Chelsea Now - September 19, 2019

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Chelsea VOLUME 11, ISSUE 37

YO U R W E E K LY C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S E R V I N G C H E L S E A , H U D S O N YA R D S & H E L L’S K I T C H E N

WARREN WARNS FAT CATS

SEPT. 19-25, 2019

Corruption fighter fills Wash. Sq. Page 6

PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNEL-DOMENECH

Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren held a campaign rally in Washington Square Park on Monday.

VILLAGE TRIP FEST PROGRAM PAGES 15-18

‘GHOST PIER’ Whitney breaks ground at Gansevoort Page 3 COURTESY GUY NORDENSON AND ASSOCIATES

Ground has been broken on ar tist David Hammons’s “ghost pier” project, above, across from the Whitney Museum of American Ar t.

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September 19, 2019

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Whitney gets going on Gans ‘ghost pier’ BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

T

he day has come for work to start on David Hammons’s novel “Day’s End” large-scale sculp-

ture. On Tues., Sept. 17, the Whitney Museum of American Art celebrated the groundbreaking of “Day’s End,” a permanent public-art project by New York-based artist Hammons. Slated for completion in fall 2020, the project was developed in collaboration with the Hudson River Park Trust, the state-city authority that is building and operates the 4.5-mile-long Hudson River Park. The sculpture will be located in the park, along the southern edge of Gansevoort Peninsula, directly across from the museum, within the footprint of the former Pier 52. “Day’s End” derives its inspiration and name from Gordon Matta-Clark’s 1975 artwork in which he cut openings into the existing, abandoned Pier 52 shed, transforming it into monumental sculpture. An open structure — resembling a three-dimensional drawing in space — that precisely follows the outline, dimensions and location of the original Pier 52 structure, Hammons’s “Day’s End” will be a “ghost monument” to the earlier work by Matta-Clark and allude to the history of New York’s working waterfront. “Day’s End” is designed to coexist with the Trust’s planned park at Gansevoort Peninsula and to bring visitors down to the water’s edge, according to the Whitney. The celebration took place at sunset in the Whitney’s third-floor Susan and John Hess Family Gallery and Theater, overlooking Gansevoort Peninsula. Adam Weinberg, the Whitney’s director, paid tribute to Hammons, an internationally acclaimed artist with longtime ties to the museum and deep roots in New York, and thanked the project’s funders and collaborators

COURTESY GUY NORDENSON AND ASSOCIATES

A rendering of the planned “Day’s End” public-ar t project, by David Hammons, looking west from Gansevoor t Peninsula.

during the evening’s remarks. The commencement of the installation was heralded by a presentation on the Hudson River by the Fire Department’s Marine Company 9 and their fireboat. Weinberg also announced that the Whitney will present an exhibition, drawn from the museum’s permanent collection, related to Matta-Clark’s seminal work that inspired Hammons’s sculpture. Titled “Around Day’s End: Downtown New York, 1970–1986,” and on view from July 2020 through October 2020, it will include roughly 15 artists, in addition to Matta-Clark, who worked in the Downtown New York scene of the 1970s and early 1980s. “The Whitney’s collaboration with David Hammons, one of the most influential artists of our time, represents

COURTESY OF THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

Ar tist David Hammons and Adam Weinberg, the director of the Whitney Museum, at the celebration at the museum on Monday night for the groundbreaking of Hammons’s “Day’s End” sculpture at Gansevoor t Peninsula.

our profound commitment to working with living artists and supporting their visions intimate or grand,” Weinberg said. “We are deeply grateful for the support ‘Day’s End’ has already received from New York City, as well as neighborhood, arts, historic preservation, L.G.B.T.Q., commercial and environmental groups, and we look forward to the ribbon-cutting in fall of 2020.” “This inspiring project will celebrate the historic waterfront and perfectly align with our newly designed park on the peninsula,” said Madelyn Wils, the Trust’s president and C.E.O. “We’re incredibly appreciative of this collaboration with our neighbors at the Whitney

PHOTO BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

In an inter view a year ago, Adam Weinberg, the Whitney’s director, showed a scale model of Gansevoor t Peninsula with David Hammons’s planned “Day’s End” sculpture. Schneps Media

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and look forward to seeing the project take shape at what will certainly be one of the most visually dynamic spots in all of Hudson River Park.” In tandem with the project, the Whitney is developing rich interpretive materials, including the Whitney’s first podcast series, videos, neighborhood walking tours and a children’s guide. These will take Hammons’s “Day’s End” and Matta-Clark’s original “Day’s End” (1975) as jumping-off points for exploring the history of the waterfront and the Meatpacking District, the role of artists in the neighborhood, the diverse cultural and ethnic histories, its L.G.B.T.Q. history, the commercial history, and the ecology of the estuary.

Sept. 19-25, 2019

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Police Blotter FIFTH PRECINCT

Restaurant takeout There was a theft in Shoo Shoo, a Mediterranean restaurant at Broome and Mott Sts., earlier this month, police said. On Tues., Sept. 3, around 7:40 p.m., two females and a male, all described as about 18 to 21 years old, took a 33-year-old woman’s unattended purse from inside the eatery. The group then fled to parts unknown. Police released a surveillance image of the three individuals, who are wanted for grand larceny. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the CrimeStoppers Web site at www.nypdcrimestoppers. com, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577. All tips are strictly confidential.

SIXTH PRECINCT

‘Cad-did-it Camera’ Last Tuesday, a man pushed a 24-year-old male victim’s arm in front of 160 Leroy St., between Washington and West Sts., causing the victim to drop his camera, according to a police report. A police officer observed the incident on Tues., Sept. 10, around 2:30 a.m. The camera broke, and the victim said it cost $3,500. Charles Pacheco, 50, was arrested for criminal mischief, a felony.

Drilled lock Offices were burglarized near 121 W. 10th St., between Greenwich and Sixth Aves., early on Sat., Sept. 14, according to police. A witness said that, at 5 a.m., a man drilled a lock at the location and removed a steel bar to forcibly enter. A responding officer observed the man inside the location, and he told the cop that he broke the lock to gain entry. The man was searched and a quantity of marijuana was reportedly in his backpack. Julio Espinosa, 42, was arrested for felony burglary.

Pain in the glass There was an assault in the Hangar bar, at 115 Christopher St., between Hudson and Bleecker Sts., early last Saturday, police said. A 37-year-old man said that on Sept. 14, at 12:35 a.m., he was sitting at the bar when another man approached and they got into an argument. The other guy threw a glass at the victim, cutting the right

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Sept. 19-25, 2019

side of his face. The wounded bargoer was treated at the scene by E.M.S. medics. Washington Garay, 56, was arrested for felony assault.

MIDTOWN SOUTH

Subway sex abuse There was a sex-abuse incident in the Times Square subway station on Thurs., Sept. 5, police said. Around 4:50 a.m., a 23-year-old woman was asleep inside the station, when a man approached her and, according to the police report, “sexually abused her,” waking her up. The man then fled in an unknown direction.

SEVENTH PRECINCT

Busy muggers Police are asking for the public’s help in tracking down two perps wanted in a string of seven muggings, mostly in the Lower East Side’s Seventh Precinct. In some of the robberies, the duo were apparently joined by two others. In the first incident, police said that on Sat., Aug. 24, around 3 a.m., a 27-year-old man was walking in the area of Ludlow and Orchard Sts., when he was approached by four males who began to punch him about his head and body, causing him to lose consciousness. When he came to, his wallet and jewelry — worth around $3,000, in total — were missing. The victim refused medical attention at the scene. The second incident occurred the next day around 2:55 a.m. as a 28-yearold man was walking in front of 101 Stanton St., when he was approached by two males who began to strike him about his head and body, causing pain and bruising. They took the victim’s wallet and fled on foot. The value of the lost property was about $200. The victim refused medical attention at the scene. In a third incident, this time in the East Village’s Ninth Precinct, on Thurs., Aug. 29, around 11:45 p.m., a 25-year-old was walking in the vicinity of E. Third St. and First Ave., when he was approached by four males who began to batter him about the head and body causing pain and bruising. They grabbed the victim’s wallet and jewelry — worth a total of about $2,400 — and fled. The victim refused medical attention at the scene. In other muggings connected to this group, two of them ripped off a 26-yearold man at 19 Pitt St. on Fri., Sept. 6, at 1:45 a.m., taking his wallet. The next day, the pair reportedly approached a 31-year-old near 196 Orchard St. around 1 a.m. and used their usual M.O. of pummeling him in the head and body before making off with his wallet, whose contents were valued at around $200. E.M.S. transported the victim to Bellevue Hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

10TH PRECINCT Not tak i ng the weekend off, the two muggers next approached a 2 3 -y e a r old man near 119 Ludlow St. on Sat., Sept. 7, around 2:30 a.m., taking his knapsack, wallet and cell phone before fleeing. The total value of the man’s lost property was $1,800. The victim was uninjured. In the final installment of the spree, the two targeted another 23-year-old at the same time and location as above, and removed his cash, wallet and cell phone, worth a total of $1,200. The victim was uninjured. The two individuals are described as black, 20 to 30 years old, last seen wearing all dark clothing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline.

