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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 2, No. 57 Aug. 2, 2015
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Quote of the day:
"She's wonderful. She's done a great job."
- Battery Park City Authority Chairman Dennis Mehiel, commenting on Tessa Huxley, who the BPCA apparently has ousted as the executive director of the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy.
* Tessa Huxley ousted as executive director of the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy * Bits & Bytes: Small businesses get reprieve from fines; South Street Seaport commune
* Downtown Bulletin Board: South Street Seaport Museum benefit concert canceled
* U.S. Coast Guard celebrates its 225th anniversary
* Governors Island weekend
* Community Board 1 meeting: August
* Calendar: Weeks of July 26 and August 3
WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information, click here.
HOWARD HUGHES AT THE LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION: The Howard Hughes Corporation, which has long-term leases on parts of the Seaport, is scheduled to make a presentation about its proposals to the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Aug. 4. Place: The Municipal Building, 1 Centre Street, 9th floor. The public may attend. Arrive no later than 2:30 p.m. to give time to get through security. A photo ID is required. IF YOU LIKE DOWNTOWN POST NYC - Downtown Post NYC is emailed free to subscribers, but if you like DPNYC and want to support it, you can do that in three ways. 1) Support Downtown Post's advertisers by clicking on their ads, and if you use their services, tell them that you read about them in DPNYC. 2) Consider advertising in DPNYC if you have a business, service or event that you want to promote. 3) Tell people about DPNYC and suggest that they subscribe. They can sign up at www.DowntownPostNYC.com. Go to www.DowntownPostNYC.com for updates on breaking news.
All ads in Downtown Post NYC have clickable links. Click on an ad for more information. MASTHEAD PHOTO: The steps of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House at Bowling Green. This week marks 225 years since Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, founded the Revenue-Marine Service, a predecessor of the U.S. Coast Guard. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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TESSA HUXLEY OUSTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCY; LOCAL POLS WRITE TO BPCA TO PROTEST
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| | Battery Park City Authority chairman Dennis Mehiel at the BPCA's board of directors meeting on July 29. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
No mention was made of Tessa Huxley, who had been the executive director of the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy since 1988, but at the Battery Park City Authority board of directors meeting on July 29, the rumor of Huxley's ouster was the elephant in the room.
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Sgt. Phuchang Srisuro of the Battery Park City Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) stationed outside the Battery Park City Authority board of directors meeting on July 29.
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Nine residents of Battery Park City attended the meeting to protest Huxley's apparent ouster. Uncharacteristically, an officer of the Parks Enforcement Patrol was stationed outside the meeting room.
The closest that the BPCA board of directors came to addressing any matter that had to do with Huxley was to approve resolutions that restored the years of service lost by Battery Park City Parks Conservancy employees when the Conservancy joined the CIRS pension plan and to ensure that Conservancy employees receive retirement benefits commensurate with those awarded to BPCA employees.
After the meeting adjourned, several reporters approached BPCA chairman Dennis Mehiel to ask him why Huxley was leaving. "I think Tessa can speak for herself," Mehiel replied. "She's approaching retirement, and I think that's where she's headed, but we'll see."
Huxley is 62 years old.
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Tessa Huxley at a meeting of the BPCA board of directors in January 2013.
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Mehiel said that comments in the press that there was bad blood between Huxley and himself "were completely unfounded. That said," he continued, "I don't want to create the precedent of talking about personnel matters because we just don't do that, but the idea that I had some particular problem with Tessa is just unfounded."
Mehiel said of Huxley, "She's wonderful. She's done a great job."
Phone calls and emails to Huxley for clarification and further information went unanswered, but around 9:30 p.m. on July 29, the BPCA issued a press release confirming that Huxley was leaving.
"Battery Park City has achieved its preeminent status because of the ongoing work of the Conservancy and its incredible staff with the full support of the Authority," the press release said, with Battery Park City Authority President Shari C. Hyman cited as the source of the quote. "On behalf of the entire Battery Park City Authority and BPC Parks Conservancy, we gratefully acknowledge Tessa's performance and dedication to her work, and know that the innovative processes she has institutionalized over the past quarter century will continue."
The BPCA did not name a successor for Huxley but said that, "Tessa leaves behind a seasoned and valuable staff led by T. Fleischer, Bruno Pomponio and Abby Ehrlich."
