The local paper for Downtown wn
WEEK OF APRIL
TELLING THE STORY OF AUSCHWITZ ◄ P.12
CITY FERRY DEAL DRAWS SCRUTINY TRANSPORTATION Comptroller Scott Stringer calls for DOT to take charge of heavily subsidized Economic Development Corporation service BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
Mayor Bill de Blasio has touted his administration’s expansion of East River ferry service as an overwhelming success, but the mayor’s signature transportation initiative has drawn criticism in recent weeks for its high costs and contracting process. NYC Ferry launched service in 2017 and now consists of six routes serving Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The de Blasio administration has claimed its expansion of East River ferry service is a means of
The [EDC]’s contract with NYC Ferry operator Hornblower raises serious questions about the exploding costs and liabilities that the City is choosing to absorb, all while handing over millions in revenue to a private contractor.” Comptroller Scott Stringer
The city subsidizes NYC Ferry trips at a ride of $10.73 per ride, a recent Citizens Budget Commission study found. Photo: NYC EDC
18-24 2019
INSIDE
expanding transit options for underserved outer-borough residents, and plans to add two more routes by 2021. But the initiative has drawn criticism from transportation advocates for its high subsidies and low ridership as compared to other forms of mass transit. The Citizens Budget Commission recently found the administration’s ferry program is subsidized at nearly 10 times the rate of the New York City Transit, despite serving fewer passengers per year than the subway system does each day. The program is overseen by the city’s Economic Development Corporation, which hired the San Francisco-based company Hornblower to operate the service. As reported by the recently launched nonprofit news outlet The City, the EDC’s deal
MAPPING PLACARD ABUSE City Council data maps 311 complaints about parking permit misuse, most of which result in no action P. 5
SHOWING UP FOR THE STREET FAIRS With so many businesses shuttered, the face-to-face transactions are welcome P. 8
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
THE JOYS OF MANHATTAN PICKUP SOCCER Some are official teams and leagues, others are pickup teams, just a bunch of random people playing together. And there are some teams in the gray area between the two. They are people who have known each other for long periods of time. People who know each other on and off the field. People who have established relationships based on their mutual love for the beautiful game. People who get together every week at a specific time to meet their teammates and kick a ball around for a few
SPORTS Kicking a ball around with friends is a simple and rewarding pleasure BY TEDDY SON
The NYU Football Club at Pier 40 in 2016, when it all began. The guy in front wearing neon lime shoes is the author. Photo: Courtesy of Teddy Son.
A large rectangular structure that looms over the Hudson River. Within its confines, open to the sky, a great green field, with white pillars of goal posts scattered across the turf. One would be hard pressed to find a hint of green that is unoccupied, however. Dozens of people of different ages and attire are
I wouldn’t say we’re actually teammates, I would say we’re friends. Everyone I play with is my friend.” Antoine Biebuyck, captain of the NYU Football Club spread across the field, like a large herd of sheep. If sheep played soccer, that is. Welcome to Pier 40, Hudson River Park. Almost every soccer team in Manhattan comes to Pier 40 to play.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
CPC PASSES MECHANICAL VOIDS PROPOSAL Critics pan “stunningly weakened” zoning text amendment, which now heads to City Council for review P. 9
THE LESSONS OF DENIM DAY New York teens design and create original fashions as they learn about, and raise awareness of, the global problem of sexual violence P. 15
Downtowner
OurTownDowntown
O OTDOWNTOWN.COM @OTDowntown
Crime Watch Voices NYC Now City Arts
3 8 10 12
Restaurant Ratings 14 Business 16 Real Estate 17 15 Minutes 21
WEEK OF APRIL
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
9-16
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
n OurTownDowntow
COM
Newscheck Crime Watch Voices
for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
2 City Arts 3 Top 5 8 Real Estate 10 15 Minutes
12 13 14 18
CONTINUED ON PAGE
25
We deliver! Get Our Town Downtowner sent directly to your mailbox for $49 per year. Go to OTDowntown.com or call 212-868-0190