NINTH PRECINCT

Doughnut fiend Police said that on Thurs., Sept. 12, around 9:34 a.m., inside the Dunkin Donuts at 542 E. 14th St., near Avenue B, a man jumped over the counter and tried to open the cash register. Failing to do so, he stuffed about six doughnuts into a paper bag. The store’s 38-yearold employee confronted him as the man tried to leave, but the doughnut thief punched him in the face repeatedly and walked out. The victim suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene by E.M.S. The pastry-loving perp is described as age 18 to 20, 6 feet tall and last seen wearing a black hoodie with the word “Jordan” on its back, blue sweatpants and white sneakers.

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Alcohol haul A Chelsea liquor store was robbed on Thurs., Sept. 12, according to police. A staff member at Amster Wine, at 475 Ninth Ave., at W. 37th St., said that at 10:30 p.m., two people came in and grabbed several bottles of pricey alcohol, putting the two employees in fear for their safety. There were no weapons reported. Video footage was available. The thieves haul included a $60 bottle of Hennessy, a $90 bottle of Grey Goose, a $60 Artemis wine and a $20 Lopez de Haro wine.

Family unfriendly There was a public lewdness incident in front of 414 W. 42nd St., between Ninth and Dyer Aves., on Fri., Sept. 13, according to a police report. At 6:45 p.m., a husband, wife and their 8-yearold daughter were in a car, when a man reportedly exposed his penis to the child. He then started to urinate on the car in front of all three of them. Jarrett Jefferson, 30, was arrested that day for public lewdness, a misdemeanor.

Lewd view A man exposed himself to a woman at 99 Tenth Ave., at W. 17th St., on Sat., Sept. 14, police said. A 26-yearold woman told police she was walking along Tenth Ave. around 12:45 a.m., when a guy displayed his penis to her. She said the man also stroked his member. Jerise Bagley, 46, was arrested that day for public lewdness.

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September 19, 2019

5

Warren in Village cites Triangle fire BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELLDOMENECH

T

housands of people packed Washington Square Park Monday evening to listen to presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren speak under its iconic arch about how ending political corruption would be central to her presidency. Before speaking, Senator Warren was introduced by Maurice Mitchell, the national director of the Working Families Party. On Monday, the party announced its endorsement of Warren over Bernie Sanders, who the organization supported in the 2016 presidential election. Warren began her speech with a New York-specific example of the devastating impact of corruption, by speaking about the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. The topic was particularly relevant given the speech’s location: The fire that killed 146 garment workers occurred on Washington Place just a half-block east of the park. Most of those who perished were poor immigrant women. “For years, across the city, women factory workers and their allies had been sounding alarms about dangerous and squalid conditions, fighting for shorter hours and higher pay,” Warren said. “Everyone knew about these problems, but the fat profits were making New York’s factory owners rich and they had no plans to give that up.” Warren added that those businesses owners used their political clout to block improvements for working conditions. “Business owners got richer, politi-

PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren appealed to women voters in her speech about ending political corruption by telling the stor y of the Triangle Shir twaist factor y fire and of how, after the tragedy, female workers and U.S. Secretar y of Labor Frances Perkins worked to reform the state’s labor laws.

cians became more powerful and the working people paid the price,” she said. “Does any of this sound familiar?”

The crowd of “Warren” blue-signwaving supporters erupted in shouts in cheers. The candidate then urged support-

ers not to be afraid to join efforts at big structural change in order to create a government free from corruption.

PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH

A ssemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, left, and state Senator Alessandra Biaggi also spoke at Elizabeth Warren’s rally in Washington Square Park.

Elizabeth Warren, fired up in Washington Square, told the crowd that now is the time for change and rooting out corruption in government.

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September 19, 2019

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Sept. 19-25, 2019

7

E. River Park plan opponents to march BY GABE HERMAN

A

s opposition to the hotly contested East Side Coastal Resiliency Project continues, East River Park ACTION will march in protest against the plan on Sat., Sept. 21. The ad-hoc East Village/Lower East Side community group adamantly rejects the $1.45-billion flood-prevention project, which is currently slated to close East River Park for three and a half years and raise the park’s height by dumping 8 to 9 feet of dirt on top of it. East River Park ACTION favors a plan that uses floodwalls and berms — grassy levees — that it says would preserve much of the park and protect it just as well as the city’s plan. “The city is making this neighborhood of low-and-middle income people pay for climate change with a drastic plan that will kill every bit of greenery that cleanses the air in a neighborhood with already high asthma rates,” said Pat Arnow, the group’s founder, who is a Lower East Side resident. On Sept. 21, the group will start marching at Tompkins Square Park at noon. They will then go through the East Village to Councilmember Carlina

PHOTO BY JIM HENDERSON VIA WIKIPEDIA

The F.D.R. Drive, looking nor th from the Six th St. pedestrian overpass, with East River Park on the right. Community activists fighting the cit y’s coastal-resilienc y plan want to deck over the F.D.R. Drive.

Rivera recently joined Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer to commission an independent review of

Rivera’s office on E. Fourth St., where they will try to convince her to oppose the plan.

Turning 65 and ready for Medicare, or eligible for Medicare and Medicaid?

the city’s plan. The march will then continue over the E. Sixth St. foot bridge into East River Park. “This total destruction of 57 acres is wrong and insane, on so many levels,” said Victor Weiss, an East Village resident. “We need to at least have our local elected leaders supporting the people here.” Once inside East River Park, the marchers will hold a rally, with music and speeches, at the park’s Labyrinth, just north of the Williamsburg Bridge. That, in turn, will be followed by a ceremonial parade along the park’s promenade, during which protesters will hold a mock funeral, signifying that they want to “bury the plan, not the park,” according to the group’s announcement. The march and rally will happen two days before the City Planning Commission’s vote, on Mon., Sept. 23, on the project’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP, application. After that, the project will then go to the City Council for the deciding vote.

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September 19, 2019

9

Peninsula plan sports big field, rocky ‘beach’ BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

T

he Hudson River Park Trust and its hired landscape architects presented an updated design for the planned park on Gansevoort Peninsula last week, and it contains a regulation, high-school-size soccer field. But there are still community concerns about the treatment of the planned “beach” on the peninsula’s southern edge. Gansevoort — just across the highway from the Meatpacking District in the Village’s northwest corner — is the last remnant of landfill along the Lower West Side’s shoreline that once extended out to a 13th Ave., before the rest of it was cut back for larger ships. The new design, by James Corner Field Operations, includes the larger field — which was a request by local youth leagues at previous meetings and presentations — as well as a dog run. But there is no storage for kayaks and other small boats. Also, the longpromised sandy beach is actually elevated, with the area by the water filled with a riprap of large boulders, which waterfront park and boating activists say makes it inaccessible to the river. Access to the water is something that Community Board 2 favors. “This design is not friendly to getting into the water,” said Dan Miller, the board’s first vice chairperson and also

co-chairperson of the Hudson River Park Advisory Council. “These are sharp-edged stones,” he said of the riprap area. “They are effective for keeping erosion from happening. But the idea is to give people a chance to access the water — not to swim, but to put your feet in. The riprap is dangerous. It’s like anytime you walk on jetty,” he said of the po- A view of the park tentially treach- Hammons’s “Day’s erous footing. “I’m guessing the trust doesn’t want the liability of people swimming. But on a nice sunny day, wouldn’t it be nice to put your feet in the water?” Miller even speculated that the Whitney and artist David Hammons back the riprap, as opposed to a sandy beach sloping down to the water, because Hammons wants to recreate ex-