The day after the BPCA board of directors meeting, six politicians representing Lower Manhattan issued a joint statement to protest what had happened. It came from City Councilmember Margaret Chin, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, State Sen Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, and Assemblymember Sheldon Silver.
They said, "Tessa Huxley's work for parks in the Battery Park City community has been exemplary, and it is through her leadership that Battery Park City is such a beautiful community.
"We are deeply disturbed by the rumors that Tessa Huxley is being forced out of her position leading the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy by the Battery Park City Authority leadership. If she chooses to retire she will have our thanks and our sincere best wishes, but we see absolutely no reason for her not to continue in her position for as long as she wishes to serve." At the Community Board 1 full board meeting on July 28, several Battery Park City residents spoke about the fact that they see in Huxley's apparent ouster a larger problem. Jeff Mihok, a member of CB1 who serves on the Battery Park City Committee, urged the Community Board to create a resolution condemning Huxley's ouster. "Tessa Huxley appears to be being asked to leave her position as head of the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, which she has done for many, many years and has done an amazing job," he said. "If the facts are as they seem that she doesn't really want to leave, I think it's really important that we weigh in as a community. I think we should have a unanimous vote saying that we think this should be reversed and at least weigh in saying this is yet another outrage from Dennis Mehiel and the Battery Park City Authority." The Community Board did pass a resolution as Mihok suggested. It said in part, "This action by the BPCA points to a lack of transparency and is disturbing in that any change in this pivotal position should involve input by the community that has come to rely on this director and her leadership." The resolution also called on the Authority "to discuss, to the fullest extent possible the rationale for this leadership change and what impacts it might have on the Conservancy staff and Battery Park City residents." Huxley's 27-year-long stewardship of Battery Park City's parks and gardens have transformed them into some of the most beautiful in the city. The organic, pesticide-free gardening methods that she introduced have been widely admired and studied. In addition, she has been responsible for bringing cultural and educational programming to Battery Park City - most of it free - serving residents and anyone in the city who would like to participate. - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
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Tessa Huxley was missing from her usual place at the table during the Battery Park City Authority's board of directors meeting on July 29. However, some Battery Park City residents did attend the meeting to protest her ouster. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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Bits & Bytes
SMALL BUSINESSES GET REPRIEVE FROM FINES; SOUTH ST. SEAPORT COMMUNE; 40 EXCHANGE PLACE CHANGES HANDS; HUB PHOTOS
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| Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin and Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced that onerous fines assessed by the City on small businesses have been cut in half.
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"Northwind to buy 40 Exchange Place for $120M," The Real Deal, 7/28/15. "Ran Eliasaf's Northwind Group is in contract to buy a 20-story office building at 40-42 Exchange Place in the Financial District for $120 million," says The Real Deal. "Weiss Realty put the 250,000-square-foot property on the market in October, when sources projected it would sell for about $140 million. The corner building was constructed in 1896 as a residential property and has been owned by the Weiss family for more than 25 years." For the complete article, click here. "Inside Santiago Calatrava's WTC Transportation Hub in New York," Arch Daily, 7/31/15. Arch Daily posts some of Toronto-based architectural photographer Michael Muraz's images of Santiago Calatrava's nearly complete World Trade Center Transportation Hub. "Set to open this year, the 'glorious' birdlike structure boasts a 355-foot-long operable 'Oculus' - a slice of the New York sky - that floods the hub's interior with natural light, all the way down 60-feet below street level to the PATH train platform," Arch Daily says. For the complete article with photos, click here. Fines on small businesses reduced: Onerous fines assessed by the City on small businesses have been cut in half, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin announced on July 31. Menin, who was formerly chair of Community Board 1 in Lower Manhattan, has been working assiduously to reduce fines as well as violations. Fines assessed have declined from $32.5 million to just over $15.7 million, and violations reduced from 19,409 to 11,923. "Reducing these fines is a bedrock of our effort to make it easier to open and operate a small business in New York City," said de Blasio. The City has expanded education programs for small