Our Town Downtown - February 4, 2016

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The local paper for Downtown wn OF CLARITY AND CLASS

WEEK OF FEBRUARY

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VOICES P8 >

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SUPPORT GROWS FOR BATTERY PARK SHAKEUP

PEDRO CASTILLO IS INNOCENT Journalist’s new drama is based on real-life story of man wrongfully imprisoned for 18 years BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

Pedro Castillo, a man wrongfully convicted of murder, has just lost his appeal while serving time in prison for the crime he didn’t commit. Pedro, the title character in Claude Solnik’s latest play, is based on the true story of Fernando Bermudez, who served 18 years in prison for a Greenwich Village killing he did not commit. Witnesses who had implicated him recanted and he was finally exonerated in 2009. “This story is just the next step in bringing to the consciousness this problem we have in the world,” Bermudez said. Now an accomplished public speaker who has lectured at colleges across the country and internationally, he will also lead a talk with the audience on opening night, Feb. 4 at the Theater for the New City. At the time of Bermudez’s arrest, Solnik was a reporter for The Villager newspaper, when he saw a flier taped to a telephone pole on 14th Street. The flier was part of a search effort for the actual killer, and included a phone number. Solnik ripped it down, went back to his office, and dialed. He reached Bermudez’s family, who told him that Bermudez, 22 at the time of his arrest, was innocent. Solnik reported on the case, and eventually became an advocate for Bermudez. “They very quickly convinced me that this guy had not done anything,” said Solnik, now a reporter for the Long Island Business News. “It didn’t take them very long, which is one of the scariest things about this.” “Pedro Castillo is Innocent” stems from the many conversations Ber-

Dissatisfaction among residents with Authority’s board prompts legislation BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

Calls for increased community representation on the Battery Park City Authority board have gained momentum amid growing discontent from residents with the authority’s decision-making and communications process. Assemblywoman Deborah Glick and State Senator Daniel Squadron have introduced legislation in their respective houses mandating that a majority of the authority’s sevenmember board be drawn from within the boundaries of Community Board 1 (recent news reports erroneously claimed the bill stipulates a majority of the board to be made up of Battery Park City residents). The timing for proponents of a board shakeup is ideal. The seven-member board currently has two vacancies and another board member’s term is expiring this month. Community Board 1 also passed a resolution at the end of January calling on the governor to appoint more BPC residents to the board. BPC residents and CB1 members who spoke to Our Town Downtown say the community has been at odds with the authority over a lack of transparency and consistent failure by the board to consult with residents on important decisions. The board, for instance, recently

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Fernando Bermudez, left, with reporter and playwright Claude Solnik.

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Newscheck Crime Watch Voices Out & About

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SPRING ARTS PREVIEW < CITYARTS, P.12

FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE

is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice

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MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20

2015

In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS

The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits

SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS

A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311

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25

mudez had with Solnik while he was incarcerated, which they often had while sharing chicken wings. After his visits, Solnik would return to the prison parking lot and scribble down notes. Though some aspects of the play are fiction, what isn’t is the character’s innocence, and that his incarceration changed his life and the lives of his wife and their children. “It makes you assume the guy’s innocence,” Solnik said of the play. “You look at what it’s like for him, what it’s like for his family, how the family’s cheated. You look at the life in prison, you look at the lawyers. You see a little bit what the human side is, not just the information.” John Torres, who plays the fictional Pedro Castillo, hadn’t read or heard about the wrongful conviction, but related to the character. Like the character, Torres is Hispanic. As a father, he’s also faced parenting challenges, though never from prison. Scenes with Samantha Masone, who plays Pedro’s daughter, Kaela, explore those challenges when each visit is timed and the next is weeks away. “Those moments, it doesn’t feel like acting, I just feel like I want to cry,” Torres said. In the play, the family finds coping mechanisms to get through a situation that director Danielle C. N. Zappa said becomes their “new normal.” Pedro’s young daughter pretends he doesn’t exist. His wife imagines he’s at war. Pedro finds comfort in books, Zappa said. While in prison, Bermudez received associate’s degrees in business and behavioral science. He read classic literature and taught Latin American

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WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD STATE OF THE CITY

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Photo: UN Women,via Flickr

More than 600 attended Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer’s 2016 “State of the Boroughâ€? event on Sunday. Elected officials, community board members, nonproďŹ t leaders, educators and residents received a brief update from Brewer on her office’s work over the past year, including passage of eight pieces of legislation, ongoing and completed rezoning work across the borough, and more than a dozen town halls and community forums on issues ranging from the LGBT community in northern Manhattan to small business owners’ concerns throughout the borough. Then, as she did at last year’s event, Brewer hosted a panel discussion with Manhattan-based chef and restaurateur Marc Murphy, Young People’s Chorus director Francisco Nunez, Brotherhood/ SisterSol co-founder Khary LazarreWhite, and Coalition for Asian-American Children and Families policy fellow Dr. Sumie Okazaki, who addressed issues at the intersection of youth development, culture, creativity and entrepreneurship. The event also featured dance and vocal performances by local student artists. Marla Louissant, a nationallyrecognized young actor and singer and recent graduate of Manhattan’s Beacon high school, sang to kick off the afternoon’s program, and served as the event’s master of ceremonies. Ms.

Louissant was followed by Kr3ts (“Keep Rising to the Top�), a 25-year old dance company serving kids and young adults in East Harlem and across the city, led by Violeta Galagarza.

SPECIAL ELECTION APRIL 19 Gov. Andrew Cuomo has set a special election date of April 19 to ďŹ ll four open seats in the State Legislature, The New York Times reported. Two include those left by Sheldon Silver, the former Assembly speaker who represented the Lower East Side for nearly four decades , and Dean Skelos, the former Senate majority leader, who were both convicted on federal corruption charges late last year. Silver was convicted in November on charges of honest services fraud, extortion and money laundering. He represented the 65th Assembly District as a Democrat for nearly 40 years, which includes much of the Lower East Side and Wall Street area. Skelos was convicted in December along with his son, Adam Skelos, on charges of bribery, extortion, and conspiracy. He represented the Ninth District in Nassau County as a Republican. The other two seats on the ballot will be for Assembly districts on southern end of Staten Island and in southeast Brooklyn.

PARKING GARAGE RAISES SAFETY CONCERNS Next month, a parking garage beneath Spruce Street School will open, raising concerns over the safety of students, reported the Tribeca Trib. Though the school has been open for four years, plans for the garage preceded the school, which is operated by a hospital, the Tribeca Trib reported. “It was not in people’s minds that there would be a school there,� Michael Levine, Community Board 1’s planning consultant, told the Tribeca Trib, “so why not allow a garage entrance in a public space? Now we see the seriousness of that decision.� Not only the driveway’s proximity to the school’s entrance has parents worried, but also exhaust fumes and the potential for increased traffic congestion, the Trib said. Robert Guimento, the hospital’s senior vice president and chief operating officer told Community Board 1 that they will monitor patterns of operation to ensure safety. The Tribeca Trib reported that a community board resolution was passed on Tuesday, and calls on the city’s Department of Transportation to make a, comprehensive plan for traffic and pedestrian circulation in the area.�

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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

SLASHINGS BRING GUARDIAN ANGELS TO SUBWAY A series of slashings on the subway and in various neighborhoods has been drawing increased attention from police and citizens alike. The latest attack occurred Jan. 31 on a Harlem station platform around 3 a.m. when a 27 year-old man waiting for the No. 2 was cut on his face. The victim was arguing with a woman and when she asked another man for help, he slashed the victim and fled. The attacks prompted the Guardian Angels to begin patrolling the subway system, WABC-TV reported. As ever, the Guardian Angels’ main role is to report any unusual events, providing the authorities with increased watch and presence in the system. Slashings have also occurred on the streets in the East Village, Chelsea and Brooklyn. While suspects have been identified in all cases, authorities are still looking into possible connections or evidence of copycats since the slashings

started in October. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has also increased officers’ presence in the stations and has been looking into prevention methods for these crimes. He told WABC-TV that they have been watching people who commit many subway crimes, suggesting that the slashings are being done by recidivist criminals and mentioned possible legislation that will prevent them from using the subway as a condition of their parole. The city is encouraging all citizens to “see something, say something,” and to put the slashings into perspective, six in January in a system that serves millions.

OUT THE DIOR A bad guy made off with some fine leather goods. At 4:28 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, a man entered the Dior store at 133 Greene St., removed Dior Homme leather jacket from a display rack, concealed it underneath his own jacket and then left the store without paying for the $4,700 item, police said. A search of the area failed to turn up the thief or the

stolen merchandise.

LOCKER STALKER At 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, a 34-year-old man locked his locker and went to the showers at the Equinox health club on Murray Street. When he returned to his locker 15 minutes later, his lock had been broken and his bag was missing. The jimmied gymgoer told police that another man in the locker room was watching him before leaving abruptly when the victim returned to his locker. The gym manager was able to identify on surveillance video one man who had walked into the facility without checking in at the desk. The items stolen included a Mont Blanc wallet valued at $500, Nike and Adidas clothes priced at $150, a Thule bag worth $100, a charger and portable charger priced at $50, a book worth $40, plus New York State and real estate IDs and various credit cards. The total amount stolen came to $840.

BRICK TRICK One cell phone theft victim got the last laugh on two

robbers. At 12:33 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, a 29-yearold woman was sitting on a park bench on the east side of Sixth Avenue just south of Grant Street, facing the James Hotel, when a man approached and asked if she had the time. She raised her cell phone to check the time when a second man grabbed the device from her hand. Both thugs then fled northbound on Sixth Avenue. The victim gave chase, following the bad guys northbound on Sixth Avenue, left on Grant Street, and then northbound on Varrick before she lost sight of the pair on Broome Street. When she returned to her office, she logged into her Find Your iPhone app and discovered that the phone was off. She did succeed in putting the phone into lock mode, however, making it unusable and worthless to the robbers. The stolen phone was an iPhone 6 valued at $600.

GALAXY QUEST It was a busy week for cell phone thieves. Shortly midnight on Sunday, Jan. 17, a man was walking from his car at the southwest corner of Chambers and Centre Streets when two

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STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st Precinct for Jan. 18 to Jan. 24 Week to Date 2016 2015

Year to Date % Change

2016

2015

% Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

0

0

n/a

Rape

1

0

n/a

1

0

n/a

Robbery

2

1

100.0

5

2

150.0

Felony Assault

0

0

n/a

0

2

-100.0

Burglary

2

5

-60.0

6

16

-62.5

Grand Larceny

19

16

18.8

78

62

25.8

Grand Larceny Auto

0

0

n/a

0

0

n/a

men, one of them 18 years old, rode up to him on bicycles, stole his cell phone from his hand, and sped off. The victim cancelled his cell phone, and there was no unauthorized usage at the time of the police report. The stolen phone was a Samsung Galaxy S6 of unstated value.

HUGGER MUGGERS An armed thug and his accomplice preyed on a young couple. At 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16, a 30-year-old man approached a 29-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman in front of 143 Prince St., asking for the time. He then displayed a black firearm and demanded

money. He took $50 from the man, while his accomplice grabbed the woman’s purse before searching her pockets looking for more valuables. The accomplice said, “Act cool ... act normal.” The muggers fled southbound on Broadway. Police searched the area but could not find the bandits or the missing property. IPhone tracking revealed nothing, but at least no unauthorized charges turned up on the credit cards before the victims had them canceled. The items stolen included an iPhone 6 valued at $200, $70 in cash, a black purse worth $15, plus credit cards and keys. The total stolen came to $285.

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Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 7th Precinct

19 ½ Pitt St.

212-477-7311

NYPD 6th Precinct

233 W. 10th St.

212-741-4811

NYPD 10th Precinct

230 W. 20th St.

212-741-8211

NYPD 13th Precinct

230 E. 21st St.

NYPD 1st Precinct

16 Ericsson Place

212-477-7411

LOW-INCOME SENIORS MUST MOVE Salvation Army reaches deal with community on the Williams

212-334-0611

BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

FIRE FDNY Engine 15

25 Pitt St.

311

FDNY Engine 24/Ladder 5

227 6th Ave.

311

FDNY Engine 28 Ladder 11

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311

ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Margaret Chin

165 Park Row #11

Councilmember Rosie Mendez

237 1st Ave. #504

212-587-3159 212-677-1077

Councilmember Corey Johnson

224 W. 30th St.

212-564-7757

State Senator Daniel Squadron

250 Broadway #2011

212-298-5565

Community Board 1

1 Centre St., Room 2202

212-442-5050

Community Board 2

3 Washington Square Village

212-979-2272

Community Board 3

59 E. 4th St.

212-533-5300

Community Board 4

330 W. 42nd St.

212-736-4536

Hudson Park

66 Leroy St.

212-243-6876

Ottendorfer

135 2nd Ave.

212-674-0947

Elmer Holmes Bobst

70 Washington Square

212-998-2500

COMMUNITY BOARDS

LIBRARIES

HOSPITALS New York-Presbyterian

170 William St.

Mount Sinai-Beth Israel

10 Union Square East

212-844-8400

212-312-5110

CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

TIME WARNER

46 East 23rd

813-964-3839

US Post Office

201 Varick St.

212-645-0327

US Post Office

128 East Broadway

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US Post Office

93 4th Ave.

212-254-1390

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Seniors at the Williams on the Upper West Side can stay in the Salvation Army-owned building until the end of 2017, at which point they can either move to a similar facility in East Harlem or take a $500 payment and find housing elsewhere, according to a deal reached between the organization and residents. A similar deal — in outcome if not particulars — was blocked by the State Attorney General’s office in 2014 and opposed by local elected officials. Since that time, those same officials say, negotiations have occurred behind the scenes to gain concessions from the Salvation Army, which seemed bent on selling the property despite community opposition. “We really made the Salvation Army come to the table and we held their feet to the fire,” said Upper West Side Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, who has helped organize tenants in the building since the Salvation Army’s intentions became known two years ago. The Williams, at 95th Street and West End Avenue, is a 352unit affordable housing residence owned by the Salvation Army that offers low-income seniors certain services like meals and physical therapy. The Salvation Army declined to comment for this story except to say that the deal affects 162 current residents in the building. In 2014 there were 192 residents. The organization has been keeping vacated units empty in anticipation of selling the building. Under the current deal, which was inked in state Supreme Court last summer, residents agree to vacate the Williams by Dec. 31, 2017, or when a new facility in East Harlem is ready, whichever is later. The Salvation Army will also hire professional movers to pack and unpack residents moving to the East Harlem facility at 125th Street and Third Avenue, which is under construction, and will also hire professional movers to pack those who decide to live elsewhere but will not provide unpacking services for those individuals. Other concessions include a three-year rent freeze at the East Harlem facility. Those res-

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer at a rally in 2014 to stop the sale of the Williams by the Salvation Army. idents who signed the agreement forfeit their right to sue the Salvation Army, and those who do not sign the agreement are subject to eviction, according to the court agreement. The rent freeze and $500 for moving expenses for those who elect to part ways with the Salvation Army was not part of the 2014 deal. Major James Betts of the Salvation Army told the Spirit in 2014 that the Williams is in need of over $20 million in renovations, money the Salvation Army doesn’t have. He characterized the deal as necessary to keep the organization operating in Manhattan and in keeping with the Salvation Army’s mission. The sale price of the Williams in 2014 was $109 million. It is not known if terms have changed in the intervening months. As a nonprofit charity, the Salvation Army must receive approval for any sale of a major asset from the state, and is subject to oversight from the Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office, which in 2014 filed a motion in state Supreme Court to block the transaction, questioning its legality and fairness. Local elected officials, including Rosenthal and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, also opposed the deal.

Schneiderman’s office said they played a role in brokering the agreement, and raised many objections to the 2014 deal, and feel the current agreement is much more fair to residents. Tenants contacted by the Spirit declined to comment for this story. They previously expressed dismay over having to move to a different neighborhood at this stage in their lives, and some said they were guaranteed by the Salvation Army that they could live out their days in the building. “I think they’re resigned to the fact that the Salvation Army has legal authority to do what it’s doing, and it’s definitely ended up in a better place than when it started,” Rosenthal said. Rosenthal said she’d like to see the residents to be able to stay, and that part of the Salvation Army’s mission is to take care of these seniors. “It’s very difficult to accept the fact that they walked away from that commitment,” she said. Brewer was similarly disappointed. “I find the Salvation Army to be very disingenuous. I mean this is a nonprofit, they should have kept their building on the Upper West Side, not fold it,”

she said. Brewer questioned why the Salvation Army declined overtures from the city, including the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and elected officials to work on a deal that would preserve the affordable housing at the Williams. “They’re hard to work with, it’s a crying shame these residents can no longer stay on the Upper West Side, that we lost this affordable housing,” said Brewer. “It makes me very angry.” Brewer also noted many of the seniors that live at the Williams have entrenched themselves in the local community – with its nearby subway and bus stations as well as a Gristedes grocery store – and will now have to acclimate to a different part of the city at a later stage in life. Brewer said a host of elected officials and agencies, including the Attorney General’s office, Rosenthal, Community Board 7, tenants and Brewer’s own office, all tried to stop the deal. “I wish we could’ve stopped it, it wasn’t from lack of trying,” she said. “Everybody tried together we tried everything and we were not able to stop it.”

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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FIDI GRASSROOTS GROUP CONVENES Neighborhood association’s inaugural meeting is Feb. 11 BY EMILY TOWNER

Already home to more than 60,000 New Yorkers, the Financial District continues to grow. To promote the neighborhood’s successful development, some community members turned to forming their own grassroots organizations. On the evening of Feb. 11, residents will assemble for the inaugural meeting of the Financial District Neighborhood Association. The group seeks to build membership and begin efforts towards organizing community improvement projects. “About a year ago, a half dozen or so of my neighbors and I began talking about forming a neighborhood association, primarily because we see so many positive things and important projects happening in the Fi-

The Financial District, background, viewed from the Lower East Side. Photo: Chris Goldberg, via Flickr nancial District,� said Patrick Kennell, the newly appointed president of the group. “We wanted to make sure we had a solid, grassroots organization to keep the neighborhood looking nice as it grows and to mobilize if necessary on big issues affecting the community.� The association wants to be a sounding board for issues, including development, affecting the community, Kennell said. “Our goal is to focus on the positive things Financial District residents can do to make the neighborhood even better

-- such as organizing volunteer drives to keep the sidewalks and streets clean, working with the city and buildings in our neighborhood to better coordinate trash collection, working with buildings on sidewalk beautification (planting flowers, etc.), and identifying and advocating for expanded open spaces, while volunteering to keep the ones we have clean and safe,� he said. The meeting is scheduled for 6:307:30 p.m. at the Pine Street School, 25 Pine St.

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* Effective 12/22/15, the Prime Savings interest rate is 0.695%, 0.70% Annual Percentage Yield. The minimum opening deposit and minimum daily balance to qualify for the APY is $5,000.00. If the daily balance falls below $5,000.00, a $10.00 monthly fee will be charged. If the balance falls between $2,500.00 and $4,999.99, the interest rate is 0.196% and the APY is 0.20%. If the balance falls below $2,500.00, no interest will be earned. Prime Savings Account rates are not tied to any index and are subject to change at the bank’s discretion. Speak with your local branch for details.

The SS United States, a historic and record-breaking ocean liner that once hosted royalty and presidents, has escaped the scrap heap and will undergo a rebirth, supporters announced last week. The ship’s conservancy group issued a statement saying it has an option agreement with a redevelopment partner. No further details were to be released until a news conference Feb. 4 at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York, according to conservancy spokesman Tom Basile. “At the announcement, an exciting future for the ship will be revealed that envisions the

SS United States again as an iconic symbol of America the world over,� the statement said, noting an artistic rendering of the redeveloped ship will be unveiled. The luxury vessel had its maiden voyage in 1952 and still holds the record for the fastest trans-Atlantic passenger ship crossing. Taken out of service in 1969, the SS United States was stripped of its interior years ago. The rusting hulk, which is larger than the Titanic, has been moored in Philadelphia for nearly two decades. In 2014, the conservancy said it was chasing redevelopment options that could bring the ship back to its home port of New York as a stationary, mixed-use attraction likely featuring retail, restaurants, offices and/or hotel space.

But as negotiations continued for competing sites in Brooklyn and Manhattan, the ship was racking up unsustainable costs Philadelphia, where the conservancy spends $60,000 monthly to maintain the vessel on the Delaware River, where it sits amid working piers and looms over a strip of big box stores. Preservationists feared running out of money before a ship-saving deal was reached and had retained a scrap-metal broker. Last fall, they received a lifeline -- $600,000 in donations — to keep it aoat while discussions continued. A spokesperson for the New York City Economic Development Corp., which runs the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, did not immediately return an email.

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

CARING FOR LOVED ONES WITH ALZHEIMER’S Safety and comfort for the patient are paramount, but so is support for oneself BY JENNIFER LEEFLANG

Many family members who care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s don’t think of themselves as “caregivers.â€? For them, it’s just caring for a parent – a role they are happy and proud to take on. Yet, providing round-the-clock inhome care for someone with Alzheimer’s can be a full-time job that requires patience, understanding and vigilance. When bringing a loved one with Alzheimer’s into your home, finding simple ways to create a space that’s both welcoming and safe can go a long way in reducing stress over the long haul. As a registered nurse and the leader of Partners in Care, a licensed home care agency that specializes in private care nursing and certified home health aide services for individuals who need assistance with the activities of daily living, my colleagues and I work closely with the elderly and their family caregivers to ensure that they are living safely and independently in the comfort of their own homes. For someone coping with Alzheimer’s, the familiar surroundings of home can be comforting and emotionally stabilizing. Professional in-home care can help someone experiencing memory loss or dementia to maintain independence and reinforce closeness with family who are likely taking on extra burdens as primary caregivers. One of the services clinicians and para professionals can provide is to help families scope out the home environment, identify potential “danger zones,â€? and provide realtime reminders and assistance to help navigate routine daily activities that others may take for granted. Reviewing potential home hazards with family caregivers helps reinforce safe daily routines and keep accidents and upsets at bay. Here are a few guidelines that our experts in the ďŹ eld recommend to help ensure that your home is the safe and comfortable sanctuary that you and

Photo: David Robert Bliwas, via Flickr your loved one with Alzheimer’s know it to be.

Bring Safety and Comfort Into the Home Walk around the house and view each room through the eyes of someone with Alzheimer’s. Is there adequate lighting? Are the light switches easily accessible? Are everyday necessary objects clearly in view? Check the rooms for loose objects that can cause falls and cover any unused electrical outlets and exposed wires. If possible, make sure all stairs have handrails, are carpeted and have safety grips. If balance is an issue, consider a protective gate across the stairway entry. Keep in mind that “safe� doesn’t mean “boring.� Rooms filled with family photos, keepsakes and mementos are not only inviting, but can help someone with Alzheimer’s stimulate memories and allow them to reminisce about happy times in their life.

Simplify Activities of Daily Living Individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia may forget to turn off appliances such as coffee makers, irons, ovens, stoves, etc. To ensure their safety and lower the risk of ďŹ re hazards, consider using appliances that have an auto shut-off feature. Installing gas valves and circuit breakers in ovens can also keep loved ones from accidently turning them on. Anticipating the needs of someone with Alzheimer’s can also go a long way. Minimize late night trips to get food, water or use the bathroom by

setting up a schedule and daily routine. Keep snacks and water easily accessible and place mats by the bed as an extra precaution against falls.

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In some cases, it might be necessary to install locks on outside doors and windows. Within the home, ensure that medications are properly locked and labeled, and alcohol and any other potentially toxic plants or chemicals are removed or locked away. Also, check to make sure ďŹ re alarms are properly installed with working batteries.

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Ask for Help and Support It’s crucial to have a strong network of support when caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. When you notice signs of extreme stress or burnout, take a step back to reflect on your own health and wellbeing. This may be a time to consider home health care resources that could support you—even for just a few hours a day. Look for a licensed home care agency with experts in Alzheimer’s and dementia related care. The agency should provide you with a registered nurse who will help assess your needs and work with you to develop a Customized Plan of Care tailored to your individual needs, and match you with a compatible home health aide who will provide the individualized personal care and assistance you need. The most important thing to keep in mind is that caregivers aren’t alone. There are support groups and valuable resources in the community that can create a safety net when things become overwhelming, as they often do. Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help, and by taking advantage of the resources offered in your community, the whole family beneďŹ ts and thrives. For more information on services available to caregivers and individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia, call 888-735-8913 or visit www.partnersincareny.org/. Jennifer Leeang is senior vice president at Partners in Care

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FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Voices

Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.

Senior Living

FOOL FOR THE CITY

OF CLARITY AND CLASS BY MARCIA EPSTEIN

Do you remember when movie stars were men and women, not crazyhaired boys and skinny, mumbling girls? Tyrone Power, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, Richard Widmark and Robert Mitchum, among many others. Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren. Real women, women who dressed the part and had some flesh on their bones. Men and women who spoke clearly and didn’t mumble unintelligibly at each other. Stars who, even in their 20s, behaved and were perceived as true adults. The men wore suits and fedoras, and the women dressed in fitted suits and lovely dresses and not like my 12-year-old granddaughter. OK, so I’m an old fogey, but I miss those days, those stars. I don’t see any of the current shoot-em-ups, or the dystopian (whatever that is) movies currently in vogue. Mostly I see foreign films (subtitles are great for bad hearing, but to me the films are just better). The only American movie I saw last year with “mature” content was “See You In My Dreams” with Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott. What a pure pleasure that was. It didn’t stick around long. It showed that older people could still live and love and partake in life. Plus, the characters spoke clearly and distinctly, as I think adults should. I’m tired of the mumbling the young and not-so-young have adopted in the past few years. In 2014 I saw “Still Alice” because the topic interested me and it had mature stars. The only one I couldn’t understand was the daughter, played by Kristen Stewart. Mumble, mumble. I’m not the only one of my pals who talks about this. Even the ones with pretty good hearing talk about it. What happened to enunciation? It’s both funny and not so funny to pick up a magazine for women these days and read about beauty tips “for all ages.” Except those ages end by 50 or 55; it’s as if everyone else were dead or at the very least not worth talking about. Do we suddenly not care about how we look after a certain age? I don’t think so. Couldn’t we oldsters

STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source

BY MELITTA ANDERMAN

use some beauty tips too? Yes, I think so. At least we shouldn’t be ignored or treated as expendable. Or worse, nonexistent. Perhaps we really don’t exist in the minds of the young, or of the magazine editors. But here we are, most of us still caring at least a little bit that we look presentable when we step out of our homes. Let me end with a pet peeve. I’m sure Starbucks makes a lot of money; otherwise, they wouldn’t be all over the place, in city after city. However, I do wonder how they manage to make this money when they allow people (overwhelmingly young) to sit at the tables and stools for hour after hour on their laptops with one cup of coffee in front of them, probably long gone cold. How many times have I spotted a Starbucks and thought “I’m going to get myself a coffee and sit for a while and rest my back?” Well, maybe not. As I said, finding an empty place to sit is nearly impossible at any hour in Starbucks. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a time limit for those computer users who seem to have no home or office? Is this Starbucks’ unwritten policy (and why?), or is it young people with a sense of entitlement? Or am I a grouchy old lady? Could be all three, or none of the above. I am genuinely curious and open to what the answer might be. It seems senseless as business policy, and self-absorbed as personal behavior. Any thoughts, anyone?

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Associate Publishers Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Regional Sales Manager Tania Cade

Retire where? While being examined by my gynecologist, the doctor told me how unhappy her mother was living in Florida after her father retired. She said the best place to live after people stop working is in a big city. I totally agree because this happened to me. For years I lived in Fort Lee, New Jersey, the first place you hit when you cross the George Washington Bridge. I worked in Manhattan, ate in great restaurants, all my doctors were in the 20 blocks from 96th street to 76th Street and most of my friends lived in New York. So what was I doing in New Jersey, you ask. This requires a different story line and another feature. Our living destination, after many searches, turned out to be Yorkville. The journey was fraught with anxiety branching out to every aspect of a life changing move after forty years of a laidback existence in a

swimming pool/tennis playing community across the George in New Jersey. My husband was content with these activities but I was an ex-administrator with the Metropolitan Opera House who was now demoted to being a hausfrau. My big excursions consisted of going to the public library, where I chatted with the adorable lady librarians from India and Egypt and but were I also had the dubious pleasure of listening, among the stacks, to well-dressed men trying to convert immigrants, there to seek knowledge, to some unreliable way of thinking. I reported these conversations to the appropriate library folks and these practices were abolished. Among my other accomplishments were going to local markets and to Costco. I shopped, and went to movies, once combining the two by going to a mall where a decent international film was being shown. One of my biggest frustrations was trying to

drive across the bridge at when the tolls were highest. Needless to say, our rate of visitors from the state of New York dropped year by year. You want to know about retirement to the big city? Life is great and enriching in so many ways. Buses and subways travel to all parts of the borough and beyond. I live within four blocks of Museum Mile; I can pick and choose any country’s cuisine from among my neighborhood many eateries; my library is across the street; nearly every corner has fruit and veggie stands. (Need I continue?). We keep a car for occasional forays into areas of glorious foliage, manicured lawns and quiet nights and days but where there’s hardly a soul around. The pastoral delights of living in suburbia now scare me. Nights are too dark, days too lonely. I realized, as we neared the end of my exam, that I’m a city woman, and that the only good reason for being away from the city is on vacation.

Photo: Patty M., via Flickr

President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Account Executive Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope editor.ot@strausnews.com Fred Almonte Director of Partnership Development Deputy Editor, Richard Khavkine Barry Lewis editor.dt@strausnews.com

Staff Reporters Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons Director of Digital Pete Pinto

Block Mayors Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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ICONIC GREEK PRIEST AT WTC CHURCH DIES BY JOSEPH M. CALISI

The Rev. Father John Romas, the iconic Greek Orthodox priest who helped lead the effort to rebuild the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at the World Trade Center, passed away Jan. 24 at White Plains Hospital. Father Romas had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Father Romas followed his calling later in life becoming ordained and presbyter in Greece in 1984. Following his return to the United States in 1987, His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos assigned him as the Proistamenos, or priest, of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in downtown Manhattan. Father Romas continued at St. Nicholas Church until the September 2001 terrorist attacks, which destroyed the church. A priest for almost 32 years, Father Romas served with zeal and dedication, and indeed was the heart and soul of the St. Nicholas Church, especially after its destruction. He labored tirelessly for the rebuilding of the church and anxiously awaited the completion of his beloved St. Nicholas, taking much pride in its designation as a National Shrine of our Archdiocese. Father Romas led the Blessing of the Waters Ceremony held annually at Pier 1 in Battery Park on the first Sunday of January after the Epiphany. During the ceremony, swimmers dive attempt to retrieve a gold cross that is thrown into the water with a

tether. The ceremony is symbolic of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River by St. John. The swimmer who retrieves the cross hoists it in the air and swims back to a city Fire Department boat. For his efforts, he is rewarded with a small cross, personal blessing from the priest to ensure good luck for the coming year. The ceremony is concluded with the release of a white dove which symbolizes the Holy Spirit which appeared that day in the sky. Father Romas was born on April 10, 1929, to Demetrios and Vasiliki Rambaounis in Dorvitsa, Nafpactias, Greece. Upon completion of his high school education, he went on to complete a four-year program at the Hephaestus School of Mechanics, in Athens. He came to United States in 1952, and later that year married Lorraine (Ourania) Papachristou in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. “He was a real people person. He’ll be missed,” Papachristou said of her husband, to whom she was married for 64 years. Funeral services were held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen, Brooklyn, NY, where he assisted following the 9/11 attacks. The family asked that donations be made in memory of Father Romas to the St. Nicholas Rebuilding Fund or for the St. Nicholas kouvouklion used for the Good Friday Epitaphios.

Father John Romas releases a dove at the conclusion of the annual Greek Orthodox ‘Blessing Of The Waters/Diving For The Cross’ at Battery Park. Photo: Joseph M. Calisi

THANK YOU, MISS MCTAGUE THE CAEDMON SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Ask any alumni of The Caedmon School between the years 1971 and 1995 and they are sure to tell you about their love for early childhood teacher Marilyn Ann McTague. Before teaching, Miss McTague briefly considered a career in acting, and though it was something she still pursued, she found her true calling after learning about the Montessori teaching method. She started working at Caedmon in 1971 as an assistant teacher in the school’s Early Program, and within a year was promoted to head teacher. Over her 30-year tenure at the school, she taught, guided and cared for countless of New York City’s young children. We are saddened to announce her passing. Miss McTague died Jan. 2 in Jefferson City, Missouri, after a long, fulfilling life as a dedicated teacher, administrator and dear friend. We felt it fitting to share more details about her tenure at our school in honor of her generous spirit and the gifts she has bestowed upon our children and community. Miss McTague is most remembered for her in-depth knowledge of each individual student, and delighted children with her classroom menagerie of bunny rabbits, baby chicks and even a lizard. Wise and sensitive, she possessed a gentle and soft-spoken manner, and an occa-

sionally firm hand. “At first sight, she seemed to embody everything that a preschool teacher should be,” one parent remarked. Art specialist Kristina Bakker said, “She was viewed by the children as a wonderful great aunt; by the teachers and staff, a grande dame. She was the Queen Mother of the school.” In 1995, Miss McTague transitioned from the classroom into an administrative role and became the coordinator of the Early Program. As a way of honoring her career as a teacher, the school inaugurated The Marilyn Ann McTague Fund to Benefit Teachers. As part of our annual giving campaign, parents and supporters can contribute in Miss McTague’s name to the professional development of Caedmon faculty. As she has said of her devotion to teaching and children, “You love them. You’re happy to see them develop. Years later they stop by Caedmon, or I am invited to their college and law school graduations. Then one day they send pictures of their own children. All the while, you have shared so many beginnings and precious memories with them. It’s extraordinary.” We are honored to have worked with such a caring and dedicated individual and thankful for the ways in which her talents have enhanced and shaped our school community.

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FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to otdowntown.com by Federico Fellini that satirizes the director’s youth during Italy’s fascist period. www.rubinmuseum. org/events/event/ amarcord-02-05-2016

SCHOOL BREAK CAMPS

Sat 6 N.Y.P.S. 2016 WINTER CONCERT Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Ave. 7:30-10:30 p.m.suggested donation. The program will include works by Mozart, Chopin, Schumann, Scriabin, Liszt, Messian and more, performed by members of N.Y.P.S. who are professionals in ďŹ elds other than music. 646-418-0579. www. nypianosociety.org/upcomingevents/

SCHOOL’S OUT, BUT WE’RE OPEN! Sign up for Spring Break Camps! MARCH BREAK I & II % ( % $%

VALENTINE MAKING WORKSHOP

Thu 4 GILLES BERUBE

THE ART OF STANDWaterside Cafe, 25 Waterside UP STARRING RICK YOUNGER â–˛ Plaza Until Feb. 11. Mon-Sat until 9 p.m. Sun until 6 p.m. Berube, a Quebecois photographer, shoots in blackand-white and color. This exhibit, “Going with the Flow,â€? features photographs of New York City, Montauk and Cuba. 212-685-2233

“DOT�

212.336.6520

& $ %& #! camps

Fri 5 BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St. 8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. $15 Rick Younger appears regularly on NBC’s Today Show with Kathie Lee & Hoda on the segment, “Guys Tell All.� Rick has made television appearances on BET’s ComicView and Teen Summit, FOX’s 30 Seconds to Fame, Showtime at the Apollo, and NBC’s Last Comic Standing. 212-220-1460.

Vineyard Theatre, 108 East 15th St. 8 p.m. $79 Directed by Tony winner Susan Stroman, the show features all- “AMARCORDâ€? too-familiar themes emphasizing how strong and unrelenting Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W familial love can be when dealing 17th St. with the difficulties of life. 9:30 – 11:45 p.m. $10. 212-353-0303. www. Brooklyn-based photographer vineyardtheatre.org/dot/ Ken Schles introduces Amarcord, a 1973 ďŹ lm directed

Battery Park City Parks, 6 River Terrace 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free Create something special for your valentine inspired by roses growing in Battery Park City’s gardens. For ages 4 years through adult. Please send an email to registration@bpcparks.org (212) 267-9700. www. bpcparks.org/event/valentinemaking-workshop/

Sun 7 MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION Blue Note, 131 West 3rd St., at Sixth Ave. 8 p.m. $20-$35 New Orleans’ own jazz legend Shannon Powell is famous worldwide for his incredible drumming skills and technique. At this show, Powell performs live in NYC to celebrate Mardi Gras. 212-475-8592. www. bluenote.net/newyork/schedule/ moreinfo.cgi?id=13841

ULTIMATE FRISBEE Battery Park City Parks, Battery Park City Ball Fields

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Lafayette St. 7-9 p.m.$20. Some call it jazz. Some call it classical. Some call it bluegrass. Certainly, the music of The Kruger Brothers is all of that and more. 212-967-7555. www. publictheater.org/en/tickets/ calendar/playdetailscollection/ joes-pub/2016/t/the-krugerbrothers/?SiteTheme=JoesPub

Wed 10 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free Join this fun, co-ed pick-up game. Frisbees are provided! 212-267-9700. www. bpcparks.org/press/ultimatefrisbee/

Mon 8 THE BRIDGE: AN EXHIBITION Trinity Wall Street, 209 Broadway 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free Trinity Church Wall Street presents the U.S. premiere of The Bridge, an East-West travelling art exhibition organized and curated by CARAVAN, an interreligious and intercultural peace building NGO at St. Paul’s Chapel. 212-602-0800. www. trinitywallstreet.org/thebridge

PARENT & BABY YOGA Battery Park City Parks, 6 River Terrace 1 p.m.-3:45 p.m. $160

Enjoy yoga in a supportive environment while learning postures and exercises specifically suited for new parents and babies from new to crawling age. 212-267-9700. www. bpcparks.org/event/parentbaby-yoga-16/2016-01-04/

Tue 9 FAME AND FORTUNE AT PEN PARENTIS LITERARY SALON

BMCC FACULTY SHOWCASE: ART/ WORKS Shirley Fiterman Art Center, 81 Barclay St. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Free Faculty artists at Borough of Manhattan Community College/ The City University of New York (BMCC/CUNY) will showcase their work in an upcoming exhibit. A portion of all sales of art from Shirley Fiterman Art Center exhibits goes to support the BMCC Foundation scholarship fund. www.bmcc.cuny.edu/news/ news.jsp?id=12764

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LAFAYETTE The ANDAZ Wall Street, 75 Wall St. 8 a.m. Free. Fame and Fortune at Pen Parentis Readers include President and Publisher of FSG, Jonathan Galassi, fashioninsider Tia Williams, and Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, co-authors The Nanny Diaries. 212-501-2031. www. penparentis.org

KRUGER BROS. Joe’s Pub at The Public, 425

Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl St. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. $7; students/ seniors/children $4 The French Marquis de Lafayette, came to the colonies at the age of 19 with the spirit of freedom. In the exhibition one can view 20 artifacts relating to Lafayette, including his calling card, general’s sash and a pair of French officer’s pistols. www.frauncestavernmuseum. org/exhibits-and-collections/

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BE THE SOMEONE

WHO HELPS A KID BE THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

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FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

Fernando Bermudez speaking at Western Connecticut State University in 2014.

PEDRO CASTILLO IS INNOCENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 history to other prisoners. He always kept a book in his pocket, he said. His studies also gave him tools that helped him obtain lawyers. “I said to myself, when I’m in prison, I’m going to get a rich man’s education on a poor man’s budget,” he said. Since his release, Bermudez, now 46, has worked to reveal the effects of wrongful convic-

tions, knowing that his circumstances weren’t unique. He has written extensively — Solnik called him a “gifted writer” — and plans to publish a book about his experiences with the criminal justice system. A documentary about his work as an advocate and lecturer is also in the works. “I wanted to distinguish myself as an exoneree, because after all the publicity with each exoneration, you have to find something to do with yourself aside from relishing that moment in the spotlight,” he said. “I want my story to be known,

to help perform criminal justice worldwide. Solnik hopes that his play reveals not just an individual’s story but also its implications. “To look at each individual case makes it look like they are exceptions,” said Solnik. “They’re not. They’re results of procedures that happen over and over again that lead to putting the wrong people in jail.” Since his exoneration, Bermudez won a $4.75 million settlement from the state of New York. His suit against the City of New York is ongoing, he said. He’s currently investing in real estate

after moving from Connecticut to North Carolina, and establishing a scholarship fund in his name for winners of an essay-writing contest on combating wrongful convictions. His speaking engagements are less frequent these days, he said, but he doesn’t mind spending time at home with his children. His 14-year-old daughter wants to be a lawyer, he said. “When I wake up now and I look at my home, I’m like ‘Thank you God for taking me from a 6-by-9 foot cell to a 6,000-square-foot home,’” he said. “I’m just blessed.”

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

WINTER WONDERLAND

MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH

ORGAN CONCERT SERIES Thursdays at 12:30pm in the Sanctuary FREE ADMISSION February 4 Gregory Zelek organ student, The Juilliard School February 11 David Hurd concert organist February 18 James Kennerley organist/choirmaster, St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church

February 18 James Kennerley organist/choirmaster, St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church February 25 Mark Jame Pall organ student, Westminster Choir College March 3 Christopher Creaghan associate organist, The Riverside Church

Take a 30-minute lunch break for your soul

1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 / 212 686 2770 / MarbleChurch.org

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

Photo: Val Castronovo “Flakes,” a new site-specific exhibit of hand-cut, origami paper snowflakes by Chelsea Hrynick Browne, is on view at the Sprint Flatiron Prow Art Space — a tiny, see-through gallery on the ground floor of the Flatiron Building. The artist likens New Yorkers to the flakes, each colorful sliver “unique, interpretive, elusive, quirky, beautiful. We are all flakes!” Through March 16.