COURTESY JAMES CORNER FIELD OPERATIONS

design on Gansevoor t, with David End” sculpture added at right.

actly the look of the former Pier 52 for his “Day’s End” sculpture. C.B. 2 is recommending that some sort of bubble be added over the sports field in the winter to allow year-round sports. The field will be covered with artificial turf, not grass, which Miller said will drain better than grass. Local youth soccer leagues are calling not for an “air bubble,” but a clear

plastic dome to cover the field. For baseball, Miller said, Greenwich Village Little League wants the backstop switched to Gansevoort’s western side, since home runs hit onto the highway would be rarer than balls fouled back over the backstop. The leagues are also recommending retractable netting be installed, so as not to spoil the park’s aesthetics when there are not games. C.B. 2 members on the Parks and Waterfront Committee were generally favorable to the latest design. The full board will vote on Thurs., Sept. 19. A Trust spokesperson assured that the community likes the plan. “We’ve worked hard to provide the largest field possible while also fulfilling other community hopes for Gansevoort, such as a lawn and pine grove for passive recreation, a beach, habitat restoration and dog run,” he said. “We’re pleased the plans were so well received at the July and September Community Board 2 meetings and we’re looking forward to starting construction [on Gansevoort] next year.” As for suspicions that the design of Gansevoort’s southern side is intended to keep people out of the water or honor Hammons’s artistic vision, the spokesperson, well...threw water on them. “None of [that] is even remotely a correct interpretation of any aspect of our design or design intent,” he said.

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September 19, 2019

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11

Editorial

9/11, 18 years later; Feelings, facts...no fear

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ith the anniversary of 9/11, it’s time to take stock, 18 years after the worst attack on American soil — worse than Pearl Harbor. Eighteen years after the worst terrorist attack in our history. While not everyone in so-called Generation Z might remember the World Trade Center attack, the rest of us will never forget it: The horrific events, feelings, sights, sounds and smells of that day and its aftermath will stay with us forever. The victims’ family members, of course, feel the pain the most of all. More than 2,600 people perished in the World Trade Center and its surroundings. Certain firms located in the Twin Towers were completely decimated. Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 employees; Marsh & McClellan, 358. The Fire Department lost 343 members bravely responding to the disaster. According to a 2018 report by the World Trade Center Health Program, 2,000 deaths of first responders — who worked on “The Pile” — have been attributed to 9/11-related illnesses. Lower Manhattan was plunged into the depths and darkness of despair by this evil attack by Islamic terrorists. But, with typical New York resiliency and guts, the district has been miraculously rebuilt and is again thriving. Just as we remember the shock, bewilderment and tragedy of 9/11, we also

recall how, as a city, we came together in the midst of adversity to emerge even stronger than before. Major thanks are due Congressmember Carolyn Maloney and Jon Stewart for recently pushing through the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act, which will ensure that the attack’s victims, as well as family members of the deceased, will continue to be compensated. Of course a massive debt of gratitude is owed to law enforcement — at all levels — for having kept us largely safe from terrorist attacks since 9/11. Sadly, there have been a few lonewolf-style incidents since the W.T.C. attack. On Sept. 17, 2016, a pressurecooker bomb — loaded with ball bearings and steel nuts and left by a terrorist — detonated on W. 23rd St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves. More than two-dozen people were injured. Thankfully, there were no fatalities. The terrorist — inspired by ISIS and Al-Qaeda — left a second bomb nearby on W. 27th St., but a local resident reported it, and it was rendered safe and later detonated out of harm’s way. A far-worse incident occurred on Halloween two years ago, when an ISIS-inspired terrorist drove a truck onto the Hudson River bike path at

Houston St. and, speeding southward, mowed down eight cyclists and runners, most of them tourists. A combination of concrete blocks and steel bollards have been added to the popular path to protect it from future attacks. Over all, though, we know there are people out there who want to hurt us. Luckily, we have the best law-enforcement in the world on our side, watching our back. Yes, admittedly, we’re in an era when police are under scrutiny for the behavior of a few bad actors. Most police are just trying to do a good job and want to help our communities. And those in law enforcement protecting our city from terrorism are doing a tremendous, if unsung, job. There’s now also, understandably, a lot of discussion about whether “white guys with AR-15s” are the real terrorist threat to our nation, even worse than radical religious terrorists. There’s no question that domestic terrorism has become an epidemic, one enabled by these semiautomatic killing machines. More stringent background checks are a must to keep them out of the hands of mentally ill and troubled individuals. Turning abroad, after 9/11, we waged war in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The attack on the fundamentalist Taliban in

Afghanistan, many would say, was warranted, since this was the country that harbored Osama bin Laden, the plot’s mastermind and financer. Our going into Iraq, however, was obviously not justified based on the 9/11 attacks, but was a case of planned regime change against a regional danger — which also had oil we coveted. Although Saddam was deposed, the region was, in fact, left destabilized, leading to the refugee crisis that we are seeing today. Meanwhile, more than 4,500 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq and nearly 2,500 in Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are believed to have been killed due to the fighting and the general destruction of their country. And though Saddam was toppled, his generals went on to form ISIS. In short, while the 18th anniversary of 9/11 was a solemn day of remembrance, there is also a lot to celebrate about how we have bounced back, stronger than ever, as a city. At the same time, we can’t drop our guard: The bad guys are not giving up. So, we mourn the victims and remember and thank the heroes. We celebrate our recovery and we keep moving forward. We remain vigilant and we vow: Never again.

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September 19, 2019

VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS JOSHUA SCHNEPS LINCOLN ANDERSON GABE HERMAN ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL MICHELE HERMAN BOB KRASNER TEQUILA MINSKY MARY REINHOLZ PAUL SCHINDLER JOHN NAPOLI MARCOS RAMOS CLIFFORD LUSTER (718) 260-2504 CLUSTER@CNGLOCAL.COM GAYLE GREENBURG JIM STEELE JULIO TUMBACO ELIZABETH POLLY PHOTO BY RENA COHEN

The June 10, 1982, issue of The Villager included this photo, showing remnants of the old West Side Elevated Highway. The viaduct had closed in 1973, the same year as the opening of the new World Trade Center, seen in the background, at left. The old highway was fully dismantled by 1989. It was replaced about 10 years later at street level by Route 9A. The steel arch seen in the photo was at West and Canal Sts.

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Op-Ed

A Green New Deal BY HOWARD BR ANDSTEIN

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he coastal resiliency problem we are facing is precipitated by decades of decisions that did not address the core cause and problem. Over the past 10 years New York City has spent more than $150 million to renovate East River Park. The city now proposes to spend $1.5 billion to bulldoze the entire park and raise the level of the coastline from Montgomery to 23rd Sts. by 8 to 10 feet to prevent flooding in the Lower East Side and East Village. A new park would be built atop this dirt pile. The city’s plan, however, is wholly inadequate to deal with the environmental crisis confronting us since it fails to address the root cause of the problem: Why are sea levels rising? One need only observe the F.D.R. Drive adjacent to the park to witness the scope of the problem: thousands and thousands of cars polluting our environment 24/7 and wrecking our climate system with their relentless emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions at 29 percent of the total. If nothing is done quickly to forestall and reverse this reality, no amount of dirt can be piled high enough to protect our communities from flooding. Robert Moses designed the F.D.R. Drive as an integral element in a new vision for New York. But this extravagant vision of a car city is a dead end for our 21st-century climate crisis. The F.D.R. Drive provides six lanes of highway for an endless stream of noisy gas-guzzling cars that carry an average of only two occupants per car. Meanwhile, residents of New York City Housing Authority and other developments along the F.D.R. Drive live in a transit desert with limited bus service and subways too distant for easy access. It is time to replace car lanes with dedicated bus lanes on the F.D.R. Drive and put the residents of our communities first by providing clean, quiet, nonpolluting electric buses to speed riders Downtown and Uptown on the Drive. By substituting electric buses for cars, we will be able to shrink the F.D.R. Drive from six lanes to three lanes and provide the needed room to build a floodwall without interfering with Con Edison’s utility lines — one of the city’s primary objections to the earlier community resiliency plan. The community’s earlier plan calls for decking over the F.D.R. Drive and expanding East River Park. By shrinking the F.D.R. Drive and introducing nonpolluting electric buses, this becomes even more feasible since the issue of ventilating noxious fumes is eliminated. The construction of the floodwall or berm also becomes feasible in or along the F.D.R. Drive by shrinking the number of lanes from six to three. The city in arguing for its plan has also claimed that the current East River Park is unsuitable to act as a floodplain in the event of a storm surge since there is too much artificial turf on ball fields that do not absorb water. Let’s then remove the artificial turf and restore the soil and grass. This will be a bonus for the insects, birds and other wildlife under threat by climate change. The cost of maintaining grass versus artificial turf is more than offset by savings in the community plan. It should be pointed out the city’s plan requires an alienation-of-parkland request to New York State since the project requires state oversight. The city has not made this request. A plan fusing resiliency, sustainability and transportation equity is the essence of a Green New Deal for Community Board 3. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we have about 10 years to slash greenhouse gas emissions or face dire consequences. If we don’t act, a degraded nature will implement its plan, and we are sure not to like it. Brandstein is executive director, Sixth Street Community Center in the East Village. Schneps Media

Letters to The Editor Alternate subway plan

a license and insurance. You ride a bike, you need a license. And insurance.

