Our Town Downtown - October 18, 2018 by OurTown Downtown

The local paper for Downtown wn

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

WEEK OF OCTOBER

18-24

P.11

2018

BLOOMBERG CHANGES PARTIES — AGAIN POLITICS With an eye toward 2020, ex-mayor, ex-Republican and ex-independent returns to the Democratic Party he abandoned almost two decades ago BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN

Saturday’s Rally for our Neighborhoods at City Hall featured several speakers who railed at how quickly new developments are approved without sufficient input from residents. Photo: Spencer Lee

RALLY PROTESTS DEVELOPERS’ INFLUENCE ACTIVISM Hundreds assemble at City Hall, blaming developers and Mayor Bill de Blasio BY SPENCER LEE

Defiance and frustration spoke loudly on the steps of City Hall Saturday afternoon, with some 300 people voicing displeasure at the speed by which New York neighborhoods are being sacriﬁced to developers. The protesters directed much of their ire at Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Real Estate Board of New York, holding both responsible in equal measure for growing economic disparity in the city.

Nearly 70 community organizations signed on as sponsors of the event, Rally for our Neighborhoods, at which speakers and attendees alike railed at the pace of development, much of it approved, they said, at the expense of residents and small businesses. “The evictions of New Yorkers, the destruction of affordable housing, the whitewashing of diverse communities of color — these are not natural changes. They are planned,” Jeremiah Moss, publisher of the blog “Vanishing New York,” said at the assembly. “They are the products of public policy,” Moss continued. “We must demand a change in policy

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Ronald Reagan is the classic case of the Democrat who becomes a Republican. A champion of the New Deal and supporter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, he officially changed his party registration in 1962. John Lindsay is the opposite: The classic case of the Republican who becomes a Democrat. The then-mayor swapped parties in 1971 before launching an abortive Democratic presidential nomination bid in 1972. The late U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania Arlen Specter one-upped them both. Initially a Democrat, he joined the GOP in 1965 — and 45 years later, switched back to run as a Democrat in 2010, only to lose the race. But when it comes to repeatedly refashioning one’s partisan identity — and ponying up untold millions to rebrand multiple times — no one in recent memory can come close to former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. A Democrat who became a Republican who became an independent, the billionaire just became a Democrat again, completing, for now, a cycle in which he changed his voter registration three times and had four separate political affiliations, one a duplicate, over 18 years. The latest of the dizzying switcheroos — each one in sync with the

Just three days after returning to the Democratic Party, ex-Mayor Michael Bloomberg schmoozes with a potential voter on Oct. 13 in New Hampshire. Photo: Via Bloomberg’s ﬂickr page

Wrong time, wrong place.” Mayor Bill de Blasio on a possible White House run by his predecessor

electoral calendar, each seemingly driven by political considerations, not principles — came on Oct. 10 when Bloomberg signed paperwork to register as a Democrat and posted the photo on Instagram at 5:40 a.m. A not-so-subtle dig at President Donald Trump that accompanied the posting instantly stoked speculation that Downtowner

OurTownDowntown

O OTDOWNTOWN.COM @OTDowntown

Crime Watch NYC Now Voices City Arts

3 6 8 10

Restaurant Ratings 40 Business 42 Real Estate 43 15 Minutes 45

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

he was launching a White House bid in 2020. Which is exactly what happened the last time he changed party registration, from Republican to independent, and organized a third-party 2008 presidential campaign that never got off the ground.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

We deliver! Get Our Town Downtowner sent directly to your mailbox for $49 per year. Go to OTDowntown.com or call 212-868-0190

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

LONG LOST STRAD TO SOUND AGAIN MUSIC 18th century violin stolen and then recovered is being loaned long-term to Juilliard student BY VERENA DOBNIK

The Stradivarius stolen from the late violinist Roman Totenberg and miraculously found more than three decades later has a new life — under the chin of a budding 18-year-old virtuoso. Last week, Totenberg’s three daughters presented the multimilliondollar instrument on long-term loan to Juilliard student Nathan Meltzer. Jill Totenberg said she and her sisters, Nina and Amy, “can now go to listen to our father” as if the Polishborn American violinist were playing again. “And once again, the beautiful, brilliant and throaty voice of that longstilled violin will thrill audiences in concert halls around the world,” said

Nina Totenberg, who with th her sisters joined Meltzer er at Rare Violins of New York, k, a world-class dealer that at restored Totenberg’s violin olin after years of neglect. The 18th century instrument ument was snatched in 1980 from om Totenberg’s dressing room m after a concert in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was recovered in 2015, after his death, among a former student’s belongings. The man’s exwife discovered it and tried ed to sell it, not knowing it had been stolen until an expert contacted the FBI. BI. The decadeslong theft saga ended when then-U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan returned the instrument to the Totenberg family familiar with it since they were children. “It was there when I was born,” said Nina Totenberg, the legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio. An anonymous benefactor then purchased it and made sure the public would again hear its sound.

The so-called “Ames” Stradivarius — named after a previous owner — ”is one of the most fantastic examples of the late work of Antonio Stradivari; it’s a large instrument, so it needs somebody who is strong yet gentle to play it,” said Bruno Price, the cofounder of Rare Violins. “You need to have the strength to pull out the full

SINCE

sound, but you can’t crush it.” A strapping, 6-foot teenager, Meltzer meets those criteria, said Price, adding, “He says the violin is waking up as he plays it.” Meltzer has performed around the United States and abroad, from London and Paris to Israel and Brazil. The loan to Meltzer, a student of violinist Itzhak Perlman, is part of a program created by Rare Violins of New York to match wealthy benefactors with promising young musicians.

This Stradivarius was snatched in 1980 from Roman Totenberg’s dressing room after a concert in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was recovered by the FBI in 2015. The multimillion-dollar instrument, made in 1734 by luthier Antonio Stradivari, will be loaned to Juilliard student Nathan Meltzer. Photo: FBI

1963

The New York Icon is Back — Now with a Second Location Since 1963, Gracious home has been a landmark for New York living. Today, along with our ﬂagship Upper East Side store, we’ve opened a second location in SoHo. Unlike a national department store, we live and work in our city. Our passion is New York style down to the neighborhood and season. As you remember, we carry everything for comfortable New York living. Our experts have curated a unique collection of luxury bedding and bath, table linens, kitchen electrics, fragrances, and décor.

Grand Opening Special: Get 20% back with purchase* Can be used in-store or online on all brands including Sferra, Abyss & Habidecor, Yves Delorme, Addison Ross, Art of Home by Ann Gish, and John Robshaw. *Gift card applied to future purchase. See stores for details.

1210 Third Avenue

498 Broome Street

(212) 517-6300 Store Hours: 9:30AM-7PM (Mon-Fri), 10AM-6PM (Sat), 11AM-5PM (Sun)

(929) 436-4444 Store Hours: 10AM-6PM (Tues-Sat), 11AM-5PM (Sun)

gracioushome.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st precinct for the week ending Oct 7 Week to Date

Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr

JEWELRY STORE ROBBED Two men broke into the LUNESSA jewelry store at 100 Thompson St. at about 5 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, and took roughly $59,000 in earrings, necklaces and other items, police said. The burglars took 91 silver diamond earrings valued at $30,000, 46 sterling silver diamond necklaces worth $16,790, 12 sterling silver diamond bracelets amounting to $10,000, and other items, police said. All told, the haul was valued at $58,890.

MAN ROBBED ON WEST BROADWAY Shortly after 5 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, a 44-year-old Bronx man going into his workplace at 475 West Broadway was threatened by two men, one of them in his early 20s who then pulled out a ďŹ rearm and grabbed the manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necklace, according to the account he gave police. The men also took his wallet and other items. Both then ďŹ&#x201A;ed south on West Broadway. The wallet was found a short way away. The value of the gold chain and a pendant at was put at $800.

Year to Date

2018 2017

% Change

2018

2017

% Change

Murder

n/a

0.0

Rape

n/a

35.7

Robbery

50.0

7.1

Felony Assault

n/a

-30.8

Burglary

0.0

3.8

Grand Larceny

8.0

795 794 0.1

Grand Larceny Auto

n/a

72.7

PURSE SNATCH At 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, October 7, a 56-year-old Connecticut woman drinking at Le District bar on Liberty Street when, she suspects, her bag was taken from the railing next to her seat. She later told police she thought a man in his 40s and accompanied by a small white dog who had been looking into her direction had taken the bag. She told police she was missing her Hermes bag valued at $5,350, $310 and other items.

BAR ASSAULT

MAN MUGGED

A St. Petersburg, Florida, man, was struck on the head by a glass bottle in the Dead Rabbit bar at 30 Water Street on Friday night, Oct. 5, cutting him, police said. The man told officers he had no idea who hit him or why they hit him.

A 25-year-old Brooklyn man waiting for a Lyft car outside of SOBs at 204 Varick St. at about 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4 was approached by a man in his early 30s who then punched him in the face and took his iPhone and wallet, he told police.

2333) /5 '14/ 5+1*204,5#1351 435 5)423/51.50'45 %%435 4/05 -,45 5 25&4345#4$5&-.(04/52$2)5 5-/5 &43-*2 /5+23"4/05-.,4%4.,4.05/'145 /0134 52.,5'434 /5$')!5 05 233) / 51(35"(4/0/54 %43-4.*452.5(.%232++4+4,5 /4+4*0-1.51#5%34&-(&5&43*'2.,-/4 52**1&%2.-4,5 )5 .1$+4,"42 +45 2.,5%43/1.2+- 4,5/43 -*4!5 '1$*2/4,523450'45+42,-."5 32.,/52.,52.5 4 *-0-."51 43-."51#5(.- (45/4+4*0-1./5&2,45 )5342+5/'14&2 43/!5 1 452++ 5 233) /5-/52++52 1(05#(.*0-1. 5*1&#130 5 052.,5/0)+4!5 (35#110$423 4 %430/5"150154 03213,-.23)5+4."0'/5015 05)1(5$-0'5/'14/50'2052345%34*-/4+) *1334*05#135)1(35#44052.,5&4405)1(35-.,- -,(2+5.44,/! 45+11 5#13$23,5015$4+*1&-."52.,5 00-."5)1(!

5 312,$2)5205 3,5 034405 5 55 5 5 233)/ '14/!*1&5 5 %4.5 5 2)/

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Useful Contacts

Word on the Street

POLICE NYPD 7th Precinct

19 ½ Pitt St.

212-477-7311

NYPD 6th Precinct

233 W. 10th St.

212-741-4811

NYPD 10th Precinct

230 W. 20th St.

212-741-8211

NYPD 13th Precinct

230 E. 21st St.

NYPD 1st Precinct

16 Ericsson Place

212-477-7411 212-334-0611

FIRE FDNY Engine 15

25 Pitt St.

311

FDNY Engine 24/Ladder 5

227 6th Ave.

311

FDNY Engine 28 Ladder 11

222 E. 2nd St.

311

FDNY Engine 4/Ladder 15

42 South St.

311

ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Margaret Chin

165 Park Row #11

Councilmember Rosie Mendez

237 1st Ave. #504

212-587-3159 212-677-1077

Councilmember Corey Johnson

224 W. 30th St.

212-564-7757

State Senator Daniel Squadron

250 Broadway #2011

212-298-5565

Community Board 1

1 Centre St., Room 2202

212-669-7970

Community Board 2

3 Washington Square Village

212-979-2272

Community Board 3

59 E. 4th St.

212-533-5300

Community Board 4

330 W. 42nd St.

212-736-4536

Hudson Park

66 Leroy St.

212-243-6876

Ottendorfer

135 2nd Ave.

212-674-0947

Elmer Holmes Bobst

70 Washington Square

212-998-2500

COMMUNITY BOARDS

LIBRARIES

HOSPITALS New York-Presbyterian

170 William St.

Mount Sinai-Beth Israel

10 Union Square East

212-844-8400

212-312-5110

CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

TIME WARNER

46 East 23rd

813-964-3839

US Post Office

201 Varick St.

212-645-0327

US Post Office

128 East Broadway

212-267-1543

US Post Office

93 4th Ave.

212-254-1390

POST OFFICES

HOW TO REACH US:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

212-868-0190 nyoffice@strausnews.com otdowntown.com

Include your full name, address and day and evening telephone numbers for veriﬁcation. Letters that cannot be veriﬁed will not be published. We reserve the right to edit or condense letters for libel, good taste, grammar and punctuation. Submit your letter at otdowntown.com and click submit at the bottom of the page or email it to nyoffice@strausnews.com.

TO SUBSCRIBE: Our Town Downtown is available for free below 23rd Street in select buildings, retail locations and news boxes. To get a copy of downtown neighborhood news mailed to you weekly, you may subscribe to Our Town - Downtowner for just $49 per year. Call 212-868-0190 or go online to StrausNews.com and click on the photo of the paper or mail a check to Straus Media, 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918

NEWS ITEMS: To report a news story, call 212-8680190. News releases of general interest must be emailed to our offices by 12noon the Thursday prior to publication to be considered for the following week. Send to news@strausnews.com.

Photo: Amy Barone

HOTEL SEVILLE

BLOG COMMENTS: We invite comments on stories at otdowntown.com. We do not edit those comments. We urge people to keep the discussion civil and the tone reﬂective of the best we each have to offer.

PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: Call 212-868-0190. Classiﬁed ads must be in our office by 12pm the Friday before publication, except on holidays. All classiﬁed ads are payable in advance.

PREVIOUS OWNERS: Tom Allon, Isis Ventures, Ed Kayatt, Russ Smith, Bob Trentlyon, Jerry Finkelstein

CALENDAR ITEMS:

ABOUT US

IInformation for inclusion in our calendar should be posetd to nycnow.com no later than two weeks before the event.

Our Town Downtown is published weekly by Straus Media-Manhattan, LLC. Please send inquiries to 20 West Ave., Chester, NY 10918.

BY AMY BARONE

Its Beaux-Arts crown will continue to impress passersby. No longer destined to make way for a new luxury dorm, the landmarked hotel lives on by Madison Square North. Haunting green bay windows remain, take me back to somewhere sweet. They once welcomed single ladies traveling solo when the idea was thought a bit shocking.

Its red brick façade stands tall amid glass skyscrapers lacking heart. A Tiffany skylight adorns modern décor. Years ago, once inside, I looked out while dancing to forro sounds at a Brazil Day bash. Now when I walk by, especially at dusk, I linger to gaze at grandness, listen to its music.

Sand-hued limestone lion heads and foliage survived a century of noise and wear. Amy Barone’s new poetry collection, “We Became Summer,” from New York Quarterly Books, was released in early 2018. She wrote chapbooks “Kamikaze Dance” (Finishing Line Press) and “Views from the Driveway” (Foothills Publishing). Barone’s poetry has appeared in Café Review, Paterson Literary Review, Sensitive Skin, and Standpoint (UK), among other publications. She belongs to PEN America Center and the brevitas poetry community. From Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, she lives in New York City.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

RALLY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and demand a change in values. Endless growth is not a sustained ethical value. It is a cancer. Endless growth is not progress. It is the corporate model.” Others at the rally echoed Moss’s sentiments, including Richard Moses of the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative. “Instead of upzoning neighborhoods in some kind of dystopian future, the city needs to respect existing community scale and context,” he said to loud approval. Local politicians, several speakers said, were complicit in acquiescing to developers and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY). “Our history, our memory of the history of this city — a public commons — sold off for less than its value. Our parks — a public commons — sold off for less than its value because of the money from REBNY,” said Michael White, a cofounder of Citizens Defending Libraries. Sheila Lewandowski of the Long Island City Coalition said rapid development in her neighborhood have led to the

“I feel important and loved for the person I am.

