park has sparked a major protest campaign from the “skating” community.

Tompkins is one of five sites slated to get the new synthetic turf, to accommodate many of the hundreds of baseball and softball players who currently play in East River Park, according to Parks.

“The decision to install turf in the designated location in Tompkins Square Park in 2020 wasn’t made lightly,” said Crystal Howard, a Parks spokesperson. “It is part of neighborhood-wide enhancements being made to provide

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July 18, 2019

INSTAGRAM/EXTINCTMFG

The #savetompkins hashtag has become popular on Instagram. Extinct MFG Co., a local skate brand, posted this photo of Tompkins Square skateboarders and asked people to sign the online petition.

“The reconstruction at East River Park is a $1.45-billion flood-protection and park-improvement project that responds to the severe threats posed by climate change,” Howard added, “and will provide much-needed flood protection for 110,000 New Yorkers in this area.”

She noted that the plans were presented at community board meetings and open houses.

But the skateboarding community wasn’t consulted, according to local skater Adam Zhu, who started an online petition to save the asphalt. The petition has garnered more than 21,000 signatures so far.

“Once I learned the grass was going there,” Zhu said, “I felt it would destroy the DNA and culture of the neighborhood, and exclude and displace the skateboarders, who are an important part of the community.”

Zhu, 22, said he grew up skateboarding in the park and has now been doing it there for more than 10 years.

“It’s my home,” he said. “It’s the place that I consider extremely important to the identity of the neighborhood.”

Zhu and two friends started the hashtag #savetompkins, and asked people to share it and send it to city officials, as a way to focus the voices of the plan’s opponents. The response to the Twitter campaign was so great, Zhu decided to start the petition at Change.org.

Some of the petition signers have also posted comments of support.

“Tompkins needs to remain the same,” wrote William Strobeck. “Generation after generation it has been a melting pot for all types of artists.”

“This is a great skate spot and skate-

supplemental recreational space for the community writ large during the reconstruction of East River Park.

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boarding kept me out of trouble as a kid,” wrote Sean Okonsky.

The outpouring of support on the online campaign and petition was not surprising to Zhu. “That’s how important the park is to so many people, and how culturally important the park is,” he said.

Other park users, like softball and hockey players, had their interests heard, said Zhu, who noted that those groups pay for permits. He said the hockey people were asked about supporting the skaters’ cause, but they declined and said Parks had already contacted them concerning a compromise plan for their area of the blacktop.

The impressive online campaign, along with media coverage, does seem to have produced some progress, though. Zhu said that on Tues., July 9, he and other locals met with a group from Parks, including Bill Castro, the department’s Manhattan borough commissioner.

The meeting was held in the Tompkins Square Library basement, Zhu said. The Parks officials told them they were trying to prioritize the needs of youth leagues that are facing being displaced from East River Park.

In response, Zhu said he made it clear that the skaters moving someplace else, away from the Tompkins spot, was unacceptable.

“Its cultural and historical significance can’t be replaced; it doesn’t work that way,” Zhu told this paper about the Tompkins location.

Even moving to another spot within the park is not an option, as far as the skaters are concerned.

“There’s another basketball court in Tompkins and no one skates there,” Zhu stated. “It doesn’t hold the same history.”

Zhu stressed that skateboarding is very site-specific, involving factors like the smoothness of the ground and the surrounding environment.

“There’s something about this place that people keep coming back,” he said of the longtime Tompkins “skaters’ corner.”

Although bigger skate parks have been built in the city, Zhu claimed they aren’t as approachable and comfortable as Tompkins. He said the East Village park is a place for marginalized people to come, and is open to all people. He added that the number of girls skateboarding is now on the rise, but that they feel less comfortable in big skate parks versus the more approachable Tompkins spot.

The Parks reps at the July 9 meeting said they understood the skaters’ concerns and felt optimistic a solution could be found, according to Zhu. “I definitely left the meeting feeling hopeful,” he said. He added that the Parks group said they would be in touch again early next week.

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PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN

“Training Poses,” by Sam Lavigne, lets visitors interact with machine learning.

Shed opens door for emerging artists

BY GABE HERMAN

T

he Shed is the newly established arts and cultural center in Hudson Yards, and a new program there gives a platform to local artists trying to establish themselves in the art world.

Open Call, as the program is known, features a variety of disciplines, including digital media, sculpture and dance. The lineup currently features 52 New York City-based artists and collectives selected from more than 900 proposals.

Open Call is split into three groups this year.

Group One ran from May 30 to July 6. Group Two, which began June 19, is currently running through Aug. 25 in a big gallery space in the Shed’s building, at W. 30th St. and 11th Ave. Group Three will have performances from Aug. 9 to Aug. 25 in the Shed’s open-air plaza, when the roof will be retracted.

The current Group Two exhibit boasts 22 works in a large gallery space. Many media are represented in the works, which express a wide variety of perspectives and ideas.

“Training Poses,” by Sam Lavigne, examines the emerging field of machine learning. Visitors interact by posing to match figures shown on a screen, and then observing how the machine interprets their movements.

“A Kind of Pain,” by Moko Fukuyama, uses video and a sculpture to examine ethical issues around harvesting and eating fish, and society’s relationship to fish and the natural world.

An interactive work, “Llevatelo To’ No Me Deje Na,” by Gabriela Corretjer-Contreras, is a recreation of a room where people can try on different clothes, as a way of exploring Puerto Rican identity.

The piece offers insight into colonization and the island’s history of invasion and exploitation.

A goal of Open Call was finding emerging artists

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July 18, 2019

PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN

In Group Two of Open Call, “Meditation on the Making of America,” by Kiyan Williams, includes a map of America made from soil and uses the African Diaspora to examine issues of displacement and dispossession.

who show potential, according to senior curator Emma Enderby. She said she is pleased with the quality of all the works.

“It shows the real thoughtfulness of the artists we’re showing,” she said. “They’re all extremely unique works. But certain ideas keep surfacing, showing a contemporary way of thinking, which I thought was interesting.”

Enderby said that when the city gave $75 million to The Shed, she and Tamara McCaw, The Shed’s chief civic program officer, focused on how to meaningfully apply that money in the center. Highlighting local artists in the city was important, she said, “in a place that’s been extremely difficult to work and live in as an artist.”

Another Group Two work is “Hedges,” by Hugh TVG

Hayden. It features a smaller, wooden version of a typical suburban house, with tree branches sticking out of it. Three mirrored walls surround the house, creating the illusion of an endless row of houses.

Hayden, 35, said a theme of the work is camouflage. This can mean blending into nature but also blending into society, as seen in the row of repetitive houses. But the natural wood and tree elements also evoke a natural environment, which animals might blend into.

“Over all, my work is rooted in this idea of belonging, being part of a larger whole,” said Hayden.

The trees came from discarded Christmas trees on Park Ave. “They would be mulch if I didn’t make something out of them,” he said.

Hayden said “Hedges” also addresses the narrative of the American Dream and homeownership, which often can be an illusion and unattainable for many, but is seen as a way of fitting into society.

“Part of being an artist is the ability to change someone’s perception of the world,” he said. “And if I can do that with a tree, this ubiquitous thing, if I can change the way you interpret the meaning behind something more mundane, then it’s a way in to have a greater effect or emotional impact.”

Hayden said the Open Call program gave him the ability to make “Hedges,” helping provide him with resources, plus a platform.

Enderby said that Open Call has been getting a lot of visitors, including locals and tourists alike.

But she said it’s a work in progress to get the word out about The Shed as a new addition to the city’s cultural scene and a place to see all kinds of art.

Open Call will be an ongoing program at The Shed. Group Four is scheduled to run in 2020.

Open Call is free but requires a ticket. More information can be found at theshed.org.

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Head to Barolo East for Northern Italian

BY GABE HERMAN

B

arolo East is an Italian restaurant in Midtown that opened seven months ago and serves Northern Italian dishes in a pleasant atmosphere.

Everything is made in-house, from pasta dishes to breads and desserts. Located in Midtown East at 214 E. 49th St., between Second and Third Aves., the eatery’s exterior is modest, with a narrow storefront and gray awning.

But inside, the restaurant opens into a big space, including a ground level with a bar, and a second and third level toward the back with plenty of seating.

There is also a nice outdoor garden area with more tables, in a courtyard amid other nearby buildings on the block.