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

Dress and Emotion: Opening

THE END OF WINTER BY DAVE SWEENEY

I’m on Amsterdam and 86th walking on the West Side. Its twilight and people make a happy stride. You see its 55 degrees after many days of a hard, cold freeze. Winter no longer has us questioning our mental strength to endure and swear under our breath that this hideous cold could lead to an unnatural death. But the upside is bright and daylight savings will give us more light. Each new day will give us more hope to play without heavy jackets, umbrellas, and thermal body elastics. People can enjoy the grass green and begin to preen the trees and actually get on their knees. In January and February it’s like a cemetery. Everything is cold and barren.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, 12PM People are mentally swerving; catching a bug. It might be better to get mugged! But not now, the end of winter is near and never to be thought again until next year. But wait, not so fast, ass! It’s a week later and we’ve been hit by a snowy alligator. Bitten hard, iced in. Damn it, these sunny forecasts never seem to win as we try on a few more cyclical winds. More ice and snow; really, that is a low blow. It’s the middle of March and winter has taken away all of my starch. Nevertheless I keep marching on. Winter’s time is running out. Go ahead, dissipate slowly and let me shout. April showers bring those May flowers! Two weeks later winter’s back and I’m ready to have a heart attack.

Blow wind, snow! No, no! It’s a winter jeer and I feel like frail King Lear. It’s April five and that dreaded season just won’t die! Get a stake, drive it through the heart; make winter slaying a new art. But it’s killing me instead even though it’s all in my head. Let it be, let it be, let it be said the Beatles. But I can’t handle these prolonged frozen needles! Can’t I see? This is really not a catastrophe. Say what? Its 29 degrees and we are in another deep freeze and it’s driving me nuts! Quit, stop being a putz! What do you say? Wait until May? I dare you to come then! Even nature can’t create another snow in. Wait; how about global freezing? Stop it! You’ve got me sneezing!

The New School | 66 Fifth Ave. | 212-229-5108 | newschool.edu Check out a new exhibition, which explores themes of body image, self-worth, identity and other emotional components connected with the clothes we choose to wear. (Free)

Basement Performances: Bill Laswell

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, 7:30PM The Drawing Center | 35 Wooster St. | 212-219-2166 | drawingcenter.org Improv music and cinema come together in the center’s John Zorn-curated performance series. Friday see producer and bassist Bill Laswell playing along with the legendary natural world documentary Koyaanisqatsi. ($20)

Just Announced | Closed Worlds: Encounters That Never Happened

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 12PM The Cooper Union | 41 Cooper Sq. | 212-353-4100 | cooper.edu In conjunction with a Storefront for Art and Architecture look at self-sustaining environments (think space capsules, subs, and office buildings), catch a discussion touching on the likes of Buckminster Fuller, Jacques Cousteau and Walt Disney. (Free)

For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,

sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.

14

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS JAN 5 - 29, 2016

Yue Lai Bakery

137 East Broadway

Grade Pending (25) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/services/restaurant-grades.page. Malibu Diner

163 West 23 Street

A

Koneko

26 Clinton St

Not Yet Graded (4)

The Best $1.00 Pizza

171 West 23 Street

Grade Pending (28) No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.

Old Man Hustle

39 Essex St

A

Google Laplace

111 8Th Ave

A

Cafe Henrie

116 Forsyth St

Taqueria Diana

601 6Th Ave

Not Yet Graded (50) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Not Yet Graded (28) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

88 Reach House Chinese Food

88 Division St

A

El Castillo De Jagua Rest

113 Rivington Street

A

Retro Grill & Bar (Holiday Inn)

150 Delancey St

A

Mulberry & Vine

73 Warren Street

A

Grade Pending (33) No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Racines

94 Chambers St

A

Andy’s Deli

291 Broadway

A

Subway

153 Chambers Street

A

Cafe 101

101 Barclay Street

A

Famous Famiglia Pizzeria

26 Murray Street

A

Dunkin Donuts

100 Chambers St

Not Yet Graded (20) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Burger King

325 Broadway

Not Yet Graded (22) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

Joe Coffee Shop

435 W 23Rd St

Starbucks

300 West 23 Street

A

Spice

199 8 Avenue

A

.Tao

92 9Th Ave

A

Wrapido

171 West 23 Street

A

Red Mango

266 W 23Rd St

A

Roccos

162 7Th Ave

A

Tacos Morelos

438 East 9 Street

Grade Pending (14) No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.

Niagara/ Lovers Of Today/ Cabin Down Below

112 Avenue A

A

Xe May

96 St Marks Place

A

Little Gio’s Pizza

26 1St Ave

A

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 22 Cortlandt Street

A

Banh Mi Zon

443 E 6Th St

A

Sun In Bloom

165 Church St

A

Tai Thai Thailand

78 East 1 Street

A

Brasserie Les Halles

15 John Street

A

Black Seed Bagels

176 1St Ave

Not Yet Graded (21) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Hale & Hearty Soup

111 Fulton Street

A

Thai Sliders & Co. Llc

108 John St

Grade Pending (19) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Hop Shing Restaurant

9 Chatham Square

Grade Pending (23) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Yung Sun Seafood Restaurant

47 East Broadway

Grade Pending (24) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

The Masala Wala

179 Essex Street

A

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Battery Park City. Photo: WikiMedia Commons

SUPPORT GROWS FOR BATTERY PARK SHAKEUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 decided to enter into contract with private security firm AlliedBarton for the use of private “security ambassadors” to patrol BPC. Many residents opposed the deal during a town hall-style meeting in December, saying that private security officers are generally directed not to step in during situations that threaten public safety. Residents also expressed frustration that they weren’t consulted on the AlliedBarton contract in the first place, and that the board refused to provide clear answers on the future of the Parks Enforcement Patrol, who are sworn peace officers with arrest powers that have historically handled security at BPC. Since then, the authority announced Jan. 30 that they’ve declined to renew the contract with the PEP, which ended Jan.

31. In a statement on their website, Battery Park City Authority Chairman Dennis Mehiel said the decision to end the PEP contract was informed “in large part” by feedback from residents, “who expressed their desire to seek a more effective alternative to the service provided by [PEP].” However, in terms of effectiveness, it’s unclear what Mehiel is referring to as just one day after the AlliedBarton contract went into effect, two BPC teenagers were assaulted — one seriously — as an AlliedBarton security person stood by, according to several news reports. The authority said in the aftermath of the attack that the AlliedBarton employee notified city police of the assault. Police subsequently made two arrests. An authority spokeswoman said AlliedBarton personnel are “an enhancement” to city police presence in the neighborhood. “While the addition of AlliedBarton is the latest improvement to Battery Park City’s security arrangement, we continue to evaluate addi-

tional ways to build upon our existing security footprint that will best serve the needs of our dynamic community,” she said in a statement. In his letter, Medial touted AlliedBarton’s 1,000-plus workforce in Lower Manhattan, “ensuring a continuity of service we lacked with PEP.” Pat Smith, a 13-year resident of Battery Park City who is active in the community, contradicted Mehiel, saying of the residents, “nobody wanted to get rid of the PEPs.” Smith has called for Mehiel’s ouster and said the chair has turned the authority into an opaque and autonomous body with little regard for the community since his tenure began in 2012. Smith said he supports CB1’s resolution and the recently introduced legislation from Squadron and Glick. “The community board has now spoken on this and the local electeds have introduced this legislation,” he said, noting his belief that momentum is gathering in the community for a shakeup on the board. The authority did not respond to a request regarding their de-

cision to end the PEP contract. Authority spokesperson Robin Forst, however, did offer comment on the recently introduced legislation. “We are fortunate to have a board of devoted and well accomplished individuals with diverse professional backgrounds who have consistently served the authority well,” said Forst. “The choice of candidates for the board is entirely within the purview of the governor with a confirmation process in the [state] Senate. We have complete confidence that Governor Cuomo will continue to select members of the highest caliber.” Other stress points between residents and the authority have surfaced in the last two years, such as the future of North Cove Marina, which was handed over to mega-developer Brookfield Properties last year at the expense of a popular sailing school and yacht club that was a favorite at the marina for many years. There’s also concern about an opaque RFP system that sometimes ushers in major changes without the community’s

knowledge, as in the case of the contract with AlliedBarton, and conflict over the use of the Downtown Little League ball fields at BPC. There also remains friction over the sudden and fraught departure last year of BPC Parks Conservancy head Tessa Huxley, who according to news reports was forced out of the position she held for 27 years by the authority. Glick told Our Town Downtown that there’s been a growing sense of disenfranchisement among BPC residents, which led her to introduce the legislation in the Assembly. “There are many individual instances that one could point to, but taken as an aggregate, it’s reached a point where there’s a lack of faith in whether or not the board is currently sufficiently in touch with the needs of people on the ground, and I think that’s the motivation,” she said. The bill’s language confines appointments to Community District 1 — as opposed to BPC residents exclusively — because policies governing BPC also affect the community at

large, she said. “The concerns of residents of Battery Park City are not exclusive to those who reside within Battery Park City, but also impact residents who live in the community board area itself,” said Glick, mentioning specifically the use of athletic fields, park space, and P.S. 89. Squadron said calls for the board to be comprised mostly of BPC residents predate the present friction between residents and the board. “There have been ongoing concerns about transparency and community engagement recently, but the push for a local voice started before that and exists because it’s the right thing to do,” said Squadron. “When you look at the frustration that’s boiled over more recently, I think it’s another reminder that a local voice makes sense.” “It’s a way to create a permanent community voice on the authority board,” he added.