businesses, with services offered in multiple languages, and has simplified City rules and compliance processes to help further reduce the regulatory burden and fines and violations on small businesses. Violations that don't cause immediate consumer harm are now dealt with by warnings, the number of counts per violation has been decreased and lower settlement amounts have been implemented. Consumer Affairs additionally issued 3,632 'curable violations' in 2014 - allowing businesses to correct first-time transgressions for many signage violations. These reductions were made while at the same time securing 70 percent more in restitution for consumers. The City has launched a new online tool to help businesses comply with New York City codes and regulations and avoid fines and violations by providing information on how the most common fines, tickets and citations issued to businesses in specific sectors. Business owners can access the online tool at on.nyc.gov/commonviolations. "Small businesses in our city are under pressure, and we need to work together to relieve that burden at every level of government," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. "Fines should be there to enforce the rules, not to extract huge sums from small business owners for City coffers." She said she would continue to work with Mayor de Blasio and City agencies on further reforms to help small businesses survive and thrive, "so the character and variety they bring to our city's streets isn't lost." "The Millennial Commune," New York Times, 7/31/15. An article in The New York Times describes "a handful of businesses that are renting rooms at a premium in exchange for access to amenities, a dormlike atmosphere and an instant community." Among the places described in the article is one in the South Street Seaport operated by Justin Gerstley, who is "renting out rooms in a six-bedroom, three-bath loft in the financial district." The article says that, "In 2008, he came across a raw 5,000-square-foot space near the South Street Seaport. He signed a five-year lease with the landlord, borrowed $60,000 from his father and renovated it, christening it the Loft. Mr. Gerstley, 30, a May graduate of New York University's Stern School of Business, has been renting out the rooms for seven years, charging up to $2,500 a month for a spacious bedroom with several windows. He declined to say how much he pays for the entire lease, although it is up for renewal in 2016 and the rent could rise." For the complete article, click here.
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Downtown bulletin board
SOUTH ST. SEAPORT MUSEUM BENEFIT CONCERT CANCELED; CHAMBERS ST. M20 BUS ROUTE RESTORED; AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT 1
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| Capt. Jonathan Boulware, executive director of the South Street Seaport Museum, speaking at Community Board 1's full board meeting on July 28.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Dock Rocks canceled: Dock Rocks, a "Party on the Piers," has been canceled. It was to have been held on Tuesday, Aug. 4, as the first major downtown benefit concert and VIP Boat Party in support of the South Street Seaport Museum with Grammy award- winning artists Duran Duran, Wyclef Jean, and special guests. The cancellation was attributed to "unforeseen logistical problems at the site." All tickets to Dock Rocks will be refunded at point of purchase. At Community Board 1's full board meeting on July 28, Capt. Jonathan Boulware, executive director of the South Street Seaport Museum, had described the upcoming concert as "a turning point for the museum." He could not be reached for comment on the cancelation, but said in a statement that "Our plan is to host an alternative fundraiser in the fall, that will include many of the same performances, as well as an opportunity to enjoy everything that the Seaport has to offer, while supporting the Museum that was so badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy. We thank our sponsors and partners within the city for their help in planning." M20 Bus route on Chambers Street: With the completion of the Chambers Street reconstruction project, beginning on Sunday, Aug. 2, the eastbound M20 bus route returns to Chambers Street. Reconstruction of Chambers Street started in the summer of 2010 with a budget of $24.4 million. The work was supposed to have been finished by the summer of 2013 but was delayed because of damage caused by Superstorm Sandy and unexpected gas line repairs, among other issues. Affordable housing in District 1: The Related Company will soon be marketing 22 affordable housing units at 456 Washington St. There will be five studio apartments, six one-bedroom apartments and 11 two-bedroom apartments, all designed to be affordable to households at 60 percent of the area median income. Current residents of the area represented by Community Board 1 will get preference for half of the units. An additional 5 percent of the apartments will be set aside for municipal employees. Five percent will go to applicants with mobility impairments and 2 percent will be for applicants with visual or hearing impairments. The program will be advertised as Bridge Land West LLC, with marketing slated to begin at the beginning of August. Applicants will be able to apply online at www.nyc.gov/housingconnect.