To The Editor: Re “Gov backs serial subway sex-abuser ban” (news article, Sept. 12): Why not create the “X” line, which could run separate trains? These would provide cars for folks to light up either cigarettes, cigars or marijuana. You could also have other cars for drinking, gambling or adult entertainment. This could raise the M.T.A. millions. Create the “H” line using old subway cars about to be retired. They could be converted to provide overnight accommodations for homeless people, including portable showers and medical support facilities. This would afford regular straphangers more space and a safer environment. Mayor Bill de Blasio needs all the help he can get in dealing with the growing New York City homeless population. Many of them refuse to go to shelters, which they view as unsafe. They prefer riding the subways overnight or staying out on the street. This could save New York City millions.

Betty Gerendasy

Larry Penner Penner previously worked 31 years for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office.

Don’t move Port Authority To The Editor: Of the three final proposals for a new Port Authority bus terminal, I was surprised to discover that two would move it to the Javits Center site between 34th and 38th Sts. and 11th to 12th Ave. This upsets the current, sensible northsouth orientation with Pennsylvania Station and switching to a crosstown format. Other downsides include losing the direct bus access into the Lincoln Tunnel on three aerial bridges from the current bus terminal, and replacing connection with the 12 subway lines at 42nd. St. with a single No. 7 spur line. And all the drug and homelessness problems and terrorism threats, etc. of both terminals would be consolidated into a single three-block area. All things TVG

Political mentor

FILE PHOTO BY STANLEY WLODYKA

Should Citi Bike riders be forced to wear helmets, like this woman at a protest last year outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement cour t at Varick and Houston Sts.?

considered, I think the only option is to rebuild on the existing Port Authority site. Chris Horsfield

Bike jive talk

To The Editor: Re “Liz Shollenberger, 63, Dem district leader” (obituary, Sept. 12): When I was a newbie in politics, Liz showed me the ropes. She was my friend and a mentor. She loved evening the odds in housing court as she stood up for the rights of tenants. I am proud to have known her. Howard Hemsley

Westbeth friend To The Editor: Re “Liz Shollenberger, 63, Dem district leader” (obituary, Sept. 12): We at Westbeth revered Liz. She is a hero if there ever was one. Oh, if there only were more like her. Thank you on behalf of so many, dear Liz.

To The Editor: Re “Mayor mulls Citi Biker helmets and bike licenses” (news article, Sept. 12): This licenses-for-bicyclists jive is victim-blaming bollocks of the lowest order. It is disincentivizing the solution to the plague of traffic fatalities — or a big part of it. Instead of burdening bicyclists with bureaucracy, there should be a vigorous crackdown on lawless motorists. As of today, there have been 123 traffic fatalities in New York City this year. Two of those were due to bicyclists. The rest due to motorists. This focus on bicyclists is out of whack in the extreme.

Patricia Horan

Bill Weinberg

Jamal Hill

Accountability To The Editor: Re “Mayor mulls Citi Biker helmets and bike licenses” (news article, Sept. 12): Licenses for cyclists — absolutely. Being struck by a cyclist zooming along can result in life-threatening injury, if not death. Presently there is no resource if you’re struck by a cyclist. You drive a car, you need

White whiners To The Editor: Re “Rivera must listen to us on park plan” (op-ed, by Pat Arnow, Sept. 12): Dear white people, please check your privilege. Ten thousand families of color lost access to their homes during the last flood, which this plan will now protect. But you’re just concerned about where you’ll walk your dog or bring your compost for the next three-and-a-half years. This is a good plan.

E-mail letters, maximum 250 words, to news@thevillager.com or fax to 212-2292790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 1 MetroTech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Please include phone number for confirmation. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Anonymous letters will not be published.

September 19, 2019

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From NorthEast to Far East

Tompkins ‘turf war’ is over;

‘Skaters’ stay BY GABE HERMAN

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Sept. 19-25, 2019

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t turns out the skateboarding will continue in Tompkins Square Park after all. The Parks Department announced Fri., Sept. 6, that it would not — as previously planned — lay synthetic turf over part of the East Village park that has been used for decades as a spot for local skaters. The news came hours before a planned rally that Saturday, part of the ongoing effort localPHOTO BY CLAYTON PATTERSON ly and online to stop Adam Zhu, 22, grew up the Parks plan. The Tompkins turf on 12th St. and has been project was part of skateboarding in Tompkins Parks’ efforts to add Square Park since age 12. more green space to He works for Supreme, the several local parks to skateboarding shop and compensate for East clothing brand. River Park closing for three-plus years as part of the upcoming East Side Coastal Resiliency Project for flood protection. Tompkins was one of five sites slated by Parks for new synthetic turf to accommodate baseball and soccer players, particularly in youth leagues, displaced from East River Park. “Tompkins Square Park has served as the epicenter of NYC skateboard culture for decades,� a Parks spokesperson said. “As such, we have decided to leave the area previously proposed for synthetic in the park as is, and will not move forward with creating a synthetic turf area there. “We remain committed to supporting the hundreds of children who play baseball and soccer on the East River Park fields when the park is closed for reconstruction, and will identify a location to replace our initial selection of Tompkins Square Park to ensure that five sites will receive synthetic turf fields where local youth can play,� the spokesperson added. The synthetic turf was scheduled to be installed at Tompkins next spring. The other four sites slated for turf are Tanahey Playground and LaGuardia Bathhouse, both on the Lower East Side, scheduled for this fall, and St. Vartan Park and Robert Moses Playground, both in Murray Hill, slated for next spring. A big part of the Tompkins protest was an online petition started by local skater Adam Zhu. The change. org petition collected more than 32,000 signatures. After Parks decided not to turf the Tompkins site, Zhu posted a celebratory statement on Instagram. “WE WON,� he wrote. “It’s not a coincidence they made the decision the day before the rally. We organized, made our voices heard, and made a difference.�

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Jazz, Blues, Classical and Folk Music, Social Justice & Writing Workshop

September 26–29, 2019 www.thevillagetrip.com Wednesday September 25 Pre-Festival Program 6:30pm — POETRY READING at St. Mark’s in the Bowery

Thursday, September 26 7pm — LIVE MUSIC The Village Trip’s Hootenanny and Salute to Izzy Young at The Bitter End

Friday, September 27 2pm — Free! EXPERIENCE THE VILLAGE — Happy Hour Theater Crawl with Village Preservation, From 2 until 6pm 6pm — Free! WRITING AND STORYTELLING SEMINAR with noted author Richard Major at St. Mark’s in the Village. Free or discounted publishing package for attendees from BookLife. 6:30pm — Free! SOCIAL JUSTICE PANEL — Censorship and Erosion of First Amendment Rights, at the Jefferson Market Library. Sponsored by Grove Atlantic Publishing