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FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

In Brief

Business

CITY REACHES CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AGENTS Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced his administration has reached a tentative contract agreement with Communication Workers of America – Local 1182 Traffic Enforcement Agents, which covers over 2,100 agents that serve the city. The agreement includes both Level 1 Traffic Enforcement Agents, who write summonses, and Level 2 Traffic Enforcement Agents, who direct traffic. The agreement, which conforms with the civilian pattern established with other municipal unions, means that settlements have been reached with 95 percent of the workforce. “Our traffic enforcement agents keep our roads moving and our pedestrians, bikers and drivers safe. This agreement means they’ll get the fair wages they deserve, while protecting New York City’s fiscal health,” de Blasio said. “With 95 percent of our workforce under contract agreement, compared to 0 percent when we took office, we’re continuing to restore a productive and respectful relationship with the men and women who serve our city.” Syed Rahim, president of of CWA Local 1182, also touted the agreement. “I am thrilled that a landmark tentative agreement has been reached between New York City and traffic enforcement agents,” Rahim said . “This contract builds the foundation to adequately compensate my members who contribute so much toward the greatness of this city.” De Blasio said the agreement conforms with the pattern that has shaped every civilian labor contract the city has settled, and also incorporates “unprecedented healthcare savings” agreed upon with the Municipal Labor Committee, ensuring that these raises are affordable and responsible for the city and its taxpayers. The seven year, nine month, 21 day proposed contract provides for 10 percent in raises and includes a one-time $1,000 ratification bonus. It will begin, retroactively, on March 10, 2010 and expire on December 30, 2017. The contract would create new step pay plans for traffic enforcement agents, providing a path for employees to ultimately reach maximum pay rates for their respective levels. The step pay plans fit within the pattern, and are funded by the contract’s nine-month, 21 day extension. The city and Local 1182 have also agreed to create an annuity fund in the amount of $261 per year for each full-time employee, also funded by the contract extension, and to begin gainsharing discussions. In total, the Municipal Labor Committee and the city have agreed to secure $3.4 billion in health care savings through fiscal year 2018, starting with $400 million in FY 2015 and building up to $1.3 million in FY 2018, and $1.3 billion in recurring savings every year thereafter.

CITY ‘AGGRESSIVELY’ INSPECTING AND FIXING SHELTERS As part of the effort to improve conditions in homeless shelters, Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced a “shelter repair scorecard” to publicly report on the conditions of homeless shelter facilities and track progress made by the expanded repair program to address sub-standard conditions. Data shows that increased inspections have been finding more violations than ever before, and that city and shelter providers have cleared more than 26,000 violations over the last two years. “We are determined to give every family and individual in a homeless shelter decent living conditions. We have been increasing inspections to identify problems, and we now have a scorecard to track our progress in addressing them,” de Blasio said. “Many of these violations are long-standing problems stemming from a lack of funding. We are increasing our repair work for all shelters and have increased our funding for not-for-profit shelter providers. We won’t rest until every shelter meets standards.” The new shelter repair scorecard defines the scope of the problem by listing conditions at all homeless shelters in New York City that do not meet applicable regulations, and makes it possible to track progress in dealing with them. According to the Mayor’s Office, city data says the 357 non-cluster city homeless shelters had 6,983 open violations at the end of 2015, before the new Shelter Repair Squad 2.0 began work. Of these 357 shelters, 190 sites had ten or fewer violations, 92 of those sites had five or less. The 265 cluster shelters, which house only 20 percent of the total shelter population, had 14,418 violations, or 70 percent of the total. Cluster shelters are groups of individual apartments in larger buildings, and the violation total includes all the violations in each building, not those solely relating to the cluster units. Last month, the administration announced a plan to phase out the use of cluster shelters – where the majority of the violations are found. As the city ends the use of cluster shelters, returning them to the market so that the apartments can serve as low-rent housing, it will insist that building owners bring their buildings up to code, and will work to ensure that they remain part of the city’s rent-regulated stock or enter an affordability program.

Photo: Thomas8047, via Flickr

CARPE DIEM BY FREDERICK PETERS

The movements of the stock market can be hard to fathom. The recent swoon in market value, triggered at the New Year by no apparent event, has accelerated into correction territory as pundits try to rationalize after the fact: oil, China, ISIL, refugees, Greek debt — any one could be driving the market down. Or not. These market fluctuations tend to assume a life of their own, as program traders, pension funds and anxious individuals short stocks or keep pushing the “Sell” button. Real estate both is and is not impacted by this ebb and flow. Like major art and jewelry, real estate tends to be both an emotional purchase and an investment. The savvy buyer recognizes opportunity in a turbulent market and capitalizes on it. At the same time, the emotional buyer frequently panics when the stock market seems to be faltering and decides not to pull the trigger on an otherwise wellpriced real estate purchase. The

problem of course lies in the fact that the savvy investor and the emotional buyer are frequently housed in the same individual! Don’t get me wrong; there can be compelling reasons to re-evaluate a purchase in the light of a major stock market drop, chief among them the need to raise a down payment from the sale of depreciated assets. But beyond that, economic fundamentals remain the key to assessing whether to buy or fold. And to me these fundamentals still look quite good for the American economy. These underlying strengths, however, can be masked by the smoke screen of stock market activity. Since the world is now replete with people who check their portfolios online every half hour, the concept of longerterm investing to which I adhere has lost its luster. When you are glued to every quiver in your portfolio, it’s easy to overreact. Hence the volatility of the last few weeks. At Warburg we have seen this

play out in two different ways over the past couple of weeks. On the one hand one buyer is committing to purchase an apartment in the mid-$4 million range because it is just the size and location he wants and he has recently received his bonus for last year. He does not seem overly concerned about timing the market or waiting to see if the market is up or down tomorrow. He has confidence that this purchase makes sense for both IQ and EQ reasons. Conversely, we saw another buyer withdraw today on a larger purchase because stock market terror set in. Never mind that the property had the potential to be an excellent buy and possesses a number of hardto-duplicate features. The leap of faith simply became too great for this buyer to attempt. It’s hard to feel confident when other people are scared. And this jumpy stock market is still a new phenomenon. But environments like this, with a roller-coaster ride above but a relatively stable economic base below, can present genuine opportunity to the smart buyers who can conquer their fear. Frederick Peters is president of Warburg Realty

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

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otdowntown.com The local paper for Downtown

Advertise with Our Town Downtown today! Call Vincent Gardino at 212-868-0190

CAMP’S LONGLASTING BENEFITS THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION

otdowntown.com

Camp has become a part of the fabric of America — conjuring special memories of hiking, swimming, friendships and adventure for generations. When children go to camp, they’ll likely come home gushing about the lifelong friends they’ve made, and the exciting adventures they had. What they probably won’t tell you about are the life lessons camp has given them — those skills that, if nurtured at home after camp, translate into a lasting self-confidence, an awareness of the importance of kindness and a greater comfort in voicing their opinions. For more than 150 years, camp has been changing lives — allowing all children to feel successful, especially those who may struggle with traditional educational settings. Camp is full of fun and excitement, but it is so much more — developing children who are better equipped to lead in the twenty-first century with

skills such as independence, empathy, the ability to work as part of a team, and a broader world view. • Camp is a safe and nurturing environment that enhances social skills. Camp is for everyone, so children and youth have the opportunity to meet and interact with peers from outside their school environment. • Camp supplements traditional education. Camps use intentional programming to create a balance of experiential learning opportunities that are physical, emotional and social. • Camp provides experiences that promote self-confidence and future academic growth. American Camp Association® (ACA) independent research shows that parents and camp staff, as well as the campers themselves, report significant growth in several areas, including leadership, independence, social comfort, and values and decisions. • Camp encourages a respect and love of nature. Children are

able to learn about the natural world. Camp also gives them a chance to “unplug.” More and more experts are advocating the value of time spent in nature for children — and camp is a perfect place to do that. • Camp provides the opportunity to stay physically active. Camp is the ultimate outdoor experience with programs that offer physical activities and sports that enhance health and teach self-confidence. Camp is a natural extension of the classroom. Research indicates that by participating in strategically planned, structured summer experiences, children reduce summer learning loss. Camp challenges children, keeps them engaged, develops creativity and their talents, and expands their horizons. Reprinted with the permission of the American Camp Association. ©2015 American Camping Association, Inc.

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

The Downtown Manhattan Heliport, just east of the Battery. Photo: Eric Salard, via Flickr

HELICOPTER TOURS TO BE CUT IN HALF Agreement also calls for a halt to Sunday flights BY EMILY TOWNER

Residents along the Hudson can look forward to quieter Sundays. City officials earlier this week announced a long-sought agreement that will curtail helicopter traffic and the accompanying clamor and pollution over Manhattan while maintaining the helicopter tourism industry. Within a year, tour operators will be required to reduce flights from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport

at Pier 6, from where all of the city’s helicopter tourism flights take off and land, by 50 percent, according to the agreement, which was outlined in a release from the New York City Economic Development Corp. In addition, flights will not be permitted on Sundays or over Governor’s Island. According to the agreement, tourism flights will decline by 20 percent from 2015 levels starting June 1 and by 40 percent in October. By January 2017, nearly 30,000 flights a year will have been eliminated, the Economic Development Corp. said. Sunday

flights will cease April 1. Saker Aviation, the concessionaire for the downtown heliport, will also be required to provide monthly written reports verifying their activities as well as establish a system to monitor and report air quality. “As Council Members, we are proud to have pushed forward legislation that helped give our constituents a voice and a rallying point in the fight to reduce noise and air pollution caused by the increasing number of tourist helicopter flights,” Councilmembers Carlos Menchaca, Helen

Rosenthal and Margaret Chin said in a statement. The monitoring components are critical to keeping the industry’s accountable, they said. Not everyone is satisfied with the agreement. Adrian Benepe, senior vice president of City Park Development at Trust for Public Land said, “Sadly this will still mean 175 flights a day — or 350 fly-bys — over our neighborhoods and parks.” Although Benepe is still calling for a ban on “polluting, noisy helicopters,” a 50 percent reduction “is a start,” he said. Stop the Chop NYNJ, a nonprofit grassroots organization that has long campaigned against the tours, was also critical. “The so-called deal to cut some tourist helicopter flights is nothing more than an industry PR ploy & is unacceptable,” a release from the organization said. Rosenthal said a council bill that would have banned the tours outright was being held “in abeyance, for now.” Still, she called the agreement a victory. “After decades of getting nowhere — residents will now get some relief. We will monitor assiduously,” she said.

In the face of the complete shutdown spelled out in the council bill, Sam Goldstein, deputy director of the Helicopter Tourism and Jobs Council, was understandably pleased with the deal. “This agreement will allow tour operators to continue providing hundreds of good jobs for New Yorkers and more than $50 million in annual economic impact to the City,” he said. Many question the industry’s economic impact on the city, however. According to Saker Aviation’s annual report, the city collects between $1.2 and $1.7 million each year as part of the concession agreement, or less than .003 percent of the mayor’s proposed 2016-17 budget of $81.7 billion. Among other provisions, the agreement calls for the curtailment of idling by tour helicopters and for active research by the concessionaire for technologies that minimize noise and emissions and promote fuel efficiency. NYCEDC President Maria TorresSpringer praised the deal calling it a “triple win” for residents, the tourism industry, and the city’s transportation infrastructure.

FEBRUARY 4-10,2016

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

YOUR 15 MINUTES

To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to otdowntown.com/15 minutes

Jacquelyn Ottman hauling a bookcase she found on the street.

REFUSING TO WASTE Jacquelyn Ottman reclaims the recycling mantra

BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Each week, the average New Yorker throws away nearly 15 pounds of waste at home and another nine pounds at work, which comes to a staggering 868 pounds per person per year. This is the kind of information gleaned at one of Jacquelyn Ottman’s workshops. A native New Yorker whose family goes back five generations, Ottman has made it her mission to teach others how to adopt a zero-waste lifestyle. J. Ottman Consulting, which she started out of her studio apartment in 1989, advises companies like Kraft, Toyota and Nike on how to market environmentally sound products to consumers. Her expertise is sought after worldwide and she’s been asked to advise the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture. All this work first starts at home. At her building on the Upper East Side, she started a library in the laundry room

with the superintendent using a bookcase they found outside in the trash. Ottman carries this mindset to the office as well. “Another thing I do is write on the backs of paper,” she explained. “That’s all I ever use in the office. I haven’t bought a pad of writing paper in the 25 years I’m in business.”

Give us the stats on New York City waste. We produce 10,000 tons a day of residential solid waste which comes to 3 million tons per year. And there’s another 3 million tons a year of commercial waste. The average New Yorker throws away almost 1,000 pounds per year and that represents 2.2 million tons of carbon generated with greenhouse gases to truck the stuff all over. Some of our waste goes down as far as South Carolina. We’re spending upwards of $300 million a year of New York City tax dollars on waste disposal. And we’re only recycling 16 percent of the waste, which is collected by city workers, which is only half of what the average is in the US. And a lot of people don’t know this, but

we’re incinerating 15 percent.

Tell us about your background in zero waste and green marketing. When I got out of college, between 1977 and 1988, I worked in advertising agencies on Madison Avenue. At one of those agencies, I was asked to do research on a trend that was hot for consumer goods’ marketers. And we picked the environment. So we went to San Pellegrino, for example, and said, “People are concerned about water quality. In the future, they’re going to be ordering bottled water in restaurants. Why don’t you branch out from Italian only to all restaurants? And while you’re at it, introduce San Pellegrinobranded ice cubes because why would you put dirty ice cubes into clean water?” After doing this work for this ad agency for a year and a half, I just said, “I don’t want to do anything else anymore but this.” I had found my calling.

Explain how Mayor de Blasio is planning to achieve zero waste to landfills by 2030. Zero Waste is a diversion goal.

It doesn’t mean you stop generating trash. It just means that whatever you do create, you try to divert it from ending up in a landfill or an incinerator. You want it to keep cycling through the economy in the form or recyclables and compost. So there are a few possible goals for a zero-waste plan. Zero Waste to landfill, Zero Waste to incinerator or Zero Waste to landfill and incinerator. The latter is the ideal. Incineration creates pollution. And though some forms of it produce energy, when you burn garbage that contains recyclables, it becomes a very expensive fuel. So you want to really avoid incinerating garbage if you can. DeBlasio’s plan is a Zero Waste to Landfill plan. It really can’t be a Zero waste to Landfill or Incineration plan right now because we have a long term contract now with Covanta to incinerate part of our city’s trash. Technically, if you have a Zero Waste to Landfill plan you can achieve your goal if you incinerate 100 percent of it. We could do that, like tomorrow, right? Right. But in talking to the DSNY [Department of Sanitation] folks, they say they recognize this, but they really want to achieve the zero-waste goal in the right way, which would be to minimize incineration and to do as much as possible to divert from landfill and incinera-

tion. So their big strategy is to make it as easy as possible for New Yorkers to recycle, which includes composting, so that we capture higher rates of our trash for recycling and composting, hence, curbside recycling and composting pickups, curbside e-waste, clothing pickups and an initiative to look at single stream recycling. Longer term they hope to initiate some kind of ‘Save as you throw’ system to give all New Yorkers an economic incentive to stop throwing away so much trash in the first place and to recycle and compost what they do generate. In a ‘Save as you throw’ plan, typically it would cost residents to put trash at the curb for pickup, but no cost to leave recyclables at the curb. So after these plans go into effect, a lot of folks will start doing a lot more recycling.

Highlight some things you do to reduce and reuse. First of all, I try to run as close to a zero-waste household as I can. So that means that I take my composts to 82nd Street to my local greenmarket. I take all kinds of still-usable items to a thrift store, my local Housing Works. I recycle everything that I can. I try not to bring plastic and non-recyclables into the house. I carry a Ziploc bag with me at all times and that’s what I use as a dog-

gie bag in restaurants so they don’t have to give me all those containers. And whenever I’m at any kind of a party, I take out that doggie bag and bring food home with me and encourage others to do the same.

What are some things that a New Yorker can do who’s never even thought along these lines? First of all, they can learn what goes in the green bins and what goes in the blue ones. They can recycle their waste because we’re only capturing 41 percent of recyclables now. We can increase that. Another thing they can do is bring their own lunch to work and not order takeout. They can get a reusable coffee mug and get 10 cents off at Starbucks if they fill it up. Or they can order coffee to stay, and the coffee will arrive in a real coffee cup. They can also take clothes to a thrift shop. A lot of people think that if an item of clothing is missing a button or has a stain on it, the thrift shop doesn’t want it, but that’s not true. WeHateToWaste.com

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