Get Low Tuesdays: The Downtown Alliance's "#GETLOW Tuesdays" continues through Sept. 1. The summer promotional campaign provides a 20 percent discount at nearly three dozen Lower Manhattan restaurants. In addition, participants who share the program using social media will be entered to win a four-day, three night trip to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Created by the Downtown Alliance, the program is driven by social media. Participants can utilize 11 social media platforms to spread the word about the campaign, using the hashtag #GETLOW. Available platforms include: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, Vine, Snapchat, Foursquare, Flickr, Pinterest and Tumblr. Participating restaurants are: 121 Fulton Street; Atrio Wine Bar | Restaurant; Barbalu Restaurant; Bavaria Bierhaus; Beckett's; Blackhound Bar; Church & Dey; Cowgirl SeaHorse; Da Claudio Ristorante & Salumeria; Dina Rata; The Dubliner; Felice 15 Gold Street; Financier Patisserie; Fresh Salt; GRK; Harry's Caf� and Steak; Industry Kitchen; Lonestar Empire; Lumpia Shack; Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina; Merchants River House; Nelson Blue; Pound & Pence; Ramen Burger; Red Hook Lobster Pound; St. George Tavern; Schnitz; Seaport Smorgasburg; Smorgas Chef; SouthwestNY Restaurant; Stone Street Tavern; and Watermark Bar & Lounge. The campaign is also receiving support from the Millennium Hilton and Hilton Amsterdam. To learn more, click here.
Downtown Post Portfolio: Downtown Post Portfolio is a regular feature in Downtown Post NYC, showcasing artists and photographers who live and/or work south of Canal Street or who create images (paintings, drawings, photographs) of Lower Manhattan. To have your work considered for publication in Downtown Post Portfolio, send up to seven high-resolution jpeg files attached to an email to editor@downtownpostnyc.com. (One of the photos should be a picture of you.) Several of these photos will be published in Downtown Post NYC, along with a short artist bio and a statement about the work submitted, including whether or not it is for sale and how to purchase it. Not all entries can be published. Copyright remains with the artist. Before publication, each contributor will be asked to sign a release stating that Downtown Post NYC has the right to publish the work in the emailed newsletter and in the Downtown Post archives, and that there is no payment.
Independence Day in Lower Manhattan photo gallery: The Independence Day celebration in  Lower Manhattan started on July 1 with the arrival of the Hermione at Pier 15 in the South Street Seaport. Hermione is a replica of the 18th-century frigate that brought the Marquis de Lafayette to the U.S. colonies in March/April of 1780. Also at Pier 15, El Gale�n, hosted parties and tours. It is a replica of a 16th-century Spanish ship such as Ponce de L�on would have sailed when he landed on the east coast of Florida 500 years ago. On July 4, there were fireworks over the East River. For photos of some of the Independence Day celebrations, click here.
Downtown Little League opening day photo gallery: The Downtown Little League kicked off its 2015 season on April 18. This year, there are just under 1,100 players on 81 teams. For photos of the opening day, click here. Whitney Museum of American Art photo gallery: The Whitney Museum of American Art at 99 Gansevoort St. opened to the public on May 1. For photographs of the Whitney Museum's new building and of its opening exhibition, click here. South Street Seaport Museum Opening Day: The South Street Seaport Museum opened its 2015 season on April 25 with events on Pier 16 and activities for kids and their families in the lobby of the museum's 12 Fulton St. building. For photographs of the museum's opening day, click here. Downtown Post Portfolio: Jay Fine: Jay Fine is a New York City fine-art photographer and photojournalist, based in Lower Manhattan whose work was featured in Downtown Post Portfolio ( DPNYC, 5/6/15). To see some more of Fine's work on the Downtown Post NYC website, click here.
