Though Battery Park at the southern end of Manhattan is cloaked in snow, it is far from immobilized. Work is progressing on many fronts and the staff of the Battery Conservancy - the financial and conceptual force behind many of the 25-acre park's amenities - is getting ready for spring.

For a long time, construction has blocked access to parts of the park, making it impossible to enter or exit the park from the west side. By March 1, the fences along Battery Place will come down. Even before then, the path surrounding the Oval Lawn will be complete.

Because of construction on the South Ferry subway station, trashed by Superstorm Sandy, the park's popular Urban Farm is being relocated from the east side of the park to the north side, near the Labyrinth. Previously the farm was planted only with vegetables. Now there will also be a new Forest Farm, says the Battery Conservancy's bulletin. It will be "the first of its kind in Manhattan - complete with native, shade-loving edible plants and fruit trees." The farm is scheduled to open on April 1.

The Battery's much anticipated SeaGlass Carousel should be ready to open in May, unless there are more weather delays. The topping off for the carousel took place in April 2013 and was on track at that time to open that fall. Picking up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy didn't help the schedule.

The $16 million carousel will house 30 fiberglass fish in a nautilus-shaped shell that will be a backdrop for a programmable sound-and-light show. The nine-foot-tall, iridescent fish will change color, as will the walls of the carousel, simulating a descent into the sea.

The carousel was inspired by the New York Aquarium, once located in Castle Clinton, a national monument dating from the War of 1812, that is one of the focal points of Battery Park. The glass and steel carousel pavilion was designed by WXY, an architecture and urban planning firm whose office is in Lower Manhattan. The fish were designed by the George Tsypin Opera Factory and were built in Montreal by Show Canada, whose clients include the Cirque du Soleil.

Another ambitious project in the park is less far along but should be equally dazzling when it is completed. Frank Gehry had designed a playground for the park, but his plans had to be re-evaluated after Superstorm Sandy to make them more resilient.

Because of the many delays, the Gehry firm has bowed out. Now, BKSK Architects, a local firm that The Battery Conservancy had hired to make the Gehry concept code compliant for the Parks Department, will be leading the design overall. 

"We needed to completely rethink the playground post-Sandy, and the Gehry folks just have too much on their plate for that kind of from-scratch effort," said Hope Cohen, chief operating officer for the Battery Conservancy. 

BKSK is assembling a team that includes engineers that specialize in water management, as well as playground safety.  "PlaySpace will be an international exemplar of playgrounds designed for flood-prone areas," said Cohen.

Bits & Bytes

"Tracing 50 Years of the South Street Seaport's Struggles," Curbed.com, 2/4/15. "The fate of South Street Seaport is up in the air," says James M. Lindgren, a history profssor at SUNY/Plattsburgh and author of "Preserving South Street Seaport: The Dream and Reality of a New York Urban Renewal District" in Curbed.com. "The 11-block historic district is Manhattan's oldest neighborhood. It's unique, precious, and endangered. Centered around Schermerhorn Row, built between 1811 and 1812 - which the New York Times called 'the city's original world trade center' - the Seaport is loved for its rich heritage, human scale, and beautiful vistas of the Brooklyn Bridge and East River." Lindgren goes on to explain how the Seaport was nearly destroyed once before, and saved, and how and why it is in danger of being destroyed again by insensitive development. For the complete article, click here.

"Howard Hughes sues insurers over Sandy damage," The Real Deal, 2/4/15. The Howard Hughes Corporation, a developer with a long-term lease on parts of the South Street Seaport, "is suing two of its insurance companies for withholding more than $8.5 million in payouts after Superstorm Sandy," says The Real Deal, citing a suit filed in New York State Supreme Court on Feb. 4. "Howard Hughes claims that two of its eight insurers - Ace American Insurance Company and Torus Specialty Insurance Company - have 'steadfastly thwarted all reasonable attempts to adjust the seaport loss,' according to the suit. Five insurers have paid out the claims and one insurance company denied Howard Hughes' claim. The suit centers on six Seaport buildings, in the district bounded by John Street, Peck Slip, Water Street and the East River. During Sandy, which battered New York in October 2012, water ran into and throughout the buildings, the developer claims in the suit." For the complete article, click here.

"Sheldon Silver's day after," Capital New York, 2/4/15. "The state Assembly session to elevate Sheldon Silver's successor started 40 minutes late, and the former speaker, never known for punctuality or speed, was still a dozen minutes behind," Capital New York reports. "Carl Heastie, the Bronx Democrat picked to replace him, sat in the center of the chamber before rising to the rostrum. Silver quietly walked into the back row along the Capitol's northern wall, between Annette Robinson and an aisle, flanked by a heavy curtain in the two-story chamber. Since he was arrested by federal agents 13 days ago, Silver has remained as inscrutable as ever. But on Tuesday, he was something else: unremarkable. He rocked in his chair and folded his hands, saying only two words - 'Carl Heastie'  - along with 101 other Democrats who fell in line less than a week after they told Silver he had lost their confidence. Silver's reign was nearly 21 years long, a year short of the record for the longest-serving speaker - Oswald D. Heck of Schenectady was in office for 22 years - and, by the account of his colleagues, aides and friends, he lived, breathed and loved his job." For the complete article, click here.

"Ice chunks fall from atop World Trade Center," Daily News, 2/3/15. "Foot-long shards of ice plunged from a pair of World Trade Center towers on Monday, causing panic but no injuries," said the Daily News, citing "officials and witnesses. Ice chunks began falling from 7 World Trade Center and 4 WTC around noon, a Port Authority spokesman said." For the complete article, click here.

Baked eggs sardou at Blue Smoke in Battery Park City, part of the brunch menu that will be served on weekends starting Saturday, Feb. 6. (Photo: Melissa Hom)

Community Board 1 meetings take place at 49-51 Chambers St, Room 709, starting at 6 p.m. unless otherwise stated. All are welcome to attend. Bring photo ID to enter the building.

           Location: PS/IS 89, 201 Warren St.
(This meeting had been postponed because of the snowstorm.)

Agenda
I. Public Session
   Comments by members of the public (6 p.m.-7 p.m.) (1-2 minutes per speaker)

Guest Speaker: Kenneth Adams, President and CEO, Empire State Development Corporation
Governor's Cabinet Delivers Regional 2015 Opportunity Agenda
Cabinet Members Will Take Governor's Agenda Directly to Communities across the State

II. Business Session
A) Adoption of December 2014 minutes
B) Chairperson's Report - C. McVay Hughes
C) District Manager's Report - N. Pfefferblit
D) Treasurer's Report - J. Kopel

III. Committee Reports
A) Special Landmarks Committee R. Byrom
    Discusssion and vote on Howard Hughes Corporation proposals for South Street Seaport - Resolution

B) Landmarks Committee R. Byrom
1) 79 Laight St., application for replacement of entrance door and transom - Resolution
2) 152 Franklin St., application for handicapped access ramp - Resolution
3) 140 Broadway, application for entry infill and re-glazing - Resolution
4) 464 Greenwich St., amendment to storefront glazing - Resolution

C) Battery Park City Committee G. Calderaro
1) Traffic enforcement around West Street - Report
2) BPC Parks Enforcement Patrol - Report
3) Brookfield Place tenants and service providers - Resolution
4) North Cove Marina resolution - Resolution

D) Quality of Life Committee P. Moore
1) NYC DOT Construction update - Report
2) Sandy Mobilization, Assessment, Referral and Treatment for Mental Health - Report
3) 2015 United Airlines NYC Half - Report
4) Illegal Hotels - Resolution
5) Intro 585 which would amend the City Charter to impose term limits on Community Board Members - Resolution
6) James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act - Resolution

E) Seaport/Civic Center Committee J. Fratta
1) South Street Initiative - Report
2) Thomas Paine Park: Temporary Public Artwork - Report
3) 2015 United Airlines NYC Half Marathon - Report
4) Rebuilding Brooklyn Banks Skate Park and other active recreation space underneath the Brooklyn Bridge - Report
5) 87 South St., application for wine & beer license for Tri-Elite Group Corp d/b/a El Luchedor - Resolution

F) Planning Committee J. Galloway
1) World Trade Center Performing Arts Center - Report
2) MTA fan plants and infrastructure storm hardening - Report
3) Status of FEMA Disaster Assistance Programs - Report
4) Rebuild by Design Public Hearing, Jan. 15, 2015 - Report
5) City-wide Zoning Text Amendment regarding stairwells in non-residential buildings - Resolution
6) Acquisition of office space for Department of City Planning at 120 Broadway - Resolution
7) City-wide allocation of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief Funds - Resolution

G) Tribeca Committee P. Braus
1) 11 6th Ave. sidewalk caf� - Report
2) Pier 26 Update by Madelyn Wils, President and CEO, Hudson River Park Trust - Resolution
3) Proposed changes to parking regulations in Tribeca - Resolution
4) Bastille Day 2015 Street Activity Permit application for West Broadway between White Street and Walker Street, Tuesday July 14, 2015, 12 a.m. to 8 p.m. - Resolution
5) 24 Harrison St., application for upgrade to liquor license for Terroir Tribeca - Resolution

H) Financial District Committee R. Sheffe
1) Broadway Reconstruction Project - Report
2) Pier 15 - Report
3) 23 Wall St., proposed new leasehold and use for property - Report
4) 140 West Street Condominium Flood Wall Barrier Project review - Report
5) Street activity permit for 911 Memorial Family Day on 04/26/2015 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Greenwich St. between Cortlandt Street and Liberty Street - Resolution
6) 20 John St., application for a wine and beer license for Dee Jing, Inc. - Resolution
7) Street activity permit for Coenties Slip Thursday Greenmarket on 07/02/2015 to 11/19/2015 from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Coenties Slip between Water Street. and Pearl Street - Resolution
8) 102 Greenwich St., application for a liquor license for Riff Downtown LLC - Resolution

I) Youth & Education Committee T. Joyce
1) DCTV community space and programs - Report
2) North Cove Marina - Resolution

IV. Old Business
V. New Business
VI. Adjournment

All documents relating to the above agenda items are on file at the Community Board 1 office and are available for viewing by the public upon written request to man01@cb.nyc.gov
At all meetings, additional items may be raised as "New Business."