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NEW YORK AFTER THE ORLANDO SHOOTING A reporter reflects on the city’s vibrant LGBT communities
22-28 2016
THE FOUR TOP ZONING BILLS New legislation aims to regulate the Board of Standards and Appeals
BY ALEXANDRA ZUCCARO BY MADELEINE THOMPSON
When I first visited the West Village and Chelsea a few years ago, I stopped by the chic cafés, strolled along the cobblestone streets, and admired all the fantastic local artisans and galleries. I also walked through some iconic tourist destinations such as the High Line, the Whitney Museum, and Chelsea Market. Although I was impressed by these magnificent sites, when I stuck around for a little longer, I realized that there was so much more to these neighborhoods that I didn’t initially see. Chelsea and the West Village have historically been pivotal neighborhoods for the LGBT civil rights movement. Important gathering spots include the Chelsea Hotel and the LGBT Community Center. On Christopher Street, you can find Julius, one of the city’s oldest gay bars, and George Segal’s Gay Liberation installation is in Sheridan Square. The most significant location, however, has become the Stonewall Inn, which was officially named as a national landmark by President Obama last June. Over the years, this community and these landmarks have continued to be crucial elements of New York City’s vibrant culture. Right after the Orlando nightclub shooting in June, I stopped by the Stonewall Inn, where I saw something truly incredible. Masses of people were crowding around the landmark and leaving brightly colored bouquets and rainbow flags. The site was so impressive that I barely noticed all the NYPD of-
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A package of 10 zoning-related bills could give communities more power to fight decisions made by the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA). Variances that exempt developers from the zoning code and permits for things like after-hours construction are granted through the agency, sometimes despite vocal opposition from local residents and the community board. On Wednesday, Dec. 14, the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations discussed legislation that would, for example, slow the approval process for new developments in the BSA. Sponsored by Council Members Ben Kallos, James Van Bramer, Karen Koslowitz, Steven Matteo, Donovan Richards and Rosie Mendez, the legislation proposes to give communities more time and weight in BSA decisions. According to BSA executive director Ryan Singer, who testified at the hearing last week, the board has only 21 employees who use a “rigorous standard” to handle between 300 and 500 applications per year. Our Town spoke to committee chair Kallos about four bills that, if passed, would have the most impact.
Wurts Bros., 165 Broadway. The New Equitable Building, c. 1910. Modern print, Museum of the City of New York, Wurts Bros. Collection.
Steep fines for lying Sponsored by Kallos, Int. 1392-2016 would impose a $25,000 fine on anyone “who makes a materially false statement or causes a materially false statement to be made in connection with a zoning application.” Singer said last week that “the applicant community is by and large honest and careful, but we think
having these additional tools would be helpful.” Kallos said he was most proud of this bill, which is one of five he sponsors in the package. “That’s an error, an omission or an intentional misrepresentation in any part of the BSA application,” he said, adding that this is something he has experienced before. “CurDowntowner
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FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice
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MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20
2015
In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits
SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS
A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311
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for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced
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rently it is not illegal to have drawings and other representations that the community may rely on in making decisions that may be inaccurate because they haven’t been sworn to. This would change that. In addition, this
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