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U.S. COAST GUARD CELEBRATES ITS 225TH ANNIVERSARY
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| The Coast Guard Cutter Eagle in San Francisco. The Eagle, a three-masted barque that carries square-rigged sails on the fore and main masts, is a Coast Guard training vessel. She is in New York harbor through Sunday, Aug. 2 to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Coast Guard. (Photo: Petty Officer Sherri Eng)
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This week marks the 225th anniversary of the founding of what is now the U.S. Coast Guard. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton believed that the coasts of the fledgling United States needed protection from pirates, smuggling, and foreign intrusions. When he recommended the creation of a "system of cutters," the U.S. Congress passed legislation forming the Revenue-Marine, the forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard. The Tariff Act was officially signed into law by Pres. George Washington at Federal Hall in New York City on Aug. 4, 1790. Hamilton oversaw its implementation. Today, the Coast Guard is one of the five U.S. armed forces. It has a history of life-saving missions, guarding U.S. coasts, and providing support during wartime. To commemorate the anniversary of the creation of the U.S. Coast Guard, a festival is being held through Aug. 4 in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, a three-masted sailing vessel and the only active commissioned sailing vessel in the U.S. maritime services, is in New York City for the festival. This historically significant ship is the most recent cutter to be called the Eagle, the name of one of the original 10 cutters commissioned by Alexander Hamilton. The Eagle is docked at 334 Furman St. in Brooklyn Bridge Park and is open for free public visitation from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2. The Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society will be walking over the Brooklyn Bridge to the park to tour the Eagle on Aug. 2. All are welcome to join the walk over the bridge. Meet at 1 p.m. at the benches closest to the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall subway stop (on the 4,5,6 lines). In addition, there will be festivities at Federal Hall, 26 Wall St., on Tuesday, Aug. 4 from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. At 10:45 a.m., the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Brass Quintet will be performing a short concert on the steps of Federal Hall. This will be immediately followed at 11 a.m. with a reenactment inside the rotunda signifying the moment that President George Washington signed the bill into law that officially created the Revenue-Marine, the forerunner to the Coast Guard. At 12:30 p.m., there will be a talk on the origins of the Coast Guard, and at 1:30 p.m., a presentation on how the Coast Guard Cutter 'Hamilton' (WPG-34) was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1942. All events are free.
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GOVERNORS ISLAND WEEKEND
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| | The Admiral's House on Governors Island is open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It was constructed in 1843 and modified in the 1880's. In December 1988, Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev met here with U.S. President Ronald Reagan to work out how to end the Cold War. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Governors Island is just 800 yards away from Manhattan, with historic forts, shady parkland, bicycle riding paths and cultural events. It is open daily through Sept. 27. Sunday, Aug. 2Events:OgoSport "So You Think You Can Play:" (Building 114 Lawn, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) Activities/Workshops:Dysfunctional Theatre Performance: "The Paper House" - a 2-D adventure house, where no matter your age, you can escape the grown-up world! (Building 8B, 12 p.m.-5 p.m.) Earth Matter - Come walk the goats! (Urban Farm, 12 p.m.-1 p.m.) Student Conservation Association: "Native Americans and Drastic Changes" Discussion (Dock 102, 11:30 a.m. and 2:30p.m.) All Weekend:Admirals House (Nolan Park: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) A.I.R. Gallery Summer Exhibitions (Building 5B, 12 p.m.-5 p.m.) Art Kibbutz (Building 6A: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) - SUNDAYS only! "The Art of Intuitive Photography" (Building 16: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.) Better Than Jam Handmade Gift Shop (Building 410A: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) Billion Oyster Project (Building 20A: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) Blazing Saddles: Bike and Surrey Rentals (Colonels Row: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.) Brooklyn ARTery (Building 10B: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) FIGMENT Mini Golf, Sculptures, and Treehouse (Parade Grounds: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.) Free Art Island Outpost: Children's Museum of the Arts (Building 14: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.) "The Gallery at Building 110" by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (Building 110: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.) GrowNYC's Teaching Garden (Urban Farm: 12 p.m.-4 p.m.) "Hidden Beneath Our Feet" Artifact Exhibit (Admirals House: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.) "The Holocenter's Summer Museum" by The Center for Holographic Art (Building 19A: 12 p.m.-6 p.m.) Imagination Playground (Lawn in front of 403: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.) International Center of Photography: "Picture This: New Orleans" (Building 19A, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.) "Laws of Attraction" Sculptors Guild (Building 15: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.) - CLOSED until August 8! M�-Math: The Mobile Unit to Promote Mathematical Thinking (Building 11: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) National Park Service ToursCastle Williams - every hour, tours are 30 minutes (11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) - available in Spanish (Saturdays 1 p.m.-3 p.m.) and Chinese (Sundays 1 p.m.-3 p.m.) interpretations! "An Island Star!" - every hour, tours are 30 minutes (11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) Get a Junior Ranger's Badge (10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) "Hike Through History" - meet at Soissons Landing, hike is 90 minutes (2:30 p.m.) Historic Weapons Demonstration - One hour cannon demonstrations (Front of Fort Jay: 2:30 p.m.) National Park Service Bookstore (Building 140: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) "New York Electronic Art Festival" by Harvestworks (Building 5A & 5B: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.) "Revolution: NYC & the War for Independence" by New York Historical Society (Building 18: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) Poet's House: "Children's Poetry & Art Exhibit" (Building 16, 12 p.m.-5 p.m.) The Prison Arts Coalition: "Insider Art" (Building 6A, 10:30 p.m.-6 p.m.) Sculptors Alliance: "Upcycle Journey" & "Speaking Volumes" (Building 20B, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.) "What's Happening on Governors Island?" (Building 110 Upper Level: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.) Food: * Guest Food Vendor at Kings Ave.: Valducci's - pizza, sandwiches and desserts * Both Liggett Terrace and Kings Ave. will be open * SI Caf� at Building 403 will be open this weekend * Beer is available at Little Evas in Liggett Terrace and at the Governors Beach Club * Governors Beach Club will be open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. with food vendors, bar, and D.J. during the day. Getting there: Ferries run from the Battery Maritime Terminal in Lower Manhattan all seven days and run from Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 6 on Saturdays, Sundays, Memorial Day and Labor Day. There is a $2 round trip fare for adults and children over the age of 12. There is no fare on 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. ferries from Manhattan on Saturdays and Sundays. There is also no fare on the 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. ferry from Brooklyn on Saturdays and Sundays. These ferries are free to all. For more information, click here
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COMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETING: August
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| Community Board 1's offices have moved to the Municipal Building at 1 Centre St.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
As of Monday, Aug. 3, Manhattan Community Board 1 will be located at 1 Centre St., Room 2202 North. The phone number is (212) 669-7970. The fax number is (212) 669-7899. The website is http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb1/html/home/home.shtml Email: Man01@cb.nyc.gov Community Board 1 does not meet during August except in the case of an emergency. The one exception is a meeting of the Landmarks Committee scheduled for Aug. 13. Aug. 13: Landmarks Committee - 6 p.m. Location: Community Board 1 - Conference Room, 1 Centre Street, Room 2201 North * 27 North Moore St., application for pergola and screen design - Resolution * 287 Broadway, application for fa�ade restoration and window and storefront replacement - Resolution
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CALENDAR: Weeks of July 26 and Aug. 3
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| The Coast Guard cutter Katherine Walker patrols New York harbor. This week is the 225th anniversary of the founding of what became the U.S. Coast Guard.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Aug. 2: The Museum of Jewish Heritage is presenting a "Speakers Series" during which museum visitors can hear from and talk with Holocaust survivors. On Aug. 2, Fay Brandwein, who was born in Pothamien, Poland, will be at the museum. In 1942, she and her family were taken from their hometown to the Brody Ghetto. They remained there until May 1943, when the Ghetto was liquidated. Fay, her mother, and brother were able to escape. From June 1943 until liberation in March 1944, they hid in the forest. Since her arrival in America, Fay has taught children and worked with the elderly in a nursing home as well as doing volunteer work in the community. Place: 36 Battery Place. Time: 1 p.m. Free with museum admission. For more information, click here. Aug. 4: The Revenue Cutter Service - now the U.S. Coast Guard - was founded on Aug. 4, 1790 by Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society (AHA Society) are observing the occasion at Federal Hall with music, re-enactments of the signing of the Coast Guard into existence, a presentation on "The Early History of the U.S. Coast Guard" and a presentation on how the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton was torpedoed and sunk on Jan. 29, 1942. Place: Federal Hall (at Broad and Wall Streets). Programs take place between 10:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. Free. For a detailed schedule, click here.
Aug. 4: The third in a four-part workshop on "Poetry and Meditation: A Resonant Relationship" takes place at Poets House. The workshop series began with basic instruction and exercises in meditation, and now is examining whether certain types of poetry can bring about similar experiences. Topics include how meditation and poetry can spring from daily-life experiences, yet transcend them; poetry as mantra; prayer as poetry and mantra, and the differences between meditation and prayer. The presenter, Nayana Tara Hein, has studied meditation with Sri Chinmoy since 1972 and is an organizer of the Sri Chinmoy Poetry Festival. Registration is required - space is limited. Text or call (347) 773-8369 to register. The fourth workshop will take place on Aug. 11. Place: 10 River Terrace. Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Free. Click here for more information. Aug. 6: A panel discussion called "The Politics of Preservation" at the Museum of the City of New York will explore the political forces that affect the implementation of the New York City Landmarks Law, ranging from property owners and developers to a wide range of advocacy groups and also including architects, media outlets, and government agencies. This program delves into the themes of the City Museum's exhibition "Saving Place: 50 Years of New York City Landmarks," on view through April 21, 2016. The panel includes Morris Adjmi, FAIA, Founder and Principal of Morris Adjmi Architects; Peg Breen, President, The New York Landmarks Conservancy; and Kenneth K. Fisher, Member, Cozen O'Connor. Robert Tierney, former chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, will serve as moderator. Place: 1220 Fifth Ave. (at 103rd Street). Time: 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $16; $12 (students and seniors); free for Museum members. For more information, click here. Aug. 9: Captain Mary's Story Hour aboard USCGC Lilac, a historic lighthouse tender docked at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park, launches with a reading of Maira Kalman's book "Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey." Join one of two free trips on board the fireboat, John J. Harvey, the hero of the book, either before the reading or afterward. Reservations are required for the boat rides since space is limited. Readings are at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Doors will open at 11 a.m. No registration required for the reading. The 10:30 a.m. boat trip departs Pier 66, North River (West 26th Street in Hudson River Park) and travels one way to Lilac. The book will be read on Lilac after arrival. Make your own way home after touring Lilac. Reservations for the 10:30 ride can be made by clicking here. The 12 p.m. trip on John J. Harvey leaves Lilac at noon after the reading at 11:30 a.m. for a one-hour trip, returning to Lilac. Reservations for the noon ride can be made by clicking here. Double bookings are not allowed. A $10 per person fee is needed to hold the reservation and refunded in cash when you board. No-shows do not receive a refund.
Ongoing through Aug. 9: In its 16th season, New York Classical Theatre is performing Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" in The Battery. All performances meet in front of Castle Clinton. Time: Tuesday to Sunday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free. No tickets required. For more information, click here.
Ongoing through Aug. 8: The annual Poets House showcase of all the poetry books and poetry-related texts published in the United States in the previous year is on display through Aug. 8, 2015. The publications come from over 650 commercial, university and independent presses. During the course of the exhibit, some poets will read from their work. Place: 10 River Terrace. Showcase is open during regular Poets House hours, Tuesdays to Saturdays. Free. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: Celebrate summer with a sail aboard the South Street Seaport Museum's historic schooner, Pioneer, and get a new perspective on New York City. Bring a picnic lunch or dinner, snack, beverage or dessert. Pioneer was built in 1885 as an iron-hulled sloop to carry cargo along the Delaware River and is the oldest ship regularly sailing in New York Harbor. For more information or to buy tickets, stop by the museum's Visitor Service Center at 12 Fulton St. or ask the Museum's Associates on Pier 16. Afternoon Sails: Tuesday-Friday 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets: $38; $28 (museum members); $32 (students and seniors); $20 (children 2 to 11 years old); $5 (children uner 2 years old). Sunset Sails: Tuesday-Sunday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets: $45; $35 (museum members); $25 (children 2 to 11 years old); $10 (children under 2 years old). For more information or to buy tickets, click here. Ongoing: Governors Island is open daily through Labor Day. For a calendar of events, click here.
Ongoing: The historic lighthouse tender, Lilac, berthed at Pier 25 near North Moore Street in Hudson River Park, is hosting a three-month exhibition of artwork through Aug. 15. It focuses on three themes inspired by the ship's story - "Steam," "Work + Labor" and "Restoration/Reinvention." The exhibition features the work of more than 25 artists, with several site-specific installations. Performances, artist talks, film screenings, readings, community activities and educational events accompany the exhibition. For more information about the Lilac, click here. For a video about the Lilac, click here. For more about the art series, click here.
Ongoing: "America in Circulation: A History of US Currency Featuring the Collection of Mark R. Shenkman," an exhibition at the Museum of American Finance, showcases around 250 rare examples of American paper money accompanied by large, interactive touch screen displays. From Colonial times, American money has told a fascinating story of the country's struggles and successes. Often local and national currencies competed and coexisted with each other, while economic depression, war and counterfeiting drove constant advances in design. The exhibition spans the period from the Colonial era to the present day. Highlights include rare examples of currency bearing the signatures of signers of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence; a complete set of notes from the Educational Series of 1896, renowned for being the most beautiful paper money in American history; and rare examples of high denomination notes including $5,000 and $10,000 bills. Through March 2018. To see an online version of the exhibition, click here. Place: 48 Wall St. Museum is open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $8; $5 (students and seniors); free (museum members and kids 6 and under). For more information, click here.
