The local paper for Downtown wn
Summer Guide 2019
WEEK OF MAY
23-29 2019
INSIDE
‘POISON PARKING LOT’ PROTEST
DAFFODILS AND ALLERGIES
John Lindsay, the only other sitting mayor to have left City Hall for the presidential campaign trail, wasn’t gone for long.
The buds may be in full bloom, but your nose shouldn’t be, P. 2
VITAL SIGNS This his year, he Whitney the iennial takes Biennial he temperature the off a country in urmoil. P. 10 turmoil.
ENVIRONMENT A company’s plans to develop a contaminated site near two schools and the South Street Seaport meet fierce resistance at rally BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
A coalition of parents, activists and residents rallied together Thursday at the South Street Seaport to protest Howard Hughes Corp. over its plans to break ground on the site of a former thermometer factory, running the risk of exposing the community and school children to mercury. The site, a parking lot, takes up an entire city block on Water Street and sits at the doorsteps of both Peck Slip School and the private Blue School. The protestors, galvanized by local mothers of Children’s First NYC, fear that disturbing the area will unleash toxins into the air.
Health Threat for Students “The mother lode of mercury is in here,” said Elaine Kennedy, director of the board of nearby South Bridge Towers and a chair of Seaport Planning and Preservation, at the rally. “Once we open this site up, we expose this entire community.” At the demonstration, which took place outside the Howard Hughes Corp. building at the Seaport, children held up signs stating, “Mercury poisons kids,” “Leave the lot alone,”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at a May 13 event in Trump Tower in Manhattan, days before he announced his presidential campaign. Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography
RUNNING FROM NEW YORK POLITICS Mayor Bill de Blasio joins the tradition of NYC politicians who have tested presidential waters BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
With his announcement last week that he would seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, Mayor Bill de Blasio followed in the footsteps of a long line of fellow New York politicos who have had designs on occupying the Oval Office over the last half century — without much suc-
cess to speak of. In seeking to translate political victories in the nation’s biggest city to triumph in the Electoral College, de Blasio hopes to buck both history — no former New York City mayor has won any federal office, much less the presidency, in over 150 years, and no mayor of any city has ever ascended directly from City Hall to the White House — and the current prevailing sentiment in his hometown, where one recent poll showed he has the approval of just 42 percent of city residents. Mayor de Blasio will find little reason to be encouraged by the ex-
amples set by his forebears. John Lindsay, the only other sitting mayor to have left City Hall for the presidential campaign trail, wasn’t gone for long — he withdrew from the 1972 primary race after failing to earn more than seven percent of the vote in any of the first four contests. De Blasio, whose intermittent feuding with Gov. Andrew Cuomo has parallels to Lindsay’s rivalry with his Albany counterpart Nelson Rockefeller (who himself
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
CB8 MEMBER CLASHES WITH DEVELOPER A CEO insisted he wasn’t lying when he said there were no plans for two UES sites. P. 22
SLEEPOVER AT THE SUPREME COURT Camping out before oral arguments in the Census citizenship question case. P. 6
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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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MAY 23-29,2019
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
SIGNS OF SPRING: DAFFODILS AND ALLERGIES HEALTH The buds may be in full bloom, but your nose shouldn’t be BY ROSHNI NAIK, MD
The story is the same every spring — this could be the worst allergy season of all time. It sounds alarmist, but there’s some truth to the idea. As the climate gets warmer, tree pollen becomes more prolific. So for the person who may be suffering for the first time, or for the seasoned allergy-fighting pro, here’s some news you can actually use. First of all, an allergic reaction is caused by your body’s immune system overreacting to harmless things such as pollen, dust or molds. These elements are considered “allergens,” and the body treats them as foreign and reacts by producing substances that cause allergic symptoms. Typical seasonal allergens include pollen from trees, grass, and weeds. Year-round allergens include mold spores, house dust mites, cats, dogs, cockroaches, and rodents. Anyone who suffers from allergies knows the symptoms:
• Runny, stuffy and/or itchy nose • Loss or change of sense of smell • Draining in the back of the throat • Cough • Itchy, watery and/or puffy eyes You know how you feel, but how do you find out what you are allergic to? Getting tested by a board certified allergist can help in finding which allergen is triggering your symptoms. Testing can be done by a skin prick test or blood test. An allergist can find out which test is appropriate for you. In the skin prick test, a tiny drop of extract of an allergen is pricked into the skin; if you are allergic to the allergen, expect a small swelling at the site of the prick. A reaction occurs within 15 minutes. In the blood test, blood is drawn and sent to a lab to identify allergies by blood work.
Treatment Options To treat allergies, the first step is avoidance. Keep the windows closed when pollen counts are high and try to stay indoors as much as possible, especially when pollen counts peak at midday. Use air conditioning when you are at home or in your car; outdoors, wear sunglasses or a hat to keep pollen out of your eyes.
The next step is medication. There are a variety of over-the-counter options. For your nose, there are intranasal corticosteroids, which are local topical steroids that work by reducing inflammation in nasal tissues. They are effective in treating nasal allergies and can help with nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and itching. They may take several days to become effective, so daily use can improve symptoms. There are also oral antihistamine tablets that block the effect of histamine, which is a chemical substance released during an allergic reaction. These pills can help with sneezing and runny nose symptoms. Keep in mind, some of these medications may cause drowsiness, but second generation antihistamines, such as loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), levocetirizine (Zyzal), have less drowsiness than the first generation antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and doxylamine (Vicks and Nyquil). For your itchy and watery eyes, there are a variety of allergy eye drops that can help. Eye drops usually contain antihistamines but may also include decongestant medica-
EAST SIDE COASTAL RESILIENCY PROJECT
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE WůĞĂƐĞ ƐƚŽƉ ďLJ ƚŽ ůĞĂƌŶ ŵŽƌĞ ĂďŽƵƚ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ƉůĂŶƐ ĨŽƌ ŇŽŽĚ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƟŽŶ ĂůŽŶŐ DĂŶŚĂƩĂŶ͛Ɛ >ŽǁĞƌ ĂƐƚ ^ŝĚĞ ĂŶĚ ƉůĂŶŶĞĚ ƉĂƌŬ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚƐ͘ ŝƚLJ ĂŐĞŶĐŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ƚĞĂŵ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ƚŽ ĞdžƉůĂŝŶ ĂŶĚ ĂŶƐǁĞƌ ƋƵĞƐƟŽŶƐ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞĚ hŶŝĨŽƌŵ >ĂŶĚ hƐĞ ZĞǀŝĞǁ WƌŽĐĞĚƵƌĞ ;h>hZWͿ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ͛Ɛ ƌĂŌ ŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂů /ŵƉĂĐƚ ^ƚĂƚĞŵĞŶƚ ; /^Ϳ͘ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐĞĚ ƚŽ ĚƌŽƉ ŝŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ KƉĞŶ ,ŽƵƐĞ Ăƚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĐŽŶǀĞŶŝĞŶĐĞ͘
Wednesday June 5, 2019
Thursday June 6, 2019
4:00-8:00 p.m.
2:00-8:00 p.m.
WĞƚĞƌ ŽŽƉĞƌ sŝůůĂŐĞ͕ ϯϲϬ &ŝƌƐƚ ǀĞŶƵĞ ʹ >ŽǁĞƌ >ĞǀĞů ; ŶƚƌĂŶĐĞ ĞĂƐƚ ƐŝĚĞ ŽĨ &ŝƌƐƚ ǀĞŶƵĞ Ăƚ ϮϭƐƚ ^ƚƌĞĞƚͿ
The facility is wheelchair accessible. Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese and Fujianese interpreters will be present. For special needs assistance, please call (718) 391-2411 or email resiliency@ddc.nyc.gov.
Visit us at our website: www.nyc.gov/escr
Twitter: @NYClimate
tion, which constrict blood vessels in the eye, so don’t use them if you have glaucoma. Oral (pseudoephedrine) and nasal decongestants (oxymetazoline) alone are not recommended for treatment of allergic rhinitis, but they can be used in conjunction with other allergy medications for short periods of time. Using nasal decongestant sprays (which are different from corticosteroid sprays) for more than a few days can rebound and cause swelling of nasal tissue with prolonged use. Also, you should avoid oral decongestants if you have high blood pressure. Other therapies you may try include saline sinus rise in a rinse bottle or a neti pot. This method physically removes thick nasal mucus in the nasal passageways. Make sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions in preparation of the neti pot, and avoid using unfiltered tap water.
Shots and Immunotherapy For some allergy sufferers, over the counter medications may not be enough. For such patients, allergy shots or allergy immunotherapy can be beneficial. Allergy immunotherapy is a long-term treatment that
The immune system treats pollen, dust and mold as foreign and reacts by producing substances that cause allergic symptoms. Photo: Steven Strasser
consists of injections of increasing amounts of diluted allergy extract under the skin of the arm. Your immune system gets used to the allergen and does not overreact when exposed to it in the environment. Allergy shots have been shown to decrease symptoms in nasal allergies, eye allergies and asthma. Please be sure to see a board certified allergist to learn more about allergy immunotherapy and to answer any other questions you might have. Roshni Naik, MD is an assistant professor of medicine (Clinical Immunology and Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) at Mount Sinai Beth Israel
NORTHERN MANHATTAN STUDY OF METABOLISM AND MIND
NOMEM The purpose of NOMEM is to learn more about how blood sugar and other factors relate to the brain and mental abilities of persons living in Northern Manhattan. We are seeking your help to conduct this study. You are eligible to participate if you: x Live in Manhattan or the Bronx x Are between 60 and 69 years of age x Are able to do an MRI and a PET scan of the brain Participation will include these activities: 1. Questionnaires 2. Blood tests 3. A brain MRI 4. A brain PET scan with contrast We will compensate your time for participating in these 4 activities with $350. We will also give you the results of important blood tests.
PLEASE CONTACT US @ 212-305-4126, 646-737-4370, LS960@CUMC.COLUMBIA.EDU
MAY 23-29,2019
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG RANDOM HEADBUTT ATTACK
STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st precinct for the week ending May 12
A 41-year-old man told police that he was walking at corner of Fulton and Dutch Sts. on Saturday night, May 11, when an unknown man came up and headbutted him on the nose, causing pain and bruising. Police said the attacker also forcibly removed the victim’s food stamp card, MasterCard and New York State ID from his right sock before fleeing in an unknown direction. Police searched the neighborhood but did not find the attacker. The victim was taken to New York Downtown Hospital for treatment.
Week to Date
ARREST IN SUBWAY ASSAULT According to police, at 5:15 p.m. on Monday, May 6, a man on a southbound 4 train struck a 38-yearold male passenger in the face with an umbrella, breaking the victim’s glasses and causing pain and swelling. The incident occurred at the Bowling Green station, police said. Mulique Chavis, 38, was arrested soon after at the South Ferry station and charged with assault.
2019 2018
% Change 2019
2018
% Change
Murder
0
0
n/a
1
1
0.0
Rape
1
2
-50.0
5
9
-44.4
Robbery
3
3
0.0
21
24
-12.5
Felony Assault
6
3
100.0
33
21
57.1
Burglary
1
1
0.0
52
24
116.7
Grand Larceny
16
21
-23.8
324
367
-11.7
Grand Larceny Auto
0
0
n/a
5
5
0.0
witness told police the attacker was often seen in that location between the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr
BASHED OVER THE HEAD Not all was golden at the golden arches recently. At 7:50 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, a 55-year-old man was sitting in the McDonald’s at 157 Chambers St., police said, when an unknown man approached and struck him with one of the metal poles the
restaurant uses to designate lines for customers. The assailant then fled the scene on foot. The victim sustained bruising and a laceration to the top of his head. He was treated at the scene and taken to Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital for further treatment. Police searched the area but did not find the supect. A female
GET LOW
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MAY 28 - AUGUST 27
EVERY TUESDAY
WEEKLY DOWNTOWN DINING DEALS
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$20K HAUL FOR SAINT LAURENT SHOPLIFTERS A female employee of the Saint Laurent store at 80 Greene St. told police that, on Sunday afternoon, May 12, two men entered the store and removed items of merchandise while a third man waited outside the store and acted as a lookout. According to the police report, the two men then
left the store without paying and all three men fled north on Greene St. A search of the neighborhood proved fruitless. The stolen items included a Betty bag valued at $1.950, a Python Betty bag priced at $2,190, another Python Betty bag selling for $3150, a Python Sunset tagged at $2,490, three Sunset wallets on chains totaling $1,950, two medium Sunsets amounting to $2,350, a medium Sunset Exotic selling for $3,150 and two large Sunset bags priced at $2,590, making a total haul of $19,820.
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MAY 23-29,2019
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MAY 23-29,2019
MAYOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 sought the Republican presidential nomination three times), will seek to the avoid the spillover of provincial politics onto the national stage. City issues became a liability for Lindsay on the campaign trail, as a group of disgruntled Forest Hills residents, protesting plans for a low-income housing project in their neighborhood, followed the mayor to Florida to heckle him at a campaign event. Lindsay was also hampered by concerns over partisan loyalty, having departed the Republican Party and registered as a Democrat just a few months before announcing his bid for the party’s nomination. His example perhaps served as a cautionary tale to Michael Bloomberg, himself a former Republican who toyed with the idea of an independent bid in 2016 and considered running as a Democrat in 2020. “I believe I would defeat Donald Trump in a general
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com election,” Bloomberg wrote in a column earlier this year announcing his non-candidacy. “But I am clear-eyed about the difficulty of winning the Democratic nomination in such a crowded field.”
Referendum on America’s Biggest City That more than 20 other Democrats had already launched their 2020 campaigns did nothing to dissuade de Blasio from leaping into the fray — after much equivocation — with his May 16 campaign announcement video, in which he cast himself as a champion of the working class. Seen in one light, New Yorkbased presidential bids can serve as something resembling a referendum on national attitudes toward America’s biggest city — recall Sen. Ted Cruz’s ultimately fruitless attacks on Donald Trump’s “New York values” in Iowa during the 2016 campaign, which echoed the insinuation that Al Smith’s “urban values” as a Catholic governor of immigrant-rich New York put
him at odds with the interests of rural voters in 1928. In launching his presidential campaign, Rudy Giuliani sought to capitalize on his reputation as “America’s Mayor” and New York City’s positive post-9/11 image, but much of that luster seemed to have faded by the time of his 2008 bid for the Republican nomination. After a torrid start fundraising and in national polls, which he led for months in the pre-primary early going, Giuliani was swiftly humbled once actual voting began. He dropped out before Super Tuesday without so much as sniffing victory in a single primary state, doomed in part by conservatives’ unease with his multiple marriages and his history of liberal-for-aRepublican stances on issues like abortion and gay rights. The same questions of conservative conscience that dogged Giuliani proved all but irrelevant eight years later when Trump, Giuliani’s former constituent and future client, crushed the GOP primary field en route to the nomina-
tion and the presidency. The incumbent president de Blasio hopes to unseat, while a fellow New Yorker, is unquestionably the product of a different Gotham milieu than the others on this list”H.
“Hamlet on the Hudson” Bloomberg’s flirtations with the presidency evoke the epic indecision that tortured Mario Cuomo — who during his governorship was twice pressed by top Democrats to campaign for the party’s nomination. Cuomo, buoyed by his keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention, was widely seen as a frontrunner in 1988 and 1992, but he declined to run in both instances. (Cuomo fils may well be biding his own time for a potential presidential bid in 2024 or beyond. The governor has already thrown his support for 2020 behind Joe Biden, and many observers believe Cuomo would have run had the former vice president opted to sit out.) The elder Cuomo’s “Hamlet on the Hudson” moniker was
cemented after he famously held a press conference mere hours before the ballot deadline for the 1992 New Hampshire primary to announce that he wouldn’t enter the contest due to an ongoing state budget crisis. “It seems to me I cannot turn my attention to New Hampshire while this threat hangs over the head of the New Yorkers that I’ve sworn to put first,” Cuomo told reporters in the Capitol as the chartered plane that was supposed to whisk him to the Granite State idled on a nearby runway. Mayor de Blasio kicked off his presidential bid last weekend with a jaunt that brought him to campaign stops in Iowa and South Carolina. If the mayor can meet polling and campaign finance qualifications set by the Democratic National Committee, he’ll head to Miami for the first Democratic presidential primary debate on June 26 and 27. To advance, he’ll need to best his more than 20 competitors — and overcome the dismal legacy of his political predecessors.
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MAY 23-29,2019
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SLEEPOVER AT THE SUPREME COURT BY MIREYA NAVARRO
I’ve never camped overnight in line to see anything — not for the Rolling Stones or Prince, not for Black Friday or iPhone sales, not for Harry Potter books or Hamilton tickets. But one night last month I found myself in a sleeping bag on a sidewalk in Washington, D.C. I did it for the hottest ticket in town — oral arguments before the United States Supreme Court in Department of Commerce v. New York, a case challenging the Trump administration’s plans to add a question about citizenship to Census 2020. It wasn’t even 10 p.m. and the line had already grown to about two dozen people. First up on the sidewalk was a bearded man who said he was a Census Bureau demographer but declined to give his name. He said he had been camped out by the
hedges since 1 p.m. to be sure he’d make it inside the court chamber the next morning. The Census Bureau has a constitutional mandate to count every person in the country, citizens and noncitizens alike. Its research shows that a question about citizenship will prompt many people in immigrant communities to avoid filling out the census form. New York stands to lose Congressional seats and federal funds if there’s an undercount, so it is leading the charge to prevent it. I work for the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, which filed an amicus brief opposing the question and supporting the states and other opponents in the case. Only the first 50 people in the public line were guaranteed a spot inside. Brennan Center researcher Brianna Cea and I had planned to tough it out, armed with lounge chairs and sleeping
bags, ear plugs, eye mask, neck pillow, PowerBars and water. Cea, along with Brennan Center counsel Thomas Wolf, had written the definitive history of the citizenship question, published in the Georgetown Law Journal, and she was hoping the research would be cited during the arguments. I just wanted to see the justices in action. So did the law students and the nonprofit interns, the court buffs, the tourists and the people who had hired sitters — at $40 an hour — to wait in line for them. We were the hardcore, the Navy SEALs of Mission SCOTUS, unlike the lawyers resting in comfortable beds at the nearby Capitol Hill Hotel because they had their own, much shorter “bar line” they could join in the morning. Outdoors, few of us slept. Even in the dead of the night it wasn’t quiet, with clanking and from a construction site
NOT SO FAST ON THE SAFE STREETS ADVISERS BY BETTE DEWING
First, hear this, I mean, please, hear this — no one is more troubled than this longtime traffic safety advocate to learn from this paper’s story “Council To Move on Vision Zero’s Checklist Bill” (May 1622 ) that pedestrian and cyclist deaths have spiked this year. But should the bicycle advocacy group Transportation Alternatives (TA) be the primary adviser on how to make the streets safer? Gotta say it, city bicycling is such a dangerous traveling mode. And to qualify as an adviser, shouldn’t TA be more concerned that city cyclists habitually run red lights, ride the wrong way, fail to yield
to pedestrians when making a turn — and ride on walkways? And instead of pointing out that bicycles rarely kill pedestrians — tell that to Donna Sturm’s family — shouldn’t it acknowledge that unreported injuries result from all of the above trafficlaw breaking? And admit former police commissioner Ben Ward was right when he said “Lawless biking is scaring the public to death!”
Two-Wheeled Anarchy How can the pro-bike forces call themselves safe-streets advocates when they ignore this two-wheeled street anarchy, now compounded by the electric scooter invasion? How can they not stress the need
for on-site Yield to Pedestrian signs – to raise awareness of vehicle operators and also the police to this foremost cause of pedestrian injury and death. Repeat that please. And If only they’d demand street cameras that catch those who fail to yield as well as speeders. Then they’d qualify as primary advisors along with this longtime traffic safety activist that is. And, of course, pedestrians must obey the laws of the road — Stand back! Wait for light! — and get ticketed if we don’t! But the Department of Transportation (DOT) instead calls for redesigning the streets, which takes time and funding. But why this plan for more bike lane
across the street. It wasn’t comfortable, with the sleeping bag offering little respite against the pavement. It wasn’t even dry, despite clear skies; the sprinklers on SCOTUS’ lawn came on shortly after 3 a.m., waking half of us up and sending us scurrying to escape the spray. I walked back to the hotel, about ten minutes away, where I, too, had booked a room. It became indispensable for bathroom runs, to download video for social media and to power the phone. At some point the birds started chirping. We welcomed the morning daylight wet and unwashed, a sharp contrast in our sneakers and backpacks with the smartly dressed lawyers who started lining up at dawn. “How’d the night go?” Wolf texted at 4:54 a.m. “Can you see the lawyers’ line?” Yep. The lawyers had started showing up early while our protection when bikers often ride the wrong way and speed through red lights at the cross streets? Crossing there is both stressful and risky. So is entering or leaving cars, taxis or delivery trucks parked on the outer lane. Plan to overcome these dangers instead. Ah, if only the safe streets advisers would call for bike registration, license plates, accident insurance and a riding test. And yes,call for bikes to make a nice little sound for their safety and those sharing these high-density streets.
More Speed Cameras Vision Zero came about because parents devastated by their children’s traffic deaths demanded the city do something to stop the street carnage. And the mayor so thankfully listened and Vision
Voices Mireya Navarro (left) and researcher Brianna Cea of the Brennan Center. Photo courtesy of Mireya Navarro
line had extended to include more than 100 people. Things started moving quickly after 7:30 a.m. A guard ushered the two lines to the plaza in front of the Supreme Court and handed us tickets — Cea and I made #31 and #32. We high-fived each other and took selfies against the white marble backdrop. We got inside and were told to wait in the cafeteria, where we had a celebrity sighting. There, in the flesh, was Justice Elena Kagan. “Is that Justice Kagan?” I blurted out to Cea. Kagan heard me and gave us a beatific smile before disappearing behind a side door.
The SCOTUS line continued upstairs, where we were led to coin-operated lockers to unload our belongings — and then past a security line into the relatively small court chamber framed by marble columns. We sat in the back but had a view of the bench. At 10 a.m., some 12 hours after we’d found our spot in line, the court was in session. The justices took to their chairs (Hi, RBG! Go get ‘em, Justice Sotomayor! Thinking of you, Justice Brennan!), and just as promptly the camper to my right nodded off. Now we all wait for the decision, expected in late June, in the comfort of our own beds.
Zero was born. It would have happened sooner if all traffic tragedies had mattered. But there is an age bias problem. The media reports this past week that more speed cameras are thankfully going up around schools, but why only around schools? The governor may need reminding. “There is an old Italian saying that goes that there are two things in life that will never leave you, the eye of God and the love of a mother,” he said in his Mother’s Day message. “Today I send all my love to my mother, Matilda Raffo Cuomo, my family’s rock, and I wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers across this great state. To all the mothers in New York, once again, we thank you and are grateful for all that you do. I was lucky to celebrate Mother’s Day with my three wonderful
daughters too.” And he added: “Earlier today my mother joined me to expand camera speed zones in New York City. Every mother and parent wants to protect their children from harm’s way and this new bill will do just that by reducing traffic fatalities.” But please use the word “tragedies,” governor. And consider that your mother wants speed cameras everywhere to also protect her adult son and adult granddaughters. Again, the cameras must also report those who fail to yield. That’s what mothers forever want most,their offspring’s safety and well being. And indeed they should be primary advisers on whatever will bring that about! dewingbetter@aol.com
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MAY 23-29,2019
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
PARKING LOT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and “Not on our watch.” The coalition has received backing from activists and politicians including activist and state committee member Christopher Marte, Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou and city Comptroller Scott Stringer. “The health and safety of our city’s children and local communities is paramount to a sustainable future,” Stringer said. “Any development that is planned for 250 Water Street must have a robust remediation plan that seeks to determine the true extent of all harmful chemicals that may be present at or around the site.”
Community vs Corporation Last year, the Howard Hughes Corp. purchased the lot for $180 million from Milstein Properties, which had tried and failed to develop the site over several decades. The company has not submitted any plans for development to the city, but it has applied to be included in the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program after finding contaminates in the soil. The program is typically used to revitalize economically blighted communities, incentivizing private-sector cleanups with tax credits. The community, however, does not want the developer to be approved until it has submitted plans for the lot and the site has been thoroughly reviewed and tested by an outside third party. The group does not have confidence in the Howard Hughes Corp. as they feel it has so far misled the community and concealed its intentions. “Why can’t we trust HHC to put children first?” asked Megan Malvern, a co-president of the PTA at Peck Slip.
Michael Cramer, a steering committee member of Save Our Seaport and a public member of Community Board 1, addresses the rally. Photo: Emily Higginbotham
The mother lode of mercury is in here.” Elaine Kennedy, chair of Seaport Planning and Preservation “Because they lied to us. They misled the community from the start.” When Howard Hughes Corp. tested the site, results showed mercury and petroleum in the soil. But Malvern said they didn’t directly test the areas where the thermometer factory buildings had been, a location plotted by one of the mothers involved in the protest. In addition, Malvern
said, the company did not adequately assess the type of chemicals found in the soil. “Why didn’t they find out about elemental mercury?” Malvern asked the nearly 200 people in attendance at the rally. “It’s expensive and really hard to clean up. Nearly impossible. If you don’t find it, I guess you don’t have to clean it up.”
The Developer Responds Cristina Carlson, the Howard Hughes Corp.’s vice president of corporate communications and public relations, said in a statement that the developer is committed to the safety and wellbeing of the Seaport neighborhood, and its remediation plans are part of that commitment. “It is critical that the extent of the site’s contamination is
determined, especially given its complex history, so that we can fulfill our responsibility to prepare a comprehensive and expert remediation plan,” Carlson said. The company, Carlson said, has initiated the process of planning the investigation that must take place prior to creating a remediation plan. She said the developer wants the process to be transparent. Additionally, residents fear that Howard Hughes Corp. are planning to build a 70-plus-story structure at the lot, which is not within the architectural context of the Seaport. In 2003, a rezoning effort set the limit at 12 stories, but the developer owns substantial air rights at nearby properties that could be transferred to 250
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Water Street through a rigorous process and community board approval.
A Quick and Safe Cleanup Community Board 1 sent a resolution to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which runs the Brownfield program, stating that it did not want the
Howard Hughes Corp. to be included in the program until the details of the company’s plans for the lot were made public and approved. “We’re not anti-development by any means, but we certainly understand that the project should not move forward until it’s ready to move forward,” said Michael Cramer, who is a steering committee member of Save Our Seaport and a public member of the community board. Cramer said the community wants a quick and safe cleanup process and a development that is within the context of the historical neighborhood. “We don’t want them to dig a big hole and for them to leave it empty for a year or two through the zoning process or while they’re trying to transfer air rights,” he said. At this time, the DEC is still reviewing the 250 comments it received from community members regarding the Brownfield application. “In response to community concerns and the number of public comments received for this application, DEC will provide the public with a summary of all comments received that responds to all comments and questions,” an agency spokesperson told Straus News. The agency said it had expected to make the decision as early as March, but two months later it’s unclear when the decision will come.
8
MAY 23-29,2019
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND
thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY
Calendar NYCNOW
24th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts
FRIDAY, MAY 24TH-SUNDAY, MAY 26TH Theater for the New City | 155 First Ave. | 212-254-1109 | theaterforthenewcity.net Over 70 groups put on more than 270 performances, with troupes running from Chinese Theaterworks to the National Yiddish Theater to the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers. This year’s theme is 2020 Vision—Save Our Planet, Save Our Country (free).
Discover the world around the corner. Find community events, gallery openings, book launches and much more: Go to nycnow.com
World Science Festival: We Will Be Martians
WEDNESDAY, MAY 29TH, 8PM NYU Skirball Center | 566 LaGuardia Pl. | 212-998-4941 | nyuskirball.org Who will be the first human settlers of Mars? How will they survive a barren world? As we mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, explore the challenges—technological, physiological, and psychological—of sending humans to Mars; complete with vivid 3D imagery ($39).
Just Announced | Naomi Wolf: Outrages
THURSDAY, JUNE 20TH, 7PM The Strand | 828 Broadway | 212-473-1452 | strandbooks.com Best-selling author Naomi Klein talks about her new book, Outrages: Sex, Censorship, and the Criminalization of Love, which traces a lost thread of gay history: the 1857 English litigation which began decades of state repression, spreading quickly to the U.S. ($15 gift card/$30 signed copy).
For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,
sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.
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EDITOR’S PICK
Sat 25 BUTTERFLY: STORYTELLING FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF BEING A GOOEY MESS Subculture 45 Bleeker St 8:00 p.m $14 subculturenewyork.com 212-533-5470 Tami Sagher invites performers she loves to tell stories she’s never heard before. Just like the Moth, except the performers are booked, there are no judges and they are allowed to bring notes on stage.
Thu 23
Fri 24
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CULTURE CONNECTIONS
WHAT THE HELL?!
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The Magnet Theater 254 West 29th St 8:30 p.m. $10 You are invited on a journey through Hell! Carmelita is in charge of Hell while her father, Satan, is on vacation. Her secret plan to revamp Hell is derailed when her lab is exposed and an unexpected miracle causes Satan to cut his trip short. Written and performed by Veronica Venture. Directed by Joanna Simmons. magnettheater.com 212-244-8824
The Whitney 99 Gansevoort St 10:30 a.m Free with museum admission Get creative in the Whitney’s Hearst Artspace! Join us to make your own art inspired by works on view in current exhibitions. Each week we offer a different art making project. whitney.org 212-570-3600
National Museum of the American Indian 1 Bowling Green 2:00 p.m. Free Touch, investigate, inquire and learn. Objects and images tell profound stories. Join Cultural Interpreters as they share objects and narratives in our galleries. Gain a deeper understanding of history, culture, and art from hundreds of Indigenous nations in North, Central, and South America. americanindian.si.edu 202-633-6644
MAY 23-29,2019
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MAY 23-29,2019
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
VITAL SIGNS
IF YOU GO WHAT: Whitney Biennial 2019 WHERE: Whitney Museum of American Art 99 Gansevoort St WHEN: Through Sept. 22 www.whitney.org
This year, the annual exhibition at the Whitney blends the voices and visions of 75 artists in a show that takes the temperature of a country in turmoil
Ilana Harris-Babou’s “Reparation Hardware” is one of three videos by the artist in the 2019 Biennial. Photo: Adel Gorgy.
BY MARY GREGORY
The 2019 Whitney Biennial is beautiful. It’s not the most provocative, radical, assertive, or declarative Biennial in memory, but it’s stunning. It’s got an open, airy feel, and is filled with vibrant, compelling works that invite the viewer into conversations without imposing themselves. That’s not to say it’s not serious, challenging and of the moment. It is. It’s diverse and engaging, comprised of works largely by women and artists of varied experiences and viewpoints, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and physical abilities. Sevnty-five artists are presented, for the most part clustered into groups of three to four works per artist. Set up as kind of mini-solo shows, they give a sense of the artists’ approaches and voices across bodies of work. It allows for in-depth communication, and gives a sense of what each artist can do. Generous wall texts add explanations and the curators’ interpretations, making them accessible to all.
The State of American Art ... Co-curators Rujeko Hockley and Jane Panetta traveled the country for 18 months to take its artistic vital signs. Their introductory statement discusses the deep divisions they found, along with artists who are working out “political and aesthetic strategies
Jeffrey Gibson’s elegant, ebullient “People Like Us” hangs aloft, welcoming visitors to the 2019 Whitney Biennial. Photo: Adel Gorgy.
for survival. Although much of the work presented here is steeped in sociopolitical concerns,” they state, “the cumulative effect is open-ended and hopeful.” Collage plays a starring role, as do fiber arts, sculptures made of found objects, symbols and things that stand in for languages. Surprisingly, there is not a lot of technology. Rather, Hockley and Panetta state that they encountered a turning away from the digital and a return to the handmade. One piece that touches both technology and the handcrafted is Nicholas Galanin’s “White Noise, American Prayer Rug.” The Tlingit/Unangax artist’s weaving recalls Chilkat blankets, with dangling wool fringes and rough, textural weave. But here, rather than abstracted spirit figures, there’s a representation of a screen filled with pixilated white noise. Ancient forms joined with oversized screens suggest a change in language,
and what’s been lost. Also referencing language is Gala Porras-Kim’s “La Mojarra Stela illuminated text.” Porras-Kim alludes to colonialism, communication, and the accessibility (or lack thereof) of the past. She paints characters of EpiOlmec text discovered on a stela in the 1980s that remain undeciphered, yet are prominently displayed in a museum in Mexico. In front of the canvas is a rotating disk meant to recall divination bowls. Mystery embedded in a once expository text makes an interesting statement. Maia Ruth Lee’s steel glyph, “Labyrinth,” communicates through a language of rusted, disused shapes. It fills one large wall with a kind of visual semiotics and brought to mind the Barnes Foundation’s displays of door hinges and locks alongside modern masterpieces.
And the American Dream Tomashi Jackson’s layered,
has a new big flagship store around the corner from the museum, as a kind of muse or lens through which to think about different aspects of the idea. When they come out with new design lines, they have these promotional videos with the designer maybe in front of a waterfall talking about where he finds inspiration. So I’m that designer but I’m designing reparations for African Americans. It’s about an admission of history being a failure, rather than someone buying an authentic thing from and old farmhouse and saying history is a success. It’s a kind of wanting for the past to be finished or resolved and the comfort that comes along with that. But then there’s a bubbling up of the realization that isn’t true. It’s not resolved.”
A Reflection of Who We Are
Paintings by Keegan Monaghan and Simone Leigh’s bronze sculpture “Stick.” Want to see more of Leigh’s work? Take a walk up the High Line to her installation “Brick House.” Photo: Adel Gorgy.
colorful, elegantly balanced collages sing with a voice I want to hear more from. In “Third Party Transfer and the Making of Central Park,” she’s discussing opportunities in housing through imagery suspended from a sheltering urban awning. Her found objects, shopping bags, texts and images invite with beauty and reward those who enter. Ilana Harris-Babou presents a trio of videos that riff on corporate advertising while
exposing harmful business practices and the deceptive nature of nostalgia. I spoke with her about “Reparation Hardware,” one of about her works. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the American dream and the ways we try to find authenticity or community or absolution by buying nice things,” said Harris-Babou. “For these three videos I’m taking Restoration Hardware, which is a high end furniture design company that
Resolution is far from the theme of this year’s Biennial. Questions, memories, history, hegemony, self-affirmation, probing and protest are among its subjects. From Jeffrey Gibson’s ebullient banners sharing materials and influences from his heritage (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Cherokee) to Christine Sun Kim’s series of pastel drawings “Degrees of Deaf Rage in Everyday Situations,” each work has the ability to strike a chord with every viewer. The artists have made their statements. It’s our turn to listen. In paintings, drawings, videos, sculptures, performance and more, in an exhibition that’s diverse, Intelligent, passionate and compassionate, at times belligerent, but hopeful, the 2019 Whitney Biennial looks a lot like us.
MAY 23-29,2019
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Summer Guide
BY CHRISTOPHER MOORE
Delve into the city summer.
2019
Be a tourist in your own town. You might as well join the fun, since the rest of the world is
coming. Especially this year, when 2019 marks the arrival of World Pride, a celebration of the Stonewall uprising of five decades ago. That won’t be the only game going. This is the season when the steamy streets offer fairs, events, culture, tunes, trips and many surprises. New Yorkers know, too, that this is when, with the neighbors off on that European getaway or at their country house, it’s the best time to nab the corner table at a favorite restaurant. Our annual summer guide mixes the big-time, big-city events and cultural offerings with the little things that lifers love about Manhattan, from the ceramics class for the teenager in your life to the Ecuadorean food cart in your favorite park. You can have small-town summer moments without ever leaving the nation’s biggest city. Here’s how.
MAY 23-29,2019
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
FAIRS AND EVENTS
PRIDE GOES GLOBAL
GET â&#x20AC;&#x153;P â&#x20AC;&#x153;POWERâ&#x20AC;?
WORLDPRIDE
RUBIN MUSEUMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BLOCK PARTY
June 1-30 Costs vary, including free events 2019-worldpride-stonewall50.nycpride.org
June 21, 21 1 to 4 p.m., West 17th Street between Sixth and an Seventh Avenues Free rubinm rubinmuseum.org/events/event/power-playblock-p block-party-07-21-2019
Whoopi Goldberg is slated to headline the opening ceremony for WorldPride 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but then the action moves in many ways to Manhattan. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a whole monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of events to mark the 50 years since the Stonewall uprising. Expect rallies, parties, lectures and then, on the last Sunday in June, the annual NYC Pride march.
This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yea Rubin Museum Block Party comes with the label â&#x20AC;&#x153;Power Play.â&#x20AC;? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the theme of a yearlong yearlon exploration of the power that dwells within people p and between them. Art-making activitie activities are expected. And there will be guided meditat meditation and a chance to create a portable lamp with LE LED lights.
CROSSROADS CUISINE TASTE OF TIMES SQUARE
ART OUTDOORS OU
June 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. 46th Street, between Broadway and Ninth Avenue Free admission. Food items range from two to six tickets, with tickets costing $1 each. timessquarenyc.org/seasonal-events/tasteof-times-square
WASH WASHINGTON SQUARE OUTD OUTDOOR ART EXHIBIT May 25 25-28, June 1 and 2 Free wsoae.o wsoae.org Twice a year downtown art lovers get a sidewalk show to remember. So do tourists, New York Universi University students and faculty, and anyone who happens to walk around these lucky, lively streets. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t isn all in Washington Square Park. Instead, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on University U Place, starting at East 13th Street aand continuing south along the east side of Washin Washington Square Park to West 3rd Street.
If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to hold an annual food and music festival, why not do it in the middle of the universe? The Taste of Times Square boasts some of the theater districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best and most famous dining options. Already signed up: Le Rivage (French), Barbetta (Italian) and Toloache (Mexican). Go hungry.
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MAY 23-29,2019
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
MOMA’S MOMENTS
AN ITALIAN MIX
DELOREAN’S BACK
“ABEL FERRARA UNRATED” FILM RETROSPECTIVE
“OPEN ROADS: NEW ITALIAN CINEMA”
“FRAMING JOHN DELOREAN”
Through May 31 Adult film admission: $12 moma.org/calendar/film/5065
Film at Lincoln Center June 6-12 Tickets: $15 for general public filmlinc.org/daily/lineup-announced-foropen-roads-new-italian-cinema-2019
Bronx-born film talent Abel Ferrara found fame with flicks like “King of New York” and “Bad Lieutenant,” but this Museum of Modern Art retrospective goes deeper, and shows early works and documentaries. With “Mary” on May 30, Ferrara shows an actor, a filmmaker and a producer engaging with biblical figures in the modern world.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center is no more. But have no fear: the longstanding movie portion of Lincoln Center’s programming simply got a new moniker: Film at Lincoln Center. On June 6, the annual presentation of Italian movies arrives with “Piranhas,” a look at violent young men drawn into the world of the Napoli mafia. Slated, too, is a healthy dose of documentary film, including “Selfie” and “The Disappearance of My Mother.”
LIBRARY AS SCREENING ROOM “SPOTLIGHT” SHOWING Mid-Manhattan Library @ 42nd Street, Program Room Wednesday, May 29 at 2 p.m. Free nypl.org/events/calendar “Spotlight” won the Best Picture Oscar in 2016. Now the dramatic re-enactment of the Boston Globe’s reporting on the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church becomes part of the Wednesday movie matinee series at the New York Public Library. The New York Public Library sometimes doubles as a movie theater. Photo: Christopher Moore
Adult tickets: $16 Opens June 7 ifccenter.com/films/framing-john-delorean He upended the auto industry a generation ago. Now John DeLorean’s the subject of a new movie with power, politics, drugs and scandal. And Alec Baldwin’s in the title role. Will it be wild and wonderful, or not? Find out at IFC Center next month.
MOVIES
MAY 23-29,2019
FOOD AND DRINK
MUSIC OPERA OUTDOORS METROPOLITAN OPERA SUMMER RECITAL SERIES June 10, 2019 at 8 p.m. Free SummerStage, Central Park, Rumsey Playfield cityparksfoundation.org/events/themetropolitan-opera-summer-recital-series10/?date=20190610 The City Parks Foundation has unveiled a summer’s worth of musical highlights. One highlight: the Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series brings Nathan Gunn, Ying Fang and Ben Bliss to perform for park goers at Rumsey Playfield. Doors openn at 7 p.m.
CHITA RIVERA AT FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW OW 254 West 54th Street May 27 through June 3 Tickets: $75 and up a54below.com/events/chitarivera-2 ying This time Chita Rivera is playing yet another great role: Chita Rivera. Back by popular demand at dary Feinstein’s/54 Below, legendary Broadway performer Rivera takes the audience through some of her famous stage moments, including tunes from “West Side Story” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”
OLD SCHOOL, NEW SUMMER
(VERY) HAPPY HOUR
CANALETTO
COCU
208 East 60th Street canaletto-new-york.sites.tablehero.com
26 Carmine Street cocu.nyc
The old-school Italian mainstay may be jammed during Christmas week, but during the summer you probably have a better shot at scoring a weekend table. The warm service makes East Siders feel like they’re in their living rooms — but fresh pastas remind us that the cooking’s better.
Rotisserie chicken somehow seems more interesting once you eat it at the Cocu’s sidewalk café, which is all set for summer. Owner Christian Ternoir offers a happy hour special, which means $4 beer, $6 wine and the Froze alcoholic beverage, which mixes rosé with lemon juice and grapefruit juice.
ESSENTIALLY FRENCH
In Riverside Park, a Taste of Ecuador awaits visitors near recreational facilities. Photo: Christopher Moore
CHITA!
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PRIDE TUNES “MANNING THE CANON: SONGS OF GAY LIFE” The Center, 208 West 13th Street June 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25 gaycenter.org/manning-the-canon Here’s a tuneful take June’s Pride celebrations. The “Songs of Gay Life” creates a portrait of gay life through song, featuring a quartet of talented singers. This one’s cosponsored by the New York Festival of Song and 5 Boroughs Music Festival.
RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL JUNE 18 THROUGH 29 Free lmcc.net/river-tolmcc.net/river-to-river-festival Yoko Ono is among tthe artists participating in this year’s River to R River Festival, a downtow downtown array of events at variou various locations. One idea behi behind this year’s festival: thi thinking about “what arises w when we all slow down.” O Ono’s “The Reflection P Project,” for instance, will appear in “nontraditional spaces” and encourage viewers to sstop and engage with tthe work. This particular pro project is expected to appea appear at 28 Liberty, the Fulton Tra Transit Center, the Oculus at the WT WTC Transportation Hub and the Seaport S District. Chita Rivera is returning to Feinstein’s/54 Below. Photo: Laura Marie Duncan
CHEZ NAPOLEON
A PARK’S PLACE
365 West 50th Street cheznapoleon.com/index2.html
A TASTE OF ECUADOR FOOD CART North of 96th Street within Riverside Park
Can’t make it to Paris to walk the beautiful boulevards on a summer night? Then walk west on 50th Street for this theater district treat. Romantic, too. Tip: don’t annoy the waitress by acting like a phone-addicted suburbanite. Demonstrate some class to go with the classic cuisine. Also, order the soufflé early in the evening so they can get started.
If it’s summer, it’s the season for Guillermo Rivera to set up shop in Riverside Park. He’s not far from the soccer fields and the tennis courts, and you can enter the park at 103rd Street and head down to what turns out to be a fine, inexpensive Ecuadorean restaurant. Okay, it’s a cart. But try the tamales and you’ll see — taste, actually — that they are seasoned perfectly. Rivera promises to be on the scene — unless it’s raining.
THEATER AND DANCE CENTRAL TO OUR SUMMER FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK Delacorte Theatre, Central Park Free publictheater.org/Programs--Events/ Shakespeare-in-the-Park What would summer in the city be without Shakespeare in the Park? Here’s hoping we never find out. Instead, appreciate that Tony-Awardwinning director Kenny Leon is putting together a modern take on “Much Ado About Nothing.” That’s from May 21 through June 23. Then from July 16 through Aug. 11 another Tony winner, Daniel Sullivan, directs the more rarely produced “Coriolanus,” last seen here in 1979.
TONY QUEEN, BACK ON THE BOARDS “FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE” Broadhurst Theatre, 235 West 44th Street Tickets: $59 and up frankieandjohnnybroadway.com Some cities shut down the theaters during the summer. You don’t live in one of those places. Instead, you can welcome Audra McDonald (six Tony awards!) and Michael Shannon to Broadway’s lineup this summer, with the dynamic theatrical duo’s version of Terrence McNally’s romantic and funny/sad play, “Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune.”
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER AT LINCOLN CENTER DAVID KOCH THEATER, 20 LINCOLN CENTER PLAZA June 12-16 Tickets: $29 and up alvinailey.org Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, the famous Alvin Ailey troupe makes a sevenperformance summertime jaunt to Lincoln Center. On tap for this engagement: a world premiere by Darrell Grand Moultrie, a special program honoring Carmen de Lavallade and a one-night-only Ailey Spirit Gala benefit celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Ailey School.
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
RIVER VIEW
A ROCKIN’ DAY TRIP
HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM
THE ROCKAWAYS
511 Warburton Avenue Yonkers, NY Adult tickets: $7 www.hrm.org
ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/ route/rockaway
On its website, the Hudson River Museum insists it’s the only museum in Westchester County “that offers art, science and history.” That mix makes for a compelling day trip, especially since the Hudson River remains one of the region’s great gifts — and worth taking a trip north to reflect on.
MAY 23-29,2019
DAY TRIPS
Oh, the Rockaways — the way that New Yorkers get away without actually leaving New York City. The $2.75-per-ride NYC ferry via the Hornblower company now links lower Manhattan with the Rockways, where food trucks find fame and the mix of relaxing and gritty remains a draw for visitors of all ages.
YOUR BACK YARDS CELEBRATE SAGAMORE SAGAMORE HILL $10 for Theodore Roosevelt Home nps.gov/sahi/planyourvisit/ basicinfo.htm The National Historic Site asks visitors to check in at the Old Orchard Museum before visiting the home of President Theodore Roosevelt. Sagamore Hill is perfect for a daytime jaunt, a place where history and natural beauty come together. It’s easy to see what the 26th president loved about the property, where tours teach about his “summer White House” and the land surrounding it.
HUDSON YARDS hudsonyardsnewyork.com Do you live there or is Hudson Yards a trek from your building? Either way, this is your first summer with Hudson Yards, the massive really-West-Side development. Tour the Shed, see a show, have a drink and do battle at the mall that arrived after we were told that malls are dead. Decide for yourself about the controversial architectural choices and whether it’s just too windy as you walk over there.
President Theodore Roosevelt’s home makes for a great day trip. Photo: John McGerr, via flickr
ROAD TRIPS BRUCE’S SPIRITUAL HOME
GOOD(SPEED) TIMES
ASBURY PARK, N.J.
THE GOODSPEED IN EAST HADDAM, CONNECTICUT
There are so many Asbury Parks — the one that Bruce Springsteen sang in, the one the gays discovered and made hip. But there’s also a diverse, compelling, good-eats-here city with an independent bookstore and plenty of coffee shops. A new-ish hotel, The Asbury, has become a focal point, but some of the Jersey magic was there all along, waiting to be discovered. A great place to walk and rest and see the tide roll in.
Tickets: $29 and up goodspeed.org
The beach at Asbury Park, a lively summertime destination. Photo: Christopher Moore
A theater-lover in need of a getaway? Try lovely East Haddam, Connecticut, home to the famous Goodspeed Opera House. Through June 20, the musicaltheater proving ground features “The Music Man,” a legendary musical on its way back to Broadway next year with Hugh Jackman. You can see it without Jackman here, but you’ll have cute, romantic bed-and-breakfasts within a short distance of the Goodspeed’s two different stages. “Because of Winn Dixie,” a new musical about a stray dog’s impact on a small town, opens June 28.
City Hall in Philadelphia, where history and urban culture meet. Photo: Christopher Moore
PHILADELPHIA CITY HALL 1400 JOHN F. KENNEDY BOULEVARD, PHILADELPHIA Tower tour: adults, $8 Interior tour: adults, $15 visitphilly.com/things-to-do/ attractions/city-hall
You can look outside from this historic structure, or take an interior tour. Or both. Why bother? Well, it’s a stunner. And Wikipedia says that Philadelphia’s City Hall was the “tallest habitable building in the world until 1908.” (Would Wikipedia lie?) Your visit here is a perfect excuse to wander Center City Philadelphia.
MAY 23-29,2019
HEALTH AND WELLNESS TAKE A HIKE
A MEMORIAL MEMORY
SUMMER STREETS
FREE MEMORIAL DAY WALKING TOUR
August 3, 10 and 17, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/ summerstreets/html/home/home. shtml Park Avenue and Lafayette Street will be closed, creating a uptown-downtown playground for walkers, runners and bikers. Expect, too, family activities and cultural options. The seven-mile route will have five rest stops, drawing an expected 300,000 people. The biggest draw may be streets without traffic — a simple concept that makes for a magicc morning. On the Sunday morning of Memorial Day weekend, a special walk will kick off at the Flatiron building. Photo: Ceriel Boosveld, via flickr
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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
STAYING FIT STAY WELL EXERCISE FOR SENIORS June 3, 10 and 24 at 2 p.m. Free Kips Bay Library, 446 Third Avenue www.nypl.org/events/ programs/2019/06/03/stay-well-exerciseseniors
Flatiron building meeting location: 23rd Street, just east of Fifth Avenue Free May 26 at 11 a.m. flatirondistrict.nyc/event/default/ event/item/16 event/item/1638 How are you pla planning to spend the Sunday of Mem Memorial Day weekend? Miriam Berman Berman, the author of “Madison Square: Squ The Park and Celebrate Landmarks” and Its Celebrated a postcard book called “New W and Images,” York in Word lea a 90-minute will lead walki tour. The walk, walking title “From Decoration titled Da to Memorial Day,” Day un underscores the history be behind Memorial Da One stop: Worth Day. M Monument, where p presidents and foreign d dignitaries have stopped t honor those who to have served in war.
The city’s Department for the Aging links up with the library system. Whoever thought the library would be the place for fitness? But those over 50 are welcome to participate in these chair-based exercise sessions.
SENIORS FATHER’S DAY TWIST
WEST SIDE AND SPIRITED GODDARD RIVERSIDE AND LINCOLN SQUARE SENIOR CENTERS goddard.org/grcc/programs/olderadults/ seniorcenter Free to those 60 or older, the senior centers at
INTER-GENERATIONAL FATHER’S DAY TOURNAMENT Goddard Riverside and Lincoln Square draw more Recreation Center 54, 384 East 54th Street June 14, 8 a.m.-noon nycgovparks.org/events/2019/06/14/intergenerationalfathers-day-tournament At this tennis tournament, it’s three-on-three with a difference: each team must have at least one player age 62 or above. Join the fun and join the fray. Sign up today by emailing Daniel.Wilkes@parks.nyc.gov.
than 3,000 members, reflecting the diversity of the population being served. The centers offer services that help seniors remain independent, like help with forms and applications. There’s also a huge social aspect, with breakfast, lunch, films and trips available to participants. Check the online calendar to see the summer activities slated.
Congratulations to the Class of 2019
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MAY 23-29,2019
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
KIDS
GET WET
CERAMICS FOR TEENS
“DYNAMIC H20” EXHIBIT
92ND STREET Y CLASSES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Children’s Museum of Manhattan 212 West 83rd Street Through September, weather permitting Children and adults: $14 cmom.org The museum’s water exhibit makes its seasonal return. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan calls this “the hot place for children to cool off.” It’s also educational, with children learning about how water cycles begin up in the clouds. Fun and discovery come together at the museum’s Sussman Environmental Center. Kids learn about water — and get up close — at a summertime exhibit. Photo courtesy of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Cost: from $372 for seven sessions 92y.org/class/ceramics-13-17-yrs She usually teaches ceramics to younger kids in her 92nd Street Y classes, but Nadine Sobel is excited about this summer. She wants the teenagers she will be working with to engage in projects that are inspired by their own interests and personalities. “If they love Harry Potter, they can do a Harry Potter-related project,” she says. She sees clay as “soothing and calming,” but admits it can be a challenging skill to learn. Another goal for the young people she teaches: “I’m hoping it will help them slow down and be in the moment.”
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen is known for feeding New Yorkers in need. Photo courtesy of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
FOOD AND MUCH MORE HOLY APOSTLES SOUP KITCHEN The Church of the Holy Apostles 296 Ninth Avenue holyapostlessoupkitchen.org
VOLUNTEER AN INSTINCT FOR ANIMALS
PASSIONATE ABOUT PARKS
FIGHTING HUNGER
SOUP’S ON
ANIMAL CARE CENTERS OF NYC
RIVERSIDE PARK GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY
MONDAY DINNER AND FRIDAY LUNCH PROGRAMS
39 Broadway foodbanknyc.org/volunteer
Unitarian Church of All Souls, 1157 Lexington Avenue mondaynighthospitality.org
Manhattan: 326 East 110th Street, between First and Second Avenues nycacc.org/get-involved/volunteer No room for a pet in the apartment? Animal lovers who can’t adopt — and even those who have — can carve out time to help the city’s always overwhelmed pet care system. The official Volunteer Program of Animal Care Centers of New York City has helpers interact with the animals, whether that means taking a walk or improving animal-human relationships through interaction. A minimum of six hours a month is require to participate in the program — and foster homes are needed too.
riversideparknyc.org/volunteer There’s a piece of trash nestled in a bush in a city park. Along comes a hands-on parks advocate, someone who volunteers to pick up garbage. The trash is gone. The feeling of having helped remains. This plays out in all city parks. In Riverside Park, the Grassroots Volunteer Program comes in three categories: individuals, groups and the teen corps. Choose your own time commitment, since the program also has weekly, monthly and annual volunteer events.
The Food Bank for New York City says right away on its website that it could never help 1.5 million New Yorkers without the volunteer commitments made citywide. There are ongoing opportunities, like helping to prepare or serve meals, along with seasonal programs. And then there are unusual ways of helping, like helping a New Yorker to prepare his or her taxes.
Every weekday at Holy Apostles, the soup kitchen provides more than 1,000 meals. The cafeteria-style lunches are just part of the outreach to people in need, including social services support and workshops. A famous writers workshop was started back in 1994 by Ian Frazier. Those helping with the meals do everything from greeting, serving, bussing and preparing bag lunches to playing the piano.
FINDING YOUR NICHE NYC SERVICE NYCservice.org
The idea is to present restaurantworthy meals to people who need them. At All Souls, volunteers serve 400 meals on Mondays, with servings at 6:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., and then there’s lunch for 325 on Friday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. To help with the Monday dinners, email nancyellisyates@gmail.com; for the lunch rush, contact info@ fridaysoupkitchennyc.org. With both initiatives, the emphasis is on creating an atmosphere of dignity and respect.
The city has come up with a place to go when you cannot quite decide how to help. Those with a passion for doing their part can head to NYC Service, where the goal is to connect volunteers with nonprofits, businesses and national service efforts. As the slogan goes: “8.6 million New Yorkers. Together, service each other.” It’s a kind of clearinghouse of good intentions, matching city denizens to the organizations they are meant to assist.
MAY 23-29,2019
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
CUNY SUMMER SESSION THIS SUMMER, GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT CHOOSE FROM THOUSANDS OF COURSES AT 25 COLLEGES ACROSS NYC
CUNY.EDU/SUMMER
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MAY 23-29,2019
Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com
RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS MAY 8 - 14, 2018
Ciao For Now
521 East 12 Street
A
The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml.
The Third Man
116 Avenue C
A
Boulton & Watt
5 Avenue A
A
Sweet Generation
130 1st Ave
A
Loverboy
127 Avenue C
A
Turks & Frogs
323 West 11 Street
A
Indo Chine
430 Lafayette Street
A
St. Tropez Wine Bar
302 W 4th St
A
Fish Bar
237 East 5 Street
A
Attraversa
1416 Bedford Street
Phebes
359 Bowery Street
A
Joe
9 East 13 Street
A
Grade Pending (38) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 1 Avenue
A
Maman
2 Gansevoort St
2 Bros Pizza
32 St Marks Place
A
Cafe Mocha
116 2 Avenue
A
Finnerty’s
221 2 Avenue
A
Grade Pending (21) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Dos Toros Taqueria
137 4 Avenue
A
Phil’s Pizza West Village
226 Varick Street
A
Risotteria Melotti
309 East 5 Street
A
Frankies 570 Spuntino
570 Hudson Street
A
Bequ Juice
350 E 9th St
A
Wallflower
235 W 12th St
A
The Copper Still
151 2nd Ave
A
Dunkin Donuts
175 Varick St
A
Bagel Bob’s
51 University Place
A
Think Coffee
73 8 Avenue
A
The Bean
824 Broadway
A
Rivoli Pizza II
501 Hudson St
Panera Bread
10 Union Square East
A
Roast Kitchen
870 Broadway
A
Tender Greens
900 Broadway
Grade Pending (33) Food not cooked to required minimum temperature. Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Not Yet Graded (35) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
Village Pizza
65 8 Avenue
A
Hector’s Cafe & Diner
44 Little West 12 Street
Grade Pending (42) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Brass Monkey
55 Little West 12 Street
A
Bayard’s Alehouse
533 Hudson Street
Grade Pending (27) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
Cinema Village
22 East 12 Street
A
Taco Bell, Pizza Hut Express
18 East 14 Street
A
Milon Bangladesh & Indian Restaurant
93 1 Avenue
A
Laut
15 East 17 Street
Grade Pending (40) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Starbucks
518 Hudson Street
A
Ono Bowls
33 E 8th St
Grade Pending (29) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution
Chipotle Mexican Grill
200 Varick Street
A
55 Bar
55 Christopher Street
A
Fay Da Bakery
321 6 Avenue
A
Mighty Quinn’s BBQ
75 Greenwich Ave
A
V-Bar & Cafe
225 Sullivan Street
A
Savor Por Favor
157 2nd Ave
A
Mott Corner
58 Kenmare Street
A
Tea Drunk
123 East 7th Street
A
Rabbit Club
124 Macdougal St
A
Yankee Pizza Restaurant
181 Avenue C
A
Dominique Ansel Bakery
189 Spring Street
A
Three Seat Espresso
137 Avenue A
A
Springbone Kitchen
90 W 3rd St
Very Thai
186 Avenue B
Grade Pending (8) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Grade Pending (18) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Giano
126 East 7 Street
A
Jr’s Pizza & Brew Corp
95 Macdougal St
A
MAY 23-29,2019
CB8 MEMBER CLASHES WITH DEVELOPER DEVELOPMENT A CEO insisted he was not lying when he said there were no plans yet for two UES sites BY JASON COHEN
The Community Board 8 Housing Chair did not buy what a developer was selling last week. On May 14, Gary Barnett, the CEO and founder of Extell Development, one of the largest real estate developers in the city, spoke at the CB8 Housing Committee meeting, where he said he had no plans yet for two First Avenue sites, one between 79th and 80th streets and another between 85th and 86th streets. Housing Chair Anthony Hartzog said Barnett’s vagueness was familiar. “I have heard so many developers come in front of me and say ‘Economics changed and I had to do this.’ I hate to be the cynic in the room. I’d love to be optimistic.” Demolition has already begun for the buildings between East 79th and 80th streets, and permits have been filed to demolish the buildings between East 85th and 86th Streets,
No Guarantee While Barnett and his company have many properties throughout the city, including the Lucida on Lexington Avenue and the Kent on Third Avenue, Hartzog feels the developer is misleading the public. “Everything you said today is not sworn under oath, and there’s no guarantee you [Barnett] will do any of it,” Hartzog said to Barnett. An angry Hartzog charged that Barnett definitely has plans, and noted that the more height a building has the more variances and zoning it will require. “Do I think he has substantial plans?” he said. “You wouldn’t be a good businessman if you didn’t have plans. In about nine or 10 months you will be back
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in front of us and you will be asking for a variance or you will be asking for a zoning change.” According to Hartzog, the zoning laws and regulations are so complex that only land use attorneys and developers like Barnett can understand them. Essentially, he said, developers have a way of mincing words and making the public think they are appealing to them. Barnett, caught off guard, defended himself. “I am telling you once again, and people that know me know me not to be a liar, that we don’t have plans yet,” he said.
“A City of Skyscrapers” Throughout the evening, residents suggested schools, affordable housing, day care centers, mom and pop stores and a grocery store for the two sites, all of which Barnett said he was open to. The two primary concerns raised were parking and the height of the buildings. Many people, including Regina Ford of 50 East 81st Street, wanted to know if there is a limit on how tall these buildings could be. Barnett said that whatever is eventually built at the two sites will be in character with the neighborhood. “I don’t think this building will be out of context with the surrounding buildings,” said Barnett, who pointed out that buildings on both sides of East 79th Street are between 350 and 400 feet tall. “New York City has been a city of skyscrapers for hundreds of years,” he said. To address and alleviate parking from the buildings at the two sites, Barnett said he would do a traffic study to determine if parking garages at the sites would be needed.
A New School? One of the main suggestions from the committee and residents was a new school at one or both sites. Barnett said he has had ongoing discussions with Council Member Ben
SIP THE BLACK DIRT dirt
Council Member Ben Kallos said any new building on the east side should have a school. Photo: Courtesy of NYC Council photographer William Alatriste
Kallos about this issue. “It’s up to the board of education, really,” Barnett said. “They have to have the budget and they have to be willing to spend the money. They have to realize they are in a very expensive district. The Upper East Side is deserving of quality schools.” Kallos, who wants schools at both of the sites, told Our Town that he has spent the past five and a half years trying to get enough seats in the district for children. “We don’t have school seats and it is a crisis,” Kallos said. “Unless we work with our developers who are putting up these buildings, it’s going to be impossible to get the seats that are needed.” Since his election to the council in 2014, Kallos said, he has made a commitment to meet with developers, not to ask for campaign money, but to work with them to get new schools. One of the more accommodating developers has been Barnett, he said. Kallos credited Barnett with helping to open a pre-k at 95th Street and Third Avenue last year. “Any new building in the east side should have a school,” said Kallos. The council member explained that his office has secured $93 million from the School Construction Authority, which can be used during the next five years. The problem is that schools on the Upper East Side cost much more than that, which is why developers like Extell can play a role. “Gary has been very responsive to me,” Kallos said in a phone interview. “He’s been very responsive to the community. I think it was good that he came to the community so early in the process.”
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MAY 23-29,2019
Neighborhood Scrapbook
Re-Material Wall in the park on West 111th Street. Photo: Leander Knust
CLIMBING IN BILLY JOHNSON PLAYGROUND On May 14, the Central Park Conservancy celebrated the installation of the final part of its reconstruction of Billy Johnson Playground near the East 67th Street entrance to the park. The addition was a rustic net climber, which expands upon the playground’s original design by the landscape architect M. Paul Friedberg. The Billy Johnson Playground is popular for its 45-foot granite slide, nestled into a rocky hill. The new structure uses climbable cables and nets on
sloped embankments, with stairs, platforms, slide and a rope bridge. It is designed for 2- to 5-year-olds, but may appeal to older children as well. “The use of rustic timber throughout the playground references the surrounding park landscape,” said Christopher J. Nolan, the Conservancy’s chief operating officer and chief landscape architect. This is the 14th playground to be comprehensively rebuilt by the Conservancy.
Photos courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy
ART WALL IN THE PEOPLE’S GARDEN COMMUNITY Morningside Heights native Leander Knust’s installation finds a home on West 111th Street BY JASON COHEN
A community garden in Morningside Heights is now home to an art installation by one of its own. On May 18, a welcoming ceremony was held for the Re-Material Wall by Leander Knust at the West 111th Street People’s Garden. Knust, 27, lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, but spent the first 10 years of his life in Morningside Heights. His work reflects an interest in growth and decay, and he uses methods that demonstrate the process of change. Additionally, Knust is fascinated with the intersection between technology and nature. “This feels very close to home,” he told the West Side Spirit. “I never predicted life to have a full circle like this. It’s such a nice honor.” The piece, which took four months to make and will be on display for a year, is made up of steel, reclaimed pipes, old floor boards, copper piping from old plumbing, glass jars, electrical wiring, solar panels and trumpet parts. Re-Material Wall uses energy from the sun to slowly decay copper piping, growing it into crystalline,
coral-like forms. The sculpture, standing nine feet tall and ten feet long, at first glance looks like a large outdoor bookshelf. A steel frame supports five pine shelves that hold forty jars. Each jar contains a copper plating solution of copper sulfate and water. Also in each vessel, a cathode wire suspends a copper object while an anode wire resting at the bottom collects the copper molecules that are carried by the electrical current. The current is supplied by a forty-watt solar panel at the top of the unit that will divide its total wattage evenly amongst the jars. The process is very slow and only functions at a very low wattage; just one volt per jar, less than the output of a watch battery. As electricity travels in the same fractal path life uses to expand, the accumulated molecules tracing this path look like biological growth. Knust began electroforming copper corals by accident in 2016. After an experience hiking in upper Michigan, during which he found a raw pure copper nugget, he decided to try and re-naturalize this material. After trying to copperplate stones and sticks with no success, he left the system running for two weeks as he went on another hike. Knust returned to discover his first copper coral. Through a few years of experimentation and failure, he figured out how to power a successful process
via solar energy and drew up the first sketch of Re-Material Wall. The wall was originally on display in Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City from October 2018 to March 2019. Socrates awards grants to emerging artists and two years ago, Knust was a recipient. When his time in LIC was up, his choices were to scrap the wall or find it a new home. Fortunately, he was able to find the latter in Morningside Heights. “The 111th Street People’s Garden is somewhere I used to go and spend time there as a child,” Knust said. “I have a lot of memories with my family and friends in the neighborhood. I went to the garden and it just felt like the perfect environment to have the sculpture.” He recalled how he was once chased by a peacock right near the garden as a child. Knust met with the gardeners at the park and they were receptive to having the sculpture there. Ultimately, the wall symbolizes the ever changing culture and dynamics in New York City. “The garden itself has been this resilient community stronghold,” he said. “To me I built this sculpture and it means a lot to me. I just hope that people find an experience of raw curiosity when they experience the piece. I just hope to inspire people.”
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YOUR 15 MINUTES
‘IT WAS ALL A BIT OF A CRAZY IDEA’ What’s so funny about a dark, dystopian future? Ask the woman who created a musical parody of “The Handmaid’s Tale” BY EMILY MASON
Samantha Stevens moved to New York from London in 2016 to continue her acting career and soon established herself here in the theater scene. She trained at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and eventually came up with an idea for a show — a musical parody of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” That’s right, Stevens looked around for something fun to work on and settled on Margaret Atwood’s relentlessly grim vision of the future. Humor takes several forms in the production, “The Handmaid’s Musical: A Dystopian Tale,” from one-liners to ironically chosen songs, such as “Stuck in the Middle With You” during the infamous ceremony (which we’d rather not describe in detail here). The female-powered production is back on May 31st at the Green Room 42. Stevens spoke with Straus News about her time in New York, the inspiration for the show, and how she made Atwood’s dystopia funny.
Did you have a moment when you knew you were going to stay in New York? The first day I landed. Every time I come here I feel like I’m home and that’s a feeling I think I can safely say I’ve never had anywhere. I don’t know, just getting groceries at Trader Joe’s and not doing anything touristy and I was like yes, this is my life. I’m very happy here and the thought of having to get back on a plane is really heartbreaking, so just being a normal human in New York confirmed that this was definitely where I wanted to be.
How did you decide to make a parody of “The Handmaid’s Tale?” It was all a bit of a crazy idea in my head, I’d read the book, and I moved to New York in September 2016 when everything changed in America and everything just kind of seemed a bit too scarily relevant. And then, being a theater person, I was like ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be funny if Aunt Lydia started singing this song.’ And a group of my friends were like, ‘Oh that’s actually quite funny.’ And then they were like, ‘I think you’re kind of onto something.’ And it ended up going from there.
Stevens and the cast of “The Handmaid’s Musical: A Dystopian Tale.” Photo: Heather Gershonowitz
and touchy, but you went in and you laughed at it and it was kind of that sad realization of, ‘Oh yeah, this is happening and this is a thing so okay something needs to change or maybe we need to open up that door of communication.’
in America gave me a lot of help. It almost feels like this is a movie and can’t ever be true and then I read the paper and I see things on TV and I’m like, ‘Oh wow.’ So that kind of helped to find the irony and the satire within it.
What kind of reactions do you get from people when you tell them you’re making a parody of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale?’
Can you talk more about your decision to make this an all-female production?
Were you worried about the translation from British to American humor?
Well, I mean there is something intrinsic to the DNA of women that men just do not understand. And it is a woman’s story, it’s about women. And it was something that when I was writing I was like, ‘This has to be led by women.’ I can’t deny how many talented men there are in this industry, and there’s a lot of them that I would love to work with, but it just doesn’t feel right. It feels like it would go against everything the show stands for, having a man direct. There’s something that women can kind of come together with, it’s unspoken rules that we know about and understand.
Fortunately, I think I’ve had a lot of America in my life, and everyone else on the team is American. So when I sent scripts to the director and the music director, I was absolutely open to change things if things aren’t funny, if they’re not playing or reading well. We haven’t come up with anything that’s been ‘Oh that’s a very British joke there, that needs to go’
I think interesting is always the main word that comes up. And then the question is, ‘How are you going about turning something so dark into something that you can laugh at?’ And I just kind of say, ‘I don’t really know, but everyone has laughed at everything I’ve told them so far, so I’m guessing it is funny. But it very much relies on dark humor, the whole thing is very much dark humor and black comedy.
How does parody contribute to addressing big issues?
Samantha Stevens onstage in the musical parody of “The Handmaid’s Tale” that she created. Photo: Heather Gershonowitz
I think it just kind of forces us to think about something. When there’s nothing else to do, life still has to go on. And if you can’t laugh about something, then how can you move past it? I drew a lot of inspiration from shows like “Avenue Q” that I think were discussing things and topics that were pretty racy
How hard was it to parody such a dark tale? For the majority it was pretty easy. I relate to that aspect of finding the light and the comedy within a bad situation. And I think being a Brit
So there are differences. I think it is a big cultural difference. Generally speaking, I find Americans are a lot more optimistic and just open and happy to try and be of some assistance if they can, while British people, we are a bit more reserved. I feel like there’s a warmer energy in New York, even though everyone is really busy and there’s this urgency here. Even in an audition room you where have 30 seconds to
prove your talent, everyone is still very happy to see you and generally enthused that you’ve taken the time to come and see them.
What’s one thing you want people to take away from the show? That your voice will always be heard by somebody, a woman’s voice will always be heard by somebody.
What’s your favorite part of theater in New York? Just the new writing. I think Broadway and New York especially are an amazing place for new shows to be given a space and a voice and the chance to kind of take off. I feel like musical is still a commercial industry. New York is definitely a magical place for great ideas, that aren’t necessarily based on something, to grow. Interview edited for clarity and space. “The Handmaid’s Musical: A Dystopian Tale” will be performed May 31 at The Green Room 42, 570 Tenth Ave.
Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.
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Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9X9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3X3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult.
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, ma fen t The Am lands ke up the groPark, amon ders cap g erican BY GABRIELLE Histor Hilderbr e archit up. The pro othALFIER Mu y ec O hood for is tapping seum of Na ings, wh and will tu re fir m ject’s int also att Reed ich be that wi a communit o the neightural “It en gin portionll weigh in on y working bor- wo ’s always be on March d meet4. rk with group en where of Theodo the redesignCITY the com our inten AR the TS re ob the tion to munit jectiv museu Roosevel of a wo , P.1 quartery to t uld lik2 > es of wh m at the achieve e to do posed acre of gre pla ns to Park, the mu us expan en spa ne sion. ce for e a as thi eds of the and make su seum Frien a procom re s profit ds of Roose Dan Sli project mo munity are that vel ves for met the cit that manage t Park, the ernme ppen, vice wa y’s presid rd,” said nt relati mu seu Parks De s the park non- thi ent of on nk pa wi m, s tha rtm at th all govthe mu t what with the wi ll co y sol -chair ent and the we’re seu museu the gr m. Blo we alw idifying, in doing now m. “I ou ck ass a ays int is ociation p ended.”way, efforts res, CO that NT
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to hav e is the sixthin the city. past thre been hit by a person car in the to The ee days alone. least 20New York Tim According cyclists pedestrians es, at have bee and thr accidents ee n kill more tha so far this ed in traffic VOL. 2, yea n ISSUE been inju 900 pedest r, and 08 rians hav It’s demred. e of victim oralizing. If fam s, ilies heighten a devoted mayor and a dent in ed awarenes the proble s can’t ma Amid the ke m, wh at can? New Yor carnage, Immedia kers once agathough, hit, bys tely after Da in rallied. A CASI group tanders ran to uplaise was MANH NO IN managof them, workin try to help. in hopesed to flip the carg together, A < BUSI ATTAN? of NESS, on res its cuing Unfor sid P.16 She wa tunately, it didDauplaise. e, Bellevues pronounced n’t work. The a short wh dead at citizensefforts of our ile later. fell to hearten save a str ow us, despit anger sho recklessn uld e who con ess of a danthe continued a place tinue to makegerous few THE SE of traged our street y. OFsOU COND DISG
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SHELTER HOMELES RACE S RS
First, obvious: let’s start wit condition h the city’s hom s inside thi disgrace. eless shelte rs are as A ser one mo ies of terrible (includinre horrible tha crimes, month g the killing n the last of ear lier this daugh a woman has higters in Statenand her two hlighted Island), living con the the ma ditions for shameful cities inrgins of one ofpeople at Blasio, the world. Ma the richest wh yor o has bee Bill de his app from theroach to homn halting in has final beginning elessness proble ly begun to of his term, from thim, but years ofaddress the others, s administra neglect, tion and will take But years to correct. recent none of that exc office grandstanding uses the appareof Gov. Andrew by the Cuomo, he can’tntly sees no iss who In the try to belittl ue on which attempt governor’s late the mayor. officials at a hit job, est sta compla then pro ined te Post, abomptly to the to the city, homele ut a gang New York alleged ss shelter, purape at a city VOL. 77 had tim event before blicizing the , ISSUE pol e 04 As it turto investigate ice even ned out, it. never hap the officials pened, infuriaincident media hitwho called it ting city a ” “po aim the mayor ed at em litical . More cha barrassin counter-c rges and g THfolElow the me harges Dicken antimeA , of cou ed. In Tditrse men, wosian livingR OionF, the con in New men D kidsIM s for Yor andEN Here’s k goe s on. in shelters CITY ARTS, leadershi hoping tha t som P.2any eday our as intere p in Alb 0 as it is in sted in helpinwill become back fro agains scoring pol g them t sit itical poi 17 fee m FDR Drour ive byting mayor. nts t 16 to out of and raise
IN CEN KIDS AGTARIAL PARK, WEIGHI NST DOCNAl NG LiDnTtRo UMnP WEEK OF JA NUARY-FEBR UARY 28-3 MOVING FO R A GUIDE TO CAMP
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BUILDING, WARD ON THE DESPITE C ONCERNTSIN 3 Top Arts 8 Re 5 10 15 al Estate Minutes
Voices Out & Ab out
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it on the floo as red d plain, e foot uc building e the heigh as well three. from four t of the storie HAPP s to The ref urbishe would SNOWY LITTLE d sit FLAKES pier pil atop newl bu ild ing y food ma ings and restored Reme board co Transpa officia sio’s fi mber Mayo Jean-G rket overseenntain a expre ls, but rst r Bil eorge linger ov rency concer by sse me W ch Th s Vong hat a winter in his l de Blaef mbers e pr ns develop d concern dif fer redeveloper Howard Hu new years the de oposal also erichten. er ’s vis s that the ence Se ma molit ca lls a coup job? Seaport ment plans ghes’ pieapor t is be ion for th Ho ion for Hit wi kes. le of for the ing e tw use and Lin of the He ceme after th a snow ad o dil k Bu compre al instead relea sed sto tak new ma ing off ice rm shortly of in on adjacen apidated str ild ing, hensive Howa BY DAN t e in pro uc The new would yor fumble in 2014, th IEL FIT front ofto the Tin Bu tures CB1’s rd Hughes posal. d in a wa ZSIMM e co Jan. 19 ly restored me Pie ild joi ONS Re half of ing r 17. to The joi cen Tin presen South nt La nd mamet with his ter define th y that nt La nd tation Building, as by the tly announ Stree un So rk e m. to Comm fi ut fir s lle envisio ced Ho h ma Ce Po an t Seap st d. Stree nter d Ce plans poration ward Hu ned unity Bo storm Official wa tholes we t Seap rks and nter gh pla ns on Jan. 19 or t/Civic nt ’s ard 1. in Howard Hu at the for the Tin es Corfor th to unve Residen severity wernings on the a resolucomm ittee or t/Civic ghes a fou e s passe re mu ts in ne re ce iveSouth Stree Building r-s tory Tin Build il the pr tion in did dd igh d n’t led t supp structur ing bo op prov al d preli mi Seaport plaine vote for de rhoods tha . e at thelandm arke , of Howa osal, but req or t of na co d from being that their strBlasio com-t comm ry ap - Hording to the Seaport. Acd pla n for rd Hughes uested plo un ity a was lat wed -- a eets weren - ing wa rd Hu gh presentation - the Seap redevelopmmaster su ’t es ort , wo to mo tion-trucer proven spicion tha ve the is propos uld inc as a whole ent at ou t Tin Bu , wh lude the This k GPS data. t by sanitailding compa ich new detime aroun ny’s CONTINU d, ED ON ch arge Blasio seem an entirely PAGE 5 was for . Before th ed to be Sanitati e storm in ceful, Ins on bu tea , t no he d architect Dept. build closin of jumpin t panicke d. g g storm ure, is press ing, praised waited subways or the gun an ed into for d service its then ac for the storm schools, he during detectedted decisive to develop the , We do a sense of huly. We even n’t wa mor in The bu cre nt it all dit tha to give BY DEE to life ilding looks him mo . someth n is due, PTI HAJ , all re bu ELA ing can loo angles an like a mode t there about seeme rn d wa thi d nation k bluish or gra edges, with art painting New Yo to bring ou s storm tha s t rkers. t the be in any of the three. yish or wh concrete wa come On Su itish, or settin lls st of functi g, but It would be some that alpine nday, the cit an no on pounds it was cre ne more tha unusual str combiskiers vil lage. Cr y felt like an ate uc of the n rock sal d for --- sto the fairly pro ture snow plied the pa oss-cou nt ry rin t bo sai tha rks g CONTINU c tho t the cit hot ch ots and pa , people y’s De usands of ED ON ololat rkas ord in partm PAGE 29 wi es, th su ered kid ent of of sledd nburned fac s came home es after ding. There a day tent. Qu were pock ets the plo eens reside of disco nand elew trucks by nts felt th at the sch cted offici passed them, als closed ools should there sa id for ha But ov another da ve stayed %TGCVKX just en erall, consid y. G 9TKVK PI r &CPEG snows dured the secering we ha r /QVK torm in d QP 2KE lovely our his ond-biggest VWTG # litt TVU r and his le chapter tory, it was /WUKE a for the subjects r 6JG mayor CVTG r . 8KUWC
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FOR PARK REDESIGN
Bu On Sa 13 10 15 siness BY EM ILY TOW parishioturday mo Minutes 16 NER rn and low ners, comm ing, archit 19 ered in er Manhatt unity me ects, mb vision St. Paul’s Ch an residents ers for Tr ap gat el hto discu inity Ch building ss urch’s The ex . new pa the rish Place acr isting bu ild been cle oss from Tr ing, on Tr inity inity Ch ared for 1923, urc de it the chu no longer sermolition. Buh, has tower rch and the ves the ne ilt in wi com ed The we ll be built in munity. A s of new in a ser ekend me its place. eti — collabies of commu ng was the needs orative for nity “charr fifth an um ett the low d wants of s to addre es” a whole er Manhatt the church ss the and an com . “In ou munit of r y initial as about charr buildinghow we wa ettes we talked for the to be a homented th is pa hood,” homeless an for the spi rish rit fer, Tr said the Re d for the neigh ual, v. Dr. Wi ini bor“We tal ty Wall Street lliam Lu ked ’s prector What ab . they wo out minis try act look,” uld be ivi Lu marke pfer said. , how they ties. wo t underst study in ord“We condu uld cte desires and neighbo er to objec d a dream as well as rhood needtively s.” parish s and He sai hopes and sion em d the churc tality braces a ph h communit The can tha ilo ride in coming t is “open sophy for y’s viCe carouseldidate’s owne ho , flexibl .” On the ntral Park. “We wa e and spifamilia puts New Yo rship of the wela white wall next to nt it street r bind rkers in , access to be visiblP.9 > that rea placard wi the entrance a Gemm ible to e from the com and Re ds, “Trum th red letter is well, a Whitema the CONTINU p Ca munit gulat ing who we n and ind It’s y, BY DAN Engla ED ON Joel Ha re on lat icatio ions” -- rousel Ru PAGE 6 weekd e afternoon IEL FITZSIMM presid ns that Do one of the les day, nd and rode vacation uxONS ay, an on only sai the en fro nald a mi tial d lining opera bearing d they notic carousel Mo m up to pakids and tou ld winter tes the candidate, J. Trump, ed the Trum ntially ow car ris y Tr $3 for “It p’s ns an placar New Yo a qu ts are see um p’s po ousel. d ma was in my name. OurTown d rk mo lit ics ping int n, he ment: intesenDowntow wh ad o the car have be 20gav a carou weigh 16 e he en asked ,” said Wh n gu sel an aft a deep ernoo ousel, as rid n in En r pause. “H if the realiz iteOTDOW O n esc ly divisiv gla ati ers e’s NTOW like, ‘Do nd, so in my not very lik on e candid ape again N.COM st he ed I want ate. Newsche to give ad I was a bit ck money @OTD CO Cri me Wa NTINU to this owntown 2 Cit tch ED ON y
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Accor DOB, Coding to sta STREETORY OF OU tis R agency nEd report tics provid S ed by over 20 in 2015, a ed 343 shutoff the The 40 Ruby BY DAN trend 14’s 67 shu 0 percent s to the New Yorworst and the IEL FIT ey on Mak has been ap toffs. increa ZSIMM takeo An So far pears to be Monday k were both best of ONS ut tha spending mid-d in 2016 increa d the upwa se on displa mo mo issert n acc mid a the sin re rd docto ording y town. rning on 36th mong eve re ha ation is worki Street in ng at lea , and her ne rate stude “Since to the DO ve been 157 n more: Ca rol “A lot nt B. Da shu w rice st as uplaise, toffs, noticing the spring owner cooker to eat of it is just ou hard. the a no gas, a lot of pe of last year crossingof a jewelry com 77-year-o cook at lot more,” t of pocket, op we sta going rted water either cookin le coming Street Madison Av pany, was ld steam home it’s jus said Mak. “W ,” out in ing an said Donna g gas or he that had when a during the mo enue at 36th cally.” things with t a rice cooker hen we at livery-cab rning rus it, or ma Ameri d commun Chiu, direct and hot cor . You can ner h dri ity or can La st Se and hit ke rice, her. ver turned the Chiu cal s For Equa ser vices forof housptemb The basihundred er Asian said AA led the inc lity. arresteddriver of the car no natur s of others her bu ild ing ing an FE is worki rease “freak pedest for failing to was joi ned an ins al gas, cut across the d pe off town almost a dong with Ma ish,” and been citrian, and cop yield to a Building ction blitz by Con Ed city with an ser vic d the Lowe zen others k’s buildtraffic vioed for at leasts say he had a month s that bega by the city’sison after es. 10 oth lations advocat And Ch r East Side in ChinaIt sin wa East Vil after a fat n last April, Dept. of iu, lik ce 2015. er es, ha al ga e ma to restor exp les litany ofs but the latest lage tha s t claim s explosion s than lon loitation by witnessed ny housinge that hav traffic deaths in a sad ed two bu g servic in the a lives. e interr ilding owne pattern of Mayor e lingered on, and injuries rs wh uptions curb traBill de Blasio’s despite CONTINU in an eff o proffic crashe efforts ort to ED ON Da to uplais s PA
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accuse capita d of overleve l. very James Beninati anraging invest lions aftCabrera, we d his partn or re BY DAN Antar er the firm sued for mier, The Ba IEL FIT es ZSIMM condo uhouse Gr assets was stripp ’s collapse, lONS and ou ed of mo in p’s 90 the lat project on A rep the late-a st of its 0-foo Sutto n Place t the Ba resentative ughts. velopmeest lux ur y res for uhouse fundin nt to suffer idential is a req Group Beninati an ue de g, fro did st for d - tim as inv ingly comm not return estors m a lack of e. wary ent by are inc of fin at the Sto press rea ler an top a surpl end of the cing projec s- Deal ne also spok outlookus in inven market du ts a notic wspaper las e to the Re tor e will ma on whether y and a tep to ap ar tmeable decre t month ab al ase out affluent terialize id lig en News buyer hted ma t sa les, whin high-end down of s the roa the 80 rke ich hig squa re avera d. -st ge nu t data tha hmb April, foot propo or y, 260,0 t apart ments er of days said the an 00 squat d sent the sa l broke las spent in new for-sa neigh and sleepy comparative t perce on the marke developme le VOL. 42 bo nt munit rhood int Sutton Pla ly and the between t increased nts , ISSUE o the y 47 en 09 tions, Board 6 vo a panic. Co ce “E very d of last yea end of 20 man ice 14 on d r. d Council e’s a its ob Kallos Stoler lit jec the bu came out str member Be - $2,50 told TRD. “W tle worri ed ilding 0 ’s heigh ongly again n lende [per square ith anything ,” plicat ions. rs are t and soc st at foo t] ver or But it Stoler ial imtold thi y cautious.” more, opposit wa sn’t jus s ne wspape house ion workingt commun CONTINU r that ED ON Mi aelprincipal Jo against Baity PAGE 5 seph u20ch Sto ne r16 at the ler, a mana Beninati. Jewish invest ging pa son Re wome me n and the wo backg alty Capital, nt firm Ma rtgirl rld by rou lighting s light up candle tares Inv nd also plasaid Beninatidis every the Sha yed bbat Friday 18 min a role. ’s Benin estment Pa eve utes bef < NEW An ati co Friday ore sun ning -foundertners, the fi schoo S, Ma set. l rm P.4 For mo rch 11 – 5:4 boast classmate thad with a pre 1 pm. re info ed $6 rm www.c billion t at one po p habadu ation visit int in ass pperea ets, wa stside.co s m.
WEEK OF MAR CH
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AN EN D "BR TO WINDO OKEN WS"? NEW
2016
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VOL. 2, ISSUE 10
10-16
Our To wn ha The pa s much 2016, per celebrat to be thank an OTTY d this we es its 45th ful for. ek Award anniv made ersary winnershonors its a un lat The OT ique differe , noting pe est group in ople wh of nce on You -- TY award the o ha s ha munit ve always -- short for OuUpper East ve Sid be y strong. service, an en a reflect r Town Th e. d this anks year’s ion of deep Our ho list is parti combusiness norees inc cularly owners lude co heroe mm an s. Cardi We’re also d medical anunity activi na tak fall’s wi l Timothy ing a mome d public saf sts, Franc ldly succes Dolan, who nt to recog ety is. nize sheph sful vis Kyle Po In his interv erd it iew wi to the city ed last pressi pe, Dolan by th Our ref ng Town Pope warning issues sti lects on thaCI Editor ll TYit, ARon movin s he receiv facing the t vis TS, g to Ne city,2 an>d on the w York ed from his P.1 Read nine his profile, seven years friends be the OT TY an fore ag Thom awards d the profi o. pso les of the oth We are n, in the spe by repor the wi proud to bri cial sectio ter Madelei er nners n ne part of ng it to you inside. our com , and pro ud to cal munit y. l
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