Saturday September 28 11am — Free! SOCIAL JUSTICE PANEL — LGBTQ And The Media Social Justice Panel at the NYU Avery Fisher Center for Media and Music in the Bobst Library Room 745. Sponsored by NYU Libraries 12 Noon — Free! YOUNG COMPOSERS’ DAY at the NYU Avery Fisher Center for Media and Music in the Bobst Library, 7th Floor. Sponsored by NYU Libraries 1pm — CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT A Celebration of Greenwich Village. Chamber music compositions by David Amram, with Elmira Darvarova, Howard Wall, Kenneth Radnofsky and Thomas Weaver at St. John’s in the Village 2pm — Free! EXPRESS YOURSELF WRITING SEMINAR with best-selling author Adriana Trigiani in The Jefferson Market Library. Free or discounted publishing package for attendees from BookLife. 4pm — Free Village Trip Concert! Starring Steve Earle, Mark Ribotand The Tall Pines with special guests Mary Lee Kortes and Tammy Faye Starlite in Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park — rain or shine! 7pm — THE VILLAGE TRIP AT JOE’S PUB Starring Shaina Taub at Joe’s Pub 8pm — Free Village Trip Concert! JAZZ IN THE VILLAGE AT THE NEW SCHOOL OF JAZZ featuring esteemed faculty with special guests at The New School

Sunday September 29 JOE’S PUB AT THE VILLAGE TRIP 2pm — starring Vicki Kristina Barcelona 7pm — starring Penny Arcade Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street Schneps Media

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Stewart, Gilly, lawyers talk 9/11 care BY GABE HERMAN

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ollowing the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund being permanently extended by the federal government this summer, hundreds of Lower Manhattan community members attended a Sept. 16 informational seminar to learn about access to 9/11-related healthcare. Speakers at the event included officials and advocates, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and comedian Jon Stewart. The event was held at Borough of Manhattan Community College, at 199 Chambers St., just blocks away from the World Trade Center. The law firm Barasch & McGarry, which represents more than 15,000 people in the 9/11 community, handed out informational packets on how individuals — including residents, students and anyone who was exposed to W.T.C. toxins — can access full healthcare benefits for illnesses. John Feal, a first responder and advocate, emceed the seminar. One of the points stressed at the event was that healthcare benefits are for everyone in the community, not just first responders. “No one owns 9/11,” Feal said. “We are all equal shareholders.” Gillibrand urged people to go to the healthcare providers. “It is really important that you know your rights,” she said, stressing that people can contact her office for help navigating the World Trade Center Health program. “We are here to serve you.” Gillibrand said passing the V.C.F. was huge. “It was the most important thing I’ve done as your senator in the last decade,” she said. Comedian Jon Stewart, who advocated for the Victim Fund’s extension, told the audience that Tribeca owes its current vibrancy to them and others who stuck it out through the dark times. “That wouldn’t have happened without the courage of the survivors and students who stayed here and didn’t allow this terrible act to drive them from their homes,” he said of the neighborhood’s vitality. “Your presence here was an act of courage and resilience. “Please, I urge you, access what you are owed,” he told the audience. “Access the programs that exist to help you get through this trying time in the way you helped us get through that trying time.” Other speakers included Dr. Jackie Moline of the W.T.C. Health Program; Lila Nordstrom, a former Stuyvesant High School student who runs the advocacy group Students of 9/11; Richard Alles, a former deputy chief in the New York Fire Department; Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza;Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers; and Ellie Engler, the U.F.T. staff director and a 9/11 cancer survivor. B.M.C.C. professor Yvonne Phang was another 9/11 cancer survivor who spoke. She said she was teaching there in October 2001 when the Environmental Protection Agency said it was safe to return to the area. She said that 20,000 B.M.C.C. students and 3,000 staff were all exposed to the toxic dust. Phang was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2017. She didn’t have enough sick days to cover her treatment period, and was on the verge

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PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN

Hundreds of Lower Manhattan community members attended the free seminar at Borough of Manhattan Community College.

PHOTO BY FAYE MURMAN / BARASCH & MCGARRY

Before the event began, from left, first responder and emcee John Feal, Jon Stewar t, former F.D.N.Y. Deputy Chief Richard Alles and attorney Michael Barasch gathered together onstage.

of losing her job, when 20 faculty and staff donated their sick leave to her. Because of that, she was able to stay on the payroll and get months of treatment. Phang said that, a year after her diagnosis, she learned about the Victim Compensation Fund through a friend. “I was overjoyed when I found out there were resources to help me,” Phang told the crowd. “I believe this is now my turn to spread the news and help others become aware of what resources are

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available to them. After tonight, you can pass on knowledge of resources to others. You can make a difference.” Attorney Michael Barasch noted that his firm has been doing a lot of outreach lately to spread the word about healthcare benefits. “Every single day we hear from more survivors because we’re doing this outreach,” he said. Other outreach programs mentioned included ones by B.M.C.C., New York Law School and the city’s Department of Education, to reach out to as many people as possible who were in the area post-9/11. Barasch noted that the Lower Manhattan community of survivors, at 300,000 people, makes up three-quarters of the overall 9/11 community, with first responders comprising the other one-quarter. However, of the 100,000 people in the W.T.C. Health Program, just 20,000 are community-member survivors while 80,000 are first responders. “Why? Because they know about the program,” he said of first responders. Each informational packet passed out at the event included an affidavit, which Barasch urged people to file as proof they were in the area after 9/11. “Get those affidavits signed right now and put them away,” he said. “Don’t wait until you get sick. Protect yourself now.” He said that waiting years to get the affidavit filled out could make it harder to find the people who knew they were in the area after 9/11. “Last thing,” Barasch told the crowd, “is spread the word to everyone you know.” People can learn more about eligibility for the Victim Fund at 911victims.com.

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Landlord on trial in E.V. gas explosion BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

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he prosecution will try to prove that greed and illegally cutting corners caused the tragic East Village gas explosion more than three years ago that killed two young men and leveled three buildings. Meanwhile, the defense will attempt to shift the blame away from the landlord and two contractors on trial, putting the guilt on Con Edison — or maybe even no one — in the shocking disaster that rocked Second Ave. and E. Seventh St. That much was clear from the attorneys’ opening arguments in State Supreme Court last week. It’s expected the trial will last around three months. Landlord Maria Hrynenko, general contractor Dilber Kukic and unlicensed plumber Athanasios “Jerry” Ioannidis are charged with manslaughter in the second degree and criminally negligent homicide in the deaths of Nicholas Figueroa and Moses Lucon Yac. Maria’s son Michael Hrynenko also stood to face these charges at trial but died in 2017. Maria Hrynenko owned Nos. 119 and 121 Second Ave., two of the buildings destroyed in the explosion and subsequent raging fire. On March 26, 2015, Figueroa, 23, was on a lunch date at Sushi Park restaurant, on the ground floor of 121 Second Ave., where Yac, 27, was working as a busboy, when the explosion occurred, killing them both from blunt impact and smoke inhalation. Thirteen other individuals were injured by the blast — including a tourist who lost an eye. For those injuries, the three defendants are also being charged with multiple counts of assault in either the second or third degree. An 18-member jury, including 12 men and six women, is hearing the case, presided over by Judge Michael Obus. During the trial’s first day, contractor Kukic listened through headphones as two men took shifts translating for him. Assistant District Attorney Randolph Clarke Jr. started things off by saying the explosion happened because of “greed undeterred.” The disaster, he said, was caused by “an unauthorized gas-delivery system,” O.K.’d by Hrynenko and built by Kukic, that siphoned gas from 119 Second Ave. and sent it to 121 Second Ave. The result was that “a virtual bomb was lurking” underneath the buildings, Clarke said. The defendants did what they did, well knowing it was dangerous, Clarke stated. “The defendants took a chance. They rolled the dice,” he said. “The financial stakes were high for all these defendants, and that’s why they took this risk.” The rigged-up system was hidden be-

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September 19, 2019

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

A gas explosion on March 26, 2015, caused an inferno that destroyed three buildings at E. Seventh St. and Second Ave. Two men were killed in the explosion and 13 other people were injured.

hind a wall where Con Ed inspectors could not see it, he stressed. To create the illegal apparatus, they used Ioannidis, an unlicensed plumber. However, Clarke said, “You don’t need a plumbing license to know that you don’t mess with natural gas.” Hrynenko had renovated the apartments at 121 Second Ave. and was leasing them, but the building lacked its own gas connection, the A.D.A. noted. It would be a problem if tenants didn’t have hot water or gas for cooking. As a result, what the defendants did, according to the prosecutor, initially was to hook up yellow “flex hoses” — typically used to connect appliances to gas meters — to the gas that was going to Sushi Park restaurant. According to reports, Sushi Park was the only part of 121 Second Ave. that was authorized to be receiving gas. “And surprise, surprise, there was a leak,” Clarke said. According to reports, following a Con Ed inspection of that leak, resulting in the gas being turned off for 10 days, the defendants decided to create a hidden system to tap into the gas line of 119 Second Ave. to service the apartments in 121 Second Ave. On the day of the explosion, Con Ed inspectors again visited 119 Second Ave. The defendants are basically accused of trying to trick the inspectors by manipulating the hidden controls to affect where the gas was flowing — yet they allegedly left valves open that should have been closed. Four minutes after the inspectors left, someone from Sushi Park called the landlord to report a gas leak, Clarke said. Michael Hrynenko and Kukic promptly ran into the restaurant, then into the basement of 119 Second Ave. through an entrance on E. Seventh St. “Within moments of them entering that basement, there was an explosion,” the prosecutor recounted.

The blast happened less than a half hour after the Con Ed inspectors left. Clarke said there was a hole between the two buildings through which a pipe passed to deliver the gas from 119 to 121 Second Ave. Weeks after the explosion, investigators sifting down through the rubble recovered four gas valves that were all in the open position, he noted. Yet, he admitted, not all the gas valves were recovered. Michael Burke, an attorney representing Maria Hrynenko, noted that Michael Hrynenko was injured in the explosion. “He was burned on his face and body,” he said. He said of Maria Hrynenko, “The evidence does not indicate she was aware of the problem.” He added that she never wanted to be a landlord but became one after her husband, Michael — who ran the Kiev restaurant, at Second Ave. and E. Seventh St. — died in 2014. He said she delegated the renovation work on 121 Second Ave. — budgeted at $700,000 — to licensed professionals. He noted that Con Ed had previously twice locked the gas valves at 119 Second Ave., in August and September 2014, then unlocked them each time shortly afterward. “Con Ed has the greatest degree of knowledge of what’s at risk,” he stated. He said if Con Ed could not tell the situation was dangerous, then how could Maria Hrynenko know? He noted that it was the utility that took the photo — shown in court — of the gas apparatus with the yellow flex tubing. Burke said that on the day of the explosion, Sushi Park workers turned on four gas valves to make their lunch. Around 2 p.m., they smelled gas. “They heard a hissing sound in the kitchen area…and boom, it blew up,” he recounted. Burke accused the Manhattan district

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attorney of zeroing in on the basement of 119 Second Ave., when the evidence instead pointed to a problem with the gas at Sushi Park. It was “a rush to judgment,” he charged. “They just focused on the basement.” More to the point, he stressed, the main gas shutoff valve was not recovered. “They have no proof that the gas was on or off without that valve,” he declared. Marc Agnifilo, the attorney for Kukic, noted that his client “probably saved [the] life” of Michael Hrynenko after they both ran into the basement of 119 Second Ave. and the explosion occurred. “Flex piping is safe,” he asserted of the hoses that were used in the jerryrigged gas system. “It’s used to hook up driers, ovens. But it’s not the code for hooking up other than appliances,” he conceded. He said that Maria Hrynenko wasn’t guilty of “stealing services” by gas siphoning, since she owned both buildings. “No one is saying they smelled gas in the basement” of 119 Second Ave., he stated. “They smelled gas in the kitchen of Sushi Park and heard a loud hissing sound from the kitchen. … There’s no definitive way to know where the gas leaked from.” Referring to the main shutoff valve that was never recovered, he said, “If that valve is closed — no explosion in the basement.” “They never find the main valve,” he stressed. “They never find it, the single most important piece of evidence in this case.” Speaking last during the opening arguments was Roger Blank, the attorney for unlicensed plumber Ioannidis. “This is an awful, terrible accident — it is not a crime,” he asserted. The gas system his client set up “was installed and operating safely for eight months,” the attorney added. “Sometimes,” he said, “no one’s at fault.” Accidents should be dealt with in Civil Court, Blank said. Sitting in the audience were Figueroa’s parents, Nixon Figueroa and Anna Lanza. After hearing the defense attorneys’ opening arguments — where they sought to shift the blame off the defendants — she was asked by a reporter if she felt the accused were guilty. “Definitely,” she said. This past January, Andrew Trombettas, a licensed plumber who allowed his license to be used to submit paperwork for the buildings’ gas system, pleaded guilty to offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree. He was sentenced to three years’ probation with 100 hours of community service.

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Eats

Chelsea Chew has tasty food deals for Sept. BY GABE HERMAN

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helsea is having its own version of Restaurant Week with Chelsea Chew 2019, which includes more than 30 local eateries offering deals during September. The inaugural event is being run by the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce. People can go to participating businesses through Sept. 30 and mention that they would like the Chelsea Chew deal.

buy a melt after 3 p.m. There are also several deals at vendors in Chelsea Market, which is a sponsor. Find the full list of participating businesses and deals they are offering at chelseachewnyc.com/deals. “This is the first year of Chelsea Chew and we’re thrilled to have dozens of area businesses participating,” said Maria Diaz, executive director of G.V.C.C.C. “Our goal is to help the community thrive and that starts by supporting the restaurants and businesses that serve our residents and visitors. Chelsea Chew has already been met with excitement and we look

forward to making this an annual celebration.” At Chelsea Chew locations, people can also enter a raffle that has a prize of assorted items from local businesses, with a total value of $500. Some of the items in the prize include dinner for two at Counter & Bodega, a three-pack of honey from Zach & Zoe and a $100 gift card for Pennsylvania 6 restaurant. Chelsea Chew’s goal of promoting local shops is similar to another G.V.C.C.C. program, Shop Bleecker, which offers deals at Bleecker St. stores, and will return in November for its second annual event.

COURTESY GVCCC

For Chelsea Chew, Li-Lac is offering a free chocolate bar with any $10 purchase.

Each participating eatery has its own unique deal catering to its menu and offerings. Counter & Bodega, a Latin restaurant at 266 W. 23rd St., is offering 15 percent off the total bill. Don Giovanni’s, at 214 Tenth Ave. (between 22nd and 23rd Sts.) is giving a free small plain pizza with purchases of $30 or more during certain lunch hours. The Melt Shop, at 55 W. 26th St., is giving a free melt sandwich when people

Big Mozz is offering a free large lemonade or $2 off any beer or wine with the purchase of a food item during Chelsea Chew.

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PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

Megami, center, won the cosplay contest dressed as Monique Hear t in a handmade costume fashioned from more than 1,000 playing cards. Transgender enter tainer TS Madison, left, and television personality Carson Kressly, right, hosted the contest and handed over a check for $2,500 to Megami.

DragCon: You’ve come a long way, baby! BY BOB KR ASNER

I

n the beginning, drag was simple. Men dressed as women for theatrical purposes. Eventually, drag became established in underground gay culture and then — and we’re skipping way ahead here — in mainstream culture as a result of the popularity of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” a television hit across America. Then it got somewhat confusing: Drag kings started popping up (women dressing as men), as well as hyper queens (women dressing as drag queens). And there are the transgendered ones, the gender fluid, those who choose not to identify as male or female and, surely, others. Luckily, everyone has a home at RuPaul’s DragCon, where for three days, the Javits Center was filled with drag celebrities and their fans, many of whom had concocted outfits that rivaled those of the stars. Inspiration seemed to come from everywhere — glamorous movie stars, suburban housewives, science fiction, pop culture, horror movies, fairy tales. Imaginations were running as wild as some of the wigs. Though the event seemed smaller this year, enthusiasm was not in short supply. Families came with their kids for the chance to meet their favorite queens from the tube, including Miss Fame, Detox, Acid Betty, Shuga Cain, Yvie Oddly and many more. Contestants from

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September 19, 2019

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

Thorgy Thor was in the house.

the upcoming “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” version, including Sum Ting Wong, Cheryl Hole, Vinegar Strokes and Scaredy Kat, were introduced onstage, as well. RuPaul kept busy, DJ’ing twice from the main TVG

stage, interviewing Whoopi Goldberg and Diane Von Furstenburg, checking in on the merchandise booth and avoiding photographers. “Not now bitch, I’m working!” he yelled at us, in response to a request for a photo. Schneps Media

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

Over flowing with...creativit y...at RuPaul’s DragCon.

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER

Miss Fame kept it ver y cool.

RuPaul checking himself out on tote bags and posters at the merchandise booth. Schneps Media

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CARE NYC is a free service across the five boroughs. For more info, email CareNYC@scsny.org or call 877-577-9337. 24

September 19, 2019

For more news & events happening now visit www.TheVillager.com CARE NYC is supported in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Health TVG

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Manhattan Happenings tice Center. Attendees will also be able to apply for the New York City housing lottery at the event. For more information, visit sfdsnyc.org/socialjustice.

BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELLDOMENECH AND GABE HERMAN

FOOD Speakin’ of vegan: The Hester Street Fair will hold a Vegan Food Fest on Sat., Sep. 21, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s a new venture at Hester Street Fair, which is celebrating its 10th year and will be partnering on this one with Cheff’ Rootsie, plus a special pop-up from Future Works NYC. There will also be the usual wide range of vendors, from vintage and home decor to specialized beauty products and the latest fashion brands in addition to the yummy food. More information is available at www.hesterstreetfair.com.

ART / EXERCISE The big crawl: Pope.L will give a Public Art Fund Talk on Fri., Sept. 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at The Cooper Union, Rose Auditorium, 41 Cooper Union Square, at E. Sixth St. Visual artist and educator Pope.L’s lecture coincides with a major moment for him, when three New York City arts organizations — Public Art Fund, Whitney Museum of American Art and The Museum of Modern Art — will co-present “Instigation, Aspiration, Perspiration,” the title of a singular concept linking a trio of complementary exhibitions: “Conquest,” “Choir” and “member,” which explore Pope.L’s boundary-pushing practice. On Sat., Sept. 21, Public Art Fund will start things with “Conquest,” Pope.L’s largest performance to date, in which some 140 people will crawl over five hours in relay on the sidewalks of Downtown Manhattan. For this free performance, “participants will abandon their physical privilege, embrace their vulnerability and express the power and contradiction of collective expression.” Free — but get set to crawl! Registration required. Draw, padnuh! The Uni Project Presents: Draw NYC Thursdays, Sept. 19 through Oct. 10, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Washington Square Park. For four Thursdays this fall, the park’s northwest corner will host Street Lab/ The Uni Project’s free DRAW NYC program, an open-air art studio offering New Yorkers access to fine-art materials that gets people drawing and Schneps Media

WINE

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MITCHELL-INNES & NASH, NEW YORK

Pope.L in “The Great White Way: 22 Miles, Nine Years, 1 Street” (20002009)

creating together in public. Participants can use artist prompts and take part in activities, or draw from their own inspiration. DRAW NYC is designed for all ages and abilities. Free, for all ages.

pieces he recorded with his 1964 quartet. According to Spin, the album is mostly alternate versions of Coltrane’s early work. The free listening party will be at the center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall. For more information, visit lincolncenter.org.

CYCLING HOUSING

Rules of rolling: Bike Safety Workshop: “Rules of the Road,” Tues., Sept. 24, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Holy Apostles Church, 296 Ninth Ave., at 28th St. Fact: More than 460,000 cycling trips are made in the city daily, about triple the amount as 14 years ago. Starting this month, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson is partnering with Bike New York to offer a series of free monthly bike education classes in his West Side Council District 3. The first class, “Rules of the Road,” is a presentation and discussion for adults and mature teens who want to better understand traffic rules and their rights and responsibilities on the road. Topics covered include how to avoid common road hazards, basic traffic principles, where to ride on the road, how to safely change lanes, how to utilize bike infrastructure and more. Register online at bike.nyc/kickoff or call 212-870-2111.

Affordable housing fair: Get free advice on affordable housing from experts on tenant rights, eviction prevention and credit counseling on Sat., Sept. 21, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Francis de Sales Hall, at 135 E. 96th St. and Lexington Ave. Organizations giving confidential guidance include the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, Foundation for Senior Citizens, Legal Aid, Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association, Little Sisters of the Assumption, NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, Wells Fargo Bank and the Fair Housing Jus-

What’s in your glass? Get an introductory lesson on becoming a sommelier at Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, at 1 Fifth Ave., on Sat., Sept. 21, at 2 p.m. The $60 class will teach attendees how to properly taste wine and the science behind different flavors and aromas found in each glass. For more information, visit ny.ottopizzeria.com.

WORKING IT Census job fair: Learn about career opportunities, both long and short term, with the U.S. Census Bureau, on Thurs., Sept. 19, at the Grow with Google NYC Learning Center, at 111 Eighth Ave. between 15th and 16th Sts., from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. RSVP for the event at tinyurl.com/censusevent.

VOTING Voter registration: Voter registration week kicks off at DeWitt Clinton Park, at 54th St. and 11th Ave., Mon., Sept. 23, in honor of National Voter Registration Day. The event will run from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and offer New Yorkers access to voter registration forms and people who can help fill them out correctly.

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Rare Trane: Listening Party: “John Coltrane’s Blue World,” Fri., Sept. 20, 7 p.m., at Lincoln Center. Celebrate the release of the jazz saxophonist great’s new album, a collection of unheard

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SPOTLIGHT ON DOWNTOWN

LMHQ Fall Events Spotlight the Changing Media, Gender Inequality in Tech By LMHQ Staff September is widely recognized as back-to-school season, but since we can’t fit in those tiny desks, let’s instead hone our career skills in adult-size seating at LMHQ (150 Broadway). For its 2019-2020 programming, our downtown workspace is bringing back events you know and love as well as expanding offerings to include

new topics and opportunities to connect. On September 24, the LMHQ Women’s Breakfast series launches with a panel of intrepid media members who are navigating the evolving landscape as writers, producers and publishers. On October 15, join us to hear from major female-led organizations combating gender inequality in

tech, and in November we’ll tackle the challenges of incorporating sustainability into fashion. We’re increasing our focus on design and innovation with a variety of new events and workshops, such as investigating cryptocurrency trends in a series produced with Future\Perfect Ventures (October 10). We’ll also be bringing back our Behind the Creative Curtain series, where we invite a creative brand to do a deep dive on a core aspect of the company’s DNA. L a s t l y, w e’r e e x c i t e d t o highlight our partnerships with organizations across New York City through a slate of programs. In October, we’ll be producing an event with Impact Capital Forum about the “War Stories from the Trenches of Seed Funding.� We’re co-hosting two exciting fireside

LMHQ’s programming reflects the interests of the creative community in Lower Manhattan

chats with our Lower Manhattan neighbors HarperCollins. In November, we’ll be speaking with Bustle editor Alicia Menedez, host of the Latina to Latina podcast and author of the upcoming book The Likeability Trap. In December, we’ll speak with Pauline Brown, former Chairman of North America for LVMH MoÍt Hennessy Louis Vuitton and author of the upcoming book Aesthetic Intelligence. And expect more HarperCollins powerhouses in the months to come! As always, we want LMHQ’s programming to reflect the interests of the creative community in Lower Manhattan. If you have ideas, questions or comments, please reach out to us via social media (@lmhq_nyc) or email (hello@lmhq.nyc). We look forward to seeing you soon!

! at lmhq.nyc/hello (code: hostdowntown)

150 Broadway

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Sept. 19-25, 2019

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RETURNING TO CITI FIELD THIS WINTER theworldsfare.nyc

Take a Lesson in ‘Taco Literacy’ on La Roosie BY JOE DISTEFANO

As the Culinary King of Queens, I’m so very fortunate to live in the most diverse and delicious destination in all of New York City. Really I’m not royalty though, I’m an ambassador, and a hungry one at that. Today, we visit Mexico via Roosevelt Avenue for a tale of three Mexican street foods: two very special taco outfits and a purveyor of the gigantic Mexico City style sandwiches known as tortas. I have long held that the Mexican street food available late into the night on Roosevelt Avenue— tacos from carts, trucks, and even bicycle borne baskets and gigantic tortas served from windows—is the best in New York City, and now I have a professor who teaches “taco literacy” at St. John’s University to back up this oft-disputed claim. His name is Dr. Steven Alvarez and here’s what he has to say about the Mexican food on La Roosie: “Roosevelt Avenue has the best Mexican food in New York City. Basically, the diversity of tacos one can find in New York City are all on Roosevelt.” Dr. Alvarez who teaches English at SJU and I share a favorite taco truck, the Vendy Award nominated Beefrr-landia—New York City’s only specialist in Tijuana-style beef stew tacos—which opened back in July on the northwest corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 78th Street. As you approach the truck, which bears a picture of a gigantic platter of tacos de birria, or beef stew tacos, a heady aroma of meat and spice beckons. The signature birria taco is filled with a ruddy beef stew scented with cumin, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaves, cloves, and a good dose of chilies. For a real treat get a side of consomme—a heady scarlet soup featuring more beef—and dip your taco into it. “The owners have roots in Jalisco, so birria is also in their blood (so to speak). The menu is not broad, but everything is fantastic.,” Dr. Alvarez

A an eager crowd waits at New York City’s only birria cart while the 7 train rumbles overhead.