About 300 people assembled at City Hall Saturday afternoon to call attention to the rate by which New York neighborhoods are being sacriﬁced to developers, often at the expense of longtime residents and small businesses. Photo: Spencer Lee dumping of raw sewage into the East River, subway overcrowding and increasingly scarce green space. “We need the city to stop expecting developers to plan infrastructure. They’re not going to do it. We need planning that deserves our input,” she said. Banners and signs — “I ? NY” among them – were prominent at the rally, which lasted a little more than an hour under overcast skies. Chants — “Whose city? Our city!” and “New York City - not for sale” — punctuated the event. Lower Manhattan residents who oppose the plan for a new jail in Chinatown were a noticeable presence. The jail, which would accommodate

1,510 beds, would be built near a park in a busy residential and commercial area. “No community should have 40 stories of cages and retail underneath. It is a savage concept,” said Jan Lee of the Chinatown Core Block Association, referring to the plan to convert city offices at 80 Centre St. Lynn Ellsworth, of the Alliance for a Human-Scale City, which organized the event, urged people to stay involved. “This is a great opportunity. Let’s ﬁnd candidates who pledge not to take money from real estate,” she said. The battle against development, Ellsworth said, is a citywide issue. “No neighborhood can win alone,” she said.

Seeking mild psoriasis treatment? Researchers at The Rockefeller University are conducting a study to explore whether an FDA-approved medication for severe psoriasis can treat individuals with mild psoriasis and prevent recurrence afterwards. To learn more, contact our Recruitment Specialist at 1-800-RUCARES or email us at RUCARES@ Rockefeller.edu

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Here I feel like I matter, can make a difference in the community and the world. Everyone, no matter how shy, is valued in their own way. It's impossible to fall through the cracks here. And at Oakwood we’re allowed to ‘fail out loud’ and given the support to bounce back up.” Alice F, Cold Spring, NY

On a picturesque coed campus, infused with nature, Oakwood Friends School, guided by Quaker principles, prepares students for lives of achievement, accomplishment, compassion and conscience. Upper School Day & Boarding Programs (5 and 7-day) Middle School Day Program Middle and Upper Schools Open House Student-led campus tours and meetings with faculty and Head of School Sat & Sun Oct 27 and 28 • Noon - 2 PM Sat & Sun Nov 10 and 11 • Noon - 2 PM For more info or to join us, write or call: admissions@oakwoodfriends.org • (845) 462-4200 22 Spackenkill Road, Poughkeepsie, NY

oakwoodfriends.org

SINGULAR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MONEY IN REAL ESTATE THE NEW FRONTIER OF R.E. BROKERAGE TECHNOLOGY Brokers — Venture Capitalists — Investors LEVERAGE THE FUTURE OF BROKERAGE WITH THE 131 YEAR HISTORY OF

E. OSBORNE SMITH INC. - For Sale! RICH HISTORY in NYC/Tri-State Area Real Estate since 1887 Learn from history and invest in your future with a Stellar ZĞƉƵƚĂƟ ŽŶ͕ WƌŽǀĞŶ dƌĂĐŬ ZĞĐŽƌĚ ĂŶĚ dƌĂĚĞŵĂƌŬ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƟ ŽŶ͊

You may be eligible if you: > Are at least 18 years old > Have had mild psoriasis for at least 6 months

Participation includes: > Receipt of the study medication > Blood tests > Skin biopsies

Compensation is provided.

What once took a building of Brokers and assistants can be done from your Home PC ͘ KƐďŽƌŶĞ ^ŵŝƚŚ ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ Θ ŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƟ ŽŶ ŽƌƉ͘ Builders and General Contractors to the Industry Principals Buying & Selling Vacant Land to Builders of 1-2-3 Family Homes /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂůͲ ŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂů ZĞƐŝĚĞŶƟ Ăů

>>Ͳ ϮϭϮͲϵϴϲͲϳϲϰϰ ĨŽƌ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶ on this unparalleled opportunity MORE INFO:

www.eosbornesmith.com All past real estate service agreements as brokers and all past real estate partnership interests as brokers and principal have been 100% successfully concluded.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Discover the world around the corner. Find community events, gallery openings, book launches and much more: Go to nycnow.com

EDITOR’S PICK

Thu 18 - Sun 21 CHELSEA FILM FESTIVAL AMC Lowes, 312 West 34th St. Times vary; $13 individual tickets/$46.75-$55 day passes chelseafilm.org The sixth edition of this neighborhood international film festival features the work of emerging filmmakers, producers and actors. This year’s Grand Prix for Best Feature Film went to “Mukoku” by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, and the Special Jury Award went to “Potato Potahto” by Shirley FrimpongManso. With a diverse lineup of features, shorts and documentaries all focused on the theme of global issues, there’s something for everyone.

ESTABLISHED 1789 A NURTURING, SMALL, JUNIOR-K THROUGH 5th GRADE CO-ED SCHOOL On 95th Street at Central Park West

Where Empowerment and Education go hand-in-hand.

Sign Up for An Open House Tour at alexanderrobertson.org/admissions or call 212-663-2844 to make an appointment for your visit.

A photochrom postcard published by the Detroit Photographic Company.

Thu 18 Fri 19 ‘CHALK: THE ART AND ERASURE OF CY TWOMBLY’

▲ HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT’S ARCHITECTURE

McNally Jackson 52 Prince St. 7 p.m. Free The iconic artist Cy Twombly managed his public image carefully and rarely gave interviews. Now, after unprecedented archival research and years of interviews, Joshua Rivkin has reconstructed Twombly’s life in his book “Chalk.” From Twombly’s time at the legendary Black Mountain College to his canonization in a 1979 Whitney retrospective, learn more about the life of this extraordinary artist. 212-274-1160 mcnallyjackson.com

Meet at 12 Fulton St. 5:30 p.m. $15, registration required Several buildings in the Seaport District are considered some the oldest standing structures in Manhattan. From rat pits to a warehouse built by one of the most famous American architects of the 19th century, the buildings of the Seaport have a big story to tell. Learn more on this walking tour across the cobblestones. 212-748-8600 southstreetseaportmuseum.org

Sat 20 THE NOT-SO-SPOOKY GHOST Theater at the 14th Street Y 344 East 14th St. 7 p.m. $12 adults/$10 children A timid ghost, his skeleton father and a mysterious scarecrow have lots of laughs in the all-ages show. The little ghost can’t scare a soul to please his Big Bad Dad, but help is on the way as the audience and some friends scare up some fun fright. Through Oct. 28. 212-780-0800 14streety.org

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

We think a company thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been around for generations should offer a product thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guaranteed for a lifetime.

Ee E R ur

a rch

as r pu e m ou y ith

F w

Sun 21 Mon 22 Tue 23 HUDSON RIVER PARK FALL FEST Hudson River Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pier 25 North Moore and West Streets 11 a.m. Free Test out your Halloween costume, paint a pumpkin, go ďŹ shing or grab some cotton candy while you watch a magic show at this autumnal festival. The afternoon-long family day includes a dog adoption tent, carnival rides, cotton candy and more. 212-627-2020 nycgovparks.org

â&#x2013;ź â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;SYNAGOGUES OF IRAN: DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN CONTEXTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Center for Jewish History 15 West 16th St. 7 p.m. $15 Professor Mohammad Gharipour will discuss his research and recently published book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Synagogues of Iran,â&#x20AC;? which explores how the architecture of synagogues in Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Spain responded to contextual issues and traditions, as well as how these contexts inďŹ&#x201A;uenced the design and evolution of synagogues. 212-294-8301 cjh.org

â&#x2013;˛ AMERICAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CYBERSECURITY PROBLEM 911 Memorial, intersection of Albany and Greenwich Streets 7 p.m. Free Avril D. Haines, a senior research scholar at Columbia University and previously deputy national security advisor to President Obama and CIA deputy director, will share her thoughts on the state of U.S. cybersecurity. 911memorial.org

Wed 24 OPENING NIGHT: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;LES MISĂ&#x2030;RABLESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Schimmel Center 3 Spruce St. 7:30 p.m. $15/$5 students and seniors Hear the people sing, or rather the students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater program at the Pace School of Performing Arts. They will perform the classic tale of Jean Valjean, whose life-changing decision to care for a factory workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter sets him on an unforgettable path. Additional performances Oct. 25-28. 212-346-1715 schimmelcenter.org

Haim Synagogue in Tehran, Iran. Photo by Azadi68, via WikiMedia Commons

shown: SkylineÂŽ Gliding Panels & Designer Roller Shades

New Yorkers have put their trust in Janovic for 130 years. With some of the largest Hunter Douglas showrooms in NYC, we feature an extensive variety of options and fabrics.

All Hunter Douglas shades and blinds are

UP TO 20% OFF EVERYDAY *Excludes restricted products

STORE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NYC

GRAMERCY PARK 292 3rd Avenue @ 23rd St Ă&#x201C;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x2021;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x17D;Ă¤Ă&#x17D;Ă¤

YORKVILLE 1491 3rd Ave @ 84th St Ă&#x201C;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x201C;nÂ&#x2122;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x17D;Ă¤Ă¤

1** , Ć&#x201A;-/ - nnn iĂ?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC; Ć&#x201A;Ă&#x203A;i J Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026; -Ă&#x152; Ă&#x201C;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x201C;Â&#x2021;ÂŁ{Ă¤Ă¤

Â˝- / Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x2C6; ÂŁĂ¤Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026; Ć&#x201A;Ă&#x203A;i J xĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2DC;` -Ă&#x152; 212-245-3241

1** , 7 -/ - ÂŁxÂ&#x2122; 7 Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x201C;Â&#x2DC;` -Ă&#x152; J Â˝Ă&#x153;>Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x201C;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;xÂ&#x2122;xÂ&#x2021;Ă&#x201C;xĂ¤Ă¤

"7 , Ć&#x201A;-/ - nĂ¤ {/ Ć&#x201A;Ă&#x203A;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x2022;i J ÂŁĂ¤Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026; -Ă&#x152;

-" " 55 Thompson St @ Broome Ă&#x201C;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2021;Â&#x2021;ÂŁÂŁĂ¤Ă¤

- Ć&#x201A; 215 7th Avenue @ 23rd St Ă&#x201C;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2C6;{xÂ&#x2021;x{x{

UPTOWN WEST Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2C6;nĂ¤ Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;>`Ă&#x153;>Ă&#x17E; J ÂŁĂ¤Ă&#x201C;Â&#x2DC;` -Ă&#x152; Ă&#x201C;ÂŁĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;xĂ&#x17D;ÂŁÂ&#x2021;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17D;Ă¤Ă¤

" - Ć&#x201A; /9 Ă&#x17D;Ă¤Â&#x2021;Ă&#x17D;x /Â&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x192;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC; Ć&#x201A;Ă&#x203A;i Ă&#x17D;{Ă&#x2021;Â&#x2021;{ÂŁnÂ&#x2021;Ă&#x17D;{nĂ¤

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Voices

Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a letter to the editor.

serve for all appointees. Amending the City Charter to impose term limits would not serve the community, its residents or the city.

CIVIC EXERCISES EAST SIDE OBSERVER BY ARLENE KAYATT

Biking the system — Money may not be an object for the owners of the Equinox sports club or to the New York Sports Club, both located in the East 90s, in their efforts to lure the workout crowd to their gyms and their products. And money may not be an object to their members. But the same cannot be said for those young millennials still going to school and/ or working two or three jobs to get by. They have found a way to game the system, circumvent the cost, and get a free workout by cycling on the stationary Citibikes at the foot of James Cagney Place on East 91st Street off Second Avenue. Way to go. Rogue route — Add out-of-control

to descriptions bestowed on MTA bus drivers. Riding down Lexington Avenue on a weekday afternoon was slow-going. Traffic and pedestrians and the usual assortment of bicycles, shopping carts and strollers made it difficult for the bus to get over to the bus lane. As it approached the 45th Street stop, a passenger hit the “Stop Request” device and headed for the exit door followed by several other passengers. Instead of announcing that the bus would not be stopping at 45th Street or the next stop (42nd41st and Lex), the driver turned left on 42nd Street, leaving riders to ﬁgure out the next stop on the runaway bus trip. No way to run a bus line.

Lobotomizing community boards — Get ready to vote for whether or not you want term limits for members of the city’s Community Boards. The November ballot has a proposal to

Some get a workout by pedaling on stationary Citibikes docked at James Cagney Place on East 91st Street off Second Avenue. Photo: Ted Eytan, via ﬂickr amend the City Charter to impose term limits for community board members. Borough presidents appoint board members. In doing so, they look for individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests. A prerequisite for appointees is that the live or work or have a business in a community board’s catchment area. There are 12 community boards in Manhattan. There are currently no term limits. By imposing limits, boards will be deprived of institutional memory. Appointees are an invalu-

able resource. They know the process and the community should not be deprived of their input. Zoning, health and housing are among the issues that seriously effect the community. It’s the part of the process where the community has a true voice. The community board is tasked with giving guidance and input. Let each appointee’s performance be the standard for reappointment. Arbitrary term limits can be chaotic. There must be standards and requirements to be met, in addition to the ability to

New neighborhood, old too — Whenever passing the corner of 53rd and First Avenue, that red structure on the corner — Parnell’s Irish pub — always catches my eye and a little bit of my heart. Located in a 5-story apartment building, it’s been there since 1968 — its 50th year! Many years ago I was told — by a distant Parnell’s family member — that the pub was a family-owned restaurant located in an apartment building that they owned — and would never sell. Seems like that’s still the case, because alongside the pub on First Avenue is a luxury apartment building that went up in the last year or two. I’d venture to say that Parnell’s prime corner real estate had Realtor types lusting after a deal. But no. Parnell’s is staying in the restaurant business and renting apartments in their building. Always happy to report that kind of news.

OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER BY MEREDITH KURZ

It’s not a smoke-ﬁlled back room; it’s a second floor, badly fluorescent-lit space. There aren’t any cigars, just a large bag of pretzels shared among the committee members. No secret deals are being made with the men and women working here; no money being passed around. On the sidewalk below flow pedestrians, double-wide strollers, walkers, wheelchairs, dogs and skateboards. Cars, buses, motorcycles, skateboards, tourist cyclists and messenger bikes compete around dug-up streets, detours and construction cones. Under the streets our subways run, or notoriously don’t. These three levels are the turf of the Transportation Committee for Community Board 7. Board members, all volunteers, prepare to plow through the agenda. Their loosened ties and slightly crumpled dresses reveal they’re coming from a long day of work. In the audience are architects, landlords, a

Department of Transportation representative, the Lincoln Center BID rep, the NYPD precinct commissioner and Upper West Side citizens. There’s a bus line update we can’t quite get to because there are other more pressing agenda topics. A scant report is given on three subway elevators that may or may not be working and may or may not be inspected, three lines on a blank sheet because the board wasn’t given much information. Then a young man, 15 years old, rolls in on his motorized wheelchair. Perched on the chair’s arm is a computer giving him access and opportunity to speak his mind. The tone and mood changes in the room as he enters. The teenager waits patiently for his agenda item to come up. He must be both patient and persistent, because he’s been waiting two years already. He lives in a prewar building that has no ramp. His family began requesting one two years ago. The red tape ﬁnally leads here tonight. The committee volunteers are eager to help. The word

“expedite” ﬂies around the table. The architect drawings are brought up on an ancient project screen that creaks down from the ceiling. There’s a collective sigh of relief when the members discover the building is west enough of the Historical Landmark district, avoiding yet another approval, yet another vote from another committee. The members want to help, want to accomplish one small thing for one young man. There’s a hold up, though. Even after their approval, there’s a mandatory vote required by the entire Community Board 7 that’s not until November. Someone says if we don’t get this approved soon, it will be too late in the season to pour concrete, build the ramp. This will add another six months to an already long-awaited goal. Everyone wants to raise their hand and vote for this young man to get his ramp, to approve one thing. With subways delays that have leapt from 20,000 to 60,000 a month, with elevators in disrepair, nonexistent or broken, with roads that are ﬁlled with

At the CB7 Transportation Committee meeting. Photo: Meredith Kurz construction from utilities, just this one thing would be progress. The young man has his opportunity to speak. The voice comes out slightly computerized, but definitely a male teen’s timbre. He presses the screen, giving his name and age, then says, “I use a wheelchair. I use a motorized chair at home so I can drive myself. There are steps to get into my building. There’s a small ramp now but I can’t get in or out of my home in my motorized wheelchair. Please approve the ramp so I can drive my wheelchair outside. Thank you!” I imagine him somehow getting each word entered into this piece of tech, so

he can come here, and press one or two buttons. There are hours behind those few words; years. His independence to navigate these streets, to be a young man on his own, is at stake. Small government groups like Manhattan’s community boards get things done, push things forward, make our streets safer, and therefore make us safer. There are appointed and nonappointed opportunities for residents to get involved to help. The agenda reveals a small slice of what the board needs to advocate for. Politics wasn’t always a dirty word: part of its ancient Latin roots is “community.” These are the people that represent us.

President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com

STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source nyoffice@strausnews.com 212-868-0190

Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com

Associate Publishers Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Regional Sales Manager Tania Cade

Account Executives Fred Almonte, David Dallon Director of Partnership Development Barry Lewis

Editor-In-Chief, Alexis Gelber Deputy Editor Richard Khavkine

Senior Reporter Doug Feiden

Director of Digital Pete Pinto

Staff Reporter Michael Garofalo

Director, Arts & Entertainment/ NYCNow Alizah Salario

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

COMMUNITY

BY MICHAEL GAROFALO

Are you prepositionally challenged? Hesitant around hyphens? Undergoing a comma crisis? Simply enraptured by the beauty of a well-placed ellipsis? Ellen Jovin wants to talk grammar with you. Jovin has become familiar to Upper West Side word lovers in recent weeks as the face and founder of Grammar Table — a public forum for open-ended discussion of all things language. Armed with a folding table and an array of reference books and style guides, Jovin sets up shop near the northern entrance to the 72nd Street subway station on Broadway to dole out complimentary (with an “i”) pointers, guidance and emotional support to all comers, from devoted syntacticians to the downright grammar-averse. “Hi, this looks lit,” a young woman said on a recent afternoon as she approached Grammar Table (lately Jovin has been trying out the name without the definite article). The woman introduced herself as a fifth-grade English teacher, and soon discovered that she had found a kindred soul in Jovin. A spirited conversation on the joys of sentence diagrams ensued. A steady stream of passersby paused in the midst of the rush hour scrum to gaze curiously at the Grammar Table sign. Some were wary; others, perhaps emboldened by the inclusion of “Vent!” in the sign’s menu of services, had bones to pick. “Dangling modiﬁers! Why?” a man cried from afar, clenching his ﬁsts in anguish. Em dashes — do we overuse them? “It’s really easy to get sucked into,” another visitor observed. A punctilious student and his mother inquired about apostrophe placement in “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” (Grammar Table consensus settled on the rendering that appears in the previous sentence, but other credible sources, including The New York Times, opt to dispense with the possessive entirely.) An editor lamented writers’ aversion to semicolons. She explained, “A semicolon has a very

“The stereotype of a grammarian is ‘I tell you what’s right,’ and I don’t want it to be like that. I learn from people all the time.” Ellen Jovin, founder of Grammar Table

She loved theater. So she gave. Photo:Stephen Paley

‘GRAMMAR ZEN’ IN VERDI SQUARE New Yorkers talk tricky tenses, punctuation passions and more at Ellen Jovin’s UWS pop-up table

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

“Are you a word person?” Ellen Jovin often asks visitors as they approach her pop-up language workshop at 72nd Street. Photo: Michael Garofalo

specific use; there’s a reason to use it and a reason not to.” She went on to gripe about commentators on the Tennis Channel, who, she said, seem to have forgotten how to use adverbs (“He should have hit it more aggressive.”). She identified Tracy Austin as the worst offender and possible patient zero of the epidemic. Jovin, who is a corporate communications consultant by trade, first took her passion to the public in September. “This summer I was feeling like I was on the computer too much,” she said. “I felt like my societal experience was becoming atomized and I decided to bring it to the street. It took literally 30 seconds for someone to come up to me the first day.” Grammar Table has since become a semi-regular presence in Verdi Square on weekend afternoons and weekday evenings. Jovin, who lives nearby, has found the exercise to be a welcome diversion from politics and the constant onslaught of the news cycle. “New York City is full of seriously bummed-out people right now,” she said, but grammar gets people chatting. “It’s light,” she said. “Even though people get a little bit excited about the Oxford comma, they usually don’t go into a rage and block people on Facebook over it.” Grammar Table discussions aren’t limited to English. Jovin, who describes herself as a “compulsive language student,” has studied over 20 languages and likes to practice her skills whenever opportunity allows. “Jak się masz?” she called in greeting at one point to a passing Polish acquaintance. “Bardzo dobrze,” he cheerily

replied. Grammar Table’s most hotly debated topic? The aforementioned Oxford comma, the punctuation mark before “and” in a list of three or more items. “By far,” Jovin said. “No competition.” “That and the spacing after periods are the two most emotional issues in any discussion of punctuation,” she explained. Proponents hail the Oxford comma for the additional clarity and precision it sometimes affords. Those who prefer a cleaner aesthetic tend to side against it. “What’s the point?” a woman in a fatigue jacket with a Woodstock patch asked, incredulous that anyone would sully a page with an unnecessary mark. Jovin herself doesn’t get too worked up about it. “I use it myself but I don’t really care if other people do,” she said. (This reporter cannot say the same. Bound by his editors’ deference to the sometimes oppressive strictures of the Associated Press Stylebook, he is obliged, against his wishes, convictions and better judgment, to omit the righteous comma.) Jovin’s stance on the most controversial comma in the English language is characteristic: Grammar Table prioritizes dialog over dogma. “The stereotype of a grammarian is ‘I tell you what’s right,’ and I don’t want it to be like that,” she said. “I learn from people all the time.” “There’s a lot of grey area in language, where there’s not really right or wrong,” she said. “I think it’s fun to live with a certain amount of uncertainty and variety.” “I’ve achieved a state of grammar Zen. I’m at peace.”

Some Some say say Helen Helen Merrill was was the the theater. theater. During her life, life, she she fostered fostered the careers of of dozens dozens of of playwrights. playwrights. Today, Today, 21 21 years years after her death, death, the the fund fund she she started in The The New New York York Community Community Trust supports supports emerging emerging and distinguished distinguished playwrights.

What do you love? We We can can help help you you create create aa charitable charitable legacy. legacy.

Contact Jane Wilton: (212) 686-2563 or janewilton@nyct-cfi.org

THE NEW YORK COMMUNITY TRUST nycommunitytrust.org

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

THEY PAINTED A REVOLUTION Chagall, Lissitzky, Malevich and the Russian Avant-Garde BY MARY GREGORY

Suprematists. Constructivists. Surrealists. Cubo-Futurists. Optimists. Socialists. Mystics. Leftists. Artists. All of the above. The years 1918-1922 were heady times in Vitebsk, Marc Chagall’s hometown (in present-day Belarus). After the Revolution of 1917, Russia was changed. For Chagall, it meant new rules and new possibilities. Discrimination against Jewish artists was made a thing of the past by law. He was guaranteed full rights for the ﬁrst time in Russia. He poured his joy into an ebullient painting, “Double Portrait with Wine Glass,” where he and his new wife Bella embrace, toast

IF YOU GO WHAT: “Chagall, Lissitzky, Malevich: The Russian Avant-Garde in Vitebsk, 1918-1922” WHERE: The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., at 92nd Street WHEN: Through Jan. 6, 2019 thejewishmuseum.org life and, yes, there’s a little ﬂying involved. An angel soars above, with purple wings echoed in the purple stockings on Bella’s ankles — as above, so below, in color. Chagall rides piggy-back on his bride’s shoulders and both beam beatiﬁcally. Though it was painted years after their wedding, her lovely décolletage and his broad smile paint a picture of marital bliss.

Suprematism in everyday life, here served up on a plate designed by Malevich. “Dynamic Composition” Plate, 1923. Photo: Adel Gorgy

El Lissitzky’s commemoration in geometry, “Untitled (Rosa Luxemburg)” from 1919-20. Photo: Adel Gorgy Over 8 feet tall, it’s a towering portrait of happiness worth the trip on its own, and it sets the mood for the show. Over 150 works are on view at the Jewish Museum’s “Chagall, Lissitzky, Malevich: The Russian Avant-Garde in Vitebsk, 1918-1922. The exhibition was organized and curated by Angela Lampe, of the Centre Pompidou (where it debuted earlier this year) joined by the Jewish Museum’s Claudia J. Nahson. It’s the first show to examine the outsized inﬂuence of a small city in Russia where a unique collection of teachers, students, ideas and ideals changed the course of art. Chagall (1887–1985), traveled to Paris in 1910 and found the Cubists. Though their frac-

tured forms can be found in his buildings and backgrounds, Chagall never left figuration. He was a people person. The exigencies of wars, as well as Bella, whom he’d met at a young age, called him back to Vitebsk. In 1918 he was named the city’s commissar of arts. A free, radical art school, open to all, was what was needed, Chagall decided. He founded The People’s Art School. Before long, avant-garde artists, architects and students blanketed the snowy city with color, slogans and youthful, revolutionary enthusiasm. Chagall invited El Lissitzky and Kazimir Malevich, the reigning leaders of Russian radical art to join him. Malevich, a passionate, charismatic

Even within pure abstraction verging on minimalism, a goat wanders into Chagall’s “Composition with a Goat.” Photo: Adel Gorgy

Chagall’s whimsical painting, “The Traveler” is on loan from a private collection. Photo: Adel Gorgy artist, espoused that only in pure abstraction could the highest level of emotion be expressed. He was one of the ﬁrst to abandon the idea of pictures of something, striving instead for visual expression of feelings and mystical ideas through shape, line, color and form. His work and his titles have been linked with esoteric teachings of his countryman and contemporary, P.D. Ouspensky. “Forms must be given life and the right to individual existence,” Malevich wrote in 1915. His “Mystic Suprematism (Red Cross on Black Circle)” from the Vitebsk years (1920-22) is pared down to the named elements — a red cross and black circle on a white background with a few additional diagonal red lines. With three colors and two shapes we’re witness to a whole new world in art. Lissitzky took those elements and used them to construct (hence, Constructivism) buildings, posters, speakers’ platforms, book covers, even coffee cups, all to serve modern society and the goals of Communism. “Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge,” a lithograph with a red point cutting open a white circle (the Bolsheviks’ opponents were the White movement) was like the Mona Lisa of Soviet political propaganda.

Throughout the exhibition, letters, folios, designs and documents testify to an insistence on the new, on change. Five sections, “Post-Revolutionary Fervor in Vitebsk,” “The People’s Art School,” “‘The New Art’: Lissitzky and Malevich,” “Collective Utopia,” and “After Vitebsk” trace the early earnest impulses of a young Jewish artist, up through the realization of his dream and the final dissolution of the school. Chagall, himself, was perceived as too old-fashioned, with his flying people and goats. Students didn’t sign up for his classes, and he and Bella left the school and moved to Moscow in 1920. Is it ironic that artists of the day could find more emotional experience in colorless squares of stark abstraction than in embracing, floating lovers awash in lush hues? That’s in the eye of the beholder. What’s apparent from the works in the exhibition is that an artistic zeal ruled Vitebsk for a few, glorious years. The wall text quotes a visitor from 1921, a year before the school closed, “The city was still resplendent with Malevich’s designs — circles, squares, dots, and lines of different colors — and with Chagall’s flying people. I had the impression of being in an enchanted city.”

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

In the pages that follow, you’ll meet the people who make New York work. For over a decade, our newspapers have proudly joined forces with 32BJ to celebrate the supers, porters, cleaners and others who make our city a better place to live and work. We are thrilled to be able to honor a few of them once a year, and to say thank you. We’re proud to put a focus on these hard-working men and women. Thanks to our sponsors and to 32BJ’s President Hector Figueroa, Eugenio Villasante and Carolina Gonzalez for their help on this project. Read these stories and meet a remarkable group of New Yorkers. And please join us in congratulating them all.

Maria Alexandru

Gaspar Amorim

Kristinia Bellamy

Noel Brown

Sinoun Bun

Romay Garcia

Corey Green

Jose Guichardo

Willie Hawkins

Adem Kajosaj

Cortez Lagroon

Zakiyy Medina

Cristiana Mendez

Miguel Negron

Kole Palushaj

Angie Person

Ron Pioquinto

Rene Richard

Zoraida Rodriguez

Cliff Tisdale

Sean Williams

Special thanks to our sponsors:

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

MIGUEL NEGRON SCHOOL CLEANER

‘THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS’ Working at an elementary school in Greenwich Village — and running a farm upstate

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

GASPAR AMORIM RESPONSIBILITY AT A HIGH LEVEL His job can be scary, but Gaspar Amorim says “you develop yourself and build your skills” BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Gaspar Amorim is a modern Renaissance man. A lover of history and politics and an active member of his Catholic church, Amorim brings a sense of gratitude and optimism to everything he does. For the past 17 years that has been cleaning windows at 3 Times Square. “Pretty much since the building was new,” he says. He has worked at office buildings like 1 Chase Plaza and 395 Wall Street. So far, 3 Times Square is his favorite. Home to large companies like ThomsonReuters, the global mass media corporation that owns the building, Amorim’s workplace is surrounded by glowing neon signs and awe-struck tourists day and night. “It’s a privilege to work for these people,” he says. Amorim’s job requires a high level of responsibility because of all the machinery and risk involved. He has to operate scaffolding and three rigs, and he says it can be scary, to a degree. But, over time, “you develop yourself and build your skills.” “Being a window washer’s got its own charms,” he says. Amorim first came to New York City in 1965 from Portugal, following in his father’s footsteps. “My father was always in New York when he was a young man,” he says. Amorim now lives in Queens with his wife of 30 years. Their son works right around the corner from him at 5 Times Square, though they don’t cross paths

WINDOW CLEANER

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

Amorim brings a sense of gratitude and optimism to everything he does. as often as you might think. “Young people have really a good opportunity — politically, socially and even spiritually,” he says. In his free time, Amorim loves watching sports, especially rooting for Portugal’s Benﬁca soccer team. He got into baseball upon coming to New York and became a Yankees fan after reading about their powerful legacy. He and his wife have also played on a local bowling team in his community. “I like to do something where I live,” he says. “That’s what makes this country great, to be part of it. You could have your disagreements, but be involved.”

