The local paper for Downtown wn A TURKISH DYNASTY AT THE MET, CITYARTS, < P. 12
WEEK OF JUNE
23-29 2016
POLICE AND THE GAY COMMUNITY, POST-ORLANDO NEWS Symposium tries to heal longstanding rift BY ISIDRO CAMACHO
Community members, LGBTQ advocates, and members of the NYPD gathered at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in Chelsea to discuss the turbulent relationship between the gay community and the police. The symposium, organized by the
Police outside the entrance to the symposium.
Civilian Complaint Review Board and called “The Rainbow Crossing: Police Accountability and the LGBTQ Community,” had been scheduled for nearly a month but fell three days after the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Audience members at the forum were greeted at the front door by members of the counter-terrorism unit, who were brandishing large guns. While the tragedy in Orlando casted a gloom over the symposium, it re-emphasized the need for closer ties with the police. People in the LGBTQ community
are not shy when it comes to criticizing the NYPD. During the vigil at the Stonewall Inn following the Orlando shootings, members of the crowd booed Police Commissioner William Bratton. Several people said they were offended he spoke at the event at all. Members of discussion panels during the symposium explained that the majority of complaints arose from situations in which gay people felt they were unfairly stopped on the street or instances where police were purpose-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
PASSION FOR PAWS Shelter Chic, on Chambers Street, wants to dispel the notion that shelter animals are second-class BY ERICA MAGRIN
We’ve all heard of Grumpy Cat and Pizza Rat. Some of us have heard of the Taylor Swift screaming goat, Boo the dog, and even the photobombing squirrel. All were caught in quirky poses or notorious act, and achieved fame — or infamy — via the internet. Furry things, it seems, have an uncanny ability to tap into humans’ warmand-fuzzy places. Shelter Chic, a boutique-y storefront on Chambers Street, is attempting
to replicate that process by showing a more cheery side of animal shelter life. “Not a business, but a passion,” said Shelter Chic co-founder Brittany Feldman. The no-kill shelter hosts adoptable dogs and cats and sells accessories for both animals and humans. Feldman and co-founder Amanda Folk got the nonprofit running out of Feldman’s apartment. At first, the co-founders themselves fostered the dogs and cats in their care. Having opened their first location in October, the company has since grown, in large part because of donations. Though a for-profit could more
Shelter Chic co-founder Brittany Feldman with Cam’ron. Photo: Erica Magrin
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Downtowner
OurTownDowntown
O OTDOWNTOWN.COM @OTDowntown
Newscheck Crime Watch Voices Out & About
2 3 8 10
City Arts Restaurants Business 15 Minutes
12 14 16 21
WEEK OF APRIL
SPRING ARTS PREVIEW < CITYARTS, P.12
FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice
9-16
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
n OurTownDowntow
COM
Newscheck Crime Watch Voices
for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
2 City Arts 3 Top 5 8 Real Estate 10 15 Minutes
12 13 14 18
CONTINUED ON PAGE
25
We deliver! Get Our Town Downtowner sent directly to your mailbox for $49 per year. Go to OTDowntown.com or call 212-868-0190