Our Town Downtown - November 22, 2018

Page 1

The local paper for Downtown wn ETERNAL BEAUTY FROM AN ENDURING CULTURE ◄ P.12

WEEK OF NOVEMBER

22-28 2018

Danny Pearlstein at a Fast Forward event in June 2018. Photo courtesy of Danny Pearlstein

A FIGHT TO ‘FIX THE SUBWAY’ COMMUTERS Danny Pearlstein of the Riders Alliance and other grassroots groups aim to improve the transit system BY MEREDITH KURZ

Here’s the good news: tourism is up, employment is up, and population is up. Here’s the bad news: the transportation system is sinking fast, there’s a fare hike proposal on the table and the MTA Chairman just resigned. Here’s the solution: New Yorkers when they get together can do something about it. While riders get angry for a moment and then get on with their day, many citizens have pulled together and are trying to help all New Yorkers, and our millions of tourists, to improve the city commute. Danny Pearlstein is the policy and communications director of the Riders Alliance, an organization, he explained, that “fights for bet-

ter transit by organizing subway and bus riders.” Pearlstein got recruited from the membership four years ago, and came on the staff last Thanksgiving. He grew up riding the subway and has a true passion for getting it right, for all New Yorkers. “When the transit doesn’t work, our city doesn’t work,” said Pearlstein. The Riders Alliance has not only increased their membership recently, but they’ve joined a coalition of disparate grassroots groups that have the “transit system to bind them together,” as Pearlstein puts it. The Riders Alliance is part of a coalition called “Fix the Subway,” with over 20 other organizations. Those groups include NYPIRG Straphangers, ALIGN NY, Chinese-American Planning Council, Citizen Action, Community Voices Heard, Environmental Advocates of New York, New York City Employment and Training Coalition, New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, New York Communities for Change, New York Immigration Coalition, New York

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

“Developers have consistently pointed to our high-quality schools as a selling point, and they should not be selling the schools out,” Assembly Member Deborah Glick said. Photo: Michael Garofalo

TRIBECA RALLIES TO SAVE SCHOOL EDUCATION DOE plans call for P.S. 150 students to be relocated next year after lease ends at Independence Plaza BY MICHAEL GAROFALO

Chanting “save our school” and waving handmade signs, member of the P.S. 150 community rallied Nov. 13 to plead for the school to remain in its current location in Independence Plaza. Students, parents and elected officials gathered on the elementary school’s steps to call on the city and the school’s landlord to negotiate a

All we’ve heard so far is finger pointing — the city saying the developer is at fault, the developer saying the city is at fault. One thing we know is that neither the parents or the students ... are at fault. They should not be suffering.” State Senator Brian Kavanagh

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Downtowner

OurTownDowntown

O OTDOWNTOWN.COM @OTDowntown

Crime Watch Voices NYC Now City Arts

3 8 10 12

Restaurant Ratings Business Real Estate 15 Minutes

14 16 17 21

deal to extend P.S. 150’s expiring lease and keep the elementary school in the Greenwich Street apartment complex. The Department of Education notified the P.S. 150 community in October that the school would be relocated after the current school year, following the failure of the city and Independence Plaza ownership to reach an agreement to renew the school’s lease. Stellar Management and Vornado Realty Trust, which own Independence Plaza, plan to use the space now occupied by the school for new apartments and amenities for residents.

WEEK OF APRIL

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW < CITYARTS, P.12

FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE

is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice

9-16

MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20

2015

In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS

The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits

SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS

A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311

n OurTownDowntow

COM

Newscheck Crime Watch Voices

for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced

2 City Arts 3 Top 5 8 Real Estate 10 15 Minutes

12 13 14 18

CONTINUED ON PAGE

25

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

2

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR PROPOSAL FOR A NEW RIVERBOAT STOP What about an added north-south Hudson River ferry stop at Chelsea Piers, where a docking facility appears to be already in place (“The River of No Respect,” Nov. 1-7)? This would connect easily with the terminus of the M23 crosstown bus. Harry Malakoff Chelsea

IMMIGRATION CONCERNS I am in favor of giving immigrants places to live once they have been given approval to enter, however, they should only be allowed to enter with proper documentation (“The ‘SantuaryHood’ Campaign,” Oct. 25). That’s how my parents got in. They also didn’t ask for free health care, housing or any types of handouts. My father had three jobs and my mother two, until better opportunities were awarded them. They took or expected nothing from the government. The other side should be heard as well.

City Council Member Mark Levine stands at the West 125th Street Pier on the Hudson River. He says it’s the ideal location to launch a new north-south ferry route that would connect uptown with midtown and downtown on the West Side. Photo: Office of Mark Levine

I am very concerned about the misleading rhetoric coming from the administration and the media about the caravan of immigrants headed to the United States from Central America. It’s dishonest, destructive and unjust. Dorothy Calvani Upper West Side

JOBS FOR SENIORS Editor’s note: Judy Klinek, a West Side Spirit reader, called to ask for contact information regarding our story on the recent senior job fair (“Helping NYC Seniors Land Their Next Gig,” Nov. 1-7). Reporter Megan Conn provided the following: For more information, call 212-6026958 or 311 and ask for Senior Employment Services. You can also visit SESU on the 6th floor of 2 Lafayette St. in Manhattan. To view the step-by-step application process and verify your eligibility, visit: access.nyc.gov/programs/senioremployment-services-ses

Philip Massa Upper West Side

“IF ONLY SOMEONE WOULD CLEAN UP THIS PARK.”

BE THE SOMEONE. Every day, we think to ourselves that someone should really help make this city a better place. Visit newyorkcares.org to learn about the countless ways you can volunteer and make a difference in your community.

Cat New York Cares Volunteer

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

3

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st precinct for the week ending Nov 11 Week to Date

Photo by Tony Webster, via Flickr

2018 2017

% Change

2018

2017

% Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

1

9

-88.9

Rape

0

0

n/a

22

15

46.7

Robbery

1

2

-50.0

67

62

8.1

Felony Assault

4

1

300.0

53

85

-37.6

Burglary

3

1

200.0

65

61

6.6

Grand Larceny

28

19

47.4

947 902 5.0

Grand Larceny Auto

0

1

-100.0

20

TEEN MUGGERS ARRESTED

BOX CUTTER ASSAULT

CORD DISCORD

RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE

At 1:10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, four male youths struck a 23-year-old man about his head and face with a blunt object, causing two lacerations. The mugging took place on the northwest corner of Pearl and John Streets. The assailants grabbed the victim’s two cellphones and fled on foot. Police soon caught up with them, however, and Jerome Douglas, 18, and three underaged accomplices were arrested and charged with robbery.

It seems that one man needs to cut a certain acquaintance out of his life. At 5:43 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, a 42-year-old man had a verbal dispute with a 31-year-old acquaintance in front of 1 State St. The younger man became irate and cut the older man with a box cutter, causing a laceration on the victim’s head and neck. He was taken to New York Downtown Hospital. Police are looking for his acquaintance, Vernon Stocks of Staten Island.

At 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov, 7, a 44-year-old man and a 58-year-old man got into a verbal dispute inside the street level restroom at the northeast corner of Broadway and Fulton Street. The older man struck the other man three times in his lower back with a metal electrical cord, causing pain, redness, swelling and welts. Christian Ozoemena was arrested and charged with assault, said police.

At 2:10 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5, an unknown individual struck a 41-yearold man on his head with a cane in front of a 7-Eleven store at 111 Fulton St. He cause a cut and swelling above the victim’s left eye. The assailant then fled on foot, heading westbound on Fulton.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org NEW YORK CITY

How 200 Years of Death in Greenwich Village Changed America

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD, 6PM Rectory, Church of the Ascension | 7 W. 10th St. | nyadventureclub.com Mark Black Friday with a dark look at the Village as the New York Adventure Club sets off on a tour that includes the hospital that treated Titanic survivors, the scene of the sweatshop fire that shocked America, and the house of an American Vice President indicted for murder ($25-$29).

Evacuation Day Celebration

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 11AM Fraunces Tavern | 54 Pearl St. | 212-968-1776 | frauncestavernmuseum.org On November 25, 1783, British troops left New York City and ended the Revolutionary War. General George Washington celebrated with a dinner at Fraunces Tavern, which opens its doors for just $1 all day long, hosting special programming that includes live music from the era ($1).

Just Announced | President Carter: The White House Years

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 7:30PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org American diplomat and attorney Stuart Eizenstat speaks about his new book, which is filled with his own first-hand accounts of a misunderstood presidency. He’ll be joined in person by philanthropist David Rubenstein and President Jimmy Carter himself via Skype ($50).

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

sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.

Year to Date

PARTY LOOTER Police are looking for a burglar who robbed two businesses while employees

14

42.9

were attending a party in the commercial building at 68 White St. On Thursday, Nov. 8 at 11:30 p.m., an unknown man entered the building and began removing property from two companies, DMA United and Alpha Ridge. When building staff confronted the burglar, he dropped a few items, some of which the staff recovered. The burglar apparently goes by the Instagram name “LOVEHATEGREED.” The items stolen included 30 pairs of Marceco NBA shorts and pants valued at $12,000, 20 Marcelo Burlon NBA tops priced at $8,000 and much more, for a total haul of $30,525.

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 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.

4

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Useful Contacts

Drawing Board

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.

