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WEEK OF JUNE
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2018 Summer
2018
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CITY DIALS BACK PROPOSED CHANGES TO LANDMARK RULES DEVELOPMENT Revisions to earlier LPC plan address many of preservationists’ chief concerns BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission has backed away from a controversial set of proposed rule changes in the face of forceful opposition from preservationists, who claim that the revisions would have cut the public out of the review process for certain types of changes to landmarked buildings. The changes, initially proposed in February, would have shifted responsibility for approving certain applications currently reviewed in public hearings by the full 11-member commission to LPC staff members, including some types of additions to rooftops and rear yards visible from the street. The LPC said the changes would codify existing agency practices, streamline the approvals process for certain types of applications, and increase transparency and efficiency. But preservation advocates, as well as a number of community boards and elected officials, were quick to voice opposition to the suggested changes In response to the concerns,
Mayor Bill de Blasio detailed a major overhaul of the admissions process for New York City’s specialized high schools at J.H.S. 292 in Brooklyn June 3. Photo: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office
Preservation advocates opposed a set of proposed changes to Landmarks Preservation Commission rules on that grounds that the revisions would have reduced opportunities for public input on applications to perform work on landmarked buildings, such as these on West End Avenue. Photo: Steven Strasser the LPC on May 29 outlined significant changes to the initial proposal, with many of the most controversial aspects of the proposed rules removed or revised, including most changes to the regulations on rooftop and rear yard additions. Other proposed changes were entirely scrapped, including a provision regarding the removal of cast iron vault lights (the metal panels inset
with glass lenses commonly found on SoHo and Tribeca sidewalks to let daylight into basements) and another regarding windows on secondary facades of landmarked buildings. Preservation advocates were largely pleased with the amended proposal, but reserved final judgment
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MAYOR’S SCHOOL DESEGREGATION PUSH CONTINUES single-exam entrance system that some have suggested works to exclude black and Latino students. Eight of the city’s nine elite specialized high schools — among the most competitive and prestigious public schools in the country — determine which students receive coveted offers of admission based on a single factor: scores on the Specialized High School Admissions Test, a three-hour
EDUCATION Plan would set aside additional seats at elite institutions for students from high-poverty schools BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
In a bid to increase diversity at the city’s top public high schools, Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to jettison a high-stakes
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WEEK OF APRIL
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FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice
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MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20
2015
In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits
SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS
A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311
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standardized exam that all applicants must take. The single-test system, mandated since 1971 under state law, has produced a student body at specialized high schools that bears little resemblance to the demographics of the public school system as a whole. Black or Latino students make up 70 percent of New York City’s public school
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