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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC

News and Events
in Lower Manhattan

Volume 2, No. 65 Sept. 11, 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

Quote of the day:

"There was a flotilla here - a flotilla that had not been seen since the days of Dunkirk."
- Former Battery Park City Authority President Tim Carey describing the evacuation of Battery Park City on 9/11.

* New memorial in Battery Park City's South Cove honors BPCA and Parks Conservancy staff

* Bits & Bytes: Gault and Cude win District Leader posts; Southbridge Towers privatization final
* Events and commemorations for 9/11

* Downtown Bulletin Board: 'Rat Academy' for business owners; Lower Manhattan resiliency
* Community Board meetings: Week of Sept. 14

* Calendar: Week of Sept. 7

WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information, click here.

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ALTERNATE SIDE OF THE STREET PARKING: Alternate side parking (street cleaning) regulations will be suspended Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 for Rosh Hashanah. All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect.

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MASTHEAD PHOTO: A wreath made by Dana Anders for the unveiling of a plaque in South Cove honoring Battery Park City Authority and Battery Park City Parks Conservancy staff who cleaned up and restored Battery Park City after 9/11. Sept. 9, 2015. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

NEW MEMORIAL IN SOUTH COVE HONORS BATTERY PARK CITY AUTHORITY AND BPC PARKS CONSERVANCY STAFF FOR 9/11 WORK

Eric "T" Fleisher, director of horticulture for Battery Park City Parks, speaking in South Cove at a ceremony dedicating a plaque and "Circle of Remembrance" to honor Battery Park City Authority and BPC Parks staff who helped restore Battery Park City following the attack on 9/11. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Under the cedar trees that line the southern flank of Battery Park City's South Cove, a plaque has been set into the wall near a depiction of the Twin Towers embedded in the pavement. The installations honor the Battery Park City Parks and Authority employees who cleaned up Battery Park City after the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, "revitalizing our parks," as the plaque says, "and restoring our neighborhood to the refuge it is today."

On Sept. 9, in a quiet ceremony that brought together present employees of the BPCA and Battery Park City Parks with some who had worked there on 9/11, the plaque and "Circle of Remembrance" were unveiled.

"We are in many ways like soldiers returning to a battlefield," said Tim Carey, who was president of the Authority at that time. "I'll never forget what the esplanade looked like: the strollers, the shoes, the garbage left behind by people fleeing from downtown. People scared, not knowing what was

Tim Carey, former president of the Battery Park City Authority, talking with Eric "T" Fleisher, director of horticulture.

going to be next and it was the Battery Park City Parks and the Battery Park City Authority staff that made sure that they were calm, that they had water, and that they got on the boats safely. There was a flotilla here - a flotilla that had not been seen since the days of Dunkirk."

"On Sept. 11, staff worked tirelessly to evacuate the public from the parks system and downtown - everything from getting people out to helping set up triage units," said Eric "T" Fleisher, director of horticulture for BPC Parks. "Our Parks vehicles were the only ones that could get in through the obstacles, and of course, our staff, knowing the way to get in and out, helped to get equipment and firefighters in and out of the area. On the eve of that day, we were all completely exhausted and covered with dust and there were only four people who remained in Battery Park City: Tim [Carey], Bob Serpico, Tessa Huxley and Vince McGowan. The others of us were evacuated around four o'clock in the afternoon."

The four people mentioned by Fleisher stayed in Battery Park City for days. Three of them were at the plaque unveiling ceremony. Tessa Huxley, the former executive director of the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, who apparently was forced out of her position after 27 years of service, wasn't there. But she was remembered.

"After the initial attack, Bob Serpico and I and Tessa were trying to decide what to do next," said

Bob Serpico

Carey, "and what we tried to do was to keep all of our employees safe and keep them away from here until we could figure out what to do. But it only took a few days. The attack was on Tuesday and Tessa and the team started cleaning up on Thursday and the first place that they went was to the Police Memorial, which had a mountain of ash in it. Bob and I almost had a fist fight trying to get him to get out of here and go get some rest. I threatened to fire him at the time, as a matter of fact, if he wouldn't leave."

Fleisher, who had been evacuated to Jersey City, started calling BPCA and Parks employees, to tell them that if they wanted to help with the clean up, their assistance would be welcome. But, he told them, the work was voluntary and they would be paid in any case. