CHELSEA NOW, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

Help a culinary student get cookin’, p. 6

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 39

THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

FEBRUARY 22 - MARCH 6, 2012

Still strapped, GTS set to sell Tutu Center to Brodsky

Photo by Ann Clark, on behalf of Friends of Hudson River Park

Blake Beatty, at Pier 40, plots a better park through neighborhood participation. See page 15.

CB4 hears Chelsea Hotel rooftop addition bid

BY BONNIE ROSENSTOCK Housing court, a round of meetings, asbestos in the airshaft and a rooftop addition: Valentine’s Day week was fraught with drama for the residents of the Chelsea Hotel — with no love lost between the Chetrit Group and the Chelsea Hotel Tenants Association.

The week started off on Monday, February 13 — as the two opposing

sides held a “summit.” In attendance were landlord Joseph Chetrit, Chelsea Hotel assistant manager Lilly Serkin, Michael Butler (an executive with the Chetrit Group), three of the owners’ lawyers, tenants Zoe Pappas and Mary Anne Rose — and three attorneys representing the tenants association.

According to Sam Himmelstein of Himmelstein, McConnell, Gribben, Donoghue & Joseph (the associa-

BY WINNIE McCROY Chelsea residents are saddened, but not surprised, by the recent discovery that the real estate developer and investor Daniel Brodsky and the Brodsky Organization is in negotiations to buy the Desmond Tutu Center, a conference center and hotel owned by the General Theological Seminary (GTS).

“We are still in negotiations, so my hands are tied as far as commenting on that,” said Bruce Parker, the GTS’s associate vice president for external relations in a February 20 phone call. Representatives at the Brodsky Organization also declined to comment on the sale, but public records indicate that, although no deed transfer has been recorded, Brodsky has already obtained an easement and

tion’s lead counsel), it was a “frank exchange of ideas, which might form the basis of some kind of settlement.”

But he declined to go into details.

Pappas, the president of the Chelsea Hotel Tenants Association, noted that the two-hour meeting was the first time they had a face-to-face with the owner, despite repeated requests.

Continued on page 3

515 C A N A L STREET • N YC 10 013 • COPYRIG HT © 2012 C OMMU N ITY M ED IA , LLC

development rights at the site.

But neighbors admitted that the sale did not come as a surprise. The 50,000 square feet center features two large conference rooms and 60 hotel rooms, and is valued at $30 million.

And despite a 2005 agreement with the city that the rooms would be open only to those affiliated with the GTS, local residents have complained for years that the Tutu Center has operated as a hotel.

The Desmond Tutu Center is comprised of three adjacent, red-brick, neo-gothic properties at 180 Tenth Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets that were joined to created a larger facility. Like other properties in the Seminary’s

Continued on page 7

EDITORIAL, LETTERS PAGE 8

BLOOD & BEAUTY PAGE 14

2

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Your doctor spent 5 minutes?

Photo courtesy of the National Park Service

Students read the dedication on the outdoor memorial at African Burial Ground National Monument with a National Park Service Ranger as part of an educational tour.

Another reason to call.

You want an outstanding doctor and we can connect you with one who’s right for you. Whether near your home or office, doctors affiliated with Continuum Health Partners hospitals – Beth Israel Medical Center, Roosevelt Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, New York Eye & Ear Infirmary – are conveniently located throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Our doctors participate in all major insurance plans.

Need a great doctor?

Call (877) 996-9336 . w w w. c h p n y c . o r g

‘Roots of Inspiration’ at African Burial Ground Explore the African Burial Ground’s connection to its African roots — and how those roots continue to influence life in New York City and beyond. On Sat., Feb. 25 (at 1pm), National Park guides will lead a walking tour tracing the life of Catherine Ferguson — who was born into slavery in the 1780s and grew up to start New York’s first orphanage and daycare center. On Tues., Feb. 28 (at 12pm), the gallery talk “Roots of Inspiration: The

Origins of African Music in the West” takes place. Both events are free. Reservations are required; call 212-637-2019. For a schedule, visit nps.gov/afbg and africanburialground. gov. The African Burial Ground Visitor Center is located in the Ted Weiss Federal Building (290 Broadway, 1st floor; at the corners of Duane & Elk Sts.). Hours: Mon.Fri., 9am-5pm. The memorial is open Mon.Sun., 9am-5pm.

February 22 - March 6, 2012

3

On Valentine’s Day, litigants get Ides of March court date Continued from page 1

HOUSING COURT: MOLD AND ASBESTOS REMOVAL The next morning, the two sides returned to Housing Court, in front of the same judge (Peter Wendt). Fred Daniels (of Daniels, Norelli Scully & Cecere, P.C.) represented the respondents-owners (Butler observed), and Janet Ray Kalson and Ron Languedoc (of Himmelstein, McConnell) again appeared for the petitioners-tenants. The 14 tenants, who came out to lend support, were hoping the third round of Order to Show Cause would be the charm — after the December 16, 2011, and January 19, 2012, hearings were held over.

Kalson instituted an additional lawsuit against the landlord, which was heard at the same time. Its primary purpose, Kalson explained, is to put the landlord under order to

will apply to both. In the hallway, Chelsea Now asked Daniels why the case was delayed again. He said, “I take issue with the word ‘delay.’ I call it ‘productive movement.’ ” Chelsea Now asked Butler for a statement. He replied, “At this time, no comment, like you wrote before.” When questioned further, Butler responded politely, “I have your contact information and will contact you with an update.”

Kalson vowed to remain in frequent contact with the landlord and counsel over the next month, in hopes of ironing out all the details. “We are giving them one more opportunity that’s acceptable to us,” she said. “It’s a very complicated case, especially when dealing with mold remediation, but there are also some other issues. Either we’ll have a comprehensive settlement on March 15 or start the trial.”

That evening, Himmelstein told Chelsea Now that his lawyers examined the records that had been subpoenaed from the DEP, and it appears that the agency was very unhappy about the asbestos. “The tone of the inspector’s

Southampton Jaunts • southamptoninn.com $149.* Enjoy a cozy guestroom and beautiful Southampton Village $199* With a 3-star Plaza Cafe dinner

C

March 17th Pianist Gabriel Erkard March 24th “The Real People of Southampton” Book reading/signing Find us on Facebook Twitter

H

PETS STAY

In the heart of the village 91 Hill St Southampton NY 11968 1.800.832.6500 *for 2 per night. plus tax and gratuity, subject to availability.

FREE

properly remediate asbestos — a new and frightening condition recently uncovered in the iconic hotel at 222 West 23rd Street. Kalson explained to Chelsea Now that on January 25, she received an email from Daniels stating that the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had placed an emergency violation for asbestos in a shaftway. Then for two weeks, her requests for documentation had been ignored. On February 8, according to Kalson, “He said the DEP didn’t actually write the violation. It was an oral violation. I don’t know exactly what that means.”

Kalson stated that all the applications for building permits, filed with the Department of Buildings (DOB) about half a dozen times, identified it as a non-asbestos project.

“So why now all of a sudden is there an emergency violation for asbestos placed? Has there been asbestos there all along?

Has the demolition and construction work improperly released it into the air? Where else is it? Maybe the filing was improper. We have serious concerns,” Kalson said.

Kalson also cited some fire safety concerns, occasioned by a recent incident at the hotel. Tenants thought they smelled smoke inside the building and informed management.

Management stated it was from outside and discouraged a tenant from calling the fire department. There are also some sporadic heat issues.

Judge Wendt noted that there are currently 106 violations in the building. “Why do you have a problem with the consent order today?” he asked Daniels. “Is there any reason you can’t correct the violations? It’s not rocket science.”

Nevertheless, the judge set the trial for March 15 (the Ides of March). The two orders will be consolidated, and pleadings

Scaffolding, on the roof of the Chelsea Hotel, anticipates an addition.

MAR

Kalson vowed to remain in frequent contact with the landlord and counsel over the next month, in hopes of ironing out all the details.

‘We are giving them one more opportunity that’s acceptable to us,’ she said. ‘It’s a very complicated case, especially when dealing with mold remediation, but there are also some other issues. Either we’ll have a comprehensive settlement on March 15 or start the trial.’

report seems to imply that he was misled. When he went there, he apparently asked the people in charge whether any work was going on in the airshaft. They initially denied it.

When he went to look at it, there was insulation from piping lying on the floor, which very well could have contained asbestos, given the age of the building, which meant in fact they had been doing work. They were cited for several violations,” he said.

Administrative hearings, brought by the DEP, are scheduled for February 24 and April 3 with the landlord, conducted by the Environmental Control Board (ECB), which is under the aegis of the DOB. (The ECB hears cases in which the city has charged a person or business with violating city laws that protect health, safety and a clean environment. If found guilty, a fine is imposed and an order issued to fix the violation.)

Continued on page 5

4

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Panel sees link between cancer and 9/11, despite uncertainties

BY ALINE REYNOLDS Former Verizon worker Richard Dambakly toiled atop the pile at Ground Zero 12-to-16 hours a day for six months straight following the 9/11 attacks. The following year, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent five months of intensive chemotherapy that sent his cancer into remission.

Dambakly, now 50 and the father of five children under the age of 15, lives with the constant fear that his disease will reemerge, but he can’t afford the CT (computed tomography) scan that would alert his doctors to an enlargement of his lymph nodes. “I have no medical insurance,� Dambakly said in a testimony delivered last week before the World Trade Center Health Program’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). “How do you think that makes me feel? Should I become a beggar and maybe raise the money for a CT scan?�

For the first time, federally-funded treatment might become available to Dambakly and scores of other cancer-stricken 9/11 workers and area residents thanks to a recommendation the government-appointed STAC will be making to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in April.

Though scientists have yet to establish a definitive link between first responders’ cancer and Ground Zero toxins, the STAC, sufficiently persuaded by gripping testimonies and available data, unanimously agreed that lung, blood and other select forms of cancer

Downtown Express photo by Aline Reynolds

STAC Chair Elizabeth Ward (right), together with the other members of the panel, is drafting a formal a reccommendation to add cancer to the list of illnesses covered under the James Zadroga 9/11 Healthcare Act.

should be added to the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The committee also concurred that certain pediatric cancers as well as rare cancers such as mesothelioma should be considered for inclusion under the bill.

The decision was the result of a two-day conference held on Wednesday, February 15 and Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in Lower Manhattan, where panelists listened to hours of scientific testimony and first-hand accounts from 9/11 first responders

with cancer. “The public really made a compelling argument for why it’s important in their view for us to act on it, even though we don’t have all the evidence we’d like to have to make a scientific determination,� said STAC Chair Elizabeth Ward.

After receiving the STAC’s written recommendation, NIOSH Director John Howard, the bill’s health program administrator, will have until June to decide whether to add the cancers to the Zadroga bill. The illnesses would

be the first to be included in the law since its passage in late 2010, and would take at least several months to be implemented, according to a spokesperson for NIOSH. Community Board 1 Vice Chairperson Catherine McVay Hughes, who serves on the STAC, said the presented material convinced her of a correlation between Ground Zero carcinogens and the development of blood cancers, particularly lymphoma, and lung cancer. “The panel was right to finally conclude that cancer could be an outcome of WTC exposure,� said Hughes. “This is a very important step in the right direction.�

Making the call about exactly which cancers the STAC should recommend adding to the bill wasn’t so obvious, Ward said. Scientists are still grappling with the causes of certain forms of the disease, and assessing people’s degrees of exposure to Ground Zero toxins is all the more difficult when key exposure samplings — particularly from the first week after the September 11 attacks — are missing. “We’re trying very hard to look at the available data and draw conclusions about what people were exposed to and how much they were exposed,� said Ward, “[but] we’re really lacking a lot of the data that we’d like to have about that.�

These gaps in evidence, however, didn’t deter panelists such as Stephen Cassidy, president of the Uniform Firefighters Association of Greater New York, from forming an opinion

Continued on page 6

33rd Annual Greenwich Village Antiquarian

WHAT HAPPENS IN SHUSHAN STAYS IN SHUSHAN King Ahasuerus and Queen Vashti invite you to spend a delicious and decadent evening at the Royal Palace Celebrate Purim at The New Shul's famously fabulous Folies EsthĂŠre, a Purim extravaganza unlike any other...

Vintage Prints, Posters and Ephemera. Rare maps.

Rare photographs. Rare Vinyl.

Celebrity Autographs and Signed Photos.

Dozens and Dozens of Dealers!

Feb. 24th 6-9 p.m. $12 Feb. 25th 12-6 p.m. $7 Feb. 26th 12-5 p.m. $5 (all tickets good for entire fair)

HISTORY YOU CAN TOUCH... INCREDIBLE BOOKS! PS #3, 490 Hudson St. bet. Christopher and Grove

Food! Wine & Beer! Dancing Girls! Please come in costume. All are welcome!

Featuring: Candy Samples and The Vashti Vixens Catering by CuisinEtc Catering and Special Events Where Judson Memorial Church 55 Washington Square South When Saturday, March 10 The doors to the Palace open at 6pm New Shul Members: Free

Non-Members: $10

February 22 - March 6, 2012

5

Chelsea Hotel to get higher?

Continued from page 3 “Our expert is saying there should be a comprehensive DEP inspection of several areas of the building where there might be asbestos,” said Himmelstein. “It has already been identified in the airshaft, floor tiles and several apartments. Needless to say, the tenants are very concerned about this.”

Himmelstein represents three of the dozen or so pending eviction cases. “Motions are being submitted to the judges, which state that the apartments are rent stabilized, while the owners contend they are not,” he said. He expects his cases to be heard over the next couple of months.

A ROOFTOP ADDITION…AND OTHER CHANGES On February 15, the Landmarks Committee of Community Board 4 (CB4) held its regular monthly meeting. Gene Kaufman, architect for the hotel’s owners (along with firm associate, Greg Karu), came armed with photographs, blueprints, diagrams — and a lobbyist — to convince the committee to approve proposed changes to the building, specifically a two-story extension to the rooftop. Last month, the DOB approved the landlord’s application to build a 16-to-30-foot scaffolding, which serves as a template for what the proposed new structure would look like.

