The local paper for the Upper East Side AARON SORKIN HITS BROADWAY WITH AN ICONIC COURTROOM DRAMA ◄ P. 12
WEEK OF DECEMBER
20-26 2018
SOLD: TWO FABLED UES CHURCHES EXCLUSIVE “Bedpan Alley” marches north into Yorkville as a medical school buys a religious institution — which turns around and purchases another church BY DOUGLAS FEIDEN
Staff at residential buildings feel the brunt of the online retail surge in December, fielding increased package deliveries. Photo: Michael Garofalo
HOLIDAY PACKAGE BOOM DELIVERIES How residential buildings are adjusting to the new normal of online shopping BY MICHAEL GAROFALO
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. But not for the doorman at an East 80th Street condominium building. “It sucks,” he said with a wry smile, gesturing to a row of cabinets in the building’s lobby filled with residents’ package deliveries. As New Yorkers increasingly rely on Internet retailers for their holiday shopping, he said, doormen are often left holding the box. “It’s definitely more emphasized at Christmas, but I see it throughout the year,” said the
In certain buildings, the guys at the front door may spend all day just logging packages and then distributing them throughout the building” John Santos 32BJ vice president doorman, who asked that his name not be used. “As the years have gone by, we’re getting more and more stuff.” “It makes my work harder, which, like anybody else, I’m not particularly thrilled about.”
Jan Hus Presbyterian Church — a storied house of worship on the Upper East Side that once boasted thousands of Czech parishioners — is selling its 1888 building on East 74th Street, Straus News has learned. “We’re relieving ourselves of a burdensome asset,” said Rev. Beverly Dempsey, the senior pastor. “We’re giving ourselves the opportunity to serve the most vulnerable populations of New York City for generations to come.” The Church of the Epiphany — built in 1939 to minister to the nearby hospitals and the only place of prayer on York Avenue — is buying Jan Hus, which sits one block to the east, pastors and lay leaders of both congregations confirmed. “Our building doesn’t work for us, we don’t have enough space, we’re not accessible,” said Rev. Jennifer Reddall. “Now, we’ll be able to significantly expand our ministry to the neighborhood, and at the same time, we’ll get to save a historic building.” A third venerable local institution — which also has a healing mission, and boasts a far richer endowment — is making the twin transactions possible: Weill Cornell Medicine, which includes a graduate school and a medical school that traces its origins to 1898, is buying Epiphany, the church told worshippers in a Nov. 13 “Dear Friends” letter. “This is a transformational transaction,” the letter says. It describes the goal of Epiphany’s vestry, which is made up of its elected
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It shouldn’t be all medical, medical, medical, medical. We need a mixed community.” East Side community organizer Jill Eisner
Jan Hus Presbyterian Church, a 130-year-old ecclesiastical jewel, is being bought by the nearby Church of the Epiphany, another religious treasure in Yorkville. Photo: Trix Rosen Photographer Ltd / Friends of the UES Historic Districts Jewish women and girls light up the world by lighting the Shabbat candles every Friday evening 18 minutes before sunset. Friday, December 21 – 4:14 pm. For more information visit www.chabaduppereastside.com
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