The local paper for Downtown wn ART NOUVEAU FOR THE MASSES ◄ CITY ARTS, P. 12
CONFRONTING A CONTROVERSIAL CLEANUP DEVELOPMENT
14TH ST. BUSWAY PLAN STALLS TRANSPORTATION
BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
Developers are set to begin a controversial mercury cleanup in the backyard of two South Street Seaport schools after a state agency gave its approval in recent weeks. The Department of Environmental Conservation concluded a review of the application the Howard Hughes Corporation submitted to enter the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program — a review that was significantly prolonged by opposition from local groups that headed a letter-writing campaign and staged a rally to voice their concerns that the cleanup could expose children to toxins. The site, which the developer purchased for $180 million last year, takes up a city block and currently functions as a parking lot. Historically, it was the site of a thermometer factory. The Howard Hughes Corp. applied to the Brownfield program after discovering mercury and other contaminates in the soil in January. The program is typically used to revitalize economically blighted communities, incentivizing private-sector cleanups with tax credits.
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11-17 2019
INSIDE BLOOD ON THE STREETS Following bike deaths, the mayor calls for new safety plan, P. 6
Temporary restraining order halts plan that would have blocked private through traffic
FREE MEALS FOR A HEALTHY SUMMER
BY EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM
After a community protest over a “poison parking lot,” new concerns about contamination
WEEK OF JULY
After a lawsuit halted the launch of the 14th Street busway, the city is fighting a court battle against a group of neighborhood block associations to get its plan back on track. The busway, which would have turned 14th Street between Third and Ninth Avenue into a mostly bus-only throughway to speed up buses for 27,000 daily riders during the L Train slowdown, was blocked by a temporary restraining order from a State Supreme Court judge just three days before the traffic shift was to go into effect. The city attempted to appeal the decision in court on July 3, according to Arthur Schwartz, an attorney representing the residents from the West Village, Chelsea and Flatiron neighborhoods who oppose the plan, but the court did not take up the appeal. “They came into court extremely arrogant,” Schwartz said of the Department of Transportation’s lawyers. The DOT will likely try to appeal again, he said, but the next official date the two sides will meet in court is set for Aug. 5.
Opponents Fault DOT The corridor would have blocked private through traffic on 14th Street between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., limiting traffic to buses and trucks for an 18-month test run. Cars
A city program provides breakfast and lunch at no cost for children 18 and under, P. 9
A DOT plan to reconfigure 14th Street into a busway has met with resistance from some neighborhood groups, who filed a lawsuit to block the effort. Image: NYC DOT/ MTA
would still be permitted to make pickups and drop-offs or access parking garages. The suit did not affect the city’s plan to implement Select Bus Service for the M14 route. A spokesperson for the agency did not respond to questions about the ongoing legal proceedings, but issued a statement lauding the bus initiative. “We look forward to ultimately prevailing in court and to implementing Transit & Truck Priority, which will improve mobility and increase travel speeds for thousands of bus riders each day along the critical 14th Street corridor,” a spokesperson said. “Select Bus Service is designed to operate with dedicated lanes to make it most effective and that is why the full project needs to be implemented
as soon as possible.” In their suit, the opposition argued that the DOT did not go through the necessary comprehensive review to study the busway’s environmental impact. Additionally, Schwartz said the busway would likely increase traffic, contribute to pollution and ruin the character of the historic neighborhoods. With this suit, Schwartz said his clients hope to make DOT go through the “proper environmental process” and conduct an Environmental Impact Statement before going through with what he called a “radical” plan.
East vs. West There is a contingent of residents along 14th Street, particularly on
WHEN BREATHING IS NOT SO EASY How to manage asthma in hot, sticky weather, P. 2
(SOME) DOGS NOT ALLOWED Emotional support animals can be blocked in NYC establishments, P. 16
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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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