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WEEK OF JULY STUDIO ART ◄ P.12
5-11 2018
COUNCIL HEARS LATEST L TRAIN SHUTDOWN PLANS TRANSPORTATION DOT plans major reconfiguration of 14th Street to accommodate “extraordinary volume of buses” during subway closure BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
People opposed to the Trump administration’s immigration policies gathered in Manhattan’s Foley Square Saturday morning. Photo: Natasha Roy
NEW YORKERS RALLY AGAINST TRUMP POLICIES ACTIVISM Thousands cross Brooklyn Bridge in protest of administration’s immigration tactics BY NATASHA ROY
In 90-degree heat Saturday, thousands marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to protest the Trump administration’s policy of separating immigrant families at the country’s southern border. Protesters convened midmorning in Foley Square and from there headed to the bridge, many holding signs with phrases such as “families belong together” and “where are the children?” Families with young children showed up, and old and young marched and volunteered.
Volunteers from Neighbors Link, a Westchester-based nonprofit that works to integrate immigrants into the community, marched across the Brooklyn Bridge with a long banner. Jeremy Sussman, 50, of Bedford Hills, said that immigrants made America the country it is, and that the country should be more welcoming to immigrants than it is now. “That’s what keeps America vibrant,” Sussman said. “That’s what makes America a great country to be in.” The protest, which locally was sponsored by dozens of organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition, the American Civil Liberties Union and Sanctuary for Families, was part of the Keep Families Together rallies that drew tens of thousands across the nation Saturday.
Beginning next April, much of 14th Street will be closed to through-traffic and converted to a dedicated “busway” to serve displaced subway riders during the 15-month shutdown of the L train. From 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, the busiest stretch of 14th Street — from Ninth Avenue to Third Avenue eastbound and between Third Avenue and Eighth Avenue westbound — will be reserved primarily for bus traffic. Eliminating excess traffic on 14th Street is necessary to make way for “an extraordinary volume of buses” along the corridor during the shutdown, MTA and NYC Department of Transportation officials explained at a June 26 City Council hearing. Roughly one bus every minute will run along 14th Street during peak hours, serving an estimated 84,000 riders each day. In response to feedback from members of the public and elected officials, the latest iteration of the agencies’ joint L train shutdown mitigation plan will permit limited local access to 14th Street within the “busway” zone for private vehicles. Vehicles will be allowed to access 14th Street for pick-ups and drop-offs, deliveries and parking garage access, but will only be permitted to travel on 14th Street for a single block before exiting, subject to
The shutdown of the L train, scheduled to begin in April 2019 and last 15 months, will impact the commutes of 400,000 daily riders. Photo: Steven Strasser
This will, without question, be the biggest logistical, customer service and community challenge that I’ve ever faced.” NYCT President Andy Byford
enforcement by traffic cameras. “I think we’ve hopefully found a balance here that will provide the local access that we’ve heard loud and clear that residents need while keeping those buses moving,” DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said.
Beginning in April 2019, L train service will be suspended for 15 months to repair damage to the Canarsie Tunnel caused by flooding during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. L Train service within Brooklyn will continue during the tunnel repairs, but no trains will run on the Manhattan side of the tunnel or between the boroughs. The logistical challenges presented by the shutdown are immense. The 15-month project will affect 225,000 daily riders who commute between Brooklyn and Manhattan on the L and another 50,000 who use the line to travel within Manhattan. Were the L Train a stand-alone transit system, New York City Transit President Andy
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WEEK OF APRIL
SPRING ARTS PREVIEW < CITYARTS, P.12
FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice
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MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20
2015
In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits
SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS
A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311
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