The local paper for Downtown wn
WEEK OF MAY
BRAVE NEW FASHIONS
18-24
◄ P. 12
2017
DINING FOR DOLLARS INVESTIGATION Where Manhattan politicians court donors and raise campaign cash BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
The intersection of Whitehall Street with State Street and Water Street in the Financial District includes an “exclusive pedestrian phase” signal that stops traffic for pedestrians in all directions. Photo: Michael Garofalo
DANCING IN THE STREETS? SAFETY DOT to study “pedestrian scramble” crossing model at dangerous intersections BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
Pedestrian safety advocates are hoping that a new law will bring an old way of crossing the street back into vogue. If the legislation’s supporters get their wish, pedestrians walking diagonally from corner to corner while vehicles are stopped in all directions could soon become a common sight at some of Manhattan’s busiest intersections. Legislation passed unanimously by the City Council last week requires the Department of Transportation to explore the implementation of Barnes Dance crossings at high-crash intersections. Under the Barnes Dance crossing model, also
The path to grasping and retaining political power in New York City has long plowed through such sumptuous and moneyed Manhattan haunts as the Regency and the Harvard Club, the 21 Club and the Union
League Club, Jean Georges and Il Mulino. It still does, of course. Pols will always court the uber-rich and venture into their lairs for donations. No sea change has taken place. Probably, it never will. For all his down-with-the plutocrats posturing, even Mayor Bill de Blasio is not immune from their blandishments. In fact, his reelection campaign held a private fundraising event at the Robert De Niro-owned Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca in March 2016, spending $1,895 at the restaurant, according to its filings with the city’s
To see the interactive map, read this article on otdowntown.com.
commonly referred to as a pedestrian scramble, traffic signals include a phase that halts vehicles in all directions, allowing walkers to cross intersections as they please. “One in four of the crashes that kill or seriously injure people happens in the crosswalk when the pedestrian or the bicyclist has the right of way,” Council Member Helen Rosenthal, one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a telephone interview after the legislation was passed. “As I learned about the different street engineering ideas, the Barnes Dance stood out as something that could make a real difference addressing exactly this problem.” The Barnes Dance takes its name from Henry Barnes, who served as New York City’s traffic commissioner in the 1960s and implemented the signal pattern
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Maureen Eng Campaign Finance Board. Then last November, it paid $266 for an unspecified political meeting at Keens Steakhouse, the eatery at 72 West 36th Street, founded in 1885, that still boasts of the old-line conservatives like J.P. Morgan
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DOWNTOWN ESTABLISHMENTS USED FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES
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You can raise money just as easily at a humble diner as you can at a four-star restaurant.”
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1. Les Halles 2. Barleycorn Craft Bar & Grill 3. Gee Whiz Diner 4. Tribeca’s Kitchen 5. Amazing 66 6. Joy’s Flower Pot 7. City Hall Restaurant 8. Greenwich Hotel 9. City Winery 10. Le Philosophe 11. Astor Wine & Spirits 12. Il Mulino 13. Il Cantinori 14. Balade Restaurant 15. Good Stuff Diner 16. The Brass Monkey 17. Brooks Brothers Red Fleece Café
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 GRAPHICS: CHRISTINA SCOTTI; MAP DATA: GOOGLE MAPS Downtowner
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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
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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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Newscheck Crime Watch Voices
for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
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