It’s evident that Miguel Negron loves his job, if for no other reason than his commute is three hours each way. He and his wife moved upstate to Wallkill, New York six years ago and run a small farm there, but Negron is so devoted to his job that he’s never even considered finding work closer to home. The commute is by far the only bad thing about working at P.S. 41 Greenwich Village Elementary School, where he has been a custodian for 20 years. Of his commute, Negron ﬁnds an upside. “I get to do a lot of studying,” for his upcoming custodian engineer exam. “I get to have the best of both worlds.” Negron calls P.S. 41 his second home, and says when things are good at work they are good in the rest of his life. “I don’t mind going above and beyond because it beneﬁts me spiritually,” he says. “And then when I go home what I left behind is good and I don’t have to worry about work.” Negron has driven through snowstorms to get to work, stopping on the side of the road to wipe off buried signage, but he says he would do anything for the kids at P.S. 41. “These are my kids,” he says. He loves the hustle and bustle of schools and knows he has skills that are valuable, like listening and problem-solving. “I can contribute a lot besides just cleaning,” he says. He loves his coworkers and considers them family. They clearly feel the same way. Principal Kelly Shannon says she is fortunate to have gotten to know Negron. “The way he cares about what he does, he’s become part of the heart and soul of P.S. 41,” she said. Standing next to her, Negron wipes away tears. Born and raised in New York City, Negron practically grew up in the industry. He uncle is a custodian, and his father worked as a custodian at a high school for 30 years. Now Negron is just as dedicated to his wife of seven years as he is to his job. When he gets home from work he makes sure she has her bath ready and her lunch for the next day. Together, Negron and his wife tend to their 26 chickens, cat, dog and birds. They also crochet, cook and watch reality shows in their shared time off.

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

When things are good at work, they are good in the rest of life.”

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

ABM salutes all of the 2018 Building Service Worker Awards honorees, including ABMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Cliff Tisdale and Zakiyy Medina

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

CLIFF TISDALE ELEVATOR OPERATOR

A DAY TO REMEMBER After 9/11, Cliff Tisdale and his colleagues are an additional layer of security BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

There used to be a lot more people doing Cliff Tisdale’s job. But though there are fewer of them now, elevator operators aren’t remotely extinct. And at places like the World Financial Center at 225 Liberty Street, which houses large companies like Oppenheimer and Bank of America, they remain a crucial part of the infrastructure. Tisdale describes himself as “like a yoyo,” going up and down all day between the building’s 44 ﬂoors. “It seems easy, per se, but a lot of times you have people who don’t know where they’re going so you have to give direction,” he says. Sometimes that includes emergency service workers who need Tisdale’s help when responding to a situation in the building. Tisdale’s worst day on the job was, without a doubt, September 11, 2001. Working just a block away from the World Trade Center, Tisdale watched people jump from the highest floors and plummet to the ground, then he watched the towers collapse. “I’ve got a vivid memory of the

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

I’ve got a vivid memory of the guy jumping out of the window and all you can see is his tie flapping.” guy jumping out of the window and all you can see is his tie ﬂapping,” he says. It’s something he’ll never forget. Since that day, Tisdale and his colleagues have been trained to watch for suspicious activity and serve as an additional layer of security. But most days are good ones. “Every day you wake up is a good day,” he says. He’s even had a celebrity or two in his elevator: Venus and Serena Williams, for example, Bernie Williams of the New York Yankees and Steve Harvey of “Family Feud.” Tisdale has been working in the area long Feud. enough to see Lower Manhattan change drastically and, he says, for the better. Tisdale was born in New York City but grew up partially in Florida, hanging out where his grandfather worked at the Kennedy Space Center. He came back to New York City in 1995 and started out cleaning dorms at New York University. He has worked as a porter, ﬂoor cleaner and security guard. He now lives in Brooklyn and spends his free time with his girlfriend and daughter and grandsons, coaching youth basketball and listening to Aretha Franklin. “Right now I can’t see myself living any place else,” he says.

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

CORTEZ LAGROON GOING THE EXTRA MILE

COMMERCIAL SECURITY GUARD

An avid history buff, Cortez Lagroon zeroed in on security as his field BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

Cortez Lagroon’s upbringing in a family of preachers is evident in his dedication to helping others. Lagroon has been in the security industry for 26 years — he was at Google for 12 years and has been at 1 Court Square for ﬁve — but he has made a career of going the extra mile for people. Asked what people rely on him for, Lagroon says “everything.” Even when he was offered a more lucrative job at a different building, he decided to stay at 1 Court Square to help coworkers. “I get a joy out of helping my fellow workers,” he says. Lagroon also is active in his own community in the Bronx, where he oftens provides advice and mentorship to neighborhood kids. He says it’s a life lesson he learned from his mom. “My parents always said when man forgets about man, we’re in trouble,” he says. “That’s what we’re supposed to do for each other.” Lagroon comes from a large family — he’s one of eight siblings — and oftens visits his hometown in South Carolina. He likes reading and working out in his free time, and is an avid history buff. After coming to New York City in 1996, Lagroon zeroed in on security as the thing he wanted to

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

When man forgets about man, we’re in trouble.” get good at. He read books about security, took emergency management training classes and studied the ﬁeld with an academic sense of purpose. “I’m trained in all of it,” he says. He got a job as supervisor at the Archdiocese of New York, then moved up and up the ladder. Now, he describes his title as “rover” since he’s capable of manning the front desk, ﬁlling in at the loading docks and everything in between. He uses those skills to look out for what he calls “my people”; that is, everyone who comes through the three buildings he oversees. “Seeing a smile on their face, that’s what I enjoy most,” he says. “This is my family.”

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Congratulations to all the Award Winners on this well deserved honor!

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

WILLIE HAWKINS A WELCOMING PRESENCE

DOORMAN — DOWNTOWN

The job is no longer work for him — it’s more like an adventure BY MADELEINE E THOMPSON

Willie Hawkins has been at 270 Broadway way since it was still under construction and he wass the only doorman. But his connection to Lower Manhattan goes back much farther. Hawkins was as assistant manager during the evening shift at Windows on the World at the Twin Towers in 2001 and was supposed to be at work on September tember 11. He wasn’t. “We lost a total of 77 and I lost ost two from my staff,” he recalls, choking up. To this day he doesn’t work on September ber 11, sometimes choosing to visit his son and d two grandsons in Philadelphia. In his 15 years at 270 Broadway, Hawkins wkins has become a well-known face to the residents of its roughly 85 units, and he has grown rown close to most of them over the years. He iss fond of the building’s atmosphere and its family-oriented -oriented feel. Hawkins is a veteran of the industry: try: Before coming to 270 Broadway he was a doorman man on the Upper East Side. He says there’s no hard part of his job when you love it as much as he does. Asked what the work iss like day-to-day, he says, “fantastic.” “I leave home to come home,” he says. “This used to be work for me, now it’s an adventure.” He has seen three sets of twins born and raised under his watch. Hawkins was born in Rochester, but moved to the city when he was 2. He considers himself a native city kid. He lives in the Bronx now, close to his mom. He prizes visits with his two children and nd four grandchildren, going to comedy shows and traveling ling to Las Vegas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Hawkins’ 60- to 80-member extended d family has been having annual summer barbecues in Manhasset anhasset State Park for the last 41 years. He could see himself having a second home ome someday, maybe in North Carolina, but he says he’d never ever leave the city for good. “Too much quiet’s not good,” he e jokes.

B UILDING G

201 SERVICE

WORKER ER

AWAR DS S

Photo: Madeleine Thompson

I leave home to come home.”

Photo: Madeleine Thompson

ZORAIDA RODRIGUEZ A GOOD ACT TO FOLLOW

THEATER CLEANER

Zoraida Rodriguez keeps the Great White Way elegant and welcoming BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Zoraida Rodriguez wasn’t that into plays and musicals until she started working as a theater cleaner. After 12 years on the job, though, she has seen just about everything that’s come to Broadway. She has worked at theaters up and down the Great White Way, changing locations as shows close and new ones open. Some favorites include “Cinderella,” “Sister Act” and “Shrek.” “Sometimes people are like, ‘how did they do this?’ and I’m like, ‘I know what’s going on backstage,’” she says of her unique access to behindthe-scenes magic. She recently started working at the Bernard Jacobs Theater on West 45th Street, where Jez Butterworth’s “The Ferryman” just opened. Rodriguez came to New York City from the Dominican Republic in 2005 and now lives in New Jersey with her 23-year-old daughter. She is especially proud of her two children and her granddaughter, who she loves taking to the playground on her days off. Rodriguez and her family like to go to dinner and movies. They also travel to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to visit Amish communities. “They have a theater, so they do plays. It’s amazing,” she says. “I’ve seen many shows on Broadway but those are beautiful. They use real animals.”

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

I like what I do.” Favorite shows: Cinderella, Sister Act, Shrek The hardest part of her job, Rodriguez says, is ﬁtting in all these things around her unusual hours. After working mornings she returns to the theater around 9 p.m. to clean after the show, so she often returns home late. But she loves her coworkers, whom she knows from jobs at other theaters. She also enjoys having conversations with people buying tickets about which shows are good and what to do around the city. “Sometimes we get into conversations about different plays, the city, the restaurants,” she says. “I like what I do.”

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RENE RICHARD MORE UPS THAN DOWNS LONGEVITY

Even after more than four decades on the job, Rene Richard keeps looking forward BY JASON COHEN

Rene Richard grew up in Haiti with ambitions of becoming an engineer, but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would work more than four decades in Manhattan’s Garment District. Richard, 67, moved to America in 1974 and quickly found his first job as a deliveryman. One day while working, a man asked him to fill in for someone who had called out sick. That particular gig turned into 42 years of working at 225 West 37th St. “I’m the last of the Mohicans,” he said. “Not too many people could say they have done a job for 42 years.” His first day of work was June 7, 1976. He has worked the front desk, been the night man and now operates the freight elevators. Richard hard has seen the ups and downs in the building. ing. He witnessed sadness and emptiness during the recession, when many people lost st their jobs, but has also seen people stay for many years and gotten to know them.. More re importantly, he has become friends ds with all types of people in the building. ing. He’s attended their weddings, s, their kids’ graduations, Sweett 16s and bar and bat mitzvahs. “It’ss like family here,” he said. Richard hard originally lived in the e city, but about 20 yearss ago moved to quiett Harriman in upstate ate New York. He felt elt it was a good place for he and nd his wife, Gladys, ys, to raise t h e i r k id s , Jerry, y, 33, and Tanya, ya, 24. Besides des the nonstop top

Photo: Jason Cohen

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

It’s like family here.”

MARIA ALEXANDRU FROM ROMANIA TO TRUMP TOWER

OFFICE CLEANER — MIDTOWN

snow in the winter, he loves the relaxing suburban atmosphere. While the commute is 90 minutes, after a few weeks he got used to it. In his free time, Richard enjoys being with his family. With retirement on the horizon, he knows he will miss his job, but having the opportunity to spend time with his kids and wife make it all worth it. He knows he has worked his beh behind off for more than four decades and soon he can reap rea in the rewards. “I will m miss the people, peo but we ccan’t work forf e v e r,” h e remarked. remarke “When I came so somebody gave g me a cha chance. Now I h have to give the young guy chance a cha too.”

Maria Alexandru wanted to live in America for the opportunities — and found them BY JASON COHEN

For more than two decades Maria Alexandru has dedicated her life to cleaning Trump Tower. The Romania native moved to the United States in 1989, but never imagined that she would be working in New York City for 24 years, let alone at the same job. She explained that being recognized for her service is nice, but she is a modest person and doesn’t like the spotlight. “It was a surprise,” she says. “I’m a good worker. I’m honored.” Alexandru, 66, ﬁrst worked as a movie projectionist in Romania. Although she didn’t have a dream job, she wanted to live in America where there are more opportunities. “I’m a person that accommodates,” she says. “If you put me in a jungle, I’ll survive” Alexandru recalls how she started at her job. She was in the street crying and suddenly someone sweeping saw her and connected her to an office. From there she hasn’t looked back. “I’m very happy working there,” she says. “You stick with the job because it’s steady and it provides for you.” Over the years she has gotten to know many tenants and has seen President Donald Trump, his daughter Ivanka and son Donald Jr. She notes that when she’s gone, the replacement cleaner is always asked, when is Maria coming back? However, during the recession from 2008 to 2010 many people in the building lost their jobs and even her hours were cut from 47 to 15. (Her hours were eventually restored.) While she has never met the president, when

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

I’m doing the job right because I like it.” Trump ﬁrst announced he was running for elected office Alexandru made a sign that said “Vote for Trump” and stood between Fifth and Sixth Avenues with it. The insults hurled at her made her not do it again. Today, she lives in Kew Gardens with her husband Juan Camargo, her 27-year-old daughter Nancy and her two dogs, Luca and Coco. She loves to cook and spend time with her family. Alexandru is a cancer survivor and hopes she continues to be healthy well into the future. “Me and my husband, we are like a stamp and an envelope, we don’t go anywhere without each other,” Alexandru said. Her job has also allowed her to send money to her mother, Elaina, 93, who still lives in Romania. “I enjoy what I’m doing,” Alexandru says. “I’m doing the job right because I like it. When you leave the house, you come to work and you leave everything behind.”

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

ISS Facility Services is proud to help LaGuardia keep moving

ISS congratulates CristiBna Mendez, LaGuardia Airport Worker of the Year 2018 Building Service Worker Awards us.issworld.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

ADEM KAJOSAJ DOORMAN — EAST SIDE

MORNING MOMENTS IN ‘THE SPOT TO BE’ Doorman Adem Kajosaj says that his boundless energy is a crucial tenet of his position BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

There’s no such thing as a typical day in the life of Adem Kajosaj. As the morning doorman at 175 East 74th Street, he assists residents with everything they need. The hardest part of the job, he says, is staying calm when things get hectic. “You can be sitting here for ﬁve or 10 minutes and not see anybody and then all of a sudden you have food deliveries, you have people calling down, so you kind of have to balance everything,” he says. Luckily, the crazier moments come in waves. In between, Kajosaj loves hearing stories from the people and families he has come to know very well over his 14 years there. “I know their friends, I know their guests, so we do get kind of close,” he says. Kajosaj would recommend his job to

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

I’m a firm believer in the energy you give off is the energy you receive.” anyone, but he adds that his seemingly boundless energy is a crucial tenet of his position. “I’m a ﬁrm believer in the energy you give off is the energy you receive,” he says. He sees it as part of his responsibili-

ties to greet everyone with positivity no matter their disposition. He particularly enjoys the social aspects of the job and meeting people from all walks of life, from nannies to tenants’ coworkers. “You get to hear a little bit of story behind everybody.” 175 East 74th Street is the only building he’s worked in and he loves the neighborhood around him, calling it “the spot to be.” When’s he not at work, Kajosaj is a traveler with global aspirations. He oftens visits family in Albania and recently went to Hawaii for the ﬁrst time. He’s been to Italy and Switzerland and his father’s hometown of Montenegro. He loves hiking, especially the portions of the Appalachian Trial in his native New Jersey. Kajosaj also plays the drums and the guitar. He roots for the Brooklyn Nets — which was originally a New Jersey team — and the Buffalo Bills. He’s close with his parents and two siblings, often spending time with them in New Jersey.