Beefrr-landia’s signature taco is stained red from a dip in beefy chili-spiked broth.Take a Lesson in ‘Taco Literacy’ on La Roosie said. “I’m glad this truck has arrived, as it has made up for the loss of Taqueria Sinaloense close to 90th and Roosevelt.” Beefrr-landia starts slinging its Tijuana style tacos at 5 p.m. and keeps it rolling until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and even later—3 a.m.—on Friday and Saturday. Another of my favorite late night tacos spots is the unnamed al pastor cart that sets up on the northwest corner of Junction and Roosevelt, in front of PL$ Check Cashing at around 10:30 until the wee hours. It is quite simply the best al pastor—spit roasted pork—I’ve had outside Mexico City. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the flaming inferno that crisps the outer surface

The Torta Chivas eats like a Mexico City style breakfast sandwich. Take a Lesson in ‘Taco Literacy’ on La Roosie

of the meat as the taquero carves ruddy morsels of crispy achiote-stained pork onto tiny tortillas from the gigantic rotating cone of stacked pork-shoulder slices. Best of all is the price, four dainty tacos for $5. The taco professor also counts it among his favorites. Not far from the somewhat elusive al pastor cart find Tortas Neza a specialist in gigantic Mexico City style sandwiches run by one Galdino “Tortas” Neza out of the front window of Juan Bar (96-15 Roosevelt Ave.) Each of the maestro’s sandwiches is named for a Mexican football club and makes for a hearty meal. The Chivas combines a chorizo omelet, a fistful of quesillo cheese, lettuce, and mayo for what I think of as Mexico City’s answer to New York City’s beloved bacon egg and cheese on a roll. The most over-the-top torta though is the Pumas, named for the owner’s favorite team. It’s as big as my head and features 11 ingredients. In addition to the aforementioned chorizo omelet its layers include deep-fried sausages, a fried chicken cutlet, ham, head cheese, avocado, and pickled jalapeños. You might want to bring your own soccer team if you plan to take on the Pumas. In case you’re wondering Tortas Neza is also among Dr. Alvarez’s favorite Mexican street food stands in Queens. So there you have it. The next time someone says there’s no good Mexican food in New York City, take them to La Roosie and give them a lesson in taco literacy.

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Northwest corner of Roosevelt Avenue & 78 Street, Jackson Heights (347) 283-2162

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Northwest corner of Junction Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue

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Covering Manhattan in more ways than one

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Real Estate

‘Trending’: Moxy opens East Village hotel BY GABE HERMAN

T

he Moxy NYC East Village hotel opened on Sept. 12, having replaced five old buildings on E. 11th St. that many Villagers tried to save back in 2016. The new hotel is at 112 E. 11th St., between Third and Fourth Aves., across from Webster Hall. Developed by Lightstone, the Moxy has 286 rooms. Lightstone worked with Tao Group Hospitality to include other features in the place, including Alphabet Bar & Café; Cathedrale, a French-Mediterranean restaurant; Little Sister, a lounge; and a rooftop bar that will open next spring. Cathedrale will feature a sculpture called “Fillmore,” paying tribute to the legendary Fillmore East concert venue that was on Second Ave. Other features include a series called #SweatatMoxy, led by local wellness experts, and morning meditation sessions on the roof. “Moxy East Village is multidimensional,” said Mitchell Hochberg, president of Lightstone, “a thrilling mashup that lets people honor the past, experience the present, and dream about the future. We’re embracing it all to create a true sense of magic.” Moxy has 46 so-called experiential hotels worldwide, including local ones in Times Square and Chelsea that were

COURTESY MOXY EAST VILLAGE

The new Mox y hotel, at right, is located on E. 11th St., between Third and Four th Aves., across from Webster Hall.

opposed the project, called the new hotel building a “monstrosity” and its opening “no cause for celebration.” Before the five previous buildings were destroyed, the city had ruled them landmark eligible, Berman said. “They contained scores of units of affordable, rent-stabilized housing,” he said of the razed row of buildings. “They were destroyed to make way for this hotel built by one of the mayor’s

also developed by Lightstone. The new East Village hotel and all its offerings, however, came at the expense of five Beaux-Arts tenement buildings from the late 19th century that were razed to make way for the new building. Local opponents charged that Mayor Bill de Blasio and the hotel’s developer had financial connections. Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation, which strongly

main campaign fundraisers and supporters. In fact, once David Lichtenstein’s Lightstone Group purchased the property, the city was no longer interested in landmarking these buildings, which it had previously determined were historically significant.” Protests were held in 2016 at the old buildings, at which Berman, state Senator Brad Hoylman and dozens of community advocates rallied. But ultimately the project was green-lighted to go forward. “The last thing this neighborhood needs is a huge hotel like this with lots of bars, clubs and restaurants, housed in some of the most banal architecture seen anywhere in a long time,” Berman said of the new hotel after its opening. Berman also doubted that Councilmember Carlina Rivera’s claims of trying to limit hotel development in the area will amount to much. “She promised to fight for restrictions on hotel and other kinds of development in this area as a condition of supporting the mayor’s Tech Hub upzoning just a few blocks away from here,” the preservationist said. “[But] over a year after she threw her support behind [those restrictions], there has been no progress, so the Moxy may be just the first of many such developments here.”

Check out these top real estate highlights BY VILL AGER STAFF

A

s interest in Manhattan continues to remain high, real estate listings, new developments and plans for more buildings are continuing to pop up throughout the borough. Thevillager.com is partnering with Marketproof.com, a new real estate listing search and property database covering New York City, to share some of the latest residential and commercial real estate updates throughout the borough. FOR SALE The Setai Wall St., at 40 Broad St., Unit 22B — Financial District A one-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,050-square-foot condo at The Setai Wall St., at 40 Broad St., was listed for sale for $1,140,000 on Sept. 6 by Corcoran. The residence, 22B, features 10-foot-high ceilings and windows with panoramic views of the Financial District. Amenities include a concealed

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of the legendary club Wetlands, where Pearl Jam, Phish and Blues Traveler played.

Bosch washer and dryer, plus the ultimate chef’s kitchen open to the living and dining area, Brazilian walnut floors throughout and a full-service concierge and stateof-the-art fitness center. 12 E. 14th St., Unit PH5A — Greenwich Village

D’arte House, at 354 Broadway, Unit 8 —Tribeca

COURTESY CORCORAN

This t wo-bedroom at 161 Hudson St. offers incredible light.

A one-bedroom, one-bathroom coop apartment at 12 E. 14th St. was listed for sale for $1,250,000 on Sept. 6 by Brown Harris Stevens. This loftlike unit in a prewar building, with a keyed elevator, features a nearly 1,200-square-foot sprawling private rooftop terrace. The interior is beautiful, too, with wonderful light from south-facing windows, 12-foot ceilings and exposed brick walls.

A three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,793-square-foot condominium unit at D’arte House, at 354 Broadway, was listed for $3,350,000 on Sept. 9 by Douglass Elliman. This full-floor loft sports 11.5-foot ceilings with exposures in four directions. The living/dining room features stunning views with a wood-burning fireplace. The master bedroom boasts a private terrace.

161 Hudson St., Unit 5C — Tribeca A two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,117-square-foot condominium unit at 161 Hudson St. was listed for sale for $3,950,000 on Sept. 9 by Corcoran. This renovated loft in the heart of Tribeca offers modern conveniences, 11-foot ceilings and incredible light through oversized industrial windows. The 1915 building is the former home TVG

Source: Information in this article comes from Marketproof.com, a new real estate listing search and property database covering the five boroughs of New York City. Marketproof compiles and publishes information from government agencies, real estate brokerages, public input and other sources and uses advanced software to surface what matters. Schneps Media

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