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WEEK OF MARCH A CULT FAVORITE ◄ P.12
7-13 2019
EVEN MORE CONGESTION QUESTIONS
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TRAFFIC
SOMETHING NEW AT THE HIGH LINE ▲ P.2
State lawmakers could pass congestion pricing by the end of the month. What would it mean for Manhattanites? BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
More than half a century after policymakers first proposed congestion pricing as a tool to ease Manhattan’s traffic woes, and after numerous failed attempts to enact a plan in the ensuing decades, 2019 could well be the year congestion pricing finally crosses New York’s legislative goal line. A plan put forth by Governor Andrew Cuomo would impose a toll on vehicles entering a central business district encompassing all of Manhattan south of 61st Street, with the exception of the FDR Drive. The toll, in combination with the recently introduced surcharge on trips below 96th Street in taxis and other for-hire vehicles, would create a new stream of dedicated revenue for the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Cuomo — whose plan now has the support of Mayor Bill de Blasio, a longtime congestion pricing skeptic — is pressing Albany lawmakers to approve congestion pricing by the April 1 state budget deadline. In addition to funding sorely needed transit improvements, advocates say a congestion toll would serve as a disincentive against unnecessary car trips, turning away drivers who would otherwise clog Manhattan’s most crowded streets, resulting in smoother bus service and reduced travel times. But questions abound.
‘POTVIN SUCKS!’ RANGERS FANS SAY – FOR 40 YEARS ▲ P.8 Piles of residential trash awaiting collection are a top quality-of-life concern for downtown residents. Photo: Daniel X. O’Neil, via flickr
CUTTING DOWNTOWN’S TRASH LOAD STREETS A new report details strategies for reducing the volume of residential waste on Lower Manhattan streets BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
It’s a ubiquitous, but most unwelcome feature of the downtown streetscape. Alongside Lower Manhattan’s iconic Belgian block pavers, public art and centuries-spanning mix of architectural styles ... is the sidewalk-clogging mountain of garbage.
As Lower Manhattan’s population has nearly tripled over the last 20 years, rising from roughly 23,000 pre-9/11 residents to over 62,000 today, piles of trash impeding pedestrians on the city’s oldest, narrowest streets have become an ever more common sight. “More people living here means more garbage out on the streets, and it’s become an increasing quality-oflife concern,” said Jessica Lappin, the president of Downtown Alliance. A new guide prepared by Downtown Alliance seeks to educate residents, building owners and property managers about best practices and
free city resources that can reduce the number of trash bags put out on Lower Manhattan sidewalks each night. The guide encourages residential buildings to enroll in the Department of Sanitation’s three voluntary waste diversion programs for compostable organics, electronic waste and textiles. Because DSNY collects these materials separately from trash and recycling, enrolling in these programs helps reduce the amount of waste put out at the curb and also has environmental benefits. The ser-
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WEEK OF APRIL
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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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for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
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GRAYING NEW YORK ▲ P.9
LOOKING FOR A KOSHER- GLUTEN-FREE BABKA?▲ P.16
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