Addressing the overflow crowd, CB4 chair Corey Johnson acknowledged that there were many other issues related to the hotel separate and apart from the rooftop plans. “Those are valid, but the committee tonight is going to write a letter on that

‘I was hopeful that you would come tonight and actually have some clear, direct, honest answers so that the many people who have had to live through this, and are going to have to continue to live at the hotel, would have some clear sense.’ — Corey Johnson, CB4 Chair subject itself, which is the addition,” he said.

“But it doesn’t mean the board can’t write a separate letter more broadly on some of the other issues.”

Edward Kirkland, co-chair of the committee, asked people to “keep [the questions] down” to the appearance and appropriateness of the changes to the building, “which is very important for the history and character of the city as a whole. We can’t talk about anything else to the Landmarks

Photo by Bonnie Rosenstock

On Feb. 15, Gene Kaufman (at extreme left) addresses Community Board 4 and members of the Chelsea community.

Committee.” The Landmarks Committee reviews development proposals affecting individual landmarked buildings that are within Community District 4, and develops recommendations on applications to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).

Kaufman explained changes to all the storefronts, excepting the Donut Plant (220 West 23rd Street) and El Quijote (226 West 23rd Street). “El Quijote has been there for many years, and we expect it to remain there as is, with no change, even though it’s not the original historic condition. But the existing aluminum doors [for the others] are not appropriate to the building,” he said, also noting that the existing balcony and railings will remain. He proposes to replace the windows in the same style in which they were originally done. A couple of existing transoms that have stained glass in them will also remain. The water tank is not adequate, Kaufman stated, and the building doesn’t have central air conditioning — so they plan to remove it and install two new ones and a cooling tower, “with the minimum impact given, since they have to be a certain height,” he said.

He acknowledged that the hotel sign is “iconic,” and even though it is not original, it will be kept and repaired. There will also be some additional lighting at the base of the building, under the lowest of the balconies.

A paint analysis was conducted to determine the original colors of the building in 1884, and they will try to get the colors as close as

Continued on page 17

6

February 22 - March 6, 2012

$ ON ONE DAY ADMISSION.

With this ad

America’s Most Recognized GLBT Event In The Heart Of New York City 19TH Original

MARCH 17-18, 2012 J ACO B J AV I T S CO N V E N T I O N C E N T E R , NYC

Ranked by crain’s business as one of NYC’s Largest Events for 2009, 2010, 2011

Discover National and International GLBT Travel Scan for more information on the GLBT EXPO

Top Entertainment on Main Stage produced by The Country’s Largest GLBT Wedding Show 5th Annual Video Lounge

Take the Train To The Show And Save !

Rail & Show Discount Getaway Package Click on Deals and Getaways at www.mta.info

FOR INFORMATION ON EXHIBITING AND AT TENDING: 3%1 (3061 Ĺą Ĺą t */'0ĹŠ3%1(3061 $0.

ORIGINALGLBTEXPO.COM

Panel recommends adding cancer to Zadroga bill Continued from page 4 about the data that was presented. According to STAC member John Dement, a professor at Duke University’s School of Medicine, exposure to asbestos, a mineral used to insulate some floors of the former World Trade Center, is associated with a heightened risk of cancer of the lung, larynx and ovary. It is also tied to mesothelioma, an uncommon form of cancer that occurs in the layer of cells that line the body’s internal organs.

The theory of a link between Ground Zero carcinogens and cancer was further substantiated by an alarming statistic cited in a forthcoming study by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. According to Dean Philip Landrigan, who chairs the hospital’s preventive medicine department, there is an approximate 14 percent higher-than-normal cancer rate among its 20,000 9/11 recovery worker patients and a “statistically significant� excess of thyroid, prostate and blood cancer. Oddly enough, lung cancer, one of the most common types of the disease, wasn’t prevalant in the group. “You clearly don’t have the kind of epidemiological proof that you’d like to have to declare with 95 percent certainty that there’s a cause-effect relationship [between cancer and 9/11 exposure], but you have to bear in mind that in legal cases, you don’t have to get to 95 percent, you have to get to 51 percent,� said Landrigan. “I’d ask you as members of this committee to weigh that as you make this decision.�

“When you want to start breaking down the studies and add them all together, you have a toxic stew [of chemicals],� said Cassidy. “It bears out clearly that those who were there and spent extensive times there have a more likely chance of coming down with these cancers.�

That’s not always the case, according to Ward, who noted that even small doses of asbestos and other toxins can cause cancer, which further complicated the committee’s decision of which cancers to attribute to 9/11. “Even though most commonly cancer occurs with people of high, long-term exposures,� Ward explained, “there can be an increased risk with someone of these substances at lower exposures.�

The committee has until Monday, April 2 to submit its recommendation to Howard.

The original deadline was Friday, March 2, but Howard agreed last week to grant the committee a 30-day extension. Howard will then have 60 days to decide whether or not to endorse the committee’s recommendation and modify the bill accordingly. It is unclear exactly how long it might be until 9/11 cancer patients would start treatment at the governmentfunded WTC Centers of Excellence.

Responding to the outcome of the STAC conference, Howard said in a statement, “We realize how personal the issue of cancer is to 9/11 responders and survivors and their loved ones and will give the advisory committee’s recommendation serious review and thoughtful consideration prior to making a final decision.�

Despite scholarships, culinary student lacks funds to secure diploma An internship and more education await Ana Nicole Rodriguez — but the Chelsea native’s dreams will be put on hold if she doesn’t come up with $7,950 by March 9, and an additional $4,013 by September 9.

Those are the dates that she’ll complete, respectively, Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management programs at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE).

The ambitious and capable student has already been awarded a $3,000 tuition waver by the ICE, and over $20,000 from the James Beard Foundation and Chelsea Market. She’s also received expressions of interest from Latina Magazine and Blue Hill restaurant to join them as an intern after getting her Culinary Arts diploma in March — but ICE isn’t able to hand it over until the outstanding balance is settled (making it impossible for her to accept a non-paying internship).

One of three triplets, Rodriguez has lived in Chelsea her entire life. A graduate of Maine’s Bates College, she majored in Women’s Studies and Spanish. While spending a year in Spain, she discovered “the power of storytelling through the relationship of food. I wrote stories about my travels,

Photo by Brigitte Golde

and the new foods my host family prepared.

My ultimate goal is to become a savvy writer, knowledgeable about the theory and practice of all things food related.�

An account has been established to help Rodriguez acquire the necessary funds to secure her degrees. To donate, or just send words of encouragement, email her at simmeringdreams@gmail.com.

—Scott Stiffler

February 22 - March 6, 2012

7

Brodsky to buy Tutu Center Continued from page 1 “Close” (or campus), the Center contains many religious architectural features — including ornate embellishments and stained glass windows.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission protects all of the buildings, but that will likely not hamper Brodsky’s plans. While there is no indication at this time as to what the Brodsky Organization will do with the property, they will likely go the same route as with the other properties recently purchased from GTS. Currently being converted to condos are 422 West 20th Street; The West Building; and 445 West 20th Street, which recently sold for $18.5 million.

The Brodsky Organization is also set to break ground on an eight-story luxury condominium building at the current site of the GTS tennis courts, adjacent to the West Building.

The sell-off is all part of the GTS’s “Plan to Choose Life,” a three-step plan to liquidate real estate in order to eliminate $40 million in debt, rebuild their endowment and balance their budget, all with the goal of strengthening their core mission, “to educate and form leaders for the church in a changing world.”

“The bottom line is the seminary is broke, broken and bankrupt,” said GTS Interim President Rev. Lang Lowrey at a December 2010 press conference. “We turned first to [other seminaries], but no one was willing to write a $41 million check. And our $1 million in philanthropic giving was not enough.”

Lowrey had said that the GTS would retain a “buy-back option” on all of the sales with the hope that in the future, they would ultimately buy back the property for GTS use.

“We treasure our mission of preparing leaders for the world, and we want to save Chelsea Square. But we need a balanced budget,” said Lowrey at the time. “We had to turn to a trusted partner…and that person was Dan Brodksy.”

Locals not surprised by sale of GTS properties Individual residents and members of local community groups alike are saddened, but not surprised, at the recent developments.

Save Chelsea Co-Presidents Lesley Doyel and Justin Hoy said that the GTS’s recent financial difficulties had led the Chelsea community to witness the sale of no less than four historic Seminary buildings since 2005, altering the landmarked campus often referred to as “the jewel of the Chelsea Historic District.”

“Following the first of these sales, the community waged a battle to preserve the height limits fortuitously set by the Chelsea Plan, so that, in the end, what is now the Chelsea Enclave is seven, instead of the proposed 17 stories. Save Chelsea, as well as the larger Chelsea community, has hoped that the sale of these properties would return this venerable institution to solvency, and allow it to thrive in the years to come,” said Doyel.

Photo by Scott Stiffler

End game for their financial woes? GTS is selling the Desmond Tutu Center.

The GTS had hoped to eliminate their debt and restore the school’s endowment through the $60 million sale of buildings referred to as 2, 3 and 4 Chelsea Square to the Brodsky Organization to convert into luxury condominiums. They also planned to sell the Chelsea Enclave fee simple (the grounds), the large apartment building at 422 West 20th Street, and the West Building, the oldest historic building on the Seminary’s campus.

At the time, the Seminary said the sale would preserve the GTS’s classic E-shaped quadrangle known as the “Close,” as well as the historic buildings fronting West 21st Street. Lowry noted that the Brodsky’s Organizations planned renovations of the West Building would likely save the decrepit, aging structure from collapse.

“Half our problems are solved when we sell this property,” said Lowrey in November 2010, noting even then that the second half of the plan called for the sale of a stake in the Desmond Tutu Center, a large conference and hotel site, to the Episcopal Church, with $20 million to go to the endowment.

Apparently, planned negotiations with the Episcopal Church did not pan out, and Brodsky stepped in.

“Save Chelsea is saddened, but not surprised, to learn about the anticipated sale of yet another Seminary building along the expanse of Tenth Avenue that presently houses the Tutu Center and Hotel,” said Doyel. “This, like the other buildings, will become the property of the Brodsky Organization. While we hope that this sale will, at last, effectively reverse the Seminary’s financial hardship, we are compelled to mention that this is the inevitable outcome of poor leadership and hubris practiced by the institution’s prior administration.”

Doyel blamed the reckless financial decisions undertaken by former GTS leadership for sending the institution into a downward financial spiral that could only be countered

by drastic measures.

“Now, even the Tutu Hotel, which ultimately integrated well into the life and character of the neighborhood, is to become another Brodsky acquisition. It is truly sad that these wonderful and historic buildings will, for the first time, no longer be part of

the very institution that created them,” said Doyel.

And individual Chelsea residents are also feeling the impact of the changes. Dave Hall said that part of the reason he and his partner moved to the neighborhood was because of the Seminary.

“We moved to a place where there was a historic district just north of us, and we believed that the Seminary being there would preserve the entire block from development,” said Hall. “Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The Brodsky Corporation is putting in multi-million dollar condos, but are not really working with the neighborhood to preserve the land there.”

While Hall understands that the GTS needs to make money through this development, he is not pleased that the construction plans appear to include tearing down several hundred-year-old trees located on the Close.

Brodsky could not be reached for comment on this issue.

“I noticed that they currently have the perimeter set for construction, and there are two or three hundred-year-old trees within that, which are not going to make it,” said Hall. “Even when they built the Enclaves building at Ninth Avenue and 21st Street, there were some old oak trees that didn’t survive. It’s really sad that the open space on the block is not going to be there anymore.

This neighborhood is becoming something that is just not what we thought we were moving into.”

8

February 22 - March 6, 2012

EDITORIAL NYU has a right to build, but must scale back plan PROJECT IS TOO BIG BUT HAS STRONG SUPPORT AT CITY LEVEL The NYU plan to build four buildings on its two superblocks in the Village — which include the existing Washington Square Village and University Village — is grossly over-scaled for the neighborhood. That is clear.

But make no mistake, there is public support at the city level for New York University’s project, for the jobs it will create, and for its contribution to strengthening one of the city’s prime educational institutions. NYU’s plan has substantial support at City Planning, in the Bloomberg administration and probably in the City Council, where the uniform land use review procedure (ULURP) will eventually be decided. This is important support and not likely to be swayed by vehement local opposition that many in the greater city and political class see as reflexively anti-NYU and over the top.

Before NYU’s 2031 planning project, begun in 2006, its history of “as-of-right” development in Lower Manhattan produced enormously unsatisfactory results for the community. It resulted in several monstrosities, including its East 12th Street dorm, the largest building in the East Village. The community, rightly for years, clamored for a “master plan” from NYU, so that NYU’s development could be channeled into appropriate areas with some predictability for Lower Manhattan.

NYU has produced a thorough plan, but its proposal in its central core area, to build 2.3 million square feet on its own land on the two superblocks (1.3 million square feet aboveground, and 1 million belowground) is simply too ambitious. It crams too much into too small an area, and must be scaled down.

But how to get NYU to scale down this plan is shaping up to be the most important battle that the Village and this community board will face in years. And the resolution of this issue will shape the future of the Village for decades.

CB2 WILL MAKE A MISTAKE IF IT VOTES ‘UNCONDITIONAL AND ABSOLUTE NO’ ON PROJECT We believe Community Board 2 (CB2) will make a mistake if they follow the maximalists who have dominated the public meetings so far and vote to oppose this project absolutely and unconditionally. From a larger city vantage point, the maximalist opposition is playing exactly into a central casting stereotype of angry NIMBYs who want to protect their cherished and privileged corner of the world.

By voting the project down in its entirety, the board would play into the hands of those who support this massive overdevelopment. Voting a “total and absolute no” on NYU’s project would make it easier for the larger political world — i.e., the deciders in the Bloomberg administration, the Speaker’s office and the City Council — to marginalize them and overlook the community board.

Voting this project down in its entirety puts the whole burden of negotiating specific cutbacks in the plan on to Borough President Stringer and Councilmember Chin. The community board instead should strengthen the hand of elected leaders by weighing in on what it finds acceptable. Focusing on this task will give Chin and Stringer an important leg up in negotiating these changes with NYU and building support in the City Council for scaling back the project.

SCALE THE PROJECT BACK BY HALF In our view, a starting point would be the principle of “half.” CB2 should be working on the best way to reduce this project by half.

Here is our preliminary take of the principle of “half”: On the southern superblock, Coles gym is the easiest part. Its neo-penitentiary architecture is an abomination.

Its replacement, the so-called zipper building, is the building that NYU should be permitted to construct. Its massing, however, should be reduced and shifted more toward Houston Street to alleviate the pressure on the properties facing it on the half-block between Houston and Bleecker Streets. The hotel atop the zipper building should be eliminated from the project.

The proposed school at the site of the Morton Williams supermarket should be put on a fast track. The community needs the school now (i.e., three to four years from now is the School Construction Authority’s lag time) and nobody believes that NYU will really build this school at some nebulous time after 2018. The ULURP for the project needs a firm resolution guaranteeing this school. Why not have NYU transfer the deed to the city with a strong deed restriction that it can only be used for a school?

The NYU proposed dorm on top of the school should be eliminated from the project. It enormously complicates the negotiations with the SCA about building and phasing in the school. Far better for the city to own the land and build a school according to its logic and schedule. This takes NYU out of the school building and scheduling deliberations.

On the north superblock, NYU should either abandon the Mercer Street boomerang building permanently, or scale both boomerang buildings down by half.

This scaling down should lead to an overall reduction in the project from 1.3 million square feet aboveground and 1 million square feet belowground to approximately

650,000 square feet up and 500,000 square feet down.

This spreads out NYU’s proposed project between the north and south superblocks — smaller zipper building in the south with no hotel, no dorm on top of the school and 50 percent smaller boomerang buildings on the north superblock.

COMMUNITY BOARD MUST LEAD AND PRODUCE ROAD MAP FOR STRINGER AND CHIN There are dozens of other details to negotiate — the deed restrictions, future of the green strips, school deed transfer, massing of the buildings, placement of the parks, enhancing of the open spaces, etc. Hard work, indeed. We will see to what extent our local elected officials and community board leaders are able to focus on this, and produce results.

But the community board should not think that voting an “unconditional no” on the project strengthens the ability of our political leaders to get this project scaled back. It actually gives our elected leaders less legitimacy because they have no guidance from the community board on what to scale back.

Stringer and Chin should let the community board know that they expect results and a road map, not maximalist marginalization. CB2 has shown enormous skill and political savvy in dealing with other complex land use and community issues. On this mega-issue, we hope community board members will lead, not marginalize themselves. Then, Stringer and Chin should work to build support at City Planning and the City Council for scaling back this project.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Surge ‘prophet’ is all wet To The Editor: Re “Coming to grips with storm surge realities” (news article, Jan. 25): Sea level has been rising a few millimeters per year for the past few hundred years, and has not shown any significant increase during the past 30 years — a requirement for the manmade global-warming theory to have credibility.

I think this “prophet” has been drinking too much tea, if you know what I mean.

Bob Smith

Say ‘no’ to eating ban bill To The Editor: Manhattan State Senator Bill Perkins’ proposed bill to ban eating in the subway is personification of the nanny state. His legislation would be enforced by police issuing $250 fines to those caught chowing down on the subways.

In my opinion, police have more important tasks to perform by preventing fare evasion, pickpockets, mugging, sexual harassment and other real crimes against victims rather than give out $250 fines to those caught snacking on the subways.

Women are routinely accosted by gropers on a daily basis, while perverts engage in other unhealthy sexual activities. Newsstand vendors provide employment. They count on revenues for sales of snacks and provide the MTA with millions in lease revenues. NYC and State also count on mil-

lions in sales tax revenues on vendor sales of snacks. Some people with long subway rides need to eat on something due to medical conditions.

There are other ways to fight the growth of rats and mice. The MTA should consider installing separate cans for recycling newspapers, plastic and glass along with regular garbage. Selling advertising on sides of cans could generate revenues to help cover the costs of more frequent off-peak and late night collection and disposal. If asked, the city Department of Sanitation would consider doing the same on the street adjacent to subway station entrances.

There are also solutions to dealing with waiting for or riding the subway and having the “urge to go.” The odds of finding a working bathroom for “relief” may be too late. Until the early 1960s, most subway stations had clean, safe, working bathrooms with toilet paper. Revenues generated from a 10 cent fee helped cover the costs. Why not consider charging a fee between 25 cents and a dollar? That would generate revenues to assign a matron along with covering security and maintenance costs. This could help provide secure, fully-equipped bathrooms at most of the 465 subway stations. Many riders would gladly pay this small price to ensure working bathrooms rather than face the current unpleasant alternatives, which contribute to dirty subways.

Larry Penner E-mail letters, not longer than 300 words in length, to scott@chelseanow.com or fax to 212229-2790 or mail to Chelsea Now, Letters to the Editor, 515 Canal Street, Unit 1C New York City, NY 10013.

Please include phone number for confirmation purposes.

Chelsea Now reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Chelsea Now does not publish anonymous letters.

February 22 - March 6, 2012

9

COMMUNITY CONTACTS (To be listed, email info to scott@chelseanow.com.)

THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY CENTER

COMMUNITY BOARD 4 (CB4)

FRIENDS OF HUDSON RIVER PARK Visit fohrp.org or call 212-757-0981.

CB4 serves Manhattan’s West Side neighborhoods of Chelsea and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. Its boundaries are 14th St. on the south, 59/60th St. on the north, the Hudson River on the west, 6th Ave. on the east (south of 26th St.) and 8th Ave. on the east (north of 26th St.). Call 212-736-4536. Visit manhattancb4.org or email them at info@manhattanCB4. org. The board meeting, open to the public, happens on the first Wednesday of the month, at 6:30pm. The next one takes place on March 7, 6:30pm, at Fulton Auditorium (119 9th Ave., btw. 17th and 18th Sts.). Visit nyc.gov/mcb4.

At 208 W. 13th St. (btw. 7th and 8th Aves.). Visit gaycenter. org or call 212-620-7310.

Their mission is to help homeless LGBT youth be safe and become independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood. Main headquarters: 224 W. 35th St., Suite 1102.

Call 212-222-3427. The Ali Forney Day Center is located at 527 W. 22nd St., 1st floor. Call 212-206-0574 or visit aliforneycenter.org.

SAVE CHELSEA

COMMUNITY BOARD 5 (CB5)

GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS (GMHC)

CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CHRISTINE QUINN

CB5 represents the central business district of New York City. It includes midtown Manhattan, the Fashion, Flower, Flatiron and Diamond districts, as well as Bryant Park and Union Square Park. The district is at the center of New York’s tourism industry. The Theatre District, Times Square, Carnegie Hall, the Empire State Building and two of the region’s transportation hubs (Grand Central Station and Penn Station) fall within CB5. Call 212-4650907. Visit cb5.org or email them at office@cb5.org. CB5’s board meeting, open to the public, happens on the second Thursday of the month, at 6pm. The next one takes place on March 8, at Xavier High School (30 W. 16th St., btw.

5th and 6th Aves., 2nd fl.).

At 446 W. 33rd St. btw. 9th and 10th Aves. Visit gmhc.org.

Call 212-367-1000.

Call 212-564-7757 or visit council.nyc.gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml.

HUDSON GUILD

STATE SENATOR TOM DUANE

Founded in 1895, Hudson Guild is a multi-service, multigenerational community serving approximately 14,000 people annually with daycare, hot meals for senior citizens, low-cost professional counseling, community arts programs and recreational programming for teens. Visit them at hudsonguild.org. Email them at info@hudsonguild.org. For the John Lovejoy Elliott Center (441 W. 26th St.), call 212760-9800. For the Children’s Center (459 W. 26th St.), call 212-760-9830. For the Education Center (447 W. 25th St.), call 212-760-9843. For the Fulton Center for Adult Services (119 9th Ave.), call 212-924-6710.

Call 212-633-8052 or visit tomduane.com.

THE 300 WEST 23RD, 22ND & 21ST STREETS BLOCK ASSOCIATION

Visit hudsonriverpark.org or call 212-627-2020.

THE ALI FORNEY CENTER

THE CARTER BURDEN CENTER FOR THE AGING

Contact them at 300westblockassoc@prodigy.net.

This organization promotes the well-being of individuals 60 and older through direct social services and volunteer programs oriented to individual, family and community needs.

Call 212-879-7400 or visit burdencenter.org.

THE WEST 400 BLOCK ASSOCIATION Contact them at w400ba@gmail.com.

HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST

LOWER CHELSEA ALLIANCE (LoCal)

Contact them at savechelseanyc@gmail.com.

MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT SCOTT STRINGER Call 212-669-8300 or visit mbpo.org.

ASSEMBLYMEMBER RICHARD GOTTFRIED Call 212-807-7900 or email GottfriedR@assembly.state. ny.us.

CHELSEA REFORM DEMOCRATIC CLUB The CRDC (the home club of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, State Senator Tom Duane and Assemblymember Richard Gottfried) meets monthly to exchange political ideas in protecting the rights and improving the lives of those residing in Chelsea. Visit crdcnyc.org or email them at info@ crdcnyc.org.

At 147 W. 24th Street (btw. 6th & 7th Aves.)

THE SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT works to guarantee

This group is committed to protecting the residential blocks of Chelsea from overscale development. Contact them at LowerChelseaAlliance@gmail.com.

THE GREENWICH VILLAGE-CHELSEA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PENN SOUTH Visit pennsouth.coop. The Penn South Program for Seniors provides recreation, education and social services — and welcomes volunteers. For info, call 212-243-3670.

that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression without facing harassment, discrimination or violence. Visit srlp.org.

FIERCE (Fabulous Independent Educated Radicals for FULTON YOUTH OF THE FUTURE

Call 212-337-5912 or visit villagechelsea.com.

Email them at fultonyouth@gmail.com or contact Miguel Acevedo, 646-671-0310.

Community Empowerment) builds the leadership and power of bisexual, transgender and queer youth of color in NYC. Visit fiercenyc.org.

WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE

QUEERS FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE is a progressive

Visit westsidenyc.org or call 212-956-2573. Email them at wsna@hcc-nyc.org.

organization committed to promoting economic justice in a context of sexual and gender liberation. Visit q4ej.org.

CHELSEA COALITION ON HOUSING

THE AUDRE LORDE PROJECT is a lesbian, gay, bisexual,

Tenant assistance every Thursday night, at 7pm; at Hudson Guild (119 Ninth Ave.). Email them at chelseacoalition. cch@gmail.com.

two spirit, trans and gender non-conforming people of color center for community organizing. Visit alp.org.

THE MEATPACKING DISTRICT INITIATIVE Visit meatpacking-district.com or call 212-633-0185.

THE BOWERY RESIDENTS’ COMMITTEE: HOMELESS HELPLINE If you know of anyone who is in need of their services, call the Homeless Helpline at 212-533-5151, and the BRC will send someone to make contact. This number is staffed by outreach team leaders 24 hours a day. Callers may remain anonymous. For more info, visit brc.org.

Member of the New York Press Association

THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Published by COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC

Gay City

NEWS

TM

515 Canal St., Unit 1C, NY, NY 10013 Phone: (212) 229-1890 • Fax: (212) 229-2790 On-line: www.chelseanow.com E-mail: news@chelseanow.com © 2012 Community Media, LLC

Member of the National Newspaper Association Chelsea Now is published biweekly by Community Media LLC, 515 Canal Street, Unit 1C, New York, N.Y. 10013 (212) 229-1890. Annual subscription by mail in Manhattan and Brooklyn $75. Single copy price at office and newsstands is 50 cents. The entire contents of newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2010 Community Media LLC, Postmaster: Send address changes to Chelsea Now, 145 Sixth Ave., First Fl., New York, N.Y. 10013.

PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR

The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR John W. Sutter ASSOCIATE EDITOR / ARTS EDITOR Scott Stiffler REPORTERS Lincoln Anderson Albert Amateau John Bayles Aline Reynolds EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Latima Stephens

BUSINESS MANAGER/CONTROLLER

Vera Musa PUBLISHER EMERITUS Elizabeth Butson SR. V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING Francesco Regini ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Allison Greaker Colin Gregory Julius Harrison Bryan Kinney Alex Morris Julio Tumbaco

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Troy Masters ART DIRECTOR Mark Hasselberger GRAPHIC DESIGNER Vince Joy CIRCULATION SALES MNGR. Marvin Rock DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Cheryl Williamson

CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Buhmann Winnie McCroy Bonnie Rosenstock Jerry Tallmer Trav S. D. Stephen Wolf PHOTOGRAPHERS Jefferson Siegel Milo Hess J. B. Nicholas

10

February 22 - March 6, 2012

POLICE BLOTTER CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: Jumper on the roof A resident of Edge Water, NJ parked his car in front of 401 W. 18th St. at approximately 9pm on Fri., Feb. 10. Upon returning the next morning, he noticed that the hood, roof and upper part of his vehicle’s windshield had been trampled upon by a person, persons, unknown — causing damage to the 2005 black BMW four-door sedan.

PETTY LARCENY: Thief though orange van ‘Hot’ enough to handle At around 9pm on Mon., Feb. 13, a 59-year-old male was arrested by police — when security personnel at the Jacob Javits Center (665 W. 34th St.) observed the man opening packages of toys and sticking them in a bag, without authority or permission to do so. The man was caught in possession of an orange Hot Wheels van, valued at $3.

ROBBERY: Bag, phone stolen at knifepoint While walking on the 200 block of W. 15 St. (at 1am on Mon., Feb. 13), a male and female couple residing in the neighborhood

were approached by a 24-year-old male (later arrested) who put a knife to the man’s neck and stated, “I don’t want to hurt you, I just want the bag.” The perpetrator took the bag (a black Chanel worth $8,000), which contained an $800 black Chanel wallet, $20 cash and a white iPhone valued at $400), and fled on foot. The phone and cash were later recovered.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: Car window broken A yellow 2012 Escape four-door sedan had its passenger side window shattered, but nothing was taken. The owner, a 33-year-old resident of Ridgewood, NJ, discovered the damage when returning to the car (parked in front of 541 9th Ave.) on Sun., Feb. 12.

LOST PROPERTY: Returning home from a Super Bowl party, a 25-year-old resident of Manhattan’s W. 300 block realized that his Verizon Apple iPhone (valued at $300) was no longer in his possession. The man told police that after the party, he walked home from the Times Square shuttle at Grand Central — at which time, his cell phone was inside of his coat pocket. It is not known how the phone vanished, but there was no unauthorized activity on the device by the time it was discovered missing and the service was cancelled.

JACKED, AT THE JAVITS CENTER PETTY LARCENY: iPad trail cold, as tracking app turned off A worker attending the American Toy Fair (at the Jacob Javits Center, 665 W. 34th St.) reported to police that at 2pm on Tues., Feb. 14, an Apple iPad valued at $900 was removed from the booth. The iPad had a tracking app, which allowed the victim to trace it to Seventh Ave. — but at that point, the iPad was apparently powered off, leaving the trail cold.

GRAND LARCECY: Laptop lost at fashion show A 42-year-old female was the victim of theft while attending a fashion show. At 11:40am on Mon., Feb. 13, she concluded a conversation with several models, then returned backstage to retrieve her Apple MacBook Air laptop (valued at $2,575). It was nowhere to be found, and presumed stolen.

PETTY LARCENY: Bathroom, bracelets are bad combination Realizing she had insured the items and needed to file a police report, a 44-yearold female did just that, on Tues., Feb. 14. The theft took place at around 9:15pm, on Wed., Feb. 1 — when the victim was attending an event, as a vendor. While inside the basement bathroom, she left several silver bracelets (valued at $900) on the sink.

Approximately 15 minutes after returning to her booth, she realized the bracelets were not on her person. Upon returning to the bathroom, they were gone.

‘Cat Lady’ sentenced Shana Spalding, who sang under the name of “Purgatory” with the death-metal band Divine Infamy (and who was convicted on Dec. 13 of the armed holdup of the Arche Shos boutique on Astor Place in June 2010 and a Cotelac boutique at 92 Greene St. in August 2010) was sentenced on Wed., Feb. 1, to 10 years in prison. Spalding, 27, was known as the “Cat Lady” because she wore a cat mask during the Astor Place robbery and during a previous robbery in Queens. At her sentencing, she protested that she was not a violent person and had not displayed the toy gun that she had in her possession when she held up the Greene St. shop.

ROBBERY: Porn shop perp Police are seeking a suspect who robbed two Village adult video shops. The perpetrator assaulted and robbed a clerk, 57, at Xcellent DVD (Sixth Ave. at W. 13th St.), around 3:30am on Sat., Feb. 4. He next confronted an employee, 48, of Cherry Box Video on W. Fourth near Cornelia St. around 5am on Fri., Feb. 10, according to reports.

ARRESTED: Victim and Officers bag purse thief A woman who came out of the PATH station at 136 Christopher St. around 3:25am on Sat., Feb. 11, had her handbag snatched from her hand by a thief who fled east with it. The victim gave chase and caught up with the suspect on Hudson St. at the same time as the arresting officers. A 31-year-old man was charged with larceny.

—Alber t Amateau and Scott Stiffler

CASH FOR GUNS $100 cash will be given (no questions asked) for each handgun, assault weapon or sawed-off shotgun; up to a maximum payment of $300. Guns are accepted at any Police Precinct, PSA or Transit District.

CRIME STOPPERS If you have info regarding a crime committed or a wanted person, call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS, text “TIP577” (plus your message) to “CRIMES” (274637) or submit a tip online at nypdcrimestoppers.com.

THE 10th PRECINCT Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Elisa Cokkinos. Main number: 212-7418211. Community Affairs: 212-7418226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226.

Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216.

Youth Officer: 212-741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-741-8210. Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council Meeting takes place at 7pm on the last Wed. of the month. The next meeting is February 28.

THE 13th PRECINCT Located at 230 E. 21st St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Ted Bernsted. Call 212-477-7411.

Community Affairs: 212-477-7427.

Crime Prevention: 212-477-7427.

Domestic Violence: 212-477-3863.

Youth Officer: 212-477-7411. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-477-4380. Detective Squad: 212-477-7444. The Community Council Meeting takes place at 6:30pm on the third Tues. of the month. The next meeting is March 20.

February 22 - March 6, 2012

11

Chelsea’s population explosion turns heads in Albany

BY DONATHAN SALKALN At a February 16th community forum hosted by the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club, State Assemblymember Richard N. Gottfried and Democratic County Leader Keith Wright addressed the impact of the 2010 census on local voter districts.

Having cited the fact that Chelsea’s district has grown more than any other district in New York State, Assemblymember Gottfried offered a logical explanation. “Just look up at the forest of buildings that people have been putting up around our neighborhoods,” he urged. “You’re going to find 19,000 more people.”

Essentially, that figure translates to five additional people moving into the Chelsea’s 75th District everyday — for 10 straight years (or, theoretically, one moved out and four moved in, then had two children). No matter how one slices it, along with additional population gains in the neighboring districts of Greenwich Village, Tribeca and Lower Manhattan, a comparably small area along the Hudson River has become a political hot bed on the New York State map.

Every decade, the U.S. conducts a census to insure that every counted citizen continues to have equal voice in government.

The State Majority Leaders then have a constitutional obligation to redraw district lines according to the new spread of people.

The current redistricting calls for each of the New York State’s 62 Districts to have 132,000 to 135,000 people. Each must expand or contract their borders in order to not only comply to Lower Manhattan’s tremendous population gain, but also with a bill signed by Governor Patterson which requires upstate’s inmate population be counted from their home district — not from their cells, as it was in the past (85 percent of inmates are from downstate).

In planning new lines, the Democratic led State Assembly reached across the aisle in asking their Republican counterparts for input. Chelsea’s resulting 75th Assembly District’s gotten smaller, and shifted south — with its lower border moving one, two and three blocks down to 14th Street, and tak-

Photos by Donathan Salkaln

“Stay tuned,” advised Assemblymember Wright, “because it will affect us all.”

ing some of Deborah Glick’s 66th District, while losing part of Murray Hill to the Brian Kavanagh’s 74th District. Its northern border gives up a large area of Hell’s Kitchen to Linda Rosenthal’s 67th District. The river remains the 75th District’s west border.

Says Assemblymember Gottfried, “I don’t think there’s any evidence with Assembly District lines that a court would do a better job of respecting residential communities or the multiple communities that have gotten used to working together on political and civic issues.”

That is not the case with the State Senatorial District lines. The new proposed map greatly impacts Chelsea’s 29th Senate District. The Republican majority in the State Senate did not ask for any Democratic input. And, while past Senate District maps often looked like giant jigsaw puzzles, this year’s map looks more like a bowl of spaghetti. For instance, Adriano Espaillat’s District (D, 31st), which was Washington Heights and Inwood, would now stretch from within the Bronx, snake down the

West Side Highway and then into reach into Chelsea to include the Elliot Houses (currently part of State Senator Tom Duane’s 29th District). Assemblymember Gottfried notes, “There is zero possibility that the proposed Senate lines will ever be law. The only theory anybody has (in their drawing) is that the Senate Republicans went out of their way to be as lunical as they could!”

Also speaking at the forum was State

Assemblymember and Democratic County Leader Keith Wright — who shed some more light on the Senate’s agenda: “Senate Republicans don’t like Democrats and they want to create an extra Republican seat up near Albany to cushion their chamber’s one vote majority. In Queens they drew Senator Jose Peralta (D, 13th) and Senator Michael Ginaris (D, 12th) in the same district so they will have to run against each other. In Brooklyn Senator Eric Adams (D, 20th) and Senator Velmanette Montomery (D, 18th) were also drawn in the same district and will have to run against each other. But these are proposed lines...proposed. Governor Cuomo has already said he will veto them.”

“Every redistricting, whether it was 1982, 1992, 2002 and now this time,” Assemblymember Gottfried pointed out, “has required the assistance of the Federal Court. The Federal Court has now appointed a three-judge Federal panel to supervise this.

I hope that our friends in the Senate pay attention.”

“Stay tuned,” advised Assemblymember Wright, “because it will affect us all.”

Donathan Salkaln is a member of the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club (the home club of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, State Senator Tom Duane and Assemblymember Richard N. Gottfried. The CRDC meets monthly to exchange political ideas in protecting the rights and improving the lives of those residing in Chelsea. Visit crdcnyc.org or email them at info@crdcnyc.org.

Open the Door to Your New Career Path at Our NY Open House!

Thurs., Feb. 23rd 11am-3pm Sat., Feb. 25th 10am-2pm Pursue a career in the

CULINARY, HOSPITALITY or MEDICAL FIELDS

Call now to reserve your place!

212-430-3649 www.StarCareerAcademy.com

e Interacytivand r a culin ical med tions ra demonst r u Tour ofeons h c it k and labs

Attention Veterans: we accept VA benefits for your education.

Licensed by N.Y.S. Ed. Dept.; Accredited by ACCSC

Assemblymember Gottfried: “There is zero possibility that the proposed Senate lines will ever be law.”

Licensed by N.Y.S. Ed. Dept.; Accredited by ACCSC. Dialysis Program Approved by BONENT. For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program and other important information, please visit our website at www.starcareeracademy.com/consumerinfo.php

12

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Our two-block, pro-global green move

BY MAT ZUCKER Perhaps it was the mountains of garbage we saw on our tour through Asia’s biggest slum in Mumbai. For about eighty dollars a week, thousands of migrant workers from all over India manually separate toxic and safe recyclables with very little protective gear on their hands or faces. No matter your moral opinion of the working conditions, these are comparatively high-paying and reliable jobs.

“The flow of trash never ceases,” our slum guide mused to the group — and, making eye contact with me, added, “especially from North America.”

Back home in Chelsea, the memory of those trash piles stuck with me as my husband Bryan and I planned our imminent move of apartments. We had sold our twobedroom in a brownstone on West 21st Street and were headed for a rental in a big, brand new building just around the corner, on West 23rd.

Past moves meant dozens of brown boxes, reels of icky tape, rolls of bubble wrap and our own mountains of black garbage bags on the street for the Sanitation Department to pick up. Not that I’m a crunchy eco-earnest type, but the thought of adding more unnecessary trash to landfills simply to move two blocks now sickened me. In the spirit of my new global awareness, I wondered how we could “green” our move.

First, I figured, we should reduce our footprint of, well, stuff. Since movers are paid hourly, the less to move, the less cash — my other favorite kind of green — to drop.

Ten years of two gay men and a dog living in one apartment, however, adds up (especially in terms of books, music, art and, of course, designer shoes).

Over three long days home from work, I separated what to keep and what to trash, sell or donate. Jewish summer camp photo albums and high school newspaper clippings obviously stayed — but sweaters Bryan hadn’t

Management off companies i andd enterprises t i willill grow 11.4%* 11 4%*

How will you prepare?

Let Plaza College help you prepare with: •Associate through Bachelor degrees •Day, Evening & Weekend Classes •Financial Aid for those who qualify

•Career Placement Services

CALL 718.509-9167

www.PlazaCollege.edu 74-09 37 AVE., JACKSON HEIGHTS, QUEENS

* Source: BMO Capital Market and U.S. Dept. of Labor

Photo by Mat Zucker

On loan: Arthur Werner Moving & Storage picks up these crates once you’ve made your move.

worn in more than a season, and a tray we have never served a martini on, would both go. Actually, so did the extra martini shaker and glassware set I found in the basement.

Who has a back-up martini set?

New York has dozens of charities, and giving is as good for your taxes as it is for your soul. The act of donation, however, turned out to be more challenging than

expected. There are pick-up services for large items, but charities won’t take just anything. We had a beautiful Charles P. Rodgers trundle bed in our guest bedroom, which wouldn’t fit in the new place. I learned mattresses wouldn’t be accepted because of bed bug worries, but apparently no one wanted the antique bed frame either. I offered to pay people to take it — including Charles P. Rodgers (“Don’t you have a clearance catalogue?!?” I pleaded on the phone — without success).

What I could carry, such as bags of clothes and platters, got walked down to The Salvation Army, Angel Street and Housing Works. “Man, what are you keeping?” asked one volunteer at The Salvation Army after my third trip.

Friends had suggested advertising our unwanted items on sites such as Craigslist and Freecycle — but for me, it was too much work to be home for prospective buyers or respond to the inevitable queries and questions. Besides, did I want to meet crazy New Yorkers who buy and hoard other people’s cheap stuff? I wasn’t trying to make much cash anyway — although, I did sell two bags of CDs and DVDs to Academy Music for thirty dollars. My true net was only half that, since I admittedly took a cab to get there.

Five days before moving, and I still had our deck furniture to dispose of. A friend of our broker intended to take them but had backed out, and the clock was ticking.

In the agreement of our sale, our place had to be “broom clean.” Plus, our co-op board, driven by a treasurer with a grudge against us, had passed a resolution requiring that we

get our stuff out before they’d agree to the closing date. This, after I had been president of the co-op for 10 years and extremely conscientious about trash removal to avoid sanitation fines. Legal action seemed so petty and unnecessary.

Fortunately, after some web surfing and phone calls, I found Green Gals Rubbish & Recycling, a service that — for a fee — will both pick up your stuff and sift through what can be recycled, donated and (as a last resort) brought to a dump. The coup de grâce, however, was the moving company we chose for the big day. Recommended by our friend Kelly, Arthur Werner Moving & Storage offered a “Moving Green” program, which included stacks of reusable red plastic containers in which to pack. Instead of spending hours assembling, collapsing and disposing of big ugly brown boxes, you call when you’re unpacked and they pick up the crates. Best of all, reading panic in my eyes about the trundle bed, the head mover said he’d deal with it.

Now fully unpacked and the recyclable containers collected, Bryan has suggested having our new neighbors over to celebrate.

I’m eager to tell the story of our pro-global green move. I easily find the champagne glasses, but not our sterling silver cheese knives. I am sure I packed them, didn’t I? Lost or not, at least I can guarantee they won’t cause a biohazard in Mumbai.

The trundle bed, however, may show up.

Apologies.

Editor’s Note: Chelsea Now welcomes NYC-based creative director and essayist Mat Zucker as a contributor.

February 22 - March 6, 2012

13

CALL 8 0 0 4 2 0 4 0 0 4

expert medical care medical experts who care

At Beth Israel Medical Center, we understand there is so much more to medicine, than medicine alone. With state-of-the-art medical technologies and a vast array of proven therapeutic resources, we’re committed to total patient care. Visit us at BethIsraelNY.org

WHERE HEALTH AND HEALING COME TOGETHER FIRST AVENUE AT 16TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY

113980_CM_TV_EV_P4C_BIEM4P.indd 1

8/3/11 11:08 AM

14

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Grit, glamour and seismic shifts

BY SCOTT STIFFLER Like an enduring red stain on a white butcher’s coat, the 124 photos from Pamela Greene’s wry look at nine years in the evolving life of the Meatpacking District settle into your head and remain stubbornly lodged there. It’s not an unpleasant sensation — although the sights aren’t what you might expect from a collection of images taken during the decline of one industry and the rise of another.

Rather than mourn the loss of longtime establishments or praise the area’s rapid ascension as a fashion hub, Greene’s body of work (shot from 2002-2011) instead succumbs to the wonder of a neighborhood that lives and dies every 24 hours — then does it all over again.

An embedded witness to the daily changing of the guard from retail glory to nightlife glamour to industrial grit, Greene’s insightful framing and chronological storytelling extracts common elements shared by meatpacking workers, models, restaurateurs, clubgoers and prostitutes. All possess a similar devotion to routine, but only some are aware (and care) that their days are clearly numbered.

Given the fact that so many dynamic worlds collide within this relatively small patch of Manhattan, it would have been easy for Greene to simply pursue moments when all those disparate elements could be jammed into one busy shot. Instead, she wisely plays her juxtaposition card by

BOOKS BLOOD & BEAUTY: MANHATTAN’S MEATPACKING DISTRICT

By Pamela Greene Published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd. (2011) $34.99 Visit schifferbooks.com and pamelagreenephotography.com way of the layout. The naked slabs of meat in “Hanging Hoofers” (on page 116) are complemented, just to the right, by page 117’s “Coats” (white butcher’s long coats dangling from their own miniature version of the same hooks lodged firmly in those aforementioned hoofers).

Greene’s left/right study in contrast gets a similar workout when page 30’s “Shadows and Light” shows construction workers unceremoniously emptying a garbage can — while, on page 31, “Tourists” has a couple consulting their map as a companion busily chats on his cell. This method provides a much more effective window into the changing times than what would have been achieved if Greene strained to make a single

Images courtesy of Schiffer Publishing Ltd. and Pamela Greene

“Blurred Unloading”

Continued on page 16

“Miro Rames”

“Walking Across the Plaza”

February 22 - March 6, 2012

15

Beatty seeks to enrich your Hudson River Park experience

BY SCOTT STIFFLER For Blake Beatty, December 12 was a good time of the year — and the right time in her life — to begin work as Director of Development for Friends of Hudson River Park (FoHRP).

With the lion’s share of its 17 million annual visitors in hibernation, Beatty had a few months to plot a new public outreach initiative — while getting down to the business of securing private funding for the park’s ongoing revitalization. As spring approaches and that first day on the job grows more distant, Beatty’s plans are beginning to take shape.

One week before joining FoHRP, however, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum’s senior development officer was looking back upon the successful implementation of a $350 million fundraising campaign, and wondering what project could rival the scope and challenge of the one she’d just completed.

“After fundraising for the 9/11 memorial,” Beatty recalls, “I had a very good sense of Downtown. The people I met, and the changes I saw, gave me an edge. I wanted to take that knowledge and enthusiasm and spread it north. I saw the park and thought, there’s overlap there. It made perfect sense.”

A New York resident for the past 15 years, Beatty witnessed the steady growth and development of Hudson River Park. “I spent time there, and enjoyed it…but I still don’t think a lot of people know about it,” she says of the “gold coast” which snakes its way from Battery Park City to 59th Street (including Chelsea’s recently revamped Piers 62 and 63 — whose skate park and carousel have become major draws).

“I took the job,” Beatty says, “because this park hasn’t been exposed the way it should be. I think it needs a structure, in the sense of dividing the park into regions.”

Separating the long and winding five-mile park into four zones (Tribeca, Greenwich

Village, Chelsea and Clinton), Beatty confidently speculates, will help “bring more emphasis to the neighborhoods, so the people in Chelsea will know they own that area of the park.”

The best part of her job, so far, has been meeting “the overwhelming amount of people who want to get involved, and just don’t know how.” They’re about to find out. Beatty anticipates the spring launch of a Neighborhood Cultivation Program that will allow those with specific interests to further develop the section of the park they use the most.

“We’re hoping to have a major event to kick it off in June,” she says of the enrichment program. “This is definitely the beginning of a new phase for Hudson River Park.

The fireworks are coming to the West Side Highway this summer, and I hope to do something big around that. There will also be several neighborhood enrichment events before the year ends.”

Beatty’s vision for hyperlocal participation, in phase one at least, is threefold: dogs, kids and beautification. “A lot of people are very interested in developing the flowers in different regions of the park,” she says, noting that only parents and dog owners rival horticulturalists as frequent park visitors who would welcome a greater variety of amenities and social events. “People who use the playground in Tribeca,” Beatty says, “would love to have an opportunity to get to know more of the parents living in their region, and use the park as a way to have their children meet new friends. Dog owners would love more opportunity to get together and talk about their dogs. We would host events on the piers, for people who are members of these groups.”

Those groups would also assist in funding the expansion, and upkeep, of the park.

“A community could give a low level of money to increase or improve the things they care about, and that area might be named after their neighborhood group,”

Photo courtesy of Friends of Hudson River Park

Have you considered adoption? This Chelsea span of HRP needs boosters with green thumbs and children (of the canine and human variety).

Beatty says. And although much of her job involves securing the large donations necessary to realize FoHRP’s ambitious plans for growth, Beatty says of her outreach efforts, “This is as much about getting people involved as it is about raising money. They

go hand in hand.”

For information on Friends of Hudson River Park’s programs, or to volunteer, call 212-757-0981 or visit fohrp.org. To contact Blake Beatty: bbeatty@fohrp.org. Also visit hudsonriverpark.org.

Banking at your f ingertips. $150 in your pocket.

Open a checking account with mobile banking and direct deposit or bill pay and start banking anytime, anywhere.

At Valley, we bring banking to you!

Free online banking Free mobile and text message

Free eStatements Get account alerts and transfer funds

Visit one of our 211 branch ofÀces or any one in the neighborhood: 18th & 8th 159 Eighth Avenue 212-741-4690

Chelsea North 776 Avenue of the Americas 212-532-5253

Chelsea 924 Broadway 212-477-7783

4th & 12th 111 Fourth Avenue 212-777-2870

800-522-4100 valleynationalbank.com

Photo by Ann Clark, on behalf of Friends of Hudson River Park

Equal parts fundraiser and bridge builder: Blake Beatty.

To qualify for $150, open a qualifying checking account with a minimum deposit of $100 and receive $75 cash when you sign up for Mobile Banking and $75 when you initiate a monthly direct deposit such as a payroll, pension, Social Security or other government benefits or by enrolling in online banking and completing three merchant bill payments. The required transactions must be completed within the first 60 days of account opening to qualify. Cash will be credited within 90 days of account opening and may be reportable as taxable income. Offer valid for new checking customers only.

Products limited to one per customer, two per household. Funds deposited must be new money from another financial institution. See a representative for qualifying accounts, complete terms and conditions. ©2012 Valley National Bank. Member FDIC. VCS-4502

16

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Meatpacking District photo project charts change Continued from page 14 photograph do that job.

“A model going up the street, trying to dodge a side of beef? You didn’t really see that,” Greene maintains — noting that in reality, it was the photographer who often found herself yielding ground to the Meatpacking District’s most enduring product. “I was flat against the wall,” she says of

‘You didn’t have to tell me not to move. I mean, you don’t want to run into a side of beef. That’s six hundred pounds. You’d be a goner.’ the process that gave “Blood & Beauty” its cover shot. “You didn’t have to tell me not to move. I mean, you don’t want to run into a side of beef. That’s six hundred pounds.

You’d be a goner.”

Considering all the people she did run into (and all the cows she managed to avoid), Greene emerged remarkably unscathed — but not unchanged. “It was personal by then,”

she says, pinpointing a time in 2003 when she realized, “I wanted to do a book, a long-term project. I got to go deep, and understand the people — not the neighborhood. I wasn’t interested in the political science of it,” says the former poli-sci major without the slightest desire to shade that comment with irony.

“I wanted to know the people. Although there were times when I took a month or so off, I completely immersed myself.” Greene, who’s been working for some time now on an “immigration project,” declares she’s not yet sure where that effort will lead — except to say, “I really am much happier when I’m working on a project that takes all of my time.”

What Greene found in the Meatpacking District was a hive of subcultures — most of which were in the throes of collapsing or bursting. “People adapt,” Greene says admiringly. Referring to the meatpacking workers, she notes, “The key people I photographed are still around…but they’re working on the real edges of the district.” Of James Rogers (see his photo in this article: “James at Hector’s”), Greene recalls, “I took a lot of pictures of him. He told me he was very proud of his years in the Meatpacking District, and put his pension on hold so he could work as a freelancer. He knew that eventually, all of these plants would probably go.”

Greene doesn’t cast the fashion industry in the role of encroaching villain (in fact,

she praises its pioneer spirit). Nonetheless, she recalls how meatpacking workers like Rogers viewed the new arrivals. “As soon as they heard [Diane] Von Furstenberg was going to move her world headquarters to

Washington and 14th, they knew that virtually everything was going to be renovated, and they’d have to move. No question about it. One group was leaving — and they made their whole lives in that neighborhood.”

Images courtesy of Schiffer Publishing Ltd. and Pamela Greene

“Fashion Fun”

OPEN THINKING | ON A NEW SCHOOL OF THOUGHT No. 3 IN A SERIES

TIME TO REINVENT THE CLASS SCHEDULE? “Street Scene”

By Ty Tingley Co-head of school, Avenues The school day has traditionally been divided into equal periods. But is that really the most effective way for students to learn? Certain classes — such as science or literature — might benefit from longer periods, while others are better taught in shorter, more frequent sessions. A flexible schedule can play a critical role in a student’s education.

Read more about Ty Tingley’s thoughts on education at www.avenues.org/tingley. You’ll find articles, video, interviews and details on parent information events hosted by the leadership team of Avenues: The World School.

Ty Tingley is the co-head of school at Avenues and oversees the development of the school’s curriculum.

Avenues is opening this fall in Chelsea. It will be the first of 20 campuses in major cities, educating children ages three to 18 with a global perspective.

WWW.AVENUES.ORG

“Pink Dresses”

“James at Hector’s”

February 22 - March 6, 2012

17

Chelsea Hotel tenants, owners continue to tussle Continued from page 5 possible to the original.

Kaufman showed photographs of how the rooftop looks now, as well as a mock-up he constructed on the roof, with scaffolding and an orange line to represent the tallest height and location of the addition. He said that it is not visible or “very minimally visible” from its locations on West 22nd and West 23rd Streets.

Kirkland interjected that he could see it from 23rd Street when he walked there over a half hour ago, which elicited laughter from the audience. Kaufman responded that the two-story scaffolding was built “so we could show the line of the addition, and that scaffolding will not be there in the future.”

When asked by a committee member what the addition will be used for, Kathy Cudahy demurred, saying they don’t have a proposed use yet. “However, let’s be realistic. It will be hotel-related, taking into consideration that there are hotel residents there. It could mean an eating establishment, a spa.” Cudahy works for Connelly McLaughlin Communications, a NYC lobbyist group (she referred to it as “a government relations firm”), and has been employed by the Chetrits for many years.

After Kaufman described the paint analysis, committee member Jean-David Noland brought the topic back to the rooftop addi-

tion. He repeated the previous query, “What’s it for?”

Kaufman: “We said it’s a proposed related use to the hotel, and we are not prepared to discuss that.”

Noland: “Are you saying you know what it’s going to be, but you won’t tell me?”

Kaufman: “I didn’t say that.”

Cudahy jumped in: “They have not decided what it’s going to be. However, they know that when you have a rooftop addition on top of a hotel, it’s going to be related to hotel use with the understanding that there are hotel residents that have lived there for many years. That could mean a bar, a lounge, a spa. But whatever it is, it has to comply within zoning, has to comply with if there is a need for a liquor license. There are a number of hoops to jump through once they have decided what exactly they would like up there. Most likely hotel-related.”

Several committee members tried to probe for specific information, but Kaufman and Cudahy stuck to the same evasive response. Chetrit Group executive Butler stood silent during the exchanges.

Finally, Johnson spoke up. “I understand you might not have fully realized plans, but this is such an important issue for the community. I know that tonight the committee is going to potentially comment on the appropriateness of what’s been presented here. But I find it unacceptable that earlier this week, a meeting took place and the same

questions were asked. I was hopeful that you would come tonight and actually have some clear, direct, honest answers so that the many people who have had to live through this, and are going to have to continue to live at the hotel, would have some clear sense.”

Johnson was referring to a meeting that took place on Monday, February 13, at City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s office, in which aides to the elected officials whose district includes the Chelsea Hotel attended — Quinn, state Senator Tom Duane and Assemblymember Richard Gottfried — in addition to Kaufman, Cudahy, Johnson and other interested parties.

Continuing, Johnson said, “It would be strange to me that the developer would build a space without knowing what the space is for. So part of me feels like we are not being told the truth, and I think that the community board will not look well upon things if 30 or 60 days from now you come back to us and say, ‘We want to have a lounge or a liquor license on the roof’ when we asked you in a public forum, and you didn’t acknowledge that.”

When the community was invited to ask questions, Rose wondered why, in fact, the Chetrits had already filed for a bar/restaurant, which was approved by the DOB on August 30, 201l. Chelsea Now obtained DOB’s Zoning Resolution Determination Form, a matter of public record, which states, “It is proposed to convert the use of the roof

to an eating or drinking establishment with outdoor table service accessory to a transient hotel. Transient hotel use is permitted to be located anywhere in the building, including the roof…Approved 8/30/2011.”