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

Dennis Giblin 646 438 3343 dgiblin@ableserve.com

Cleaning, Operating & Maintaining OVER ONE BILLION SQ FT EVERY DAY

708 Third Avenue Suite 1100, New York, NY 11017 | www.ableserve.com/nyc

Working together to deliver valuAble Able work-life experiences. Since 1926.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

KRISTINIA BELLAMY HELPING HAND

A FIGHTER AND A SURVIVOR At work, Kristinia Bellamy has developed a rapport with the lawyers in her building BY JASON COHEN

Kristinia Bellamy is a fighter. She battled and defeated breast cancer in 2011 and lost her husband in the line of duty 13 years ago. Bellamy, 49, has worked for 12 years as a cleaner in Manhattan at 919 Third Ave., a 47-story building that houses law firms, a bank and a retail store. About a year ago she became a shop steward as well. Bellamy was born and raised in Far Rockaway and as a child dreamed of being a flight attendant. While she never got that far, she did fly often when she worked as a ticket agent at American Airlines at JFK Airport in the 90s. Bellamy noted that one of the coolest places she went to was Grenada. After leaving the airline in 2001, she worked at an office building in Westbury, Long Island. Her supervisor there, Christopher Hughes, connect-

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

If you don’t talk to the tenants on the floor your job is hard. ed her to a new job as a ﬂoor lady at the Hearst Tower. She started at Hearst in 2006, which was just a year after her late husband Jeffrey Bellamy, an undercover ATF agent, died on the job. So a job at night with more peace and quiet was better for her. While she enjoys the stability and the lawyers,

Photo courtesy of 32BJ it can be challenging. “Working at night ... messes up your whole system,” she says. “You can’t go to sleep when you get home.” Bellamy cleans the 19th and 20th ﬂoors of the building and learned quickly that if she isn’t friendly with the lawyers there, they may not be nice to her. Many of the lawyers work later than she does, so having a rapport with them really helps, she explains. She also enjoys talking with many of them and has even become friendly with some over the years. In fact, she is friends with a former tenant of the building, Alec Rothstein, who now lives in London. “If you don’t talk to the tenants on the ﬂoor your

job is hard,” she says. Bellamy, who now resides in Bayonne, NJ, likes to spend her free time with her husband, Steven Cherry, and her two sons, Anthony, 30, and Jason, 27. She also enjoys giving back to the community. For the past eight years she has volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club in Jersey City, where she mentors young girls. Right now, she is working with two girls in middle school, Azha and Anaya. “These chicks are like my kids,” she says. “They’re very smart kids, but they come from troubled homes. I enjoy doing it. It makes a difference with these kids.” As she looks to the future, Bellamy says she is happy with her family and job.

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

THE BRODSKY ORGANIZATION JOINS IN CELEBRATING ALL BUILDING SERVICE WORKERS AND THE 2018 HONOREES FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.

Photo: Madeleine Thompson

SINOUN BUN DOORWOMAN

KEEPING ACTIVE IS THE REWARD Sinoun Bun keeps it homey on the Upper East Side BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

CONGR ATUL ATES

32BJ SEIU AND THE 2018 BUILDING SERVICE WORKERS OF THE YEAR

BROOKFIELDPROPERTIES.COM

Sinoun Bun is in the right place for someone who loves kids and families as much as she does. Bun has been a doorwoman and concierge at 300 East 77th St. for 16 years and has come to know her building’s residents well. She delights in working there and considers it a second home. “I love everybody — all the tenants, all my staff,” she says. “The building makes me happy, because all my kids are very old. Over here it makes me very active.” Bun’s actual home is in the Bronx, where she has lived since coming to the city from Cambodia in 1983. She spent a brief period living in Philadelphia, where one of her daughters is working towards becoming a dental hygienist. She has four children for whom she likes to cook just about anything; her kids particularly love her pasta. In her free time, Bun enjoys ﬁshing. She goes to Crotona Park and Bear Mountain, and catches everything from striped bass to blue perch. “My dad got me into it and I got addicted to it,” she says. “It meditates your mind and keeps you from all the drama.” A self-described independent woman, Bun has had to advocate for herself as a female in a male-dominated industry. She started out in housekeeping and babysitting and worked her

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

To other young women hoping to get ahead in the industry, Bun advises that they be patient and stay strong. way up to doorwoman and then concierge. She handles packages, phone calls, work orders and everything else that makes the Upper East Side building feel like home. The key, she says, has been to treat everyone equally. “If I have something to say I’m going to say it. I’m not so intimidated. I can’t let somebody look down on me,” she says. Besides, she gets along with everyone. To other young women hoping to get ahead in the industry, Bun advises that they be patient and stay strong.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Is Pleased to Congratulate

Kole Palushaj The Osborne 205 West 57th Street

Building Manager of the Year

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

COREY GREEN

CONGRATULATIONS PORTER

RAVE REVIEWS FROM RESIDENTS Corey Green may be reluctant to talk himself up, but the people he helps sing his praises BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Corey Green is a quiet, reserved man whose generosity of spirit speaks volumes. He has worked at the five buildings comprising Riverbend Houses in Harlem since 2006, when he served as vacation relief. Today he considers the residents family. They feel the same way about him. While Green is reluctant to talk himself up, the people he helps on a daily basis are happy to do it for him. One resident cited a time Green came in from his home in New Jersey on his day off to drive her to the doctor. She called him “a kind gentleman not just to me but to everyone in the building.” Another resident recalled when Green helped clean her apartment after it ﬂooded and noted all the times she’s seen him carrying groceries for some elderly tenants. The feeling is mutual. “They’re beautiful people,” Green says. “It just makes my day.” Green’s job involves watering plants, sweeping and hauling garbage, but he says the hardest part

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

I go the extra mile for people.” is dealing with snow. “A little bit of everything, you could say,” he says. Though he’s responsible for a large number of units across ﬁve buildings, Green says it’s not too much to handle. “I go the extra mile for people,” he says. Outside of work, Green enjoys riding his bike and playing basketball. He spends time with his wife and her kids. He was born in Harlem and now lives in New Jersey, where he appreciates the plentiful parking and quieter atmosphere.

32BJ SEIU & Award Winners! We honor your valuable service to our community.

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

JOSE GUICHARDO ONE BUILDING, 40 YEARS

WEST SIDE DOORMAN

In his “whole journey” on the West Side, Jose Guichardo has built relationships of mutual respect BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

WE CONGRATULATE

Jose Guichardo came to New York City almost 40 years ago from the Dominican Republic. He was working in a shop in 1983 when the work dried up and a friend who was a contractor gave him the tip about 175 West 70th Street. Guichardo interviewed for a doorman position, got the job, and started that night. “That’s how the whole journey started,” he says. “To tell you the truth I didn’t plan it.” He has been there ever since. Guichardo takes care of packages, deals with contractors, handles guest keys and serves as a layer of security. He calls his job “rewarding, because you meet people from different backgrounds, different countries.” “You hear their background, their family experiences, you learn about other cultures,” he says. Over the years he has built relationships not just with tenants but with housekeepers, babysitters and tenants’ families. He remembers how helpful residents were when he started out, having no experience, and credits a partnership of mutual respect with creating a great work environment. “They really embraced me,” he says. Guichardo is especially grateful for his situation because he knows not all doormen are so lucky. Guichardo credits his affable personality and willingness to go the extra mile with his success on the job.

New York’s Building Workers who are being celebrated at the

BUILDING SERVICE WORKERS AWARDS CEREMONY & SPECIAL SECTIONS for all they do to keep New York City running smoothly. We thank you.

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

You hear their background, their family experiences, you learn about other cultures.” Outside of work, Guichardo spends time with his wife, a teacher’s assistant, and their two children in Washington Heights, as well as with his two brothers. He has traveled to Canada and throughout the southern U.S. He also pursues his hobby of street photography, and belongs to a group of visual artists who put on occasional shows. He has been honing his skills for the past 15 years taking photos of events and doing street photography.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

7ŕś ŕľž 1ŕľžŕś? <ŕś&#x2C6;ŕś&#x2039;ŕś&#x201E; <ŕľşŕś&#x2021;ŕś&#x201E;ŕľžŕľžŕś&#x152; $5( 3528' 6833257(56 2) 7+( 6(,8 /2&$/ %$1' 6$/87( $// 2) 7+( +2125((6

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

KOLE PALUSHAJ ‘MY ROOTS RUN DEEP’

BUILDING MANAGER

A building manager who values mentorship and learned the trade from his father and grandfather BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

100 Years of Excellence

Kaufman Organization vision for the future

This line of work is in Kole Palushaj’s genes. Palushaj is a third-generation member of 32BJ and comes from a family full of supers like himself. “Fifty percent of my family is in the union. My roots run deep,” he says. He grew up in apartments all over New York City learning the trade from his father and grandfather. Palushaj has only been at his current building, the landmarked, 134-year-old 205 West 57th Street, for the last 18 months, but he’s been in the industry for 18 years. He oversees a staff of 11 people and manages the residents of 90 units — a very different feel from his previous West Village building with 400-plus units. He says his day never really starts or ends. “I can be up overnight to get my daughter a gallon of milk and there’s three or four things that need my attention on the way out the door,” he says. The job of managing a building has changed a lot from his father and grandfather’s day, and now relies far more heavily on technology like smartphones and powerpoints. “It’s no longer the 50 pounds of keys and a guy walking around with a plunger and a ﬂashlight,” he says. Palushaj started as a doorman on Park Avenue and worked his way up the ladder from there. He says all the jobs he’s had have been equally hard, and credits a close mentorship with his ﬁrst building’s resident manager with helping him rise to the top. “He took me under his wing as a handyman, taught me everything I needed to know and put me on the right path,” he says.

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

Palushaj is adamant about helping young people in the industry the same way he was helped. For that reason, Palushaj is adamant about helping young people in the industry the same way he was helped. He had a few temporary employees working for him this summer who he has set on the same path his mentor laid out for him years ago. “I gave them the same advice he gave me, which is if this is what you decide to do and you stick to it, you can make a very lucrative career of this industry, where it takes you,” he says. In his limited free time, Palushaj is a family man. He and his wife have an eight-month-old daughter and a four-year-old son. He is the president of the Metropolitan Building Managers of New York and is actively involved with the 160-member organization. He was awarded “resident manager of the year” by the Metropolitan Building Managers this year as well. “A friend of mine said you can only go down from here,” he jokes.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

ANGIE PERSON AIRPORT WORKER (JFK)

A DEDICATION TO VOLUNTEER WORK Angie Person has spoken in Albany about fair wages and reads to neighborhood kids BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Angie Person started working at JFK Airport in 2013. She is a cleaner at the sprawling Terminal 8, which is twice as big as Madison Square Garden. Nearly 13 million people pass through Terminal 8 every year. “I do the pilot room, the tower, and another part,” she says. “I thank God I’m working.” She has spoken at the state capitol in Albany four times about fair wages, among other things. Person’s dedication to volunteer work also applies to her personal life. She can often be found at the library across from her apartment, where she reads to and entertains neighborhood kids. “I do a lot of work with little children,” she says. She also spends time at nearby soup kitchens. Before going to JFK she worked at the parks department for 18 years. It’s evident from the toys stacked neatly around Person’s home that she dotes on her nine-year-old

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

I do the pilot room, the tower, and another part. I thank God I’m working.” granddaughter, whom she calls “the mini-me.” The two go to plays together and take trips to Las Vegas to visit Person’s mom. She also enjoys spending time with her son. Person was born in North Carolina but raised in Brooklyn, where she still lives.

Photo by Madeleine Thompson

2018 Building Service Worker Awards Congratulations to our very own

Gaspar Amorim

“Window Cleaner of the Year and to all the other honorees

And thank you to all the SEIU workers for all the great work you do

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

CRISTIANA MENDEZ AMONG THE VIP’S

AIRPORT WORKER (LGA)

Cristiana Mendez is grateful for the life in the city that has brought her so much BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

What gets Cristiana Mendez up in the morning and keeps her going is the fact that she can provide for her family. She got her job cleaning at LaGuardia Airport in 2002 and has come to love the environment, especially her coworkers. She particularly enjoys being around so many other Spanish-speakers. Her days usually start around 6 a.m., when she begins by checking the bathrooms and then continues with regular maintenance of her assigned area. Mendez is responsible for the airport’s VIP lounges and says she often sees famous and important people. She occasionally deals with rudeness, which she attributes to stress caused by traveling. Mendez likes learning things about how the airport works and her job in general. She especially appreciates being recognized by her bosses and supervisors for her dedication. Mendez lives in Queens but enjoys visiting

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

She works cleaning La Guardia Airport and particularly enjoys being around so many Spanish speakers Times Square. She’s grateful for her stable life in the city that has brought her so much opportunity. She spends her free time with family and friends and enjoys visiting Puerto Rico, where she was born and raised.

Photo provided

Douglas Elliman Property Management is proud to congratulate Mr. Adem Kajosaj as the 2018 Doorman of the Year East Side and all of the other honorees.

675 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 212.370.9200 EllimanPM.com

For over 100 years, management has been our focus.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Silverstein Properties is honored to salute Building Service Workers 32BJ SEIU

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com 1301 Avenue of the Americas 21st Floor New York, NY 10019 212.907.9700

32 BJ Honorees Thank you for your service! We represent the buildings you serve. The cooperative/condominium law group at Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP Sean Altschul Eric Balber Ben Gorelick Michael Manzi

Stephen O’Connell Todd Pickard Edward Schiff Robin Silberzweig

Photo: Jason Cohen

Lisa Smith John Van Der Tuin Eliot Zuckerman

ROMAY GARCIA SMOOTH SAILING FOR THIS NAVY VET

CUSTODIAN

sgrlaw.com Atlanta • Austin • Jacksonville • London • Los Angeles • Munich • New York • Southampton • Washington D.C.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

On Your Marx: Futurity & Consumption

For Romay Garcia, maintaining a school is a service to the country BY JASON COHEN

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, 5:30PM NYU Skirball Center | 566 LaGuardia Pl. | 212-998-4941 | nyuskirball.org NYU professors Lisa Daily, Dean Saranillio, and Jerome Whitington talk climate change and global capitalism as part of “On Your Marx,” a two-week festival of art and ideas in celebration of Karl Marx’s 200th birthday (free).

The Science of Music (Bar Talk)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, 7PM Subject | 188 Suffolk St. | 646-422-7898 | subject-les.com Dr. Pascal Wallisch’s interest is at the intersection of psychology and neuroscience. Tuesday he’ll apply his expertise to the emerging ﬁeld of Music Psychology, which seeks answers to questions like why music is such a universal when it’s not a human necessity ($15 advance/$18 door).

Just Announced | Point of View: A Conversation with Blondie’s Chris Stein and Debbie Harry

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH, 6:30PM The Cooper Union | 7 E. 7th St. | 212-353-4100 | cooper.edu Founding member of Blondie Chris Stein gets together with Blondie herself to talk about his new photo book, Point of View: Me, New York City, and the Punk Scene, and a lost New York (free).