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 PETER PEREIRA

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

5

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

THE SUBWAY AND THE SOUL OF YORKVILLE The breweries and elevated trains are gone. The churches, social halls and French Flats remain. But for how long? A new book chronicles the neighborhood’s history — and ponders its future amid a mega-building boom BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN

As a burst of oversized and out-of-scale development projects radiate from the path of the Second Avenue Subway, a preservation group is fighting back — by publishing a book to document the area’s glorious past. The Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts is delving into the boundless historical, cultural, architectural, mercantile and ecclesiastical treasures of Yorkville — at a time that heritage seems most in jeopardy. “Shaped by Immigrants: A History of Yorkville” plumbs the Old World roots of a neighborhood where Czechs, Slovaks, Germans, Hungarians and Irish lived and worked, dined and courted, shopped and prayed. It salutes the immigrant ethos that made the community great and defines its character to this day — even though no one calls 79th Street “Goulash Avenue” anymore, or 86th Street the “German Broadway.” Against the backdrop of a built environment that has largely endured for 150-plus years, the book raises several existential questions: What hath the Q train wrought? And how can Yorkville’s immigrant past — which lives on in its low-rise, small-scale buildings, serving residential, religious, commercial, social and recreational needs — be safeguarded amid a building boom? In the foreword, Franny Eber-

The cornerstone set in the façade of the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary at 211 East 83rd Street. The first date marks the original construction, the later date was when St. Elizabeth bought and moved into the church.

Zion-St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, a small stone church on East 84th Street off First Avenue, built in 1889 in the late Victorian architectural style, proclaims its German heritage in a facade inscription that reads, “Deutsche Ev. Kirche V. Yorkville.”

The interior courtyard of the landmark Cherokee Apartments, built before World War I at Cherokee Place and 78th Street, was designed as an airy, sun-splashed gateway to clean and sanitary living spaces for poor tuberculosis patients. Photos: Trix Rosen Photographer Ltd / Friends of the UES Historic Districts hart, president of Friends of the UES, says now that the subway is here, and travel to and from Yorkville is faster than ever, the word most commonly used to describe the Q is “transformative.” “But what other sorts of transformation will occur?” she asks. “And what might Yorkville lose in the process? What needs to be protected, preserved and celebrated?” The book, and a 15-minute, mini-documentary film accompanying it, is an attempt to answer those questions by detailing a neighborhood’s brick and mortar, character and charm. Drawing on over a decade of research, the advocacy group authored what it bills as the first-ever comprehensive history of Yorkville, an illustrated account replete with archival images and contemporary photos commissioned for the project. “Numerous out-of-scale developments, many that subvert long-established zoning rules meant to encourage predictable development, are changing the face of Yorkville,” said Rachel Levy, executive director of the Friends group. With its vitality and uniqueness threatened, “Shaped by Immigrants” celebrates the rich legacy of its architecture and peoples. The goal: “Kickstart the public conversation about the buildings and sites that must be prioritized for preservation amid rapid change,” Levy added. The book features such long-

vanished worlds as George Ehret’s Hell Gate Brewery, located on a superblock between 92nd and 93rd Streets and Second and Third Avenues and dating to 1866. It conjures up the German immigrant known as the “King of the Beer Corners” because his 42 saloons were mostly located on corner lots. But it largely focuses on the extant. In so doing, it documents dozens of architectural gems that lack city landmark status and could theoretically fall prey to the hyper-development unleashed by the subway’s opening.

THE MAYOR AND THE ‘ANTEDILUVIAN MONSTER’ These gems include the “French Flats” apartment buildings, a term evoking Parisian living accommodations, which were designed for middle-class families at a time when the rich mostly lived in private, single-family homes, while the poor dwelled in multi-unit tenements. Two of the best examples are on Second Avenue in the 80s. Counted among the city’s first modern apartments, they came complete with such thenluxuries as hallways, private bathrooms, closets and fully equipped kitchens. The Manhattan, built in 1880 on 86th Street, and the colorfully named “Kaiser and The Rhine,” built in 1887 on 89th Street, were both ventures of the Rhinelander family, an early Yorkville developer, who designed them with more

light and air than other period dwellings. It was The Manhattan where future three-term Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. spend his childhood. His father, the powerful German-born U.S. Sen. Robert F. Wagner Sr., resided there from 1912 to 1933.

WE’RE NOT GOING TO STOP DEVELOPMENT. BUT I CERTAINLY HOPE WE CAN PRESERVE THE FLAVORING AND SEASONING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, A GREAT DEAL OF WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN LOST.” Franny Eberhart, president of Friends of the Upper East Side The book pegs the evolution of Yorkville to five supersized, mass-transit projects — the building of two rail lines in the late 19th century, their demolition in the mid-20th century, and the arrival of a new subway in the 21st century. Development was kicked into overdrive with the opening in 1878 of the coal-powered Third Avenue Elevated Railway, with stations at 67th, 76th, 84th,

89th and 99th Streets. By 1880, the Second Avenue El debuted, with stops at 65th, 72nd, 80th, 86th, 92nd and 99th Streets. The impact of the locomotives: “A frenzy of real estate speculation,” a passage for immigrants away from the teeming Lower East Side and the growth of multicultural, working- and middle-class communities, the authors write. Of course, the Friends group — a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the architectural legacy, livability and sense of place of the UES — notes that not everyone was overjoyed by the hulking Els. It quotes social novelist Henry James describing them as “skeletons” whose streets they “darkened and smothered with the immeasurable spinal column and myriad clutching paws of an antediluvian monster.” By 1942, as World War II raged, the city fathers (yes, they were all men back then) agreed. The Second Avenue El came down first, its steel converted to munitions. By 1955, the Third Avenue El was finally demolished. “The dismantling of these lines removed the literal and figurative dividing line that had for so long separated the Gold Coast from Yorkville, while also ushering in a new era of building,” the book says. Now, after three-quarters of a century, the trains are running again on Second Avenue. Commuters have direct access to and from Yorkville. The trans-

formative impact to which Eberhart alludes is unmissable. “We’re not going to stop development,” she said. “But I certainly hope we can preserve the flavoring and seasoning of the neighborhood, a great deal of which has already been lost.” Father John Kamas, pastor of the Church of St. Jean Baptiste on East 76th Street, says he lived through the last “land grab.” Born in 1948, a lifelong Yorkville resident of Slovak descent, he remembers what happened when the Third Avenue El came down: “You lost a neighborhood where people would hang out on the stoops, leave the front door unlocked and shop in the little shops under the El,” said Father Kamas, a Friends board member. “That life started to disappear because real estate interests only see money, they don’t see neighborhoods, they don’t see history, they don’t see our immigrant past, they don’t see beauty,” he added. “We’re not opposed to growth, but it should be harmonious. “This time, we’re asking developers to show a little more respect.” “Shaped by Immigrants: A History of Yorkville” can be purchased online for $30 at www.friends-ues.org/yorkvillebook. A 15-minute, minidocumentary chronicling the neighborhood’s history can be viewed for free at the same link. invreporter@strausnews.com

READ THIS STORY ON OTDOWNTOWN.COM TO SEE THE ALL THE PHOTOS.

6

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

SCHOOL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 P.S. 150 won national recognition for academic excellence in 2014, when it was honored as a prestigious Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. DOE plans call for P.S. 150 to be temporarily moved roughly a mile east, where it will be co-located in the building that houses the Peck Slip School. According to DOE officials, the building has sufficient space to accommodate both the roughly 180 students from P.S. 150 and the Peck Slip School’s student body of about 380. “We want to be emphatically clear that a co-location is not the solution for this school,” said Tricia Joyce, chair of the Community Board 1 youth and education committee. P.S. 150 would again be relocated in about four years, upon completion of a new 476-seat school that will be housed in the luxury condominium tower now under construction at 2842 Trinity Place. Joyce said that losing a school, even as another one is being built, is an unacceptable outcome in Lower Manhattan, which suffers from a school seat shortage driven by rapid population growth and residential development in the neighborhood since 9/11. “We need all 476 of those seats at the new school on Trinity Place, so we’re compromising if we’re asking for these 180 children [from P.S. 150] to go into that building when it opens,” she said. Stellar and Vornado have cited “the need for additional residential units and amenities” at the 1,300-unit complex as a reason for the decision not to renew the school’s lease. “Moving our children twice in the next four years for the promise of a pool for the future luxury tenants of this building is not OK,” said Anshal Purohit, co-president of the P.S. 150

P.S. 150 students gathered Nov. 13 to plea for their school to remain in its current home. Photo: Michael Garofalo parent teacher association. Margaret Chin, who represents Lower Manhattan in the City Council, said, “When you look for a neighborhood to move in, the first thing you want to know is about the schools. The best amenity for this building is to have an award-winning school.” “We are urging Vornado and Stellar to come back to the table to talk with [the School Construction Authority] and DOE and find a creative solution to keep P.S. 150 here,” Chin said. An Independence Plaza representative declined to detail ownership’s plans for the additional units and amenities at the complex. Stellar and Vornado agreed to extend the school’s lease by three years

in 2015. In an emailed statement on behalf of the ownership group, a spokesperson wrote that the extension provided “the school and all involved parties ample time to create a relocation plan favorable to the P.S. 150 students and staff. At that time we clearly and transparently confirmed that the lease would not be renewed and together we documented that understanding in writing.” “As agreed, the lease expired in August, unfortunately without relocation plans in place,” the statement continued. “Notwithstanding our written agreement, we have agreed not to enforce our rights and to give the Department of Education and the School Construction Authority one

SUBWAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Lawyers for the Public Interest, Rise and Resist, Sanitation Coalition, Straphangers Campaign, Street Vendor Project and Transportation Alternatives. One issue facing the coalition is the MTA’s proposed solution called Fast Forward. With a new Democratic controlled state legislature, it will be up to Albany to implement this improvement, which is backed by many in the “Fix the Subway” coalition. “The MTA has a work plan for new signals, cars, and elevators. The question is whether the governor and legislature will come up with a fair and sustainable funding plan to get it all done. Riders are looking to Albany as we approach the next state budget,” said Pearlstein. “Now more than a

more year to finalize a suitable relocation plan.” Doug Cohen, a spokesperson for DOE and SCA, said that the city is willing to discuss further options with Independence Plaza ownership. “It’s unfortunate that the owner of the building refused to renew the lease, despite our attempts to find a solution throughout the year,” Cohen wrote in an emailed statement. “Once we were informed that P.S. 150 could not remain in the building, we immediately began developing a long-term plan to present to the community, and are working closely with [Community Education Council 2], parents, and community members throughout this process.” Brian Kavanagh, who represents

year since the governor declared a state of emergency on the subway, it’s clear that only full-scale modernization can end our transit crisis.” Putting pressure on politicians has helped in the past. Riders Alliance and other groups helped get the Commuter Benefits Law, a federal commuter tax benefit that allows transit users to pay for the cost of their commutes with up to $255 of pre-tax dollars a month is now mandatory for many employers in the five boroughs. Pitching in to help Riders Alliance, or one of the many other groups throughout the city, can make a big difference. In order to get the Fast Forward project pushed forward, New Yorkers will have to get, well, pushy. Pearlstein said, “Next year’s’ goal is to increase the outreach and impact of this grassroots organization.” Grassroots groups coordinate

the neighborhood in the state Senate, called on the parties to put aside their differences and return to the negotiating table. “All we’ve heard so far is finger pointing — the city saying the developer is at fault, the developer saying the city is at fault,” he said at the rally. “One thing we know is that neither the parents or the students standing behind me are at fault. They should not be suffering.” Jennifer Spain, the parent of a second grader at P.S. 150, as well as two other children who previously graduated from the school, said she “hopes that reason prevails” and that the school can stay in place. “It just makes no sense,” she said. “It’s an amazing school.”

outreach to the State Legislature, the mayor and the governor, representing their collective concerns. New York City is the largest subway system in the world, yet is ranked 21st in a global lineup of reliability. “We did a study in August and found that every morning every single delay was related to signal problems, primarily in Manhattan and Brooklyn,” said Pearlstein. “The D and the R have the worst records. The real system has become unreliable. In the past six years delays have tripled. Using May of 2012 as a baseline of 20,000 delays per month ... we have leapt up to 60,000 to 70,000 delays per month.” As for the recent fare hike proposal, Pearlstein said, “With three fares hikes in the past six years, and train delays tripling in the same period, yet another fare hike would unfairly leave riders paying more for less.”

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

7

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Follow Our Town Downtown on Facebook and Twitter

Bellevue South Lobby. Photo: NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue

PATIENT POWER HEALTH What New Yorkers need to know about CABs, PFACs & YACs BY CAROL ANN RINZLER

Since 1969, every New York City public hospital has been required to have a Community Advisory Board (CAB) comprising past or present patients, community residents, and a representative from the local community board. In 2011, Dick Gottfried, chair of the NYS Assembly Health Committee, introduced a bill to require a similar group at every hospital in the state. The bill sailed through the Assembly but wasn’t even brought up for a vote in the Senate, a situation Gottfried thinks may change with the new legislature. Meanwhile, New York City’s voluntary non-profit hospitals have been introducing their own version of a CAB: PFACs (Patient and Family Advisory Councils). Unlike community boards, which play a mandated role in some legislative and regulatory areas such as land use, CABs and PFACs are strictly advisory. But New York State law requires each voluntary nonprofit hospital periodically to adopt and update a community service plan. Gottfried says that should include consultation with the PFAC. Even without new legislation, hospitals often agree. For example, ten years ago, when Louise Dankberg joined the Bellevue CAB, she had no idea she’d end up chairperson for five years. During her tenure, she was proud to lead a group that “not only identified patient complaints but

succeeded in quality-of-life projects such as keeping open a low cost diner and gift shop for patients, staff and visitors.” In short, Bellevue CEO William Hicks takes his CAB seriously, praising it for “urging us to try harder, to be better and to strive for the best in quality and service for all who present to the hospital.” Two blocks up First Avenue at NYU Langone Health’s PFAC, the sentiments are similarly sunny. “During an extended patient experience,” says Keith Cunningham, “I quickly ascertained the need to be an assertive advocate for my own care plan and recovery and began offering advice to the staff and other patients. Being on PFAC has been an incredibly rewarding chance to help improve the system.” Kimberly Glassman, NYU Langone’s Senior Vice President for Patient Care counts her hospital “fortunate to have individuals like Keith whose insights help make us a better care provider and a more valuable resource to those who turn to us for help.” Ditto at Northwell’s Lenox Hill. “No system is ever perfect,” says PFAC member Jordan Klemons, “but Lenox Hill Hospital did such an incredible job taking care of me and getting me back on my feet again, I felt it was my responsibility to help them continue improving for all future patients.” Appreciated, says Joe Leggio, Associate Executive Director, Patient & Customer Experience. “The PFAC is our guiding voice in designing how everyone should experience health care.” In 2015, the Mt. Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital expanded the CAB/PFAC family with a YAC (Youth Advisory Council) to address the specific needs of pediatric patients. “As an ac-

MEETING SCHEDULES Bellevue Hospital CAB Fourth Wednesday of the month, 6:00 pm Lenox Hill Hospital/ Northwell Health PFAC Last Thursday in Jan/Mar/ May/July/Oct/Nov, 5:30 pm Mount Sinai Hospital YAC Second Thursday of the month, 5:30 pm NYU Langone Health PFAC Second Thursday of each month, 4 pm Note: CAB/PFAC/YAC meetings often skip a summer month tive member of YAC,” says one young member, “I have been able to help give a perspective on how children feel when they enter a hospital.” Morgan Stojanowski, assistant director of the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department, names one such important YAC observation: the need for accessible language translation services. “Leadership responded immediately,” she says, “distributing 50 dual handset translator phones throughout pediatrics, providing additional Language Assistance in-services to medical staff, and introducing enhanced video interpreter services.” Clearly, CABs and PFACs are popular, so popular in fact, that one member actually appointed himself. In the late 90s, as chair of Brooklyn’s Community Board 13, Marty Levine was barred from a Health and Hospitals meeting at Coney Island Hospital. “A couple of weeks later,” he says, “I learned that every HHC facility was mandated to have a CAB and that as chairman of the community board I had the authority to appoint someone to the hospital’s CAB. So I appointed myself and walked in. I’ve been a member ever since.” What are you waiting for?

Downtowner

Unique Gifts for the Holidays The Museum Store at the National Museum of the American Indian From souvenirs to the highly sought-after, New York City’s premier destination for authentic Native American goods

Smithsonian

National Museum of the American Indian

One Bowling Green | New York, NY 10004 AmericanIndian.si.edu | (212) 514-3767 | Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

8

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

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.

REALITY CHECK: ‘THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT’ PUBLIC EYE BY JON FRIEDMAN

Are facts negotiable? Is there a distinction between truth and accuracy? Should there be one at all? For our purposes, the key question is: Can a lesson in news literacy be entertaining in a darkened Broadway theater? I can answer the last question emphatically: Definitely, yes. “The Lifespan of a Fact,” the muchdiscussed show at Studio 54, raises these and other points that are so essential here in the Trump presidency, when it can feel like truth is in the eye of the beholder and facts are up for grabs. One of the reasons why the dis-

course is lively and fun is that the the actors don’t preach and instead leave it to the audience to come up with the answers. The production, which lasts for approximately an hour and 25 minutes (with no intermission), moves along at a brisk pace. The dialogue is snappy throughout. The stellar cast — the always-brilliant Cherry Jones as Emily the editor, Daniel Radcliffe (firmly shedding whatever Harry Potter image may still remain) portraying Jim the fact-checker and Bobby Cannavale (looking comfortable playing John, the tough-talking writer) were terrific. It was as if they were playing three-on-three basketball at a high level, with each actor generously passing the ball around before one of them took a shot. Unfortunately, the very earnest show also deserves what some col-

lege educators call an Accuracy F. It’s really too bad that a very entertaining show has this stone in its shoe because, God knows, the media could use something to proclaim how valuable journalism is in these strained times. When the play opens, Daniel Radcliffe appears as a frightfully green but determined kid who has been with a magazine for a matter of months. Yet his no-nonsense editor, Cherry Jones, decides to entrust the fact-checking of a piece so important that she says it could be her “legacy” to him. Bobby Cannavale emerges as the kind of street-smart, patronizing writer who might evoke images of Jimmy Breslin or Pete Hamill or even Norman Mailer. The rookie struggles to wrest control of the story from the writer, who clearly has little use or respect for

him. Meanwhile, the editor gamely tries to get the piece published on time. That is the entire cast: three extremely well-crafted characters, each with an angle of his or her own. Recognizing the performers from their own work, journalists will no doubt smile — and squirm — as they see themselves in these parts. And the lesser people in the theater can happily sit back and appreciate the superb acting. How much is the audience expected to accept? Could we reasonably expect to see a fact-checker fly across the country (on his own nickel, no less) to confront the author? Stretching reality further, the fact-checker’s boss then follows him out there to try to restore order and meet a stressful deadline. I’ve worked for decades in the media ecosystem and never heard of this

happening — but that’s just me. This show has come along in a sweet spot of our popular culture. The profession of journalism is under siege. The President of the United States is determined to use the media as a prop in his all-out culture war — and then declare himself the winner. His strategy is as clear as it is timeless: capitalize on journalism’s lousy public image to divide and conquer. All that’s missing from this picture in 2018 is a retelling of the Nixon administration’s greatest hits, complete with Spiro Agnew’s “nattering nabobs of nihilism” and defense of the Silent Majority. “The Lifespan of a Fact” neatly counters the President bleating about “fake news” and “the enemy of the people.” It is a production for its times.