Pappas and Kaufman had an exchange about the dimensions of the proposed two new elevators (one would be ADAcompliant), new stairways and the bulkhead (the dividing wall), which would be in addition to the two existing elevator banks and stairways. Pappas said his calculations seemed understated, but Kaufman insisted the numbers were correct.

In the end, Johnson said there were still so many detailed and intricate aspects not given to the committee beforehand and questions not answered about zoning calculations and other things that in his opinion, “We should ask the Speaker’s office to ask the LPC to give the community board further time to look at this before we act on this application.”

The members of the committee voted unanimously on Johnson’s recommendation.

Himmelstein, who was present, said he was “amazed” they wouldn’t answer the committee’s questions about what the space is going to be used for and how big it is. “I thought they were evasive and inaccurate about the size of the shaft and space that is going to be needed for the new stairwells and elevators. From what I could tell, the committee saw right through them.”

18

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Mythologies and misunderstandings of HIV-negative test results

BY PERRY N. HALKITIS, Ph.D., M.S., STACI C. BARTON & JACLYN BLACHMAN-FORSHAY The participant sits alone in the assessment room waiting for his HIV test results.

You enter the room and say, “Your test results are negative.” He lets out a sigh of relief and remains happily fixated on the word “negative.” However, the delivery of the results is not over. You then ask, “When does this test result mean you’re negative?”

Without hesitation he responds “Today.” It is this misconception that does a disservice to HIV antibody testing and the progress we have made in identifying and treating HIV. At the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS) at New York University, researchers work on Project 18 (P18), a longitudinal study of young gay and bisexual men. A component of P18 includes regular HIV antibody testing using OraQuick ADVANCE® Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Tests, and HIV testing is administered to the participants every six months. True, the HIV test is part of our study design, but it is also a service to the young men we work with. Out protocol is structured to link those who test positive, regardless of their ability to pay, to care immediately and effectively.

The use of rapid oral HIV antibody testing bestows many advantages including, but not limited to, the non-invasive nature of the test, the almost immediate results and the high level of accuracy. This is why we

use it as part of our study and why many community-based agencies turn to it as their means for detection of new positives. Yet, despite these and other advantages, we continue to encounter one major problem — the interpretation of what the test result actually MEANS. Quick bio 101: The body’s natural response to any viral infection is to produce antibodies. This is also the case for HIV. The oral rapid testing detects antibodies to HIV, not the virus itself. However, the immune system does not produce antibodies immediately after becoming infected with HIV (it can take up to three months). Therefore, during pre- and post-test counseling of a rapid antibody test, it’s important to emphasize repeatedly the three-month window period: HIV antibodies cannot be detected when less than three months have passed since exposure. Said differently, if you were infected with HIV yesterday, you would not test positive to an antibody test today.

HIV testers at CHIBPS utilize a variety of approaches to educate study participants about the window period. When a simple explanation doesn’t work or becomes confusing, pictures can be drawn to appeal to visual learners. One participant, whose passion is art, re-created the staff member’s sketch of people on a timeline (to represent the window period) with an elaborate drawing that depicted a change in seasons,

Continued on page 19

Photo by Krishna Stone

Free HIV testing and counseling are available at GMHC’s Center for HIV Prevention (224 W. 29th St.). Call 212-367-1100 or visit gmhc.org.

February 22 - March 6, 2012

19

A call for more education to accompany HIV-testing Continued from page 18 from winter to spring, viewed through a house window, to better understand the window period’s time lapse. His drawing also included a cell-like object, to represent HIV antibodies — which grew and, therefore, became more detectable with each passing month. It is okay to be creative in HIV test counseling! What matters most is that the concept of the window period is absorbed and correctly understood.

After explaining the three-month window period associated with HIV antibody testing to our participants, we are often told, “I heard there is a test with a shorter window period.” This is true, although the test is not recommended for everyday HIV screening. Because HIV antibody testing is the best day-to-day option, we must ensure that its meaning is fully understood. For the young men in our study, the idea of a window period is often an area of confusion.

Even after repeated HIV testing at CHIBPS as part of our study, the window period is still a difficult concept for participants to grasp.

The young men we work with bring previous knowledge to HIV test counseling, and frequently this means misconceptions about the window period. Often, we hear statements such as, “My test results were negative last time, so I know I’m negative now” or “My new boyfriend and I just got tested

and we were both negative, so we’ve stopped using condoms.” These statements indicate a lack of understanding about the window period. In the first example, the participant is forgetting that his test from last time did not account for his behavior three months prior. If the participant’s last appointment was on January 1 and his test results were negative, that means he was negative as of October 1 (three months prior). If he was newly infected with HIV during the months of October, November, or December, subse-

November or December).

These examples illustrate how the phrase “HIV-negative” alone has no meaning; it must be contextualized within a time frame.

When asking potential sex partners, “What is your HIV status?” the next question should be, “When were you last tested?”

Having negative test results as of November 1, 2005, and being negative as of November 1, 2011, mean two very different things.

Even as we are writing this article, a study participant called and asked why, on

Often, we hear statements such as, ‘My test results were negative last time, so I know I’m negative now’ or ‘My new boyfriend and I just got tested and we were both negative, so we’ve stopped using condoms.’ These statements indicate a lack of understanding about the window period. quent testing would reflect his HIV-positive status. Similarly, in the second example, if a couple that just started dating was tested January 1 and both received a negative result, technically one or both partners could be HIV-positive if the virus was contracted in the three months prior (October,

his test results paper, the date of his test is written as December 10, 2011, but the date from which he’s negative is written as September 10, 2011? The window period is a complicated concept to understand.

In the age of streamlined, rapid HIV testing, we often forget the role of knowledge

and education. In the early days of AIDS, education is all we had. Today, we have all but neglected the importance of knowledge in fighting HIV. What we have come to understand is that there is a dire need for HIV 101. These misunderstandings of HIV testing are only part of the problem. We also encounter misunderstandings and misconceptions about the relative risk of behaviors, the manner in which to use condoms and the problems associated with certain types of lubricants. Taken together, all this suggests that we must educate a new generation of young men on the basics of HIV. When explaining the meaning of the window period during pre- and post-test counseling at our center, participants will often listen in silence with wide eyes; it’s clear that most of them had never heard of the window period before despite having had previous rapid HIV tests elsewhere.

Reactions such as, “What does this mean for me? Why wasn’t I told this before?” are commonplace. Through talking with these young men, it has become apparent that we need more widespread and focused education to complement the wider availability of HIV testing.

Perry N. Halkitis, Ph.D., M.S. is Professor of Applied Psychology, Public Health, and Medicine and Director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies at New York University. Staci Barton and Jaclyn Blachman-Forshay are researchers at CHIBPS and MPH students.

20

February 22 - March 6, 2012

City admits prevention funding down

BY DUNCAN OSBORNE As New York City’s health department has reported that new HIV infections continue to increase among young gay and bisexual men, the city has cut $19 million in HIV prevention funding over the past five years and is moving to slash more of that funding.

“In the past five years, city tax levy funding for HIV prevention has decreased by almost $8 million, with another loss of more than $11 million in HIV prevention-related City Council funding,” Thomas Farley, the city’s health commissioner, wrote in a January 4 letter to a city AIDS group. “While the behavioral risk reduction category was largely spared the most severe budget reductions required in mid-2011, this category could no longer be spared when we were required to make cuts in the 2012 budget.”

The health department’s entire budget for the current fiscal year is $1.6 billion. Its prevention contracts are administered for the department by Public Health Solutions (PHS), a non-profit group.

The January letter followed a December 13 letter from PHS to at least nine AIDS organizations that were told their current contracts would be cut by 50 percent.

Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD), the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), the Latino Commission on AIDS and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center were among the groups informed their contracts would be affected.

The groups appealed to City Council

Photo courtesy of Gay City News

Health Commissioner Thomas Farley at the time his appointment was announced in 2009.

Speaker Christine Quinn, an out lesbian Democrat who represents Chelsea, who was not told about the cuts by the department.

The agency relented after Quinn’s office

Free All-Laser LASIK Screenings ▪ BOOK appointment online ▪ Most Insurance Plans Accepted

TRIBECA EYE PHYSICIANS

Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric Ophthalmology ▪Laser Vision Correction ▪ Contact Lenses ▪Cataract Surgery with Premium Implants ▪Comprehensive Eye Care Julius Shulman, M.D. Board Certified Ophthalmologist Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Mt. Sinai Hospital

Dalia Nagel, M.D. Board Certified Ophthalmologist Clinical Instructor, Mt. Sinai Hospital

19 Murray Street – New York, NY 10007 www.TribecaEyeCare.com ▪ 212-693-7200

asserted the department could not unilaterally make cuts to a budget the City Council had passed and the mayor had signed.

“Speaker Quinn’s office was quite vocal,”

said Janet Weinberg, GMHC’s chief operating officer.

The health department restored the full value of the contracts through June of this year, when the current fiscal year ends, and agreed to pay half of the dollars due on the contracts through the end of 2012 when they may be rebid.

In a statement the health department wrote, “HIV testing and prevention efforts for MSM remain a priority for the Health Department. With reductions in local funding, the Health Department, as well as all clinical and non-clinical community agencies have had to make difficult choices. All activities and interventions have had to be assessed with respect to their potential to maximize the number of HIV infections averted and cost-effectiveness.”

In a statement, Quinn called Farley’s comment that the Council had cut more than the department “baffling and misleading.”

The Council speaker wrote, “As the Commissioner says in his letter, all city agencies have had to reassess the allocation of funding given the current fiscal climate and the leaner budget which the City of New York, including the Council, must operate under. The City Council is committed to funding HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives and continues to support them while working with the administration to avert and restore funding whenever possible.”

Continued on page 21

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Quinn vocal on HIV cuts Continued from page 20 The number of groups affected is unclear.

In the 2010 fiscal year, the latest year Gay City News found data for, 63 groups had prevention contracts worth $17.5 million.

Some of those contracts were funded with federal dollars. It appears that a subset of the 63 contractors, perhaps as many as 20

Quinn called Farley’s comment that the Council had cut more than the department ‘baffling and misleading.’

with contracts worth $4.6 million in 2010, could be affected.

“On this round, I don’t think it’s that high, but in June it may very well be,” Weinberg said.

The nine groups, which also include Iris House in Harlem, Health People in the Bronx and the Bronx AIDS Task Force, have programs working with the population that

city data show is seeing increases in new HIV infections — young gay and bisexual African-American and Latino men.

“I just don’t know where their head is at,” said Tokes Osubu, GMAD’s executive director, referring to the health department.

In addition to the funding cut, GMAD was told it would no longer receive free HIV testing kits from the department or be allowed to use the agency’s mobile testing van.

GMAD has used the van three to four times a week for “six years, easily” to do HIV testing at clubs, parks and shelters, Osubu said. The original contract was with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and GMAD performed 480 tests annually. That has climbed to 1,000 to 1,200 annually under a city contract, Osubu said.

“It really gets us into hard-to-reach neighborhoods,” Osubu said of the van.

The department wrote that GMAD’s testing efforts were not finding enough new HIV-positive people to justify their cost.

“Internal data submitted by GMAD from their mobile testing activities has shown that, in terms of the total number of HIV tests conducted, the number of new HIVpositives identified and the seropositivity have all been comparatively low and under anticipated targets,” the statement said.

“This information informed the decision to no longer support a van, driver and other costs associated with this program.”

21

Army recommends charges in Chen case

BY ALINE REYNOLDS New developments in deceased U.S. Army Private Danny Chen’s case have local Chinatown advocates hopeful that justice will be served with respect to two of the soldiers implicated in Chen’s apparent suicide.

Following preliminary military hearings in Afghanistan that concluded Sunday, February 12, army investigators have recommended that First Lieutenant Daniel J. Schwartz and Sergeant Travis Carden be tried for all counts they were charged with — including dereliction of duty, maltreatment and assault of Chen, a 19-year-old Asian American from Chinatown.

It is now up to the brigade commander to make a final determination about whether or not forward the charges to a court-martial or turn over the decision to his superior for final disposition.

Schwartz, a 25-year-old Maryland native, faces eight counts of dereliction of duty, while 25-year-old Carden from Fowler, Indiana, faces two counts of violation of a lawful general regulation, two counts of maltreatment and one count of assault toward Chen.

“It is significant that [the charges are] being recommended for a court martial,”

said Elizabeth OuYang, President of the Organization for Chinese American’s New York Chapter, a lead advocate in the Chen case. “We are relieved no charges were dropped.”

Schwartz reportedly violated military law when he failed to report mistreatment of Chen that he was apprised of, OuYang noted. “This is a blatant failure of leadership,” she said.

Chen’s parents released a statement, saying, “This is good news. We were pleased to see the process is moving forward, but we still must wait to see if justice will ultimately be served.”

Chen was found dead last October in a guard tower in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was deployed. Investigations by the army have since revealed that the soldier was racially taunted and physically abused by his peers in the months leading up to his death.

The purpose of the hearings is to decide whether or not there are reasonable grounds for the accused soldiers’ trials, according to military officials. The army has yet to decide whether to hold the trials, pending their approval, in Alaska, Chen’s domestic military base, or in Afghanistan, where he was serving.

22

February 22 - March 6, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS

www.thevillager.com

sea Chelnow

downtown

www.chelseanow.com

ÂŽ

express www.downtownexpress.com

DEADLINE WEDNESDAY 5:00 PM MAIL 515 CANAL STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10013 TEL 646-452-2485 FAX 212-229-2790 VACATION RENTAL French Riviera, Charming Townhouse. Location: le Bar sur Loup (10 Kms Grasse, 25 Kms Nice), France.

Breathtaking views, 2 BM, 2 Baths, LR, DR, EIK. $1250/wk. Turn key furnished.

Photos at www.vrbo.com/268911.

(941) 363-0925

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Beach Front Property for Sale in Costa Rica Costa Rica’s South PaciďŹ c Coastline is the hottest area of Central America’s fastest growing economy. This rare and stunning property -- there are very few available beachfront properties in Costa Rica -- is ideal for large or small scale beach front private development. It offers stunning views of CaĂąo Island and is an hour-long, astoundingly beautiful shoreline walk to Ballena National Park. It includes great infrastructure (electricity, water) and American style highway access.