Ongoing: "Cer�mica de los Ancestros: Central America's Past Revealed" displays 155 ancient objects from the National Museum of the American Indian's rarely seen collections of Central American ceramics. The exhibition examines seven regions representing distinct Central American cultural areas that are today part of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, where Central America's first inhabitants lived. Dating back to 1000 B.C., the ceramics help tell the story of the innumerable achievements of these ancient civilizations, each with unique, sophisticated ways of life, value systems and arts. Through January 2017. Place: 1 Bowling Green. The National Museum of the American Indian is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursdays, until 8 p.m. Free. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The Museum of Jewish Heritage presents "Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism," an exhibition that explores the cultural context in which many Jewish �migr� architects and designers created a distinctly modern American design that still has wide appeal today. Walk-up tours will be offered on Sundays in May (except May 24) at 12 p.m. with no reservations necessary. Through January 2016. Place: 36 Battery Place. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The Skyscraper Museum's new exhibition, "Ten Tops," surveys all buildings in the world today, completed or under construction, that are 100 stories and taller. Of these 24 towers, the exhibition focuses on 10 (plus a few more), zooming in on their uppermost floors to see how they were designed and constructed. Through September 2015. Place: 39 Battery Place. Hours: Noon to 6 p.m., Wednesdays to Sundays. Admission: $5; $2.50 (students and seniors). For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The Woolworth Building was designed by Cass Gilbert to house the offices of the F. W. Woolworth Company and was the tallest building in the world from 1913 until 1930. With its ornamental gothic-style exterior, it dominated the New York City skyline and served as an icon of American ingenuity with state of the art steel construction, fireproofing and high-speed elevators and it was dubbed "the Cathedral of Commerce." The building is still privately owned and operated, and has long been closed to the public. Tours of its magnificent landmarked lobby featuring marble, mosaics, and murals have only recently been made available and can be taken for 30-minutes, 60-minutes or 90-minutes. Custom and Private tours for groups of 10 - 35 can also be arranged. Place: 233 Broadway. Various times. Tickets: $20, $30 and $45, depending on the length of the tour. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Ongoing: "Glittering World: Navajo Jewelry of the Yazzie Family" opened on Nov. 14 and continues through Jan. 10, 2016. The exhibit includes more than 300 examples of beautifully crafted jewelery, most of it made by the Yazzie family, with some from the National Museum of the American Indian's collection. Through a video, photographs and a handsome catalog, the exhibit shows how the jewelry expresses Navajo cultural values and way of life inspired by a majestic landscape of buttes, mesas and desert. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and on Thursdays until 8 p.m.; closed December 25. Admission is free.
Ongoing: "A Town Known as Auschwitz" is an exhibit of photographs at the Museum of Jewish Heritage tracing the history of a town called "Oswiecim" in what is now Poland, where Jews and non-Jews lived side by side for centuries. When German forces occupied the town in September 1939, they renamed it "Auschwitz" and established a concentration and death camp there. More than 1 million people died at Auschwitz, including 90 percent of the town's Jews. The museum is at 36 Battery Place. For information the exhibit, click here. For information on the museum's hours and admission fees, click here.
Ongoing: "Defining Lines: Maps from the 1700s and early 1800s" at the Fraunces Tavern Museum. Twenty-seven maps provide a perspective on the evolving nation's place in history. A map from 1804, never before exhibited, shows the U.S. postal routes. Place: 54 Pearl St. Time: Noon to 5 p.m., daily. Admission fees: $7; $4 (seniors, students with ID, children, 6 to 8 years old. Children, 5 and under, free. Active military with ID, free. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The National Museum of the American Indian is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission. It offers free films, docent-led tours of its exhibitions and tours of its premises, the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, designed by Cass Gilbert. The building, which was completed in 1907, is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One Bowling Green. Phone: (212) 514-3700. For the museum's calendar, click here.Ongoing: The lobby of the South Street Seaport Museum at 12 Fulton St. on Schermerhorn Row is open three days a week with interpretive displays and activities. Access to the museum's upstairs galleries is by appointment or for education programs only. For private tours of Schermerhorn Row and its old hotels, email info@seany.org. Lobby access: Fridays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer
All articles and photographs in Downtown Post NYC are copyrighted and
may not be reprinted or republished without written permission.
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