For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,

For more than two decades Romay Garcia served his country overseas. Today, the Navy veteran is head custodian at Success Academy South Jamaica. Garcia,52, has worked at the school, at 120-27 141st St. in South Ozone Park, for 10 years. Garcia grew up in Harlem during a time the borough was ﬁlled with drugs and crime. He had aspirations of being a doctor, but after attending Hunter College, he realized his best shot at getting out of the neighborhood was to enlist in the military. He joined in 1988 and spent time in Italy, Spain and the Middle East. “I met a lot of good people who really love this country,” he said. He left the Navy in 2008 and returned stateside, only to ﬁnd himself in the throes of one of the country’s bleakest economic periods. In need of a job, a friend recommended him to the school. Things have been smooth sailing since. While the head custodian at a school is different than maintaining a vessel, Garcia loves the job. He is closer to home, there’s less stress and, best of all, children greet him with a smile every day. “I consider this job a service to my country,” Garcia said. “They (students) bring you that strength to continue.”

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

Students bring you that strength to continue.” After being in the Navy, waking up at 4 a.m. is easy. In addition to keeping the school clean, he’s charged with making sure the heat works in the winter and the air conditioning in the summer. “This job is like an extension to serve the community and the city of New York because students they are the future,” Garcia said. “The best part of the job is when I see the scholars moving to the next level.” Garcia lives in the Bronx with his wife, Sandra, and their two kids. While he acknowledged it is nice to be honored for his work, he wants veterans to receive better treatment. “I just wish that those people that sacriﬁced their life for this country and their family should have better opportunities,” Garcia said.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Meet Anderson Simon

Photo: Madeleine Thompson

ZAKIYY MEDINA STAYING GROUNDED

AIRPORT WORKER (NEWARK)

For Zakiyy Medina and his coworkers, cooperation is key to a smooth operation BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Zakiyy Medina has worked as a baggage handler at Newark Airport for three years and is privy to some of the hub’s coveted secrets. Asked if he’ll share any of them, he jokes, “it wouldn’t be a secret if I share it, right?” Medina says the job, which involves taking luggage off of planes and making sure they get to the right carousels or ﬁnal destinations, is mostly manageable. There are stressful periods,too, though, particularly “when we’re dealing with a lot of passengers.” What with loud plane engines and multiple workers all whirring, things “become a little bit harder” without that crucial element — cooperation. It just depends on the day. “You get used to being around a lot of people,” he says. Though he didn’t have experience in the industry before he started the job, Medina says he catches on pretty quickly and now has a solid grip on the work. Airports are “like their own communities,” he says, and he has enjoyed learning about how they operate. “It gives you a wider perspective on not just the people that you meet but how things work,” he says. Medina was born and raised in New Jersey,

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

Airports are like their own communities.”

He knows The Neighborhood. "OEFSTPO VTFT The local paper for Downtown

UP MFU PVS neighbors know what +BOPWJD 1BJOU %FDPSBUJOH has to offer.

Anderson Simon Janovic Store Manager 55 Thompson Street

t 1BJOU 5PPMT t $VTUPN 4IBEFT t #MJOET %SBQFSZ t 8BMMQBQFS t $VTUPN 6QIPMTUFSZ t %FTJHO 4FSWJDFT The local paper for Downtown

where he still lives with his grandparents. In his free time, he likes making music and has a page on SoundCloud. He has aspirations of becoming a music producer, and as such is a diverse listener of everything from rock to jazz to hip hop. He’s working on building a website for his work. Medina has participated in numerous political actions with the union to raise the minimum wage. He has attended Port Authority meetings, leadership meetings, and is especially grateful to have met elected officials such as Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. His personal plea to travelers? Make sure your bags aren’t overweight.

Your Neighborhood Store 55 Thompson St @ Broome | 212-627-1100

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RON PIOQUINTO A SUPERIOR EFFORT For Ron Pioquinto, the job is a personal endeavor BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

“Welcome, welcome, welcome!” Ron Pioquinto puts a lot of emphasis on being visible to the residents of 5-09 48th Ave. in Long Island City. With a smile that big, it’s not hard. It also helps to live in the building. “People like to see your presence in your building,” he says. “As they’re walking by they’re saying ‘hey, I have an issue’ or ‘this is looking great.’” Pioquinto starts every day with a 4-mile walk along the East River waterfront that he credits for drawing so many New Yorkers to Long Island City in recent years. Then he goes down to his office on the first floor to prep and to check emails. His office is crowded with blueprints, manuals, packing tape and Christmas cards from building families. The rest of his day is spent doing walkthroughs at 5-09 48th Ave. and at another nearby build-

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

SUPER

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

Photo: Madeleine Thompson

My interests are theirs.” ing he manages, making himself available for anything residents may need. “My interests are theirs,” he says. He speaks highly of all of his staff, which he helped pick out speciﬁcally to ﬁt the building’s and residents’ personalities. “We have the best porters and handymen that you can possibly imagine,” he says.

The building is the second waterfront condo built in the area, and Pioquinto knew it would be crucial to put together the best possible team. “Then everyone else came as years went by,” he says. Pioquinto has lived in other neighborhoods and boroughs, but something kept drawing him back to the building he helped open in 2008. Part of the appeal was the family-friendly, close-knit environment. His now-grown son was raised there and even worked part time as a doorman and porter when he was a teenager. His son, now a Marine living in California, recently got mar-

ried and gave Pioquinto his ﬁrst granddaughter. Pioquinto was born in the South Bronx and raised by a mother who worked in civil service. He says he gets his work ethic from lessons she instilled. He was a facilities trainee for Con Edison during school and that’s when he was “exposed to the maintenance aspect of it.” “It opened my eyes to this industry,” he says. In his free time, Pioquinto goes ﬁshing and bike riding, and roots for the Yankees and the Jets. “I like to do things that soothe my spirit,” he says. “If I’m healthy then my approach to the job is healthy.”

HINES congratulates the SEIU Local 32BJ 2018 Annual Service Workers of the Year Award recipients

7 Bryant Park; 100 East 53; 56 Leonard Street; 1585 Broadway Sunrise East 56; One Vanderbilt; 53W53; Hudson Square Properties

www.hines.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

SEAN WILLIAMS EARNING HIS KEEP Sean Williams set his sights forward, and found satisfaction BY JASON COHEN

While Sean Williams wanted to be a cop p when he was younger, and was employed mployed at places such as Kmart, Bradlees and Lord & Taylor, he is proud to be where he is today.. Brooklyn resident Sean Williams liams worked in retail and restaurants for many any years, and at the New York City Human Resources sources Administration. Williams, 50, climbed the ladder of security at the Allied Universal Security Services building, at 320 Schermerhorn rn St. in Brooklyn. He started out as a security guard and, 14 years later, is a supervisor. “I wanted something better,” er,” Williams says. “I always wanted to be one (a a supervisor) when I was a guard.” His work ethic and his desire re to provide for his family have always ys kept his motor going. Even when n he dealt with rude people, he never ever let them get under his skin. “I’ve been through the ups and I’ve been through the downs,” s,” he says. He recalled how people used ed to call him a clown cop and toy y cop. That could have been a deterrent to some, but Wil-liams persevered. He knew w that to provide for his family, y, he needed to get a promotion..

SECURITY

It was worth the effort, he says. “I’ve earned to where I got now,” Williams says. In addition to working close to his wife, Tasha, and eight children, Williams explains that it’s the people at work that really make it fun. He describes himself as friendly, always talking to colleagues and tenants and getting g g g to know them. Williams is a family man who enjoys movies, parties, going out to dinner. He is also a New York Yankees fan. But there’s nothing more important in his life than being honorable and a good person. “I’m a caring person,” he says. “I like to help people. I’m very thankful.”

BEST OF MANHATTAN

More than 150,000 loyal readers of Our Town, The West Side Spirit, Our Town Downtown and Chelsea News turn to the ﬁrst & best guide

MAKE SURE THEY KNOW YOU’RE THE BEST Get a 100 word write-up about your business in the category of your choice Neighborhood Shops Gym/Recreation Home Improvement Pets t Kids t Arts & Culture Food & Drink A N D M O R E !

B UILDING NG

201 SERVICE

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

WORKER RKER

AWAR DS

ISSUE DATE: Dec 6 AD SPACE DEADLINE: Nov 30

There’s nothingg more important nt in his life than being ing honorable and a good person.

For more information Call 212-868-0190 advertising@strausnews.com The local paper for the Upper East Side

Photo: Jason Cohen

The local paper for the Upper West Side

The local paper for Downtown

The local paper for Chelsea

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

NOEL BROWN OUTER BOROUGH RESIDENTIAL WORKER

THE MAN TO TURN TO Bronx handyman Noel Brown is available for advice and emergencies BY MADELEINE THOMPSON

Noel Brown serves as a handyman for a collection of buildings in the Bronx containing hundreds of units. Though that can seem overwhelming, Brown is methodical and diligent and never goes home until every tenant is taken care of. “If I have something I’m working on it’s hard for me to go home and get comfortable while the tenant is uncomfortable,” he says. Tenants often call him for advice and in the event of an emergency — when their heat goes out or the smoke alarm is going off. “Sometimes on my days off they’re even calling me,” he says.

“When they have problems they don’t know where to turn so they call me.” He calls it his duty to help them out. Luckily, Brown has built friendly relationships with many tenants over his 16 years there. “I appreciate them and they appreciate me,” he says. “I respect everyone.” The hardest part of his job, Brown says, is all the walking between buildings and up and down the ﬂights of stairs. But it keeps him fit, he says, and it focuses his mind. He was surprised to hear he’d won an award, but credits his patience with the tenants and “going the extra mile for them.” Brown came to New York City from Jamaica in 1980 and now lives in the Bronx. “It’s a great city,” he says. “If you put out effort you can achieve

Making a Difference. Every Day.

B UILDING

201 SERVICE

WORKER

AWAR DS

It’s a great city. If you put out effort you can achieve anything.” anything.” He spent some time in plumbing before being introduced to the manager of his current buildings. He has a daughter and in his free time enjoys playing dominoes and going back to visit Jamaica.

FirstService Residential is a proud sponsor of the 2018 Building Service Workers Awards Congratulations to all of the winners for a job well done! As New York City’s leading residential management company, FirstService Residential is committed to delivering proven solutions and exceptional service that add value, enhance lifestyles and make a difference, every day, for every resident and property we serve.

www.fsresidential.com 212.634.8900

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

SHOP. EAT. DRINK. PLAY.

ALL UNDER ONE MAGNIFICENT ROOF.

At the corner of Church St. and Dey St.

BANANA REPUBLIC ǭ EATALY ǭ FOREVER 21 SEPHORA ǭ UGG ǭ VICTORIA’S SECRET

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

congratulates

the 2018 Building Service Workers Award Winners and thanks each of them for making our homes and offices better places to live and work.

GLENWOOD BUILDER, OWNER & MANAGER OF MANHATTANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOST LUXURIOUS RENTAL RESIDENCES All the units include features for persons with disabilities required by FHA.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Your Neighborhood News Source

BEYOND BROADWAY - DOWNTOWN The #1 online community for NYC theater:

www.show-score.com

NOW PLAYING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM $58

FROM $20

FROM $18

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

SAKINA’S RESTAURANT

POP PUNK HIGH

180 REVIEWS ENDS NOV 18

11 REVIEWS JUST OPENED

117 REVIEWS ENDS NOV 01

Experience this classic in a new way – in Yiddish (with supertitles). Joel Grey directs.

Actor, writer, and former correspondent for “The Daily Show” Aasif Mandvi brings his heartwarming one-man show back to the New York.

A musical set at a high school where everyone is pop punk, it’s always 2006, and there’s never been anything cooler than shredding and pizza.

MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE - 36 BATTERY PL

MINETTA LANE THEATRE - 18 MINETTA LN

LE POISSON ROUGE - 158 BLEECKER ST

WHAT’S TRENDING ACROSS NYC

COMING SOON FROM $35

FROM $62

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME 129 REVIEWS ENDS OCT 28

THOM PAIN (BASED ON NOTHING) PREVIEWS START OCT 23

Drama Desk winner Will Eno returns to Signature for a new staging of his surreal one-man show, starring Michael C. Hall (“Dexter,” “Six Feet Under.”)

PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER - 480 W 42ND ST

This witty and searingly personal exploration of the Constitution strives to breathe new life into our founding document.

FROM $36

WORDS ON THE STREET

NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP - 79 E 4TH ST

PREVIEWS START OCT 26 FROM $75

This hybrid performance event features a diverse ensemble of 7 performers wielding original music, text, and video to tell the story of a crime in which all humanity is complicit.

SHAKE AND BAKE: LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST 29 REVIEWS JUST OPENED

BARUCH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER - 55 LEXINGTON AVE

FROM $39

This in-the-round production of Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost” includes an eight course tasting menu with wine.

THE OTHER JOSH COHEN PREVIEWS START OCT 26

94 GANSEVOORT ST

David Rossmer and Steve Rosen both play the title character – one eventful year apart – in their musical romantic comedy about courageously owning the hand life deals you.

FROM $19

BLACK LIGHT 107 REVIEWS ENDS DEC 31

WESTSIDE THEATRE - 407 W 43RD ST

FROM $53

THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI

PREVIEWS START OCT 30

Bertolt Brecht’s skewering of Adolf Hitler and totalitarianism is given a new production directed by John Doyle (“The Color Purple”) for Classic Stage Company.

Daniel Alexander Jones returns to the stage as Jomama Jones, his critically-acclaimed alter-ego, in this revival for turbulent times. GREENWICH HOUSE THEATER - 27 BARROW ST

CLASSIC STAGE COMPANY - 136 E 13TH ST

Content provided by

KEY:

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS OCT 3 - 9, 2018 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 Good Kind

90 Rivington St

Ka Wah Bakery

9 Eldridge Street

Grade Pending (2)

One Mile House

1012 Delancy Street

Sakamai

157 Ludlow Street

Grade Pending (39) 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. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Lyfeping

107 Chambers St

Chipotle Mexican Grill

281 Broadway

Cobble & Co

19 Fulton St

Grade Pending (2)

Balvanera

152 Stanton St

Nish Nush

88 Reade Street

Rabbit House

76 Forsyth St

La Nonna

134 Mulberry Street

Canteen M & Coffee M

189 Bowery

L’angolo Ristorante

190A Duane St

Grade Pending (5)

Forty Carrots

504 Broadway

Rice & Gold

50 Bowery

99 Macdougal Street

Bearin Wheel Pie

127A Walker St

Not Yet Graded (46) Food contact surface improperly constructed or located. Unacceptable material used. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Greenwich Village Comedy Club

Grade Pending (23) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment. 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/ sewage-associated 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.

Wok Wok Restaurant

11 Mott St

Grade Pending (2)

Dante

79-81 Macdougal St

Basement

45 Mott St

Not Yet Graded (20) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Grade Pending (27) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. 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/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

96 Walker Street

The Smile

26 Bond Street

Aunt Jakes

149 Mulberry St

Not Yet Graded (47) 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. 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/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Sushi Sushi

126 Macdougal St

Grade Pending (27) 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. 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/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

The Rice Noodle

190 Bleecker St

Plantshed Cafe

1 Prince St

Dos Toros Taqueria

11 Carmine Street

S. Wan Cafe

85 Eldridge Street

The Grey Dog

49 Carmine St

One More Thai

6 Clinton Street

CLOSED (74) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Quality Eats

19 Greenwich Ave

Numero 28 Pizzeria

2628 Carmine Street

Davidstea

275 Bleecker Street

Grade Pending (33) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. 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/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. 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.