Barolo East offers a full lunch and dinner menu. Antipasti dishes, ranging from $10 to $14, include fried calamari, scampi o sole mio with sautéed shrimp, and buffalo mozzarella. There is also a tasty salmon tartare, which is not listed on the menu but is available upon request.

The menu also includes salads, soups and vegetable sides. Pasta dishes, ranging from $15 to $25, include homemade ravioli with spinach, ricotta and tomato sauce; spaghetti al frutti di mare, with varieties of seafood; and fettucine alla

PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN

Pollo dolce vita at Barolo East.

crowded for lunch and has a relaxed atmosphere, getting busier for dinner COURTESY BAROLO EAST

The restaurant includes multiple levels, with seating and an outdoor garden in the back with more tables.

and on weekends.

Barolo East will participate in the city’s upcoming summer Restaurant

grilled prime sirloin steak. Entrée prices range from $23 to $46.

There are also delicious dessert options, including crème brulee, panna cotta and caramel semifreddo.

The restaurant is generally less

ragu Bolognese.

Main courses include pollo dolce vita, with chicken, artichoke hearts and mushrooms in gorgonzola cream; veal dishes, such as vitello al pepe verde and broiled loin of veal; and bistecca,

Week, from July 22 through Aug. 16.

The prix fi xe lunch ($25) and dinner ($39) offerings will include antipasti, a main course and dessert.

More information about the restaurant can be found at baroloeast.com.

‘Seinfeld Experience’ coming to Gramercy

BY GABE HERMAN

S

erenity now!

Are you ready for this? A Seinfeld pop-up store will be opening in Gramercy this fall.

“The Seinfeld Experience” will be a ticketed attraction that offers an immersive and behind-the-scenes look at the classic ’90s sitcom, according to the company Superfly, which is behind the concept.

Superfly also produces live entertainment, including large-scale music festivals like Bonnaroo.

Even though much of “Seinfeld” was set on the Upper West Side, the space will be in the Gramercy neighborhood. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

The attraction will include interactive exhibits with costumes, memorabilia, set recreations and props from the show. There will also be never-beforeseen content, though Superfly did not elaborate on what that meant. And there will be a retail store with limited-edition merchandise.

“We’re thrilled to bring ‘The Seinfeld

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Experience’ to life in an innovative way, combining nostalgia with immersive entertainment, and getting fans closer than ever before to the show and its beloved characters,” said Jonathan Mayers, co-founder of Superfly. “A show as iconic as ‘Seinfeld’ should be celebrated with an experience that truly matches its legacy and enduring influence.”

The new store comes on the 30th anniversary of the sitcom’s premiere on NBC, when the pilot aired on July 5, 1989. The second episode didn’t air until the following year, in May 1990. Despite that slow start, the show, created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, of course went on to be one of the biggest and most influential in television history.

“The Seinfeld Experience” will be open seven days a week. Tickets will go on sale in the coming months, according to Superfly, and will be available to buy through February 2020. A Web site has been set up, which can be found at theseinfeldexperience.com. Superfly has not yet disclosed the location for the Experience.

In 2017, Jerry Seinfeld headlined a new comedy festival from Superfly, called Clusterfest. The festival’s first year included a recreation of the set of the apartment on “Seinfeld,” along with facades of Monk’s Cafe and a soup stand inspired by the sitcom.

Jerry himself weighed in on the upcoming site this fall.

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“Because I am Seinfeld, for a long time I was the only person to actually have the Seinfeld experience,” said Seinfeld when the announcement was made. “Now, these crazy Superfly people are going to make it so lots of people can interact with our silly ’90s TV show. All I can say is, in the general context of the world we live in, this now seems completely normal.”

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Lessons Learned While On The Beat

Do you know THESE MEN?

By Eric L. Adams

Protecting Homeowners When I bought my first house, where I still reside today, I felt a mix of pride of fear. Homeownership is a tremendous privilege and responsibility – I had scrimped and saved to get to this point, but I knew that many challenges, financial and otherwise, still lay ahead.

Making a house into a home is a process that often takes several years.

Some people undertake ambitious floor-to-ceiling renovations, while others are comfortable with adding a few personal touches but leaving everything else intact. But it is a labor of love – we make a home because we are investing in our future. We envision settling down, raising a family, and growing old in a place we call home.

Even with the effort we put into building a home, homeowners – particularly in Brooklyn - are under increasing stress today. Some have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, others have lost their homes altogether. Foreclosures in Kings County last year reached their highest level since the housing bubble burst. And on top of that, a new epidemic of deed fraud has hit vulnerable homeowners in gentrifying neighborhoods, accelerating displacement and leaving many homeless.

The kicker? The City may unintentionally be playing a role.

The Third Party Transfer program (TPT) allows the City to foreclose on “distressed” properties and hand them over to developers to fix up and rent out at affordable prices. The program began in 1996, and is administered through the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

In theory, it sounds like a good idea. Using all the tools at our disposal to restore properties that have fallen into disrepair and increase affordable housing stock are noble goals. But the reality is much more complicated. Despite the City’s best intentions, TPT seems to be doing more harm than good.

Often, the City deems properties “distressed” over something as trivial as an unpaid water bill.

In November of 2018, after hearing from multiple people and sitting down with stakeholders throughout the borough that had firsthand experience with the program, I wrote a letter with Council Member Robert Cornegy to the Mayor outlining our concerns. We communicated our belief that TPT had unfortunately become tainted by fraud, and that homeowners were being stripped of their equity without the proper recourse. We also demanded that the City, State, and Federal government conduct a “full-scale, forensic audit” into the program.

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July 18, 2019

Edward Pipala

Eric L. Adams

Francis Stinner

Gennaro “Jerry” Gentile

If you have information regarding alleged abuse or its cover-up involving these men, CONTACT US.

Our concerns turned out to be justified. In March of this year, Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Mark Partnow ruled against the City and restored properties to six homeowners who had their properties seized through the TPT program. In his decision, Justice Partnow wrote, “While the Third Party Transfer Program was intended to be a beneficial program, an overly broad and improper application of it that results in the unfair divestiture of equity in one’s property cannot be permitted.”

There is still a lot of work to be done. In July, the City Council held a hearing on the TPT program, and our office submitted testimony. In the testimony, we reiterated our call for a full-scale investigation, and urged the Council to pass Public Advocate Jumaane Williams’ bill imposing a two-year moratorium on the program until we could implement the necessary reforms and strengthen oversight.

In the coming weeks and months, we plan to roll out an ambitious, comprehensive agenda formulated with the input of experts and advocates that combats housing theft and rein in the excesses of TPT. I am also encouraging the Governor to sign S1688, a bill the legislature passed in the most recent session that would return stolen properties to their original owners.

After all the time spent making a house a home, it is almost unimaginable that it could be taken away from you over arrears or a bureaucratic error. Unfortunately, that is how TPT is currently structured. We have an obligation to homeowners throughout Brooklyn and the City to ensure the homes they spend years cultivating remain in their hands.

Eric L. Adams is borough president of Brooklyn. He served 22 years in the New York City Police Department (NYPD), retiring at the rank of captain, as well as represented District 20 in the New York State Senate from 2006 until his election as borough president in 2013.

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Manhattan Happenings Lockers available for personal items. In Hudson River Park, at Pier 96, at W. 56th St.

BY MICAEL A MACAGNONE

MARKET

Dance for seniors: Dances for a Variable Population master teacher Naomi Goldberg Haas and members of the intergenerational company lead dance workshops for adults of all ages and abilities, with a special focus on seniors. Celebrate moving in strong and creative ways. Thurs., July 18, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Pier I in Riverside Park South, W. 70th St.

Summer Ice Cream Blizzard: While the Grand Bazaar NYC runs every Sunday, this weekend it will be especially chill. That’s because the indoor/ outdoor market will feature the “best and most unique artisanal ice cream makers.” In addition, as usual, there will be more than 130 artists, designers, craft-makers, vintage dealers and food vendors. Grand Bazaar NYC is the largest curated weekly market in New York City and it donates 100 percent of its profits to four local public schools. Admission is free. Sun, July 21, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Grand Bazaar NYC, 100 W. 77th St.

PERFORMANCE “The Bacchae”: Celebrating its 20th anniversary, The Classical Theatre of Harlem presents new and classic works that will stand the test of time. Their current show is “The Bacchae,” the story of Dionysus, the god of wine, prophecy, religious ectasy and fertility, as he returns to his birthplace of Thebes to clear his mother’s name and punish the insolent city state for keeping people from worshiping him. Tuesday to Sunday, at 8:30 p.m., until July 28. Richard Rodgers Amphitheater, 18 Mt. Morris Park W., in Marcus Garvey Park. Free, no tickets required.

M. A .K.U. Soundsystem will be shaking it up in Riverside Park South with their Colombian grooves.

ART Creating women: Ceres Gallery, a feminist nonprofit gallery in Chelsea, hosts its annual “Raising Women’s Voices” group exhibition of drawing, painting, prints, sculpture and photography by its 25 members. Through July 20.

Award-winning pix: Works by the 40 winners of Soho Photo Gallery’s 24th annual juried national photography competition will be on display through July 27 at this Tribeca gallery.

Soho Photo Gallery, 15 White St. Free admission.

MUSIC Hudson River Amplified Sundays: Enjoy live music accompanied by spectacular sunsets over the Hudson River each Sunday in July. This Sun., July 21, enjoy the tunes of M.A.K.U Soundsystem, whose music has been described as “traditional Colombian percussion meets unshakable grooves.” Pier I in Riverside Park South, at W. 70th St., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. To hear some of MAKU’s music, check their Web site, makusoundsystem.com/music.

EXHIBIT Shark Week at Paley Center: Go deep below the ocean’s surface and into the natural habitat of one of nature’s most feared — and often misunderstood — creatures. The “ocean journey” includes a photo-op with sharks, a tour of a Shark Week sand sculpture and photos, of course Shark Week trivia, plus Shark Week programs in the Bennack Theater. Sat., July 20, to Sun., July 28.

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Underwater neighbors: Join the educators from the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater to catch, observe and identify fish and invertebrates. Participants will observe the river and discuss its history and learn more about how our everyday choices have an effect on the health and vitality of this amazing resource. Sat., July 20, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the 172nd St. Beach in Fort Washington Park. Free, but seating is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis starting one to two hours before the event.

Kids and adults can learn about our Hudson River neighbors, as in the river’s aquatic life, cour tesy of the Hudson River Sloop Clear water.

day, noon to 6 p.m.; Thursday until 8 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. The Paley Center for Media in New York, 25 W. 52nd St. Free and no advance ticketing.

Fri., July 19, 8:30 p.m. or dusk.

“Moonstruck,” Hudson River Park, Pier 63 lawn, at W. 23rd St., Wed., July 24, 8:30 p.m. or dusk.

MOVIES

OUTDOORS

“When Harry Met Sally,” Hudson River Park, Pier 63 lawn, at W. 23rd St., Wed., July 17, 8:30 p.m. or dusk.

Free kayaking: Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., until Oct. 13; also Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., until Aug. 28. Participants must be at least 18 years old and know how to swim.

“Ralph Breaks the Internet,” Hudson River Park, Pier 46, at Charles St., TVG

Artistic collaboration: Condo New York is a collaborative exhibition by 38 galleries across 18 New York spaces, from Tribeca and Chinatown to Chelsea and the Upper East Side. It runs through Fri., July 26. Free admission.

For more information, visit http:// www.condocomplex.org/newyork/ .

COMMUNITY BOARD Community Board 4 full board meets Wed., July 24, 6:30 p.m., at Hudson Guild Elliot Center, 441 W. 26th St., Dan Carpenter Room A/B. Community Board 3 full board meets Tues., July 23, 6:30 p.m. at M.S. 131, Dr. Sun Yat Sen Middle School, 100 Hester St., between Eldridge and Forsyth Sts. July 18, 2019

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Opinion

A turn for worse: Truck trashes tree on 12th

BY ELISSA STEIN

O

n Fri., July 13, a significant chunk of a statuesque tree in front of 79 W. 12th St. was shorn off by a truck that didn’t successfully make the turn off Sixth Ave. This was not the first time the tree had been hit, and the next day the city marked it to be taken down, saying it was too weak to survive the accident.

The awning in front of the building was irreparably damaged by the heavy branch’s fall and needs to be replaced, as well.

According to the city’s Department of Transportation, it is illegal for trucks of this size to be driving on side streets.

But, there’s no signage on 12th St. stating that, and since there is little visible regulation by the police or D.O.T., large trucks traversing side streets happens on a regular basis.

So now, one of the Village’s treelined blocks will have a gaping hole, which will take years to fill.

This unfortunate accident, in which fortunately no one was injured, leads to bigger questions and highlights serious issues. As of now, the city plans to move forward with an experimental (their word) 14th St. “busway/truckway,” which includes a vehicle ban on cars traveling across the city between Ninth and Third Aves. on 14th St. This will result in through traffic being shunted to side streets. Since 12th and 13th Sts. are the closest to 14th St. that

PHOTO BY ELISSA STEIN

A truck, which was not even supposed to be on W. 12th St., wrecked this tree near Sixth Ave.

run from river to river, they will absorb much of the overflow.

In addition to that dramatic increase in traffic, vehicles now cannot make left turns from 14th St., so trucks have been, and will continue to use side streets for that purpose. Currently there is a temporary restraining order against the busway plan in effect until Aug. 6, when a hearing is scheduled to determine whether to issue a preliminary injunction.

While the city and monied forces beyond are working hard to vilify cars, there are key points that are buried underneath their “bikeways and PeopleWays for everyone” rhetoric.

First, Manhattan is an island and vehicles are necessary to bring goods to stores, and provide services to business and residents. This borough is home to residents of mansions as well as city housing projects, those who can easily take mass transportation and others who cannot, people who ride bikes and people who use wheelchairs, a destination for commuters and a home to residents.

This flippant attempt to cut traffic congestion in order to shave a few minutes off travel time has made our streets more dangerous. The death of a beautiful tree is a shame. But incidents and accidents are becoming more commonplace and the mayor and D.O.T. need to listen to people who are the most affected.

Stein is a Village resident, writer and community activist.

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25

Real Estate

Manhattan’s most affordable 2-BR’s

BY MARTHA WILKIE

M

y kid got a lesson in real estate economics the other day.

We bought a hot dog from a cart on Fifth Ave. one day, and one from a cart exactly one block east the next. One was $3, the other $1.50. A classic example of “location, location, location.”

When it comes to Manhattan real estate, the term “affordable” usually means “less insanely expensive.” This week, the (relative) bargains (i.e., under $400,000) are all Uptown: Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood.

Don’t be fooled by that two-bedroom in the St. Regis Hotel, with maid service, for $260,000. It’s a timeshare.

All but one of these are H.D.F.C. (Housing Development Fund Corporation) co-ops with income requirements, e.g., “maximum income for 1 person is $87,720; 2 people, $100,200; 3 people, $112,680.” The seller may ask the usual 20 percent down payment, but others require an all-cash purchase. You’ll notice most of these have been on the market for months, waiting for that unicorn who can save up $239,000 while living in New York City on a salary under $87,720.

Cait Etherington of City Realty advises buyers to do their research.

“While some H.D.F.C. buildings resemble well-managed market-rate coops,” she wrote on her blog, “others have suffered from years of poor management and neglected maintenance.”

Listed by Compass, in Washington Heights, at 501 W. 156th St., a bright, pretty two-bedroom, one-bath co-op has windows in every room and French doors. “Well-maintained HDFC build-

COURTESY COMPASS

This prett y bedroom is in a “well-maintained” H.D.F.C. in Washington Heights.

ing.” $309,000.

Another Compass listing, a twobedroom, one-bath H.D.F.C. co-op in Harlem, at 30 Macombs Place, has a windowed, eat-in kitchen and original 1920s wall moldings. It’s a fourth-floor walk-up and requires only 10 percent down. $239,000.

COURTESY COMPASS

With this Washington Heights home, you’ll get high ceilings and beautifully finished French doors, among other features.

Also in Harlem, listed by Compass, is a newly renovated, quirkily furnished, two-bedroom, one-bath H.D.F.C. co-op at 3 E. 131st St., with a stunning white marble bathroom. The kitchen has high-end appliances, two sinks, vented range hood, and a garbage disposal.

(Don’t ask why the city now allows disposals while trying to get people to compost.) $345,000.

COURTESY COMPASS

Original 1920s wall moldings come with this Harlem apar tment.

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July 18, 2019

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Finally, a prewar co-op at 478 W. 158th St., in Washington Heights — listed by, you guessed it, Compass — boasts a common garden, high ceilings, beautifully finished French doors, an eatin kitchen, and a chic black-and-white bathroom with a claw-foot tub. Two bedrooms, one bath. Not an H.D.F.C., no income requirements. $399,000.

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