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WEEK OF MAY
2-8 2019
INSIDE PEERING INTO THE PAST Daguerreotypes from the mid19th century capture ancient wonders of the world. P. 8 Julie Menin, Director of the Census for New York City, at the Supreme Court last week. Photo: Courtesy of Office of the Census for New York City
A TOOL TO HURT US
TURNING THE PAGE ON BOOKBOOK West Village independent bookstore to close after 35 years. P. 18
Through traffic on 14th Street will soon be restricted to buses, trucks and emergency vehicles. Photo: Michael Garofalo
VIEWPOINT Two NYC officials say the possibility of a Census citizenship question has already caused damage BY JULIE MENIN AND BITTA MOSTOFI
Last week, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in United States Department of Commerce v. New York, better known as the “Census citizenship case.” The City of New York, along with the New York State Attorney General and several other states and cities, is a plaintiff to the case — and for good reason. The central issue in this case could rob New York’s already-
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L TRAIN SLOWDOWN COMMENCES TRANSPORTATION What riders need to know about changes on 14th Street as MTA undertakes major tunnel repair work BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
Six-and-a-half years after Hurricane Sandy inundated the Canarsie Tunnel with seven million gallons of salt water, corroding critical electrical components and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority last week began
I am pleased that there will be bus priority on 14 Street, as well as deliveries, and that the nearly 30,000 riders who use the M14 route will move quickly to and from their destinations.” Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer
extensive repair work on the East River tubes that will disrupt transit patterns along the L train corridor for more than a year. Commuters and transit officials who spent years planning for the impacts of construction — initially preparing for a total shutdown of the tunnel but then making last-minute adjustments after longstanding plans were abruptly scrapped in favor of a partial shutdown at the direction of Gov. Andrew Cuomo early this year — experienced their first taste of the L train’s new normal April 26 as updated subway schedules with reduced off-peak
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WOMEN, MEN AND THE RACE TO 100 The very old are overwhelmingly female. How genetics and hormones play key roles. P. 2
NURTURING BROADWAY’S NEXT HITS Hal Brooks is the link between two Tony-nominated plays. P. 21
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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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