Niu Noodle House

15 Greenwich Avenue

Codino

62 Carmine St

Not Yet Graded (32) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked ﬁsh and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Food Protection Certiﬁcate not held by supervisor of food operations. Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Lamano

39 Christopher St

Wolfnights

99 Rivington St

Grade Pending (40) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. 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/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Empanada Mama

95 Allen St

Grade Pending (21) Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.

Stanton Pizza

127 Stanton St

Yokoya

201 Allen St

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

BLOOMBERG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “At key points in U.S. history, one of the two parties has served as a bulwark against those who threaten our Constitution,” Bloomberg wrote in describing why he reregistered. “Two years ago at the Democratic Convention, I warned of those threats. Today, I have re-registered as a Democrat — I had been a member for most of my life — because we need Democrats to provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs,” he added. Three days later, he was off to New Hampshire. And there, at a get-out-the-vote rally in Nashua, in the state which holds the ﬁrst presidential primary in America, he sought to defuse questions about a possible reprise of his Oval Office ambitions: “Right now, I’m only focused on the midterms, plain and simple,” he said. Indeed, Bloomberg has pledged to spend $80 million on Democratic Congressional candidates in a bid to flip the House, plus an extra $20 million to boost Senate Democrats, a $100 million tally that dwarfs the $55 million GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson is forking over, making him the largest single largest political giver in the U.S. in 2018. But what will he do after the Nov. 6 midterms? “Well, we’ll have to see what happens down the road,” he said.

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com POLITICAL REINCARNATION If he enters the fray, he’s positioned to run as an able if dull technocrat who’d bring policyoriented, data-driven managerial skills to the nation. But he’d also have to defend stop-and-frisk policies that alienated minorities, and he’d be vulnerable to the allegations of sexism and settlements of harassment at his business empire that ﬁrst surfaced in his 2001 mayoral campaign. The changing of political sides is a longstanding Bloomberg tradition: As an 18-yearold, he first registered with the Democratic Party in 1960 from his parents’ home in Massachusetts. Flash forward 40 years, and he became a Republican in 2000, enabling him to steer clear of the crowded Democratic primary ﬁeld and capture City Hall in 2001. Then, in his second term as mayor, he changed his registration a second time, dumping the GOP in 2007, becoming an independent, hiring a huge campaign staff to launch a White House bid, researching how to get on the ballot in all 50 states and signaling he’d spend $1 billion from his personal fortune to win in 2008. But he pulled the plug on the race. In 2012, he mulled a thirdparty independent presidential campaign, but never took the plunge. Ditto in 2016, when he nixed the idea for a third time before endorsing Hillary Clinton in her losing race against Trump.

And now, it’s deja-vu all over again. As a 76-year-old who would be 78 in 2020, he’s now a born-again Democrat after a third registration change, an older white male, in a party moving toward women and minorities, who boasts a net worth of $52 billion and could easily self-finance a national campaign. But should he? His critics on both the left and right are troubled by his maneuverings. “Michael Bloomberg, if you watch, recently reregistered as a Democrat so that he can try to buy a Democrat nomination to run against Donald Trump,” said House Majority Leader and California Republican Kevin McCarthy in a TV interview last week. “That’s unfortunate, and not very democratic with a small ‘D.’” And Mayor Bill de Blasio pooh-poohed his predecessor’s dreams. “I think someone who has not been a member of the Democratic Party for the last 20 years is not going to be what Democrats are looking for,” he said on the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. “There’s a tremendous wave in the Democratic Party. People want to really achieve change, they want Democrats who are uncompromising, who are going to be forceful, consistent Democrats,” de Blasio added. “You see it all over the country. So, I absolutely have respect for him, but I think, wrong time, wrong place.” invreporter@strausnews.com

THE ROVING REGISTRATION OF MICHAEL BLOOMBERG Saga of the ex-mayor’s fluctuating party affiliations over nearly six decades: 1960 — First registers as a Democrat from family home in Massachusetts 2000 — Changes registration for first time. Leaves Democratic Party after 40 years, becomes a Republican, prepares for mayoral run 2001 — Elected to first term as mayor on GOP ticket a year after bolting Democratic Party 2004 — Backs Republican President George W. Bush for re-election over John Kerry 2005 — Re-elected to second term as mayor on GOP line 2007 — Changes registration for second time. Leaves GOP after seven years, becomes political independent, mulls White House run 2008 — Organizes third-party presidential bid as independent a year after bolting GOP, hires big staff, spends millions. Then nixes campaign, endorsing neither Barack Obama nor John McCain

2009 — Reelected to a third term as mayor as independent 2012 — Again stokes speculation of an independent presidential bid. After long delay, endorses Democratic President Barack Obama for reelection over Mitt Romney 2016 — Begins planning a third possible third-party presidential race as independent. Drops campaign again, backs Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump Oct. 10, 2018 — Changes registration for third time. Surrenders independent affiliation after 11 years, becomes Democrat. For the fourth time, mulls a putative White House run in 2020 Oct. 13, 2018 — Flies to New Hampshire to attend get-out-the-vote rally in state that holds America’s ﬁrst presidential primary. Says he’s “only focused on the midterms” — Douglas Feiden

The Board of Elections in the City of New York is hiring Poll Workers to serve at poll sites across New York City. Become an Election Day Worker and you can earn up to $500 for completing the training course, passing the exam and working two Election Days.

ELECTION INSPECTOR

INTERPRETER

REQUIREMENTS @ Registered voter residing in the City of New York

REQUIREMENTS @ A permanent U.S. resident over 18 years of age and a resident of New York City

@ Enrolled in the Democratic or Republican party @ Able to read and write English DUTIES @ Prepare the poll site for voters

@ Assist voters during the voting process @ Close the poll site @ Canvass and report election results @ Assist other poll workers as needed TRAINING @ All Inspectors must attend a training class and pass the exam SALARY @ Earn $200 per day

@ Earn $100 for training (Note: You will only be paid for Training if you pass the exam and work on Election Day.)

You can earn up to $500 for completing the training course, passing the exam and working two Election Days.

@ Fluent in English and the interpreter’s language @ Spanish interpreters needed in all boroughs @ Chinese interpreters needed in Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens @ Korean, Hindi and Bengali interpreters needed in Queens. For Hindi Interpreters: Please note on your application if you can also speak Punjabi.

@ Does not have to be a registered voter DUTIES @ Assist non-English speaking voters by translating voting information into covered languages during the voting process TRAINING @ All Interpreters must attend a training class and pass the exam SALARY @ Earn $200 per day

@ Earn $25 for training (Note: You will only be paid for Training if you pass the exam and work on Election Day.)

You can earn up to $425 for completing the training course, passing the exam and working two Election Days.

HOURS/LOCATION @ 5:00 a.m. until the polls are closed and results reported, which will be after 9:00 p.m. @ Must be willing to travel within the borough for assignment to a poll site

HOW TO APPLY Visit pollworker.nyc/2018 to apply. If you have any questions, call 866-VOTE-NYC (866-868-3692).

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Business

In New York City the last few years, sellers were used to asking more than the last sale price. For now, those days are over. Photo: Dale Cruse, via ﬂickr

SELLER’S CORNER REAL ESTATE With inventory climbing, real estate values have dropped BY FREDERICK W. PETERS

Today’s real estate market requires caution and care on the part of sellers. This is no time for ambitious, “it only takes one buyer” pricing. Many buyers who retreated to the sidelines in the past couple of years have returned to the market, knowing that their dollar will go further. And they’re right: with inventory and days on market higher than they have been in many years, sellers and their agents need a strategy to get each property sold. Here are a few tips: • Forget aspirational pricing. If the

last similar apartment sold 6 months ago for $1,400 per square foot, today’s value is likely to be $1,300 or $1,325. Sellers have become accustomed to asking more than the last sale price, but those days are over. Now a serious seller must ask less. • Spruce the property up! The best prices these days go to those units which look great. They need at least a fresh coat of paint and, ideally, a lot of editing and some updated furnishings. Not every property can be in mint condition (though that is what most buyers want) but they can all look good. A tired paint job, stained carpeting and Grandma’s furniture almost guarantee a few price reductions after months on the market. • Don’t aspire to multiple bids. If a seller chooses what she believes to be a low price in the hope of receiving

multiple bids, she will almost certainly be disappointed. Almost every sale Warburg completes these days comes as the result of a single offer. The expectation that multiple people will bid against each other for ANY property these days deﬁes the realities of the marketplace. However great Apartment A may be, there is usually an Apartment B (and often an Apartment C) with different beneﬁts waiting in the wings. These days, buyers walk away from a property with an offer on it at least as frequently as they retain enough interest to bid. And the asking price (or close to it) scores a home run for sellers. Almost no one pays more than the asking price today. • Monthly costs matter. Since buyers have become cost-sensitive, they care a lot about the maintenance or common charges and taxes. New

condominium buildings all have high monthlies because they are not taxabated and usually provide a full suite of hotel-like services. Some iconic coops like the Dakota have always had a high maintenance and buyers usually know that going in. The same is true for buildings with few apartments; since the costs of running the building get divided between a small number of owners, they inevitably run high. But for less high-proﬁle buildings, an outsized maintenance can add difficulty to the sale. These days a maintenance between $1.75 and $2 per square foot seems to be the norm. Once an apartment exceeds those numbers it will have a commensurate impact on the price of the unit. • Don’t dawdle. These days we urge every seller to respond to all offers; each one is precious. We agents have

seen too many listings now ASKING less than the amount of an offer we brought them six months ago. The seller’s agent can negotiate the best possible deal, but I would urge any seller who has an offer between 5 percent and 7 percent of the asking price (even if that price was just reduced) to take it. While this is now a buyer’s market, sellers can still manage a successful sale. It requires discipline about pricing, about clean-up, about staging and about responsiveness. In today’s environment, many properties still suffer from poor preparation, lack of adequate staging, and overly optimistic pricing. ALL ducks must be in a row to bring about a sale at an appropriate price in a reasonable time period. Frederick W. Peters is chief executive officer of Warburg Realty Partnership.

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

!"" # $! %##

$$&

($)*+$)***

, -

$./01 2

" & %% %##

(4!5)***

*/+1 2

! 6'6 7 #- #

$$ # .8 &# (.)+0*)*** 04

"/51 2 !

!04 # $* %##

.8 &# (.).**)*** !+

$51 9 2

:*+ 7'- - %##

! &#

(""0)***

$++

.:/:1 2

!* # " %##

$ &#

("!*)***

./$1 2

!. # $* %##

!.$

! &#

($)+0*)***

!/41 2

$** & %% %##

.8 &# ($*):0*)*** 4$$

, - $"/01 2

:* # $* %##

$ &#

($)+$*)***

$+5 7 - %##

$ &#

($)*0*)***

$.5

, -

$./01 9 2 .

$*/41 2

4* # + %##

$ &#

($)!!0)***

, -

!1 2

:!! &% ;

.8 &#

(.)*4$)0**

0/+1 2

$"4 '< 7 #- #

! &#

(!)$0*)***

+/01 2 5

:: &=##,>#% %##

.$!

$ &#

(:4!)***

!/"1 2

40! &% ;

! &#

(!)5**)***

!/!1 9 2

$* &=##,>#% %##

! &#

(!).0*)***

5* #%,#% %##

.8 &#

(+).0*)***

0:!

, -

4/:1 2 4

$5 #% %##

.8 &#

(0)0:0)***

0/.1 2

? 0 +

& ,

!"* # %##

.8 &#

(")***)***

, -

4/:1 2

$:+ 6% ->='- %##

! &#

(.)0!*)***

0/$1 9 2

$* 3 ; %##

! &#

(!).+*)***

$:+

$:/+1 2

$$ $!

0/:1 2 +

!** ,7 &#% %##

$:6

$ &#

($)40*)***

, -

+* ,7 &#% %##

$ &#

($)$"*)***

$"4

, -

$$/"1 2

$** & %,= ; %##

$0,

.8 &#

(.)"$*)***

, -

$*/"1 2 "

$** & %,= ; %##

.8 &#

(5).0*)***

, -

"/.1 2

$:4 &% ;

$!,

! &#

($).0*)***

$*:

$+/!1 2 $*

+* 3 7- %##

! &#

($)$:0)***

, -

!/$1 2

!* '-# %##

!5*+

("5!)0**

$.+

, -

+/"1 2 $$

$ == %## , %

7*4

(5"*)***

, -

$1 2

00 == %##

:$.

(40*)***

, -

:1 2

$*$ == %##

.8 &#

(!)::0)***

$*:

, -

:/.1 2 $!

$0 '==' %##

!:&

$ &#

($)$5*)***

4$!

, -

$0/41 2

$0 '==' %##

55>

$ &#

($)0$0)***

4!4

, -

$./51 2

? @ / A/ @ B B ? A / 6 A A ) @ ?? C /

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NEIGHBORHOODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST

Neighborhood Scrapbook

To place an ad in this directory, Call Douglas at 212-868-0190 ext. 352.

ART

DINING

HARDWARE

Mention This Ad to Receive a FREE MIMOSA Offer Valid 11:30-3:00 Tue - Sun MON-SAT 10:30AM-6PM | SUN 12PM-6PM

www.the-maac.com Come visit the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest art & antiques center featuring 100 galleries and over 40 categories. Enjoy time on our 3 ďŹ&#x201A;oors of antiques, ďŹ ne art, and every category in-between Buy or sell, we welcome your visit 7 days a week.

ELEGANCE IN HARDWARE A Luxury Hardware Experience

860 Lexington Avenue 646-922-8707 eleganceinhardware.com

Â&#x2021; )5(( 'HOLYHU\ )RU /XQFK Â&#x2021; 'LQH ,Q 7DNH 2XW 'HOLYHU\ Â&#x2021; (QMR\ RXU 2XWGRRU 3DWLR Â&#x2021; 2UGHU 2QOLQH Lock & Door Hardware Architectural Hardware Decorative Hardware Plumbing

1050 2nd Ave. bt. 55th & 56th Sts.

212.355.4400

LIGHTING

Â&#x2018;Lighting

Restoration & Repairs Lampshades Â&#x2018;Custom Lighting For The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest Homes Â&#x2018;Bespoke

Mention This ad and Receive A FREE In Home Consult in NYC!

BhonBhon Lighting

BHONBHON.COM | (212) 397-3710 Visit Our Lighting Showroom 43-01 21st. Long Island City

PERSONAL TRAINING soZo concept *O )PNF t *O 0GmDF Personal Training Bringing Fitness to the home & ofďŹ ce for over 20 years! No Weights Free Needed! Consult TRX

LOCKSMITH

SKY LOCKSMITH & HARDWARE FALL INTO SAVINGS

10% OFF COUPON IN STORES

T H E VA L L E Y TA B L E P R E S E N T S

PETS

ONLY THE BEST FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND

SENIOR CARE

SPIRITUAL

We provide peace of mind and ensure that each project is handled with respect and integrity.

www.KarpoffAfďŹ liates.com mkarpoff@karpoffafďŹ liates.com 212.358.8044 290 Third Avenue, Ste 26C, NYC 10010

PSYCHOTHERAPY

Come in for a Free Behavioral Assessment

info@akccanineretreat.com www.akccanineretreat.com

is your single stop for senior life transitions and real estate brokerage needs.