THE E.D. WE MUST OVERCOME BY BETTE DEWING

Yup, this title is meant to spark attention, which “empathy dysfunction” spelled out might not. And what does empathy or its absence have to do with Thanksgiving? Well, this year, it means not forgetting California’s unprecedented hardship and heartbreak — and the help we need to give and keep giving as long as it takes. Our surprise winter storm diluted immediate concern for the wildfires, and the unprecedented gridlock was incredibly stressful. But homes and communities were intact when finally reached. Yes, numerous trees were downed, lamentably, but the damage was incomparable to large areas of California, where everything is blazed out. Imagine. And imagine we must. Oh, it should be remembered that due to our storm, public events were cancelled, like the 79th Street Neighborhood Association monthly meeting, where California’s heartbreak and

hardship would have been an active concern. So many New Yorkers have close family and friends who live in California and won’t need reminding. But others will, and how we need high profile people to do just that. The president finally toured some burned out areas, which thankfully seems to have raised his not-so-active empathy level. But so far, more needed are our former Presidents Carter, Clinton, both Bushes and Obama to be there pledging all-out support. Even more so, perhaps, the first ladies must be there, one of whom was secretary of state and almost our president. And yes, first offspring and first grandparents should be there as well. And what must we at home be doing? For now, here’s some of what this column urged after the Carolinas were ravaged by Hurricane Florence. New York City youngsters were asked to reach out to Carolina youngsters, letting them know they cared by using social media. And they’d set an example for other age groups, especially

for elders to reach out to their peers in the Carolinas, who were often alone and disabled. And long overdue, these youngsters enabled elders’ social media use. New Yorkers with animal pals were told about animal rescue groups in the Carolinas. And I took the liberty of reminding faith and civic groups how they must be at the forefront of these critical and ongoing endeavors. Now read the Nov. 15 New York Times piece, “California Fires Only Add to Acute Housing Crisis.” On the news, a Paradise, Calif. man pleads for a garage he might rent to temporarily house his family. But what about home sharing? Once people opened their homes to family, friends, neighbors and others in need. And yes, that’s difficult for members of a society now so accustomed to living alone. But it would be infinitely easier if communication skills were learned to aid getting along. I can think of some books that do just that — like those by Haim Ginott, “Straight Talk” by Sherod

President Trump’s motorcade passes neighborhoods devastated by wildfires as he surveys the damage on Nov. 17 in Paradise, Calif. Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead Miller, and by Daniel Walkman, Elaine Nunnally and Carol Saline. Remember, there were some city faith groups that held forums and classes as well. Among them were Central Presbyterian Church, Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church and the Roman Catholic Church of the

Epiphany. They need a mighty revival to help overcome the many unprecedented social and political divides. There would be so much more to be thankful for — and it can be done if enough of us try — with California never very far from our minds. Do know I am so very thankful for you.

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 Acting Deputy Editor Alizah Salario

Senior Reporter Doug Feiden Staff Reporter Michael Garofalo

Director of Digital Pete Pinto

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

9

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

We think a company that’s been around for generations should offer a product that’s guaranteed for a lifetime.

Ee E R ur

se

a rch

as r pu e m ou y ith

F w The DOT added three-quarters of a mile of new bus lane along the M79 route as part of select bus service implementation, which transit officials say contributed to increased bus speeds and ridership. Photo: MTA/ NYC DOT

MTA TOUTS PERFORMANCE OF CROSSTOWN BUS TRANSPORTATION 79th Street SBS route is faster since introduction of offboard fare payment, officials say BY MICHAEL GAROFALO

Crosstown bus service on the 79th Street corridor has seen increases in speed and ridership since the introduction of select bus service last year, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority data. The M79 bus is eight percent faster on average since the M79 SBS route launched in May 2017. M79 SBS buses spend 21 percent less time paused at bus stops and ďŹ ve percent less time stuck in traffic that they did in the route’s previous iteration, according to transit data presented to Manhattan community boards this month. Riders traveling west during the evening rush hour experienced the greatest time savings, with buses completing their runs nearly three minutes faster on average, a 12 percent speed increase. Transportation officials attri-

bute the speed increase to the SBS off-board payment system, which reduces dwell time spent at bus stops for fare collection, as well as street improvements implemented by the city’s Department of Transportation, including newly painted bus lanes and traffic light timing adjustments. The results on the M79 SBS route are in line with the average speed increase of about 10 percent that the MTA has seen on other routes after SBS implementation. “Prior to the M79 [SBS] launch in May of last year, ridership had been dropping,� Joe Chiarmonte, a bus service planner with MTA New York City Transit, told Community Board 7’s transportation committee om Nov. 13. “As soon as we implemented the M79 [SBS], ridership, as compared to the previous year’s ridership, started to increase.� One year after the launch, ridership on the M79 route was nine percent greater than it was a year prior, outpacing the 0.5 percent increase in Manhattan-wide bus ridership over the same period. On average, current daily ridership on the route is roughly 12,500.

Buses aren’t the only vehicles moving faster since the launch of SBS. Non-bus vehicle travel time has decreased eight percent on the West Side portion of the M79 route. On the East Side, travel times are down six percent for non-bus vehicles moving east on 79th Street and down two percent for vehicles heading west. MTA and DOT officials are hopeful that the M79 SBS will see further improvements in performance and ridership as additional street design changes are implemented as part of an upcoming capital project. Planned capital improvements along the route include curb extensions and pedestrian islands to improve pedestrian safety, concrete reinforcements, or bus pads, at stops to prevent wear on the road surface, and additional “bus bulbs,� which are portions of sidewalk that extend into the street at stops to speed boarding and ease crowding on narrow sidewalks. The city’s Department of Design and Construction will begin preliminary work on the project next year, with the goal of starting construction in 2022.

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 ӣӇÇÇLJÎäĂŽä

YORKVILLE 1491 3rd Ave @ 84th St ӣӇÓnÂ™Â‡ĂˆĂŽää

1** , Ć‚-/ - nnn iĂ?ˆ˜}ĂŒÂœÂ˜ Ć‚Ă›i J ĂˆĂˆĂŒÂ… -ĂŒ ӣӇÇÇӇ£{ää

½- / Ă‡ĂˆĂˆ £äĂŒÂ… Ć‚Ă›i J xĂ“Â˜` -ĂŒ 212-245-3241

1** , 7 -/ - ÂŁx™ 7 Ă‡Ă“Â˜` -ĂŒ J ½Ăœ>Ăž ӣӇx™x‡Óxää

"7 , Ć‚-/ - nä {/ Ć‚Ă›iÂ˜Ă•i J £äĂŒÂ… -ĂŒ

-" " 55 Thompson St @ Broome Ă“ÂŁĂ“Â‡ĂˆĂ“Ă‡Â‡££ää

- Ć‚ 215 7th Avenue @ 23rd St Ă“ÂŁĂ“Â‡Ăˆ{x‡x{x{

UPTOWN WEST Ă“Ăˆnä Ă€Âœ>`Ăœ>Ăž J £äĂ“Â˜` -ĂŒ ӣӇxΣ‡ÓÎää

" - Ć‚ /9 ĂŽä‡Îx /Â…ÂœÂ“ĂƒÂœÂ˜ Ć‚Ă›i ĂŽ{LJ{ÂŁn‡Î{nä

10

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

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

DINING

DINING Mention This Ad to Receive a FREE MIMOSA Offer Valid 11:30-3:00 Tue - Sun

EDITOR’S PICK

Wed

‡ )5(( 'HOLYHU\ )RU /XQFK ‡ 'LQH ,Q 7DNH 2XW 'HOLYHU\ ‡ (QMR\ RXU 2XWGRRU 3DWLR ‡ 2UGHU 2QOLQH

›’Â&#x;ŠÂ?ÂŽČą Š›Â?¢ȹ Â˜Â˜Â–ÂœČąČŠČą Ž••¢ȹ Š—Œ’—Â?ȹȊȹ ŠÂ?Ž›’—Â?

řŗŖȹ ÂŽÂœÂ?ȹśř›Â?Čą Â?›ŽŽÂ?ČąČŠČąĹ˜Ĺ—Ĺ˜ČŹĹ˜ĹœĹ›ČŹĹ›Ĺ›Ĺ–Ĺ–    ǯÂ?ÂžÂ›Â”ÂžÂŠÂŁÂ›ÂŽÂœÂ?Šž›Š—Â?ÇŻÂŒÂ˜Â–Čą

LOCKSMITH

LIGHTING

‘Lighting

Restoration & Repairs Lampshades ‘Custom Lighting For The World’s Finest Homes

SKY LOCKSMITH & HARDWARE

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

Kerry Aissa Founder

212-203-5634

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

PETS

PSYCHOTHERAPY

25% OFF YOUR DOG’S FIRST OVERNIGHT STAY TREAT YOUR DOG TO A VACATION WITH US!

Training Walking Jogging Overnight Daycare Grooming

*Valid for new clients only. Holiday rates apply.

Call us today

212-696-8364

SENIOR CARE

SPIRITUAL

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

Is destiny hereditary? Can the ancient concept of karma help us understand genetics? Vedanta Society’s Swami Sarvapriyananda meets with leading neuroscientist and popular science blogger Kevin Mitchell to trace human diversity and individual differences to their deepest level. Dr. Mitchell will discuss his new book, “Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are.�

24/7 EMERGENCY LOCKSMITH SERVICE 212-288-7773

KTA1@me.com

KARPOFF AFFILIATES

Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th St. 7:30 p.m. $25 212-620-5000 rubinmuseum.org

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

info@akccanineretreat.com www.akccanineretreat.com

KARPOFF AFFILIATES

GENETICS IS KARMA

10% OFF COUPON IN STORES

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

28

FALL INTO SAVINGS

‘Bespoke

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

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

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

Thu 22 Fri 23

Sat 24

â–˛ THANKSGIVING AT GREENWICH STEAKHOUSE

200 YEARS OF DEATH IN GREENWICH VILLAGE

‘PETE THE CAT’

Greenwich Steakhouse 62 Greenwich Ave. 5 p.m. $25+ For a uniquely upscale Thanksgiving celebration, Greenwich Steakhouse offers a traditional turkey special among signature menu selections and an extensive bar menu. Set your worries aside and grab your steak knife, it’s time for a feast. 212-553-5000 greenwichsteakhouse.com

Church of the Ascension 7 West 10th St. 6 p.m. $25 From a hospital that treated Titanic survivors to the house of an American vice president who was indicted for murder in two states, join this walking tour to learn the true stories of how death in Greenwich Village has impacted New York City throughout the past 200 years. Hosted by the New York Adventure Club. 636-590-6873 nyadventureclub.com

BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center 199 Chambers St. 11 a.m. $30 When Pete the Cat gets caught rocking out after bedtime, the cat-catcher sends him to live with the Biddle family to learn his manners — and boy are they square. In this children’s production, life is an adventure no matter where you wind up. The minute Pete walks in the door, he gets the whole family grooving. 833-733-4232 tribecapac.org

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Image source: State Library of Queensland, via WikiMedia Commons

Sun 25 Mon 26 Tue 27 EVACUATION DAY CELEBRATION AND WALKING TOUR Fraunces Tavern Museum 54 Pearl St. 11 a.m. $1 On November 25, 1783, British troops evacuated New York City — the last city to be occupied at the end of the Revolutionary War. General Washington led his troops in a parade that proceeded down Broadway, ending with a dinner held at Fraunces Tavern. Celebrate with $1 admission to the museum. 212-425-1778 frauncestavernmuseum.org

11

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

▼ CATACOMBS BY CANDLELIGHT TOUR St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral 263 Mulberry St. 11 a.m. $35 For over 200 years, the catacombs of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral has served as the final resting place for the departed. The unique and historic ground has been a silent witness to the many struggles and accomplishments of prominent Catholics in New York City; come explore its depths. 212-226-8075 oldcathedral.org

▲ FASHION HISTORY: THE GREAT COUTURIERS The RealReal 80 Wooster St. 6:30 p.m. Free Fashion historians consider the decade after Word War II to be the Golden Age of couture. Across the globe, sophisticated feminine post-war fashions symbolized a return to happier times. Join resident fashion historian Lisa Santandrea to discuss visionaries Christian Dior, Charles James and Cristobal Balenciaga. 855-435-5893 therealreal.com

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 !

Wed 28 BUILDING BODIES ON PAPER NYU Gallatin 1 Washington Pl. 6 p.m. Free The healing arts in East Asia display a wealth of body maps depicting lines that guided diagnostic and therapeutic practice. Join Lan A. Li, Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience at Columbia University, for a discussion on how different historical and contemporary actors make sense of health and disease. 212-854-7245 scienceandsociety.columbia.edu

ISSUE DATE: Dec 6 AD SPACE DEADLINE: Nov 30 For more information Call 212-868-0190 advertising@strausnews.com The local paper for the Upper East Side

The local paper for the Upper West Side

The local paper for Downtown

The local paper for Chelsea

12

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

ETERNAL BEAUTY FROM AN ENDURING CULTURE Treasures from Armenia at The Met BY MARY GREGORY

Armenia! - celebratory exclamation mark and all – is the subject of a beautiful, reflective exhibition at The Met Fifth Avenue, on view through Jan. 13. It’s focused on the history, culture and exquisite art of Armenia from the beginning of the 4th century, when it became the world’s first officially Christian country, through the 1600s when it was a powerful leader of international trade. The galleries are filled with stone work and architectural fragments laden with spiritual imagery, luxurious textiles, illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages and rare antique printed books, reliquaries laden with gems and precious metals, and a hushed sense of awe. “By examining these magnificent treasures, we can better understand and appreciate the central role that art played in defining and connecting Armenian communities during this time, and how they both influenced

Arm Reliquary of Saint Nicholas. The medallion on the hand of the reliquary identifies it as containing the bones of the saint. Photo: Adel Gorgy

and were inspired by styles from other cultures,” said Max Hollein, the new director of The Met. The exhibition was organized by Helen C. Evans, curator of Byzantine Art, with C. Griffith Mann, the curator in charge of Medieval Art, and the assistance of Constance Alchermes. Of the roughly 140 works in the exhibition, most have never been seen in the U.S. before, and many have not traveled for centuries. Rooted at the base of Mount Ararat, the Armenian culture saw and survived the influence of Byzantine, Persian, Arab, Seljuk, Mongol, and Ottoman powers that passed through their lands at the historic and geographic crossroads of several civilizations. As with many enduring cultures of the world, Armenians adapted and adopted, moved and morphed, yet never relinquished their own unique identity. Spectacular standing Khachkars, or towering cross stones, a distinctly Armenian art form, are a highlight. One on loan from the monastery of Havuts‘ Tar in Ayrarat was carved in 12th– 13th century with incredibly intricate twining lines, knotted and looping endlessly. It’s the kind of decoration that was often painted on medieval manuscript borders, but hewing that level of complex detail from solid stone is something else altogether.

A gold, silver, and silk altar frontal, 1741, from New Julfa, an Armenian district in Isfahan settled after the forced relocation of Armenians from Julfa to Isfahan. Photo: Adel Gorgy At the beginning of the exhibition is a four-sided stela, or upright stone marker, from the monastery of Kharaba. One of the oldest extant works of Armenian art, it was made in the 4th5th century, and depicts the conversion of King Tiridates to Christianity by Saint Gregory the Illuminator. Gregory, the patron saint of Armenia, was the son of a tyrant who fled the kingdom un-

A magnificent gilded manuscript giving a sense of the wealth and piety of medieval Armenia. Photo: Adel Gorgy.

der the protection of Christian caretakers. He returned years later as a monk, converting the new king and the entire country. Gregory’s story and other Armenian tales are repeated across centuries and works of art that express styles typical of both the Eastern and Western worlds. The story that comes across most clearly is of a tenacious, peripatetic and persevering people. Curator Evans describes the Armenians as “A unique people, who beginning from their homeland at the base of Mount Ararat, by the end of the Middle Ages have spread across the globe and are controlling massively important trade routes that reach from England to Latin America, from India to Russia.”

Detail of a Four-Sided Stela from the Monastery of Kharaba depicting the Madonna and Child. Photo: Adel Gorgy.

The success of the Armenian people is reflected in the lavishness of the works on view, including spectacular manuscripts with painted and gilded illuminations by T‘oros Roslin. Evans said of Roslin, “He is the Rembrandt of the Armenians, the Titian, and his lasting influence is as great as a Titian or a Rembrandt within the Armenian world.” In Roslin’s “Gospel Book of Lady Keran and Prince Levon II,” the artist incorporated images of faith and culture as well as human and divine presence all at once. The manuscript was commissioned as a gift for the couple. They stand side-by-side holding a picture of the sacred book. Dressed in rich silks, their portraits proclaim the wealth of the society. Above them, Christ blesses them. It’s a statement of both piety and worldly ambition. Photographs of the works, as well as the audio guide, can be experienced on the Met’s website. Still, to stand before works fashioned from imagination, devotion and creativity, and with materials from ages ago, is moving and humbling in ways that an online experience can never be. The chance to widen our understanding of the world and become immersed in a culture while gazing upon exquisite works of art is a rare gift from the Armenian people, government, and religious and cultural institutions. Don’t miss it.

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

13

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 $40

LEWISTON/CLARKSTON 39 REVIEWS ENDS DEC 16

FROM $49

FROM $35

SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY

SHAKE AND BAKE: LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST

215 REVIEWS ENDS DEC 09

64 REVIEWS ENDS JAN 05

87 86

84

Two plays by Sam Hunter about life in small town America, now performed on a double bill for the first time.

MCC’s hit comedy returns. A buoyant and biting exploration of the universal similarities facing teenage girls across the globe.

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

RATTLESTICK THEATRE - 224 WAVERLY PLACE

LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE - 121 CHRISTOPHER ST

94 GANSEVOORT ST

WHAT’S TRENDING ACROSS NYC

COMING SOON

FROM $45

FROM $45

DANIEL’S HUSBAND 267 REVIEWS OPEN RUN

A CHRISTMAS CAROL PREVIEWS START NOV 27

Summoners Ensemble Theatre presents its sixth annual run of this one-man adaptation of Charles Dickens’s beloved holiday classic.

84

MERCHANT’S HOUSE MUSEUM - 29 E 4TH ST

This story of a seemingly perfect gay couple offers an unflinching look at how we choose to tie the knot—or not.

FROM $50

WESTSIDE THEATRE - 407 W 43RD ST

A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES PREVIEWS START NOV 28

FROM $40

ALL IS CALM

This Irish Rep tradition interweaves both classic and contemporary Christmas music with Dylan Thomas’s story of a snowy Christmas in Wales.

4 REVIEWS JUST OPENED

IRISH REPERTORY THEATRE - 132 W 22ND ST

81 FROM $25

Through European carols and war-songs, “All Is Calm” recalls the WWI Christmas truce between Allied and German soldiers.

BITTER GREENS PREVIEWS START DEC 07

SHEEN CENTER - 18 BLEECKER ST

When Reyna discovers she’s rejected from a dream job, her resentment drives her to make some bad—and dangerous—choices.

FROM $39

59E59 THEATER - 59 E 59TH ST

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WANDA JUNE 247 REVIEWS ENDS NOV 29

FROM $67

BLUE RIDGE

80

PREVIEWS START DEC 12

Set in Southern Appalachia, The Atlantic’s world-premiere is a pitch-dark comedy about heartbreak, hell-raising, and healing.

A return engagement of famed novelist Kurt Vonnegut’s rarely produced satire. A searing and darkly comedic look at American culture.

ATLANTIC THEATER - 336 W 20TH ST

THE DUKE - 229 W 42ND ST

Content provided by

KEY:

14

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS

Maries Crisis Cafe

59 Grove Street

NOV 7 - 13, 2018

Nisi

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.

300-302 Bleecker St Grade Pending (23) 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.

The Garrett

296 Bleecker St

Grade Pending (15) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

4 Charles Rib Prime Rib

4 Charles St

Grade Pending (40) 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. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Gasoline Alley Coffee

310 W 14th St

A

RH F&B Meatpacking

9 9th Ave

A

Petite Boucherie / Omakase Room

14 Christopher St

A A

Sauce Pizzeria

345 E 12th St

A

Tatsu Ramen

167 1st Ave

Not Yet Graded (38) 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. 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.

A

Lao Ma Spicy

58 E 8th St

A

Mi Tea

19 Saint Marks Pl

Not Yet Graded (18) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Uncle Chop Chop

7 Cornelia St

Ty’s

114 Christopher Street A

Manhattan Monster

80 Grove Street

A

Ramen-Ya

181 West 4 Street

Grade Pending (19) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Pho Get About Mi

353 W 14th St

A

La Nueva Columbia

353 W 14th St

Grade Pending (19) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.

Spot

13 St Marks Place

A

Laut

15 East 17 Street

Grade Pending (36) 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. Harmful, noxious gas or vapor detected. CO ~1 3 ppm.

Kung Fu Tea

28 Saint Marks Pl

A

Modern Gourmet

793 Broadway

Not Yet Graded (50) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment. 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.

Sevilla Restaurant

62 Charles Street

Grade Pending (23) 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.

Automatic Slims

733 Washington Street

A

Lil Frankie’s Pizza

19 1 Avenue

A

Do Hwa

55 Carmine Street

A

The Mermaid Inn

96 2 Avenue

A

Fedora

239 West 4 Street

Umi No Ie

86 East 3 Street

A

Ukrainian Restaurant

140142 2 Avenue

A

Grade Pending (25) Food not cooked to required minimum temperature. Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Cozy Cafe

43 East 1 Street

A

Urban Vegan Kitchen

4143 Carmine Street

Tocqueville Restaurant

3 East 15 Street

A

Starbucks

240 Park Avenue South

A

Piccolo Cafe

157 3 Avenue

A

Grade Pending (24) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, crosscontaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. 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/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese

900 Broadway

A

Cafe Clover

10 Downing St

A

Hot Kitchen

104 2 Avenue

A

Coarse NYC

306 W 13th St

Ravagh Persian Grill

125 1st Ave #127

Grade Pending (27) 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.

Grade Pending (26) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F. 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/sewageassociated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Checkers

225 1st Ave

A

San Marino Ristorante

66 Charlton Street

Peet’s Coffee

853 Broadway

A

Just For Fen

229 1st Ave

A

Boris & Horton

195 Avenue A

A

CLOSED (56) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. 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.

Thai Direct Bowls

131 Avenue A

A

Carmine Street Beer

52 Carmine St

A

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

15

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

TRACKING THE CITY’S BIRD NEWS NATURE Beyond the Mandarin Duck: David Barrett of Manhattan Bird Alert on his passion and research BY JASON COHEN

Nearly a decade ago, Upper East Side resident David Barrett discovered his passion for birding. An avid middledistance runner, Barrett often jogged or walked through Central Park. To make his walks more enjoyable, he began birding and researching the various birds that he observed. “I wanted to make those walks as interesting as possible and that’s how it all started,” Barrett explained. “I got interested in birding as a thing to do. It’s a fascinating subject.” Today, he has racked up a lifetime total of 267 American Bird Associationcountable bird species in Manhattan, placing him second on the all-time list for eBird, an online citizen science database, as of November. In 2013, Barrett launched Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) and today, the Twitter feed has been front and center as it has helped birders see the Mandarin Duck that has created a

Mandarin duck in the Pond. Photo: Ben Rinzler

David Barrett of Manhattan Bird Alert. Photo courtesy of David Barrett

Manhattan Bird Alert has been following the whereabouts of a barred owl in Central Park. Photo: @jhonny_2003 courtesy of Manhattan Bird Alert

sensation in Central Park. “Manhattan Bird Alert, I think it’s a great thing for all New Yorkers,” Barrett said. “It’s been very popular because of the Mandarin Duck. The purpose of it is to give the public a way to get birding news delivered to them quickly.” Birders identified the male duck as native to East Asia, and no one was sure how he had made his way to Manhattan. Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) has provided regular updates on the duck since his first arrival in October. After a four-day absence

earlier this month, the duck returned to the Central Park Pond on Nov. 14. On Thursday, during the first snowfall of the season, the duck enjoyed the snowflakes. One post via @LRo70 read, “A little snow does not bother the MANDARIN DUCK, still at the Central Park Pond (60th and Fifth).” Barrett, 54, grew up in Massachusetts and earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Harvard. After a long career as a hedge fund manager, he is now an investor and computer scientist. Since he began birding, he has

learned that birds not only can be identified by sight, but by sound as well. Additionally, weather plays a huge role in migration and is a factor in why certain birds may appear in Manhattan for just week or a couple days. “I think the surprising thing is how we get migrant birds that come from far away,” Barrett said. After gaining all of this knowledge, he realized that New Yorkers should have an easier way to find birds. So he launched the Bird Alert in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. “We needed a better system that’s fast and can handle a lot of alerts,” he

said. Today, there are 100 approved users that can post alerts on the account. The alert system provided the first public news of the Harris’s Sparrow on Nov. 4, the Kirtland’s Warbler on May 11, the Hammond’s Flycatcher on Nov. 26, 2017 and the Swainson’s Warbler appearance in Central Park on April 28, 2016. It has been featured in the New York Times, the BBC and the New York Post. “The alerts quickly became very popular with other birders,” Barrett said. “They could see that it became a great solution to a problem that they had.”

Screenshot of Mandarin Duck news with video from @notfapgod69, via Manhattan Bird Alert.

16

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

AMAZON DEAL SPARKS LOCAL BLOWBACK Backlash from NYC elected officials after announcement of a new campus in Long Island City BY MICHAEL GAROFALO

From nearly the moment details emerged on Amazon’s plans to build a new corporate campus in Long Island City, the tech giant’s deal with the city and state became the subject of immediate backlash from some local groups and politicians. Criticism of the agreement has focused on a variety of factors, including the strain the rapid growth would place on the neighborhood’s transit system and housing market and the nearly $3 billion in subsidies and tax breaks the company is poised to reap. Amazon has said the Long Island City site and another new campus in Arlington, Virginia would each get 25,000 new jobs that the company said would pay an average of $150,000 a year. Amazon has said it will spend $5 billion between both locations on construction and other projects, and that hiring at the two headquarters will begin next year, but it could take a decade or more to build out the offices.

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Business

The secretive process by which the deal was reached has also come under scrutiny. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio engaged in private negotiations with Amazon that excluded state and local legislators, arriving at an agreement that exempts the development from the City Council’s authority on land use decisions. Council Speaker Corey Johnson said the legislative body is reviewing its legal options to change or block the deal. Here’s what local politicians are saying:

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer: “New Yorkers are being told Amazon needs and deserves billions of dollars in payments and tax breaks to locate in Long Island City, minutes from Manhattan, when we have no certainty on a range of issues from local hiring to the effects on rents throughout the city. Moreover, the state plans to suspend local control over zoning – what gets built and where – not in order to build critical regional infrastructure, but to build a corporate headquarters. This sets a scary precedent for every neighborhood in every borough. This project

“The governor and they mayor have decided to throw Jeff Bezos almost $3 billion in subsidies and tax breaks and throw in a helipad so he doesn’t have to take the damn 7 train when we are several blocks from the Queensbridge Houses,” Queens Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer said at a protest against the deal to bring Amazon offices to Long Island City. Photo: NYC Council, via Twitter. should go through a full public review like any other major project and there should be a robust public engagement process.”

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson: “Amazon is one of the richest companies in the world, but you can’t put a price on community input, which has been missing throughout this entire

process. I find that lack of engagement and the fact that the negotiations excluded the City Council – which is elected by New Yorkers to guide land use projects with communities in mind – extremely troubling. I also don’t understand why a company as rich as Amazon would need nearly $2 billion in public money for its expansion plans at a time when New York desperately needs money for affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure and education. I will always advocate for economic development and jobs in New York, but when the process is done behind closed doors, with zero community input and nearly $2 billion in subsidies to a global behemoth, I am going to be skeptical.”

Council Member Keith Powers, who represents much of Manhattan’s East Side: “The public clearly has a lot of questions about Amazon. A public process allows us to discuss impacts of development and the overall value of the deal. We want good jobs, but bypassing the public process is a poor precedent & raises a question of why one project gets a pass.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announce that Amazon will establish a new corporate headquarters in Long Island City, Queens. Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: “While I’m glad that Amazon recognizes that Queens is a great place to do business, I’m concerned about the lack of community input and the incentivizes that Amazon received in order to convince them to bring these jobs to New York. One of the wealthiest companies in history should not be receiving financial assistance from the taxpayers while too many New York families struggle to make ends meet.”

Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez: “Many New Yorkers, myself included, are concerned by the enormous incentives this package extends to Amazon. There are also very real reservations about how this proposal would affect traffic, transit crowding, housing affordability and our small business communities in Queens and Brooklyn.” Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who represents Long Island City: “The governor and they mayor have decided to throw Jeff Bezos almost $3 billion in subsidies and tax breaks and throw in a helipad so he doesn’t have to take the damn 7 train when we are several blocks from the Queensbridge Houses… We have a public housing crisis…but somehow folks who consider themselves progressive Democrats have seen fit to throw $3 billion at the richest man in the world.”

Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell: “Now that the details have come out, it’s clear that this is a bad deal for New York. The truth is, many of the jobs Amazon is claiming they will create are already being created without billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies… This deal includes no investment into our subways, no new affordable housing, no infrastructure repairs to NYCHA developments in Long Island City, and no entry level jobs for those that need them the most.” —With The Associated Press

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Real Estate Sales

17

18

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Tired of Hunting for Our Town Downtown? Subscribe today to Downtowner News of Your Neighborhood that you can’t get anywhere else

Dining Information, plus crime news, real estate prices - all about your part of town

Cultural Events in and around where you live (not Brooklyn, not Westchester)

Now get your personal copy delivered by US Mail for just

$

49/Year for 52 issues

To Subscribe : Call 212-868-0190 or go online to otdowntown.com and click on subscribe

‘COCKTAIL,’ 30 YEARS LATER CITY CULTURE A movie that brings back Manhattan in all its decadent 1980s glory BY JON FRIEDMAN

“Cocktail,” the 1988 Tom Cruise movie, shows Manhattan in a bygone era: all of its decadent 1980s glory. Don’t be coy. You remember that era, when a whole new vocabulary and way of life came into prominence. Crack was the cheap drug of choice of high school kids who mugged older people (like me, on Friday night, June 13, 1986) to pay for the shabby high. The perp walk was born on Wall Street when the feds outsmarted greedy bankers and brokers. The baby-boomers, disparaged by the media as Yuppies, slinked off to Brooklyn if they couldn’t afford to live in The City. The movie “Cocktail” — no rational person would dignify such a critically reviled flick by calling it a “film” — shows a bygone time in the city’s pop-culture history. Someday, anthropologists will gleefully dissect “Cocktail” to learn the rhythms of the Upper East Side. Perhaps no other movie has revealed the meat-market aspect of life in those shameless pickup bars. If you’re nodding in chagrined recognition, it’s OK! Hey, I was there, too, and, you bet, I am also cringing at the memory of the pulsating disco music and the wasted, aspiring hipsters doing blow in the bathrooms. Cruise plays Brian Flanagan, a young military veteran who comes home to Queens to stake his claim to the American Dream. Capturing the spirit of the go-go, insider-trading-rich 1980s culture in the city, he finds that schoolroom classes are too slow and stultifying for him. Desperate to make a few bucks but lacking the requisite training for most coveted jobs, he stumbles into a job in an Upper East Side singles bar and quickly learns the ropes from the resident, all-knowing bartender, Doug Coughlin, played smartly by Bryan Brown. “Young Flanagan,” as Coughlin calls him affectionately and dismissively, quickly becomes a rock-start barkeep. Men idolize him for his breezy cool style and women want to sleep with him. Few movies have featured the

Tom Cruise, 2017. Photo: Eva Rinaldi, via flickr city as such a notable supporting character. Sure, we’ve had “Moonstruck” to represent romantic Italian Brooklyn, and “Bright Lights, Big City” for the youthful, cocaine-filled literary set, “Wall Street” for the naked greed of Wall Streeters, “Manhattan” for, well, Manhattan and, God knows, “Taxi Driver” for the underside of one man’s descent into madness. There are, of course, dozens of others. “Cocktail” is perfect for fans of the 1980s Cruise. He plays Brian to the hilt of that era of patented Cruise characters who scream cockiness and still manage to betray a little vulnerability. Think of a bartender version of “Risky Business,” “Top Gun,” “The Color of Money” and, a later, “Rainman,“ “A Few Good Men” and “Jerry Maguire.” And what about the city itself? What has become of those singles bars? I suspect that things just aren’t quite the same today as they were

30 years ago. This conclusion came to me a few months ago. I was sitting on a bench at the West 23rd Street IRT subway station early one morning when I overheard two taxi drivers lamenting the new pressures on their way of life. Like any know-it-all journalist, I interrupted them and sagely nodded about the effect of Uber and Lyft on them and their brethren. One of them shot back: “No, no, sir. That’s not exactly it. People don’t go out to the bars, to pick people up, as much as they used to.” The other man nodded vigorously and added: “They stay home now and use online dating services, instead of going to singles bars.” That’s what it has come to. Is it better or worse to live in New York today than thirty years ago? Is the city now tamer or more sensible? Who can say ... But it sure is different now.

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

19

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Neighborhood Scrapbook

Photo: Ron Jautz

HOLIDAY TREE IN LINCOLN SQUARE The Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (BID), elected officials and Department of Parks and Recreation leadership welcomed the arrival of the holiday tree for the 19th annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square, New York’s largest holiday festival. The Lincoln Square BID continued its support of New York State tree farmers with the arrival of a 30-foot-tall Concolor from Domes Tree Farm in Bliss, New York. Domes Tree Farm is a family-owned business that’s been in operation since 1952 . Current owners Bill and Katie Domes specialize in tree-moving machinery, which was used to prepare the tree for its journey to NYC. The tree was installed at Dante Park (Broadway and 63rd Street) on Nov. 13 and will be on display through January 2019. Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square is Monday, November 26th, 2018 from 5:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m. and begins with the Upper West Side’s only tree-lighting ceremony at Dante Park.

Everything you like about Our Town Downtown is now available to be delivered to your mailbox every week in the Downtowner From the very local news of your neighborhood to information about upcoming events and activities, the new home delivered edition of the Downtowner will keep you in-the-know.

And best of all you won’t have to go outside to grab a copy from the street box every week.

It’s your neighborhood. It’s your news.

X

Yes! Start my mail subscription to the Downtowner right away! 1-Year Subscription @ $49

Photo: Ron Jautz

Name

________________________________________________

Address _________________________________ Apt. #

________

New York, NY Zip Code __________ Cell Phone _________________ Email Address___________________________________________ Payment by

Check # __________

Money Order

Credit Card

Name on Credit Card (Please Print) ___________________________ Card # _______________________ Exp. Date

____ //____ // ____

Signature of Cardholder ___________________________________

Photo: Ron Jautz

Return Completed Form to: Straus News, 20 West Avenue, Chester, NY, 10918 or go to otdowntown.com & click on Subscribe

20

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

“I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HELP THAT HOMELESS MAN.”

BE THE SOMEONE. Sam New York Cares Volunteer

Every day, we think to ourselves that someone should really help make this city a better place. Visit newyorkcares.org to learn about the countless ways you can volunteer and make a difference in your community.

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

21

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

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO WILL With a passion for theater, social justice and the teachings of Jesus, William Critzman is a modern minister with a mission rooted in timeless ideals

that arc bend towards justice. I think religion knows about a sense of history. We bring the connective tissue. If we preached the headlines every day, we’d never run out of material. But religion reminds people that the headlines of the day are part of a bigger picture. We have to bring in the [wider] landscape. We can’t be ashamed of our faith; we have to let it guide our life, and how we love one another.

BY MARK NIMAR

In New York City, modes of worship are as varied and diverse as the city itself. Some Upper West Siders may reserve Sundays for brunch or SoulCycle, others for a weekly church service. For the Reverend William H. Critzman, 39, the new senior minister at West End Collegiate Church, Jesus’s messages of love, compassion and equality have never been more relevant, particularly when it comes to politics, social justice or the arts. But while Critzman has immense love for old biblical teachings, he is also breaking new ground as the first openly gay senior minister to serve at Collegiate Church in the organization’s nearly 400 year history. With his youth and fresh perspective, Critzman is poised to attract a whole new group of worshippers to the congregation. Straus News sat down with Critzman last week to talk about his background in show business, holding our nation’s leaders accountable, and why he wants you to come to church.

What’s your favorite section of the bible? Why? My favorite book in the bible is the Gospel of Mark. I think it contains everything the New Testament needs to tell us. It’s the shortest of the gospel. The entire Gospel can be read in 55 minutes. Mark’s favorite word is “immediately”. He uses it 44 times. And this sense of immediacy, it speaks to the call to make the world change now. The Gospel of Mark is written in CE in 70 when Rome is on a full assault of Jerusalem. And when it is bleak, I think about this in our New York lives. This is like September 12, 2001. The city is under attack, and we don’t know why. We are in a state of trauma and grief, and the one way we comfort each other is by telling stories. We look to a story that might bring us hope.

For someone coming to West End Collegiate Church for the first time who does not have a relationship with God or has never attended church, what could they expect?

How did you become a minister? What called you to the profession? Well, my background was as a theater producer and arts executive. I worked in London, San Francisco and New York. And about 10 years ago, when I was working at Lehman Brothers, everyone was talking about the importance of being inter-disciplinary in our approach to the arts. We needed to look at what it means to be in the arts, and we were talking about how we were not doing a very good job of incorporating other disciplines into our profession. So I started looking at some seminary programs to do a master’s in the arts and religion, so I could try to bring theology and art together. In the 20th century, the left claimed the arts, and the right claimed religion, and I wanted to put the two together. One thing I know is that no one walks on the stage of the Met without saying some sort of prayer; every act of creating art is an act of faith. I swore I’d never work in a church. But over the past year, my sense of call was coming to a time of change. I was beginning to feel this sense of change downtown [where I was studying]. And then I got a call from West End Collegiate’s search committee. I told them, “I think I am wildly unqualified for what it is you’re looking for. I think you’re looking for someone who’s

Rev. William H. Critzman, the first openly gay senior minister at the West End Collegiate Church. Photo: Ken Bower more traditional than me.” But we had a conversation over three months and seven different rounds of interviewing. I met with 73 different people, and walking into each space, I fell so in love with the search committee, and by the time we got to the final rounds in June, I felt that we could do something new and amazing with the Upper West Side, and that feeling was palpable in my body. So far, it’s been a really great and energetic experience.

What’s your favorite thing about the ministry? It’s all about the people. I came into the ministry with these macro ideas: public religion, public theatre. And the more I got into the ministry, you learn that people have lives, and show up on your doorstep, and are hungry. I learned that I needed more tools for how to listen to people, and what they

are saying. My favorite part is to hear people, to connect the dots, to connect them with people around them and their families. To teach them about what it means to be a human, and be with each other, and be with creation.

The life and teachings of Jesus may seem so far removed from modern life. How are they relevant to the present day? I think the simplicity of Jesus’s teachings is so relevant in our modern day: Love god. Let love be the guide. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. These are easy teachings. Let us love, and just love each other. That means Black Lives Matter. That means LGBT individuals should have equal rights. That means women should have a seat at the table for making decisions about themselves. That means we’re not going to name-call people,

we’re not going to use profanity. We’re not going to disrespect people. And when we see that in our leaders, we’re gonna call it out. Jesus had a history of holding leaders accountable, calling people out of old cemented ways of living, and calling them into new life.

Right now, the United States is going through a turbulent, and some may say dangerous political time. What is religion’s role, and how can it help heal the country? I think one of religion’s chief roles is to be an arbiter of morality, dignity and respect. If you look at Judaism and Islam at their core, they have each person as a spark of the divine. Separation of church and state is important. But [religion] does have something to say about how we engage in debate, how we talk to one another, and how we engage in disagreement. How we help

When you walk into West End Church on a Sunday morning, the congregation takes tradition and worship very seriously. They take hospitality seriously. People are dressed in all sorts of different things: some people come in jeans, some people come in sweats, it’s all fine. But as the community gathers, there’s this sense of informality that turns into something very formal. I can’t tell you what it is, but it’s holy. Then suddenly, an acolyte walks down the aisles. The service is beautiful. We have stunning musicians, and if music is a way for you to connect to the divine, come. The kids also have a wonderful energy before going to Sunday school. What you’re going to find here is a community. There’s a 150 of us every morning. That 150 is just the right size. That sense of belonging does not happen anywhere else, that sense of caring. It helps piece together the fragmentation of our lives.

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

22

Downtowner 6

7

10

11

12

14

15

16 19 22 25

27

28

8 2

1

8

9 3

41

T W R U W B L Y K O A Y A H B

C A R V I N G S L N R N X B L

U W A L N U T L F Y T T R I E

V D C Y C A E M W I W C C U X

P O X H N C R A Q T O A U D I

U H I D T G T U R H R R I E G

N N Q K I C E N C D K P D R W

A L G E H S J V S H H E G J S

S K S E F E D L C B M T N L R

X P S E G Y C H A I R S V W T

M B Q U T P A I N T I N G S O

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

J C Y M Z S O E Z O F J V D W

Ancient Antiques Artwork Cards Carpets Carvings Chairs China Collect Marble Paintings Sets Statues Walnut Watches

ANSWERS I

B

O

D

I

H

Y O

A

L

L

A

I

A

R

I

L

G

U

S

A

42 36

37

38

T S

U

34 31 29 23 20

T

21

17

E O

N

14

O O

T

C

A

10 1

2

3

T

N

A

43

A

E

U

N

D

39

P S

40

L 18

A

44

E

E

41

E K

N

33

C

S

25 22

S

O

P

C

S

15

O 4

A

I

S

L

11

T

I 5

F

O

R M 6

A

N

B

V

45

R

E

E

30

S

24

I

A

35

T

32

E

T E Y

46

K

C

H O

E

N

A

R C

26

E T

27

S D D A

28

I

A

T

19

I

S

V

P

16

R

B O

I

12 7

A

8

T

9

M

E Y L

13

P U A V A N C I E N T E H T M

L N T E J S T A T U E S L F A

Q S T Y F U I V H F C P B P R

T W R U W B L Y K O A Y A H B

C A R V I N G S L N R N X B L

U W A L N U T L F Y T T R I E

V D C Y C A E M W I W C C U X

P O X H N C R A Q T O A U D I

U H I D T G T U R H R R I E G

N N Q K I C E N C D K P D R W

A L G E H S J V S H H E G J S

S K S E F E D L C B M T N L R

X P S E G Y C H A I R S V W T

M B Q U T P A I N T I N G S O

J C Y M Z S O E Z O F J V D W

1 8

3 9

4

6 5 8 1 2 4 7

2 6 7 9 3 5

7 5 2 4 9 3 6 1 8

4 1 9 8 5 2 3 7 6

6 7 5 3 1 4 8 2 9

8 2 3 9 7 6 4 5 1

9 3 7 6 4 5 1 8 2

2 6 1 7 3 8 5 9 4

5 4 8 1 2 9 7 6 3

20. Caspian Sea feeder 21. Get together 24. John Philip ______, US bandmaster 26. Screeching 27. Get misty-eyed 28. Combines 32. Sawbuck 36. Monopolize 37. Sacred bird of Egypt 38. Gossip about 39. Pedestal part 40. Polish partner 41. Bother, with “at” 45. Neck type 46. Even

Q S T Y F U I V H F C P B P R

G

52

L N T E J S T A T U E S L F A

49

51

P U A V A N C I E N T E H T M

52

49

WORD SEARCH by Myles Mellor

T

48

46

I

47

45

T

44

43. Wine area 44. Creeper 47. Central idea 48. Proofread 49. Known as 50. Her 51. “Baloney!” 52. Affect, with “to” Down 1. Swallowed up 2. Gentle sound 3. Musical key 4. Too 5. PC term 6. Recurring themes 7. Staying off the booze 8. Pith helmet 9. Offensive missile syst. 11. Photo ___ (camera sessions) 13. Caustic potash 18. Outline 19. One way to be taken

7

Level: Medium

43

Across 1. Whoopi’s “Sister __” 4. Ready for battle 7. Cash machine 10. Excessively 11. This and that 12. Seethe 14. Very very long time 15. “Hey, over here!” 16. Agile 17. Linked in the mind 20. Wrinkled skin fruit 22. J. Edgar Hoover’s org. 23. Train tracks 25. Safe places 29. E’en if 30. Shrouded, old word 31. Present 33. Massage 34. Capitalize 35. Disney flick 36. Children’s game 42. News of passing

2

2

3

42

50

7

D

40

4

1

E

39

6 7

5 6

35

38

4

R O

37

2

9

2

33

34

8

7 6

48

32

3

1

30

31

6 1

1

51

29

26

6

E

24

4

8

T

21

23

36

13

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.

H

20

18

9

S

17

8

I

5

S

4

50

3

SUDOKU by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan

by Myles Mellor

G

2

CROSSWORD

47

1

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

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

CLASSIFIEDS MASSAGE

23

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.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

DENTAL Insurance

HOME HEALTH CARE COMPANY

Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

Are you Compassionate? Looking for Bilingual Experienced HR, Coordinators, HCA Aides – career Growth-leading provider of HHA services throughout The Tri-State area, Nassau & Suffolk.

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

CALL NOW!

1001401

Computer & Communication skills a must TOP SALARY & BENEFIT PACKAGE

A less expensive way to help get the dental care you deserve!

Call 347-727-7200 Ext 312 Email: LVENNERI@TRIMEDHOMECARE.COM

Discover the world’s best walk-in bathtub from 5 Reasons American Standard Walk-In Tubs are Your Best Choice Backed by American Standard’s 140 years of experience $ Ultra low entry for easy entering and exiting ® Patented Quick Drain fast water removal system Lifetime Warranty on the bath AND installation, INCLUDING labor backed by American Standard 44 Hydrotherapy jets for an invigorating massage

1

1,50

2

SAVING0S

3

Includes FREE American StandardRight Height Toilet

Limited Time Offer! Call Today!

4

888-609-0248

5

Receive a free American Standard Cadet toilet with full installation of a Liberation Walk-In Bath, Liberation Shower, or Deluxe Shower. Offer valid only while supplies last. Limit one per household. Must be first time purchaser. See www.walkintubs.americanstandard-us.com for other restrictions and for licensing, warranty, and company information. CSLB B982796; Suffolk NY:55431H; NYC:HIC#2022748-DCA. Safety Tubs Co. LLC does not sell in Nassau NY, Westchester NY, Putnam NY, Rockland NY.

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

Call Barry Lewis today at:

212-868-0190

FREE IN-HOME EVALUATION!

1-855-225-1434

Get help paying dental bills and keep more money in your pocket This is real dental insurance — NOT just a discount plan You can get coverage before your next checkup

Don’t wait! Call now and we’ll rush you a FREE Information Kit with all the details. Insurance Policy P150NY 6129

For More Info Visit: kosterindustries.com or Call Us: 631.454.1766

Life Alert® is always here for me even when away from home.

+HOS DW +RPH

®

:Yll]ja]k F]n]j F]]\ ;`Yj_af_&

! FREE

MB17-NM003Ec

Precision CNC Aerospace Milling and Turning Facility

alone with

Visit us online at

www.dental50plus.com/nypress

Location: 7 Carey Place, Port Washington, NY (Long Island) 11050 Inspection: Wednesday, December 5th from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Bidding Ends: Thursday, December 6th at 1:00 P.M. Featuring: Late Model CNC Turning Centers, CNC VMC’s, Tool Room Shop Support, Inspection, Plus Much More!

I’m never

GPS !

1-855-225-1434

ONLINE ONLY AUCTION SALE

Saving a Life EVERY 11 MINUTES

One touch of a button sends help fast, 24/7.

FREE Information Kit

FIRST AID

KIT

WHEN YOU ORDER!

+HOS 2Q WKH *R

For a FREE brochure call:

1-800-404-9776 :H DUH D SURXG PHPEHU RI WKH $VVRFLDWHG 3UHVV DQG WKH 1DWLRQDO 1HZVSDSHU $VVRFLDWLRQ

24

NOVEMBER 22-28,2018

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

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.