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WEEK OF MAY
19-25 2016
JOHNSON OUTLINES STATE OF DISTRICT The councilman emphasized the need for affordable housing BY CRYSTAL WOLFE
Councilman Corey Johnson, left, listens as constituents talk about needs and wants for the district during Johnson’s “West Side Summit” on the High Line May 14. Photo: Crystal Wolfe
In a canopied alcove on the High Line in early afternoon sunshine Saturday, Council Member Corey Johnson discussed the state of District 3, comprising Chelsea, Flatiron and West Village, which he has represented since January 2014. Among other issues, Johnson highlighted the renovations scheduled or taking place at Chelsea Park, Penn South Park, Waterside Park and Pier 40. He also talked about new playgrounds at P.S, 11 and on West 20th Street. But like many of his colleagues and constituents, Johnson highlighted the district’s need for affordable housing, particularly as the Hudson Yards
neighborhood gets built. Johnson last year called for the city’s Rent Guidelines Board to freeze rents for rent-stabilized tenants. The board, for the first time in its 46-year existence, did eventually freeze rents. Johnson said he would advocate for a rollback this year. The board, though, has already proposed raising rents between 0 and 2 percent for one-year leases. “Affordable housing is our community’s greatest need,” Johnson said. Comptroller Scott Stringer, among several officials who attended the summit, agreed. “We have to make sure that New York City stays affordable for the diversity of people who built this city,” Stringer said. Some who attended the summit, however, lamented the abundance
construction in the district. “I used to be able to sit on my fire escape and watch the fireworks off the Hudson River and now all I see is big buildings,” said Tom Creacy. “I wonder if there will come a day when all we have of old New York City is two rocks for people to visit and the new New York City will only be skyscrapers.” Among the other officials who also addressed the roughly 250 constituents attending the event were Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Congressman Jerry Nadler, State Senator Brad Hoylman, former Council speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn, and Public Advocate Tish James. City Schools Chancellor Carmen
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NOOKS AND CRANNIES’ CHELSEA PEDIGREE Samuel Bath Thomas set up shop in what is today know as “The Muffin House,” and a pricey co-op BY RAANAN GEBERER
“Have you seen the muffin man,” the childhood rhyme goes, “who lives on Drury Lane?” The real muffin man we’re talking about may or may not have once lived on Drury Lane, but he definitely did business in Chelsea. He was Samuel Bath Thomas, founder of Thomas’ English Muffins. His muffins are famed for their “nooks and crannies” — the ridges and small depressions in
the muffins’ texture. Thomas came to the U.S. from England in 1874. In 1880, using a recipe he had brought with him, he set up his first bakery at 163 Ninth Ave., which today bears a plaque announcing as much. Thomas originally pitched his new product to hotels and restaurants, rather than to the general public, according to the “Daytonian in Manhattan” blog. He initially delivered his muffins by pushcart, and later on by horse-drawn delivery wagons. Of course, these
The “Muffin House,” or second Thomas’ English Muffins bakery, at 337 West 20th St. Photo: Raanan Geberer
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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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