The property is located less than one hour from an International Airport that is currently under development or a 4 hour drive from the capital city of San Jose.

We are offering the property in whole or in parcel with prices starting at $150,000.

Call 727-678-1298; from within Costa Rica call (506) 8860 5501 (Costa Rica); by email danymop@gmail.com or didier. rodriguez.dr@agrocosta.net.

CLASSES

! "#$

#

B T CONTRACTING, INC. Toll Free 1-855-JGPLUMB Affordable, Drinking Water Filters $269 Installed,Plumbing repairs We Build stores, sprinklers,carpentry.

Lic.#1411480

COMMERCIAL SPACE SOHO - Manufacturing space.

Ideal for service, industrial. Ground oor 5.750 sq ft plus basement $70/sf Call 212-944-7979

HOME IMPROVEMENT Wall Women Painting & Plastering Over 25 yrs experience. Located in Chelsea area. Excellent References.

Free estimate Call 212-675-0631

BPA & MERCURY FREE

&RPPHUFLDO /RDQ &RPSHWLWLYH 5DWH &'V /RZ IHH :LUH 7UDQVIHUV /RZ 0LQLPXP %DODQFH IRU &KHFNLQJ 6DYLQJV $FFRXQW &RPPHUFLDO 5HVLGHQWLDO 0RUWJDJH

7KH %DQN RI (DVW $VLD 8 6 $ 1 $ 0HPEHU RI %($ *URXS

SHAPIRO, BEILLY & ARONOWITZ LAW FIRM Specializing in injury, discrimination,overtime, labor 225 BROADWAY, NYC 10007 TEL 212-267-9020 FAX 212-608-2072

TOP PRICES GR. 7-5288 N.Y. Shredded Paper Co., 131 West 3rd St.

I AM LOOKING TO BUY Brooklyn condo wanted 2 bedroom/2 bath, high ceiling, Downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, Park Slope.

COMPUTER SERVICES PERSONAL COMPUTER SERVICES Reliable!

Repairs, upgrades, installations, troubleshooting, instruction, custom-built PCs and consulting.

Older PCs serviced 212-242-7221

HEALTH

You Deserve to be Smoke FREE!!

‘I-PowerPlus’ Nutraceuticals + Hypnosis

Combining

Free Seminar Presentations Saturdays: Feb 18 & 25, 34th St. location

limited seating

Call Now 917-306-3098 Email details/photos to mykonos55@yahoo.com

Helping our kids stay safe, healthy and smart

0RQGD\ Âą )ULGD\ D P Âą S P 6DWXUGD\ Âą 6XQGD\ D P Âą S P

ATTORNEYS

SUPTS, WE BUY CLEAN, TIED,

Non-invasive dentistry for kids!

%UDQFKHV &DQDO 6WUHHW 1HZ <RUN WK

$YHQXH %URRNO\Q 0DLQ 6WUHHW )OXVKLQJ

Write Right!

Essays, Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thesis, doctoral dissertations, manuscripts of any and all sorts, in private sessions with editor, widely published ďŹ ction writer, newspaper feature writer, and college English teacher for twenty years with Ph.D. 646-234-3224

WANTED

DENTIST

WRITING HELP

OLD NEWSPAPERS CONTRACTORS

FINANCIAL

to reserve your space Dr. Richard Carlton, MD Ken Glickman, Certified Hypnotist

Dr. Lewis Gross, D.D.S. Dr. Lewis Gross, D.D.S. www.holistic-dentists.com | Tribeca, New York www.holistic-dentists.com | Tribeca, New York

EVENTS International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Celebration and Forum March 8th, 2012 6:30 p.m. Evening Prayer 7:00 p.m. Supper 7:30 p.m. Program (Please RSVP by March 2) Christ Church

7301 Ridge Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11209 P (718) 745-3698 www.christchurchbayridge.org

February 22 - March 6, 2012

23

CHELSEA: ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT Two handfuls of reasons to love the FRIGID New York Festival Three theaters, 12 days, 150 performances

BY MARTIN DENTON Just when the winter doldrums threaten to kick in, along comes FRIGID New York to bring a jolt of energy and excitement to the NYC theater landscape. A production of Horse Trade Theater Group, FRIGID packs in a surprising variety of performance in a truly festive environment. I love FRIGID, and I’m about to tell you why you should too.

FRIGID IS EASY ON THE POCKETBOOK All of the shows cost between $10 and $16. You could see everything in the festival (which would keep you very entertained — there are 30 shows altogether!) for about the price of 3 Broadway theater tickets.

FRIGID IS ARTIST-FRIENDLY One hundred percent of box office receipts goes to the individual shows. I don’t know of another theater festival in town that operates in this fashion.

FRIGID IS NOT CURATED That means that there’s a degree of randomness in what shows end up in the festival. Randomness breeds diversity, and diversity is good. I can honestly say that in five years of FRIGID-going, I have only seen one show that I really was sorry to have spent time with.

FRIGID IS A BREEDING GROUND FOR EMERGING TALENT One example: No.11 Productions has been in FRIGID three times. Their first show was a rare revival of Antonin Artaud’s supposedly unproducible “Jet of Blood.” They followed that with a “Medea.” Then last year, they hit pay dirt with an original musical called “Quest for the West: The Oregon Trail!” — a show that has gone on to runs at the Capitol Fringe and Kentucky Repertory Theatre. It’s been exciting watching these young artists grow and learn.

So I’m looking forward to their 2012 FRIGID offering (“Coosje,” about two modern-day artists… and a singing pear).

FRIGID EQUALS GOOD PLAYS Lots of shows in the festival are of the comedy/variety/bur-

Photo by David Leyes

One part Lady Gaga and two parts Sam Kinison (with a splash of “Vagina Monologues”), Rachelle Elie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry” tackles Haitian fathers, Kenyan night clubs and aging Barbies.

lesque type, but just as many are authentically fine dramatic literature. We’re celebrating this fact on Indie Theater Now — the website I founded and curate that is best described as “iTunes for plays” — with a FRIGID New York collection that features 16 of the best scripts from the past years’ FRIGID festivals, including works by Chris Harcum, Bricken Sparacino and Una Aya Osato, all of whom will have new shows in 2012. (Check out their previous work to get an idea of their styles.)

FRIGID IS WHERE I DISCOVER AT LEAST ONE GREAT NEW THEATER ARTIST EVERY YEAR Honest — and often, I find the gems where I least expect them. Best example: “Conversation Storm/ Great Hymn of Thanksgiving,” in FRIGID 2008, was the show that introduced Rick Burkhardt to New York. Rick went on to win an Obie for “Three Pianos” (at New York Theatre Workshop) last year. But FRIGID fans saw him first.

FRIGID FEATURES TOPNOTCH TALENT STRETCHING THEIR WINGS Mac Rogers, stellar award-winning playwright, is starring in a oneman play (not written by him) called “Judge, Yuri and Executioner.”

Actress Ching Valdes-Aran, whose credits span decades at La MaMa, Ma-Yi Theatre and other venerable companies, is directing “Breathe, Love, Repeat” — and former Blue Man Group performer John Grady is doing a one-man play called “Fear Factor: Canine Edition.”

FRIGID IS NOT JUST A BUNCH OF SOLO SHOWS There are plenty of one-person entertainments in the festival, to be sure, but just as many multicast efforts. This year, look for “Initium Finis.” by Theatre Reverb, “Drowning Ophelia: A New Rock Musical,” “Missed Connections” (based on Craigslist ads) and “Stripper Lesbians from Rising Sun Performance Company,” among others.

FRIGID IS LIKE A VAUDEVILLE BILL YOU PROGRAM YOURSELF, WITH DRINKS IN BETWEEN Everything in FRIGID lasts an hour or less. Shows start right after work on weekdays and around 1pm on weekends, and run until midnight or thereabouts. The Red Room and the Kraine are housed in the same building (85 East 4th Street). Under St. Marks, four blocks north and one block east, is a leisurely ten-minute stroll. So you can easily pack in two, three

Photo by Kevin P. Hale

A teeny-weeny tabletop show inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe: “Poe-Dunk: A Matchbook Entertainment.”

or even four shows in a single day/ evening. The East Village location means that there are plenty of pubs, taverns, saloons and eating establishments of every stripe nearby. See a 6pm show at the Red Room, have dinner, catch a 9pm show at Under St Marks, grab a quick drink and wrap up your night with the late show at the Kraine at 10:30pm.

Matchbook Entertainment”) to a two-person clown/acrobatics show (“Aerial Allusions”) to no fewer than three burlesque programs.

Something for everybody, as they say.

Martin Denton is editor/producer of nytheatre.com (where you can find reviews of FRIGID shows throughout the festival’s run). His latest project is indietheaternow. com.

FRIGID IS FUN The most important reason of all! The nights I’ve spent floating from one FRIGID show to another are some of the most enjoyable I’ve spent in my years covering NYC theatre. This is a festival with an easy, relaxed vibe. The array of offerings is eclectic and delightful — from a teeny-weeny tabletop show inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe (“Poe-Dunk: A

The FRIGID New York Festival runs through March 4, at the Horse Trade Theater Group venues (The Kraine Theater and The Red Room, at 85 E. 4 St. — and UNDER St. Marks, at 94 St. Marks Place). For tickets ($10-16), call 212-868-4444 or visit smarttix.com. For a schedule of events, visit frigidnewyork. info. Also visit horsetrade.info.

24

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Celebrate Black History Month Author, muscian make the connection

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

ARTIFICIAL AFRIKA: A TALE OF LOST CITIES The latest project from Vernon Reid — who first gained worldwide fame (and Grammy recognition) while with the band Living Colour — embraces hip hop, film and visual art. Described as “a multi-media theatrical concert,” Reid’s “Artificial Afrika: A Tale of Lost Cities” has been in development for over six years. The latest chapter in this ongoing project was created in collaboration with Akim Funk Buddha and DJ Leon Lamont.

At 7:30pm on Fri., Feb. 24 & Sat., Feb. 25. At Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St., btw. Rivington & Delancey Sts.).

Tickets are $15 in advance online, $18 at the door ($12 for students/seniors). Visit dixonplace.org or call 212-2190736.

BLACK GOTHAM: A FAMILY HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY NEW YORK The Lower East Side Museum’s Tenement Talk series presents this look at the truth behind many accepted notions about African American history — including the assumption that “19th-century black Americans” means enslaved people, that New York before the Civil War was a place of freedom and that a black elite didn’t exist until the 20th century. Carla L. Peterson (a professor of English at the University of Maryland, College Park) will speak on these and other topics, drawing from her most recent book (“Black Gotham: A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth-Century New York”).

Photo courtesy of Yale University Press

Carla L. Peterson’s new book chronicles “Black Gotham.”

Free. Wed., Feb. 29, 6:30pm. At the Lower East Side Tenement Museum (located at 91 Orchard St.; talk takes place at 103 Orchard St., SW corner of Delancey). Call 212-431-0233 or visit tenement.org.

Visit tenement-museum.blogspot.com, and follow them on Twitter (twitter.com/tenementmuseum).

Photo courtesy of the artist and Dixon Place

Vernon Reid performs “Artificial Afrika: A Tale of Lost Cities.”

OPENING THIS WINTER! 18,000 Sq. Ft Preschool and Therapy Center Brand New ! y Facilit C O M PA N I E S

101 Norfolk Street | New York, NY 10002 (CORNER OF DELANCEY STREET AND NORFOLK STREET)

• Interactive Metronome • Therapeutic Listening • Feeding Therapy (SOS)

Introducing a State-of-the-Art Sensory Integration and Multi-Sensory Gym

• PROMPT Articulation Therapy • Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Program

• Myofascial Release • Lidcombe Program (Early Stuttering) • Play Therapy • Social Skills Training • Oral-Motor Therapy • PECS • ABA

Speech Therapy Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy Special Education Counseling SEIT Evaluations We accept private insurance.

FOR INFORMATION AND TO SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR CALL SIREESHA EDARA 212.566.8853 x1412, sireesha@comprehensivekids.org

February 22 - March 6, 2012

25

Long ‘Line’ forms to honor local theater icon Logger’s daughter, at 95, keeps rolling along THEATER

BY JERRY TALLMER It was in 1972, which is four decades ago even if you don’t want it to be, that a stagestruck woman named Edith Hopkins O’Hara (daughter of a northern Idaho logger) came across a Greenwich Village newspaper ad that read: “BUILDING FOR LEASE. CONTAINS A SMALL THEATER.” “I thought I’d died and gone to heaven,” is what Edith O’Hara has been saying ever since.

She didn’t die, but she moved into heaven, a small three-story brick-fronted 18th century townhouse on Manhattan’s West 13th Street — and ever since, she’s been running a theater there, and living there, despite hell, high water, low income and all sorts of attempts to get her out.

On February 15, Edith O’Hara hit “The Big 9-5.” The party had been three nights earlier — when maybe a hundred people who had worked at (or with) her 13th Street Repertory Theatre over the years, spent their Sunday night schmooz-

Photo courtesy of the 13th St. Repertory Theatre

Edith O’Hara — the kid on the left, front row.

50 West 13th Street, midway between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, for life — and so can her repertory theatre.

It was, she specifies, “a private agreement backed by a lawyers’ settlement and approved by a court.”

So the long, unpleasant attempt to get her out has ended in failure?

That threat, the birthday girl said this week, is now dead and gone. She can stay at 50 West 13th Street, midway between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, for life — and so can her repertory theatre. ing, chewing and singing you-know-what, led by her guitarist son John O’Hara and his wife Annie.

Also on hand, of course, were Edith’s two famous actress daughters, Jenny O’Hara and Jill O’Hara — who together had done so much in recent years to keep the huffing, puffing wolf of eviction from their mother’s front door. Or chimney.

That threat, the birthday girl said this week, is now dead and gone. She can stay at

Now open from 7 a.m. Mon. - Fri.!

Mon. - Fri. 7-7, Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-6 See our plants & garden supplies!

layout of 50 West 13th Street, from front door to living room, which becomes the box office and waiting room at showtime, to the 66-seat theater itself and tiny dressing room, out back where the carriages used to park, concealing a subsurface way station on the “underground railway” for Civil War era slaves on the run.

To reach the living quarters — Edith’s bedroom — you have to climb two flights of stairs. This became impossible, Edith thought, when “on the last day in June, I fell and broke my hip, coming out of the dressing room to the stage.”

But the logger’s daughter didn’t know her own tenacity, even though, “In my whole life, I’ve not done what I’m told to do.” Back in the days when women weren’t supposed to blow their own horns, Edith Hopkins of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, learned to play the trumpet so as to lead her ten-piece, allfemale band through performances of “Ten Pretty Girls.”

She now climbs those stairs every night and day.

“Like a mountain goat,” says the perdurable impresario of West 13th Street.

The 13th Street Repertory Theatre is located at 50 West 13th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. For info, visit 13thstreetrep.org or call 212-675-6677. To join the e-list, thirteenst@aol.com.

“Failed utterly,” a listening Jenny O’Hara throws in, with inverse overtones of W.B. Yeats.

Last year at this time, when Edith was only 94, she and her theater company received birthday tributes from a couple of people named Barack and Michelle, and one named Andrew Cuomo. This year’s whereases were from the New York City Council, the U.S. House of Representatives — Democrats and Republicans — and the

TRIBECA HARDWARE 154 CHAMBERS ST. 212.240.9792

Consul General of the Republic of Ireland.

One of the regular celebrants of Edith’s birthdays is the playwright Israel Horovitz, who lives only a couple of blocks away from the 13th Street Repertory Theatre where his very early one-act — a five-character piece called “Line” — has been on the boards intermittently for 38 years now, ever since Edith first saw it at La MaMa on Second Avenue in 1974 and said, “I’d like to get that for my theater.”

Among the scores of unknowns that “Line” has hatched into stars over the decades is Horovitz himself, who on Sunday night gave a moving short talk about the impact of 13th Street Rep on his whole family — not least his five children, one of whom is now musician Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys, while another, Rachael Horovitz, is at this moment up for an Oscar as producer of that enjoyable “Moneyball” film.

Jenny O’Hara remembers that, “One of Israel’s kids wrote a play about British rule when he was six. He asked Mom if she could put it on, and she said, ‘Sure.’ ” That Sunday night birthday celebration at the theatre, Jenny says, “was an outpouring of love and appreciation…very moving.” One of its highlights was the showing of Melodie Bryant’s 37-minute documentary about Edith and her theater.

On a napkin, Jenny O’Hara sketches the

& TOOL RENTAL

OPEN 24 HOURS // 7 DAYS A WEEK 64 SLICE CT SCAN ULTRASOUND 8 2!93 s ,!"3 TREATING ACUTE ILLNESSES 7)4( 4(% 3!-% #!0!"),)49 !3 ANY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM.

26

February 22 - March 6, 2012

Earl explores mind of Muppets maker Jim Henson’s ‘right hand man’ recalls, reflects

BY SCOTT STIFFLER A frog, a log, a swamp, a song and a dream: That image, from the opening scene of 1979’s “The Muppet Movie,” is also the first thing you see upon entering “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World.” Through early March, you can find that world — in the form of a remarkably insightful Smithsonian traveling exhibition — in Astoria. Make the trip. It’s worth the effort.

Snake your way through the lobby of the Museum of the Moving Image, up a set of stairs and past the amphitheater’s screening of Jim Henson’s 1965 live action short “Timepiece,” and you’ll come face to face with the soft-spoken visionary’s most enduring creation. There’s Kermit the Frog — under glass, frozen in time, not having aged a bit since his days on public television, in the movies and as a TV variety show host.

In addition to drawings, storyboards, props, video clips and photographs, the exhibit features 15 original puppets. Some are familiar and iconic. “Sesame Street” buddies Bert and Ernie are there, as is Miss Piggy — in full bridal regalia, eagerly anticipating her wedding to a certain amphibian.

Other Henson creations, seen in the form of video clips from his early work on 1960s TV commercials, are less familiar. But they set the stage for things to come (Sir Linit, a knight whose body is made out of a spray

EXHIBIT JIM HENSON’S FANTASTIC WORLD Through March 4 At the Museum of the Moving Image 36-01 35th Ave. (at 37th St.), in Astoria Subway: M (weekdays only) or R to Steinway St. Q (weekdays only) or N to 36th Museum Hours: Tues.-Thurs., 10:30am-5pm; Fri., 10:30am-8pm; Sat./Sun., 10:30am-7pm Admission: $12 ($6 for ages 3-18; $9 for students & 65+; admission to the galleries is free on Fridays, 4-8pm For info, call 718-777-6888 or visit movingimage.us Photo courtesy of the Puppet School

Puppet School co-founder Michael Earl (with glasses, back row, left) preps a new generation to build on the Henson legacy.

can, looks an awful lot like Ernie; and the clumsy gait of a giant dragon anticipates that of Big Bird).

“I was taken with the fact that people were laughing at this old commercial of the dragon coming around the corner and

knocking grocery items off the shelf with his tail,” says Michael Earl. A four-time Emmy Award-winning puppeteer (formerly Mr. Snuffleupagus on “Sesame Street”), Earl and his business partner, Roberto Ferreira, joined us on a trip through “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World.” Of audience reaction to those ancient black and white TV commercials, Earl notes, “I thought it was funny that they laughed so much. I saw it twice, with two different groups of people, and it reminded me of the timelessness of Jim’s humor.”

Earl, who had touched or worn most of the Muppets on display, began his career as a 19-year-old puppeteer working on “The Muppet Movie” (that’s him, as Big Bird, in the film’s climactic scene). Early on in the filming, Earl recalls, “I noticed there was a spot on the monitor, where the director sits.

Jim was standing there, and I said, ‘There’s a spot on the picture.’ It turned out there wasn’t a spot on the film, just the monitor.

Very graciously, instead of getting annoyed with this young kid, he said, ‘It’s okay. We have people to take care of things like that.’

In a gentle and caring way, he let me know I needed to relax and not worry.”

Henson’s mellow demeanor remained consistent throughout their years of working together, Earl says — adding, however, that the businessman who ran the Muppet empire was “a delegator who only gave one minute to a problem. When he set a goal, he wouldn’t look at the whole staircase, just a step at a time.”

When it came to creative collaboration, delegation was a necessity. Earl spent time as Henson’s right hand man — literally. “It would have been around 1978,” Earl recalls, when for the first time he performed as “Sesame Street” regular Ernie.

“The Muppets have something called ‘right handing,’ ” explains Earl. “When Jim and Frank [Oz] would do Bert and Ernie, they needed somebody to do the right hand,

Also visit puppetschool.com and jimhensonlegacy.org and sometimes I’d be assigned the job. The right hand has to sort of compliment the lead puppeteer. If you watch any Muppet performance, you’ll notice the left hand is the most active — which is not something people would think about, because it’s supposed to be seamless. But the technique behind that seamless quality is that the right hand movement is very subtle, like salt and pepper on a meal.”

The meat of the exhibit, for Earl at least, was the wealth of production notes.

Henson’s handwritten thoughts shed light on the conceptual phase of everything from “Fraggle Rock” to 1982’s “The Dark Crystal” (an ambitious original fairy tale that Earl refers to as Henson’s “Fantasia”).

“I love that you could see inside the mind of Jim, through his sketches and storyboards.

I love seeing all those pieces together in the exhibit, because it gave you a more complete picture of who he was.” Having known Henson largely as the man who’d show up on set as a puppeteer, Earl says he now has a greater appreciation that, “This was only one side of him. I didn’t see the intimate nature of his conceptual mind. When you see the actual drawings with pencil marks on it you realize that even though he had people like Don Sahlin build [Muppets] for him, the original idea for a character like Rowlf still originated with Jim. So there are the two sides of him that I now think about — the one that came to work, and the one that sat quietly and conceived these other worlds and characters.”

Michael Earl and Roberto Ferreira are founders of the LA-based Puppet School, which recently brought its curriculum to NYC. Beginning Feb. 25, Earl will teach a 4-week course in NYC (Interimediate TV Puppetry Workshop). Beginning Feb. 26, The Puppet School offers a 6-week course, also in NYC (Beginning TV Puppetry Workshop). For info, call 818-986-9944 or visit puppetschool.com, facebook.com/puppetschool and youtube.com/puppetschool.

February 22 - March 6, 2012

27

Small canvasses and big contrasts Trio of exhibitions offer unique concoctions

BY STEPHANIE BUHMANN

RIDLEY HOWARD: SLOWS Through February 25 At Leo Koenig Inc. 545 W. 23rd St. (btw. 10th & 11th Aves.)

Hours: 10am-6pm, Tues.-Sat. Call 212-334-9255 or visit leokoenig.com In Howard’s second solo exhibition with this gallery, he has found his stride. Comprised of small (5 x 7 inches) to medium-sized portraits, landscapes and abstractions, the installation draws the audience into a world where the hectic buzz of our metropolitan city quickly evaporates. The dim lighting provides each painting with a timeless glow — and, prompted by the exhibition title, we are encouraged to slow down.

Though Howard’s quest is embracive of influences, his concoction is unique. True, Alex Katz, Tom Wesselmann or Kazimir Malevich come to mind when perusing his visual vocabulary — Edward Hopper or 1970s Gerhard Richter can be found in the atmospheric treatment of light that initiates an overall sense of forlorn stillness. However, Howard’s absorption of 20th century classics

Image courtesy of Leo Koenig Inc., New York

Ridley Howard: “Nudes” (2011; Oil on linen, 24 x 30 inches).

few artists who can work equally well in figuration and abstraction. His paintings enable us to find characteristics of the former in the latter and vice versa. His geometric shapes easily translate into flattened architectural structures seen from above, while his figures or depiction of a building can be dissected into individual abstract forms. Inspired by avant-garde filmmakers of the late 1960s/1970s, Howard stresses that the ordinary can be psychologically charged and steeped in symbolic meaning.

PAUL HEYER/VIRGINIA POUNDSTONE: “I KNOW THAT I AM AWAKE” Through February 26 At Rachel Uffner Gallery 47 Orchard St. (btw. Grand & Hester Sts.) Hours: 11am-6pm, Wed.-Sun. Call 212-274-0064 or visit racheluffnergallery.com

Image courtesy of the artist and Rachel Uffner Gallery, New York

Paul Heyer: “Chaplets” (2012; Oil on canvas; 23 x 20 inches 58.4 x 50.8 cm).

is far from nostalgic. He simply applies his thorough knowledge of the latter to achieve sophistication. Meanwhile, it seems that Howard is as much interested in setting a mood as he is in harvesting unusual relationships between color and form. His paintings pull one from afar, but truly start to radiate when examined up close. Each work is an amalgam of intelligent compositional decisions. The subjects might be rendered with a sense of restraint — but Howard’s handling of paint, its soft touch that makes for creamy surfaces and blurry lines, allows for a glimpse of the Romantic.

“Slows” proves that Howard is one of the

This exhibition brings together work by the Los Angeles-based Paul Heyer and Virginia Poundstone, who lives and works in New York. Heyer works in painting, his compositions bordering on the whimsical.

Birds, blue leaves set against a yellow sky and a street lamp enveloped by a sea of swirling leaves in red light make up some of his imagery in this particular installation. They are poetic snapshots of a world that we know from children’s books illustrations rather than daily life — dreamlike meditations on a “could be-should-be” wish for reality. Heyer’s loose and spontaneous brushwork further adds a sense of animated positivism.

In contrast, Poundstone’s sculptures exude post-conceptual cool. She works with ceramic tile, brass and steel. Her works are organized and largely geometric — except for the occasional swirls of steel, onto which she prints digital images of rhododendron. In Poundstone, we find a futuristic vision of nature. It might evoke some characteristics of the organic but its presentation is highly artificial.

As a result, her works translate as iconic reminders that the world as we know it is fragile and seriously threatened. Both

Image courtesy of the artist and Matthew Marks Gallery

Terry Winters: “Notebook 67” (2003-2011; Collage; 11 x 8 1/ 2 inches, 28 x 22 cm).

these artists ponder nature — but whereas Heyer provides an almost nostalgic look at the world, Poundstone presents her take with more reserve and dramatic impact.

It is in the combination of these two unlike worldviews that this installation becomes the more thought-provoking.

After all, we are only truly awake if we look back, as well as well as forward.

TERRY WINTERS: CRICKET MUSIC, TESSELLATION FIGURES, & NOTEBOOK Through April 14 At Matthew Marks Gallery 523 W. 22nd St. (btw. 10th & 11th Aves.)

Hours: 11am-6pm, Tues.-Sat. Call 212-243-0200 or visit matthewmarks.com In his new installation of 14 vividly colored large-scale paintings, Winters continues to find inspiration in nature’s micro- and macrocosms — as well as mathematical concepts like tessellations

and knot theory. It is refreshing to find an artist as popular and seasoned as this focusing on consistency rather than radical reinvention. This exhibition might not surprise those familiar with the oeuvre, but reassert why they came to admire it in the first place. Winters stays true to his form and signature style. The compositions, which are heavily patterned and rhythmic, evoke kaleidoscopic renditions.

They can be read as a conglomerate of fragmental views — but also as a cohesive tapestry of organic forms that are played against a grid-like structure. In Winters, we can always trace a chain of events.

By employing thin washes of color, he allows us to follow his technique of elaborate layering — and it is the artist’s strength to be able to visualize a sense of the time it took to complete them.

Winters’ “Notebook, 2003-2011,” which is also on display, provides further insight into the artist’s process. It consists of collages of found images, both abstract and representational. Juxtaposed and layered, these form the dense network of information from which Winters continues to source inspiration.

February 22 - March 6, 2012

RISING WITH

LS

EA MAR

K

E

THE TIDE ET

CH

28

C

OA

LITIO

N

The Lobster Place was one of Chelsea Market’s original tenants.

As the market has grown, so has its business, and the Lobster Place now employs 57 people and serves more than 2,000 fresh seafood fans every day.

The growth and evolution of small businesses is just one success story to grow from Chelsea Market. Expand Chelsea Market: it’s what’s next.

For more, visit www.ChelseaMarketNext.com Paid for by Putting New Yorkers to Work