In addition to registration materials, on the table was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wild World,â&#x20AC;? by Peter S. Rush, recipient of the 2018 Independent Press Award for Debut Fiction. Published by Prior Manor Press, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wild Worldâ&#x20AC;? is a novel set in the student protest movements of the 1970s; the author is passionate about political engagement today among young people. The event produced 31 new voter registrations on the Upper West Side.

Store Locations: 1574 1st Ave / 182 E. 73rd / 2212 Broadway

KTA1@me.com

KARPOFF AFFILIATES

Book Culture, Prior Manor Press and League of Women Voters of New York City sponsored a Voter Registration drive on the Upper West Side on October 10 and 11. Outside the store, League of Women Voters volunteers Marilyn Sulzbacker and Rachel Westerwelle (standing) helped register voters at Book Cultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UWS location at 450 Columbus Avenue at 81st Street.

24/7 EMERGENCY LOCKSMITH SERVICE 212-288-7773

Kerry Aissa Founder

KARPOFF AFFILIATES

READING, WRITING AND VOTING

OFFER VALID FOR PURCHASES IN STORE ONLY. NO LOCK INSTALLATIONS AND SITE VISITS. VALID 10/1/2018-12/1/2018

Training Walking Jogging Overnights Daycare Call us today Grooming 212-696-8364

212-203-5634

Voter registration on Columbus Avenue, with League of Women Voters volunteers at Book Culture. Photo: Mia Kravitz

WINDOW TREATMENTS

Upper West Manhattan Church of Christ 80 YEARS!

Meeting at 891 Amsterdam Ave. @ 103rd St. In Hosteling International For more information: Call 212-729-8356 www.uwmchurchofchrist.com

Draperies Shades Shutters Blinds Motorization Window Film Upholstery Fabric & Trim Flooring Paint

SEMI-ANNUAL CUSTOM DECORATING SALE GOING ON NOW! UPPER WEST SIDE 469 AMSTERDAM AVE. 212.501.8282 WINDOWFASHIONS.COM

october 29 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; november 11 )

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the most anticipated food event in the region! Make your reservations today!

WHITECLIFF VINEYARD â&#x20AC;&#x201D;20TH

VINTAGE YEARâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to otdowntown.com/15 minutes

YOUR 15 MINUTES

SCROLLING WITH STEPHEN B. SHEPARD The author of a new book on a golden age of Jewish writers explores the influence of his favorite titles, and reflects on why the works of Roth, Bellow and more are like modern-day religious texts BY MARK NIMAR

As a Jewish New Yorker, Stephen B. Shepard grew up being more comfortable with egg creams and stickball than he was with the Torah or teﬁllin. But after a remarkable career as the editor-in-chief of BusinessWeek and the founding dean emeritus of what is now known as the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, Shepard decided to revisit the work of Jewish-American authors who had a profound effect on him in his youth. What resulted from his research is his book “A Literary Journey to Jewish Identity,” a literary memoir that discusses books by writers such as Philip Roth, Saul Bellow, Cynthia Ozick and Bernard Malamud, whose collective work contributed to the golden age of Jewish-American literature in postwar America. On Nov. 1, Shepard will join Rabbi Scott Perlo in conversation at the 92Y to discuss what it means to be a Jewish-American writer, and how postwar Jewish-American writers helped shape

his identity. We sat down with Shepard to talk about the Bronx, Bellow, and what it means to be a Jewish writer.

Where are you from? Well, I grew up in the West Bronx above Kingsbridge road on University Avenue. It was a largely Jewish neighborhood. In those days, the Bronx was the most Jewish borough. Forty to 50 percent of the Bronx was Jewish. There were also Italians, Irish. My parents belonged to an Orthodox synagogue. My mother kept a kosher home when I was a boy. Two types of dishes, one set for meat, one for dairy. It was a Jewish experience. We celebrated Yom Kippur. We lit candles on Friday night. We weren’t aggressively Jewish, but we were observant. We went to Hebrew school and played stickball in the streets. It was a Jewish neighborhood.

What made you want to revisit JewishAmerican literature from this period? At the time [I ﬁrst read these books], I wasn’t the least bit aware that there was something of a golden age for Jewish writers into the 50s, 60 and well into the 70s. It didn’t dawn on me that there was a golden age, and Jewish writers were emerging after WWII, some of the writers explicitly Jewish like Roth and Malamud, amud some were slyly so like Bellow. I began wonB dering, derin by the time I got to college, by the time I co was in college, is there such a thing as a Jewish writer? Is there such a writ thing thin as a Jewish novel? What Wh does that mean? These The books stayed in my mind a while, and after aft I stepped down from fro CUNY, I decided to revisit them, and see r what wh inﬂuence did they have on my Jewish ha identity. I just wanted ide to learn.

W are some of What th the lessons and ob observations you took aaway from reading tthese books? You can be Jewish without being rew lligious. They were giving me permisg sion to be less reli-

Photo courtesy of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY gious. The fiction reinforced it. I always saw myself as Jewish, but it was always a question of the amount of observance of my life as a Jew. My mom called it being “modern,” and [even] my mom shed some of her orthodoxy after her mother died. I was aware of Jews as a victim. Schools had quotas, Jews couldn’t live in certain neighborhoods. My father changed his name from Shapiro to Shepard because he felt it would get him a better job. Assimilation became a form of disguise, a way of averting victimization that I thought would happen to me as a Jew. The literature I was reading supported those feelings.

Why do you think so many great Jewish writers, such as Philip Roth, Saul Bellow and Malamud, came to prominence during this time? You know, there was an enormous decline in anti-Semitism after the war. But in the 1930s there was a lot of antiSemitism that prevented a lot of Jews from rising up in various fields. But when I was growing up, there was very little anti-Semitism. And these writers came of age in post-war America and there was an appetite and acceptance for these stories among Jews and among all kinds of readers. I just think there was a better climate for the acceptance of Jews as major novelists. But a lot of Jewish writers don’t want to be called Jewish writers. Saul Bellow said, calling a writer Jewish is like being called an Eskimo cellist.

They didn’t want to be known as that. It was a way of dismissing them, Bellow thought. They won all the Pulitzer Prizes and the National Book Awards. And there was backlash from Gore Vidal, and others who referred to them as the Jewish maﬁa. But there was a decline of anti-Semitism postwar, because they were allowed to be read.

Some writers that you mention, like Cynthia Ozick, feel that ﬁctionalized accounts of the Holocaust trivialize the atrocities of that historical event. To what degree do you feel this is true? I never felt that it trivialized it. I know that she felt she couldn’t make art out of it. But she did it a lot. She really felt very strongly about Jewish identity, and that people didn’t diminish the memory of the Holocaust ... If it’s done well, it can produce deeper feeling of what happened. Another thing that was characteristic: Roth wrote a lot about “Why them and not me,” and I think that it’s important to try to write novels that have Holocaust themes or characters from that era. [Ozick] was drawn to it as a subject. [Her short story] “The Shawl” was an amazing piece of fiction about a survivor in that era. When Roth and Bellow were writing, these memories were still fresh. It was so recent, I don’t see how you can avoid writing about it. Some people got more religious because of the Holocaust and some people got less religious because of the Holocaust. It’s obviously very complicated.

If you could recommend just one book for someone to read from this golden age of Jewish authors, what would it be? I think that someone who isn’t too familiar with this should read Roth’s novella “Goodbye Columbus.” It deals with Jews’ suburbanization of America. That’s a good one to start with. In terms of Bellow, “Seize The Day” is a wonderful novel. So is “Herzog.” And if you like Updike, the Henry Bech novels are terriﬁc.

What is these Jewish writers’ collective legacy? Will they be remembered? There is now a new cohort of Jewish writers like Michael Chabon. And we don’t think of them as Jewish writers, because times have changed. No one thinks it’s unusual [anymore] that Jews are writing novels. They’ll be remembered if their novels are remembered as great novels ... They will be remembered for the quality of their ﬁction. Some will fade away, and some will be remembered as long as people are reading. It depends on what the quality of the work is. If the work endures, and it’s seen to be great, then the writers will be remembered. And if they’re not, they’re not ... And that’s life.

Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

L N I Z A I O I S A N P B S Q

Y E P C S B T S L Z I A X W A

P O A H T E T I I M Q N C Q P

S P M T R R O P T B H E L B E

Q K S A H L N O V A H V A I R

D Z Y J Q E J R W A N I Y Y Y

E F K R W Q R Z F M F I L Y V

R C A P P L A S T I C D U G B

The puzzle contains the following words. They may be diagonal, across, or up and down in the grid in any direction.

D N E W T F T U U W O O D M C

Aluminum Clay Cotton Ebony Fiber Glass Iron Leather Plastic Porcelain Silver Steel Titanium Wood Wool

ANSWERS A

R O

G U

47 40

38 33 31 24

H 26

15 12 1

E 3

A D

R O M P

W H

O F

A S

E 5

U M B 7

E R

Y O

A 21

M A

R O

R W E

A W 13

N 46

C 19

O W R

U 22

L L

C O O

14 9

6 8 7 5 2

5 9 2 4 3 7

6 8

3 9 4

4 1 3 6 8 9 7 5 2

2 7 1 8 9 5 4 3 6

8 3 6 1 4 2 9 7 5

9 4 5 3 7 6 2 1 8

1 6 9 2 5 3 8 4 7

3 2 8 7 1 4 5 6 9

7 5 4 9 6 8 1 2 3

21. Like Iraq 24. One of the ﬁnest 25. Exclamation of pleasure 26. Biblically yours 28. Physics unit 29. Puppy bark 30. Tantalite, for example 34. Angry 35. Muslim leader 36. Poisons 37. African republic 40. Noose material 41. Ended 42. Back of the neck 44. Church recess 45. East Indies mail delivery system 46. Condo, perhaps 49. Steeped beverage

P W O B G F C B L A N P A D R

D N E W T F T U U W O O D M C

40. French verse 43. “In ____, did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree” Coleridge 47. Eggs (Lat.) 48. Conform (2 words) 50. Miner’s equipment 51. Oomph 52. Turn over 53. Schuss, e.g. 54. Prior to, poetically 55. Tibet’s capital 56. Dover time Down 1. Drain problem 2. Hokkaido native 3. Complaint 4. Passover 5. Elbow room 6. Internet letters 7. Brunch cocktail 8. Safari helper 9. Facial problem 10. Disturb 11. Road tax 19. Intent

M J I B N J K E G X L T H L E

R C A P P L A S T I C D U G B

Across 1. Subway alternative 4. Perpendicular 9. Skill 12. Fabrication 13. Strange 14. Company exec, for short 15. “___ night love affair”: Bryan Adams 16. 1965 march site 17. Nada 18. Burst of laughter 20. He wrote “Animal Farm” 22. Tapi___, dessert 23. Much desired real estate vista 24. Hummable, perhaps 27. Stream 31. Between Molokai and Kauai 32. Buzzing sound 33. Purging medicine 36. ___ l’oeil, a detailed painting 38. Period 39. Open wheel racing, for short

L E T O E L C M C G U G H E V

E F K R W Q R Z F M F I L Y V

O Z R P U R K E T T N O M E L

D Z Y J Q E J R W A N I Y Y Y

O I P H O N K D V G Q D S T I

Q K S A H L N O V A H V A I R

W X L P A L U M I N U M E S S

S P M T R R O P T B H E L B E

3 2

WORD SEARCH by Myles Mellor

P O A H T E T I I M Q N C Q P

Y E P C S B T S L Z I A X W A

L N I Z A I O I S A N P B S Q

P W O B G F C B L A N P A D R

M J I B N J K E G X L T H L E

L E T O E L C M C G U G H E V

O Z R P U R K E T T N O M E L

Level: Medium

8 3

O I P H O N K D V G Q D S T I

W X L P A L U M I N U M E S S

3 7

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.

SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan

by Myles Mellor

CROSSWORD

Downtowner 1

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED

MASSAGE

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

Telephone: 212-868-0190 Email: classified2@strausnews.com

POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. The publication will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid.

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIVE APARMENT SECURITY PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: By Virtue of a Default under Loan Security Agreement, and other Security Documents, Karen Loiacano, Auctioneer, License #DCA1435601 or Jessica L Prince-Clateman, Auctioneer, License #1097640 or Vincent DeAngelis Auctioneer, License #1127571 will sell at public auction, with reserve, on November 7, 2018, in the Rotunda of the New York County Courthouse, 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007, commencing at 1:30pm for the following account: Elia Ramos, as borrower, 250 shares of capital stock of 41214 East 10th Street Housing Development Fund Corporation and all right, title and interest in the Proprietary Lease to 412-14 E 10th Street, Apt. #5A, New York, NY 10009 Sale held to enforce rights of Citibank N.A., who reserves the right to bid. Ten percent (10%) Bank/Certiﬁed check required at sale, balance due at closing within thirty (30) days. The Cooperative Apartment will be sold “AS IS” and possession is to be obtained by the purchaser. Pursuant to Section 201 of the Lien Law you must answer within 10 days from receipt of this notice in which redemption of the above captioned premises can occur. There is presently an outstanding debt owed to Citibank N.A. (lender) as of the date of this notice in the amount of $156,647.52. This ﬁgure is for the outstanding balance due under UCC1, which was secured by Financing Statement in favor of Citibank, N.A. recorded on May 4, 2006 in CRFN 2006000249573. Please note this is not a payoff

amount as additional interest/ fees/penalties may be incurred. You must contact the undersigned to obtain a ﬁnal payoff quote or if you dispute any information presented herein. The estimated value of the above captioned premises is $541,000.00. Pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code Article 9-623, the above captioned premises may be redeemed at any time prior to the foreclosure sale. You may contact the undersigned and either pay the principal balance due along with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by Citibank N.A.. and the undersigned, or pay the outstanding loan arrears along with all accrued interest, late charges, attorney fees and out of pocket expenses incurred by Citibank N.A., and the un-

dersigned, with respect to the foreclosure proceedings. Failure to cure the default prior to the sale will result in the termination of the proprietary lease. If you have received a discharge from the Bankruptcy Court, you are not personally liable for the payment of the loan and this notice is for compliance and information purposes only. However, Citibank N.A., still has the right under the loan security agreement and other collateral documents to foreclosure on the shares of stock and rights under the proprietary lease allocated to the cooperative apartment. Dated: September 17, 2018 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon, LLP Attorneys for Citibank N.A. 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 631-969-3100 File #01-088585- #95684

Volunteer Referral Center & Bellevue Hospital Center invite you to learn about

Volunteer Opportunities in Healthcare Use your career skills or develop new ones to make a difference in a healthcare setting When: Friday, October 26, 2018 3:00pm - 6:00pm Where:

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Bellevue Hospital Center First Avenue at 27th Street ADMISSION IS FREE!

RSVP to reserve your place 212 889-4805 or info@volunteer-referral.org

NEED TO RUN A LEGAL NOTICE? Quick | Easy | Economical

Call Barry Lewis Today: 212-868-0190

BE THE SOMEONE

WHO HELPS A KID BE THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

newyorkcares.org

OCTOBER 18-24,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Got an EVENT? FESTIVAL CONCERT GALLERY OPENING PLAY Get The Word Out! Add Your Event for FREE Just $10 per day to be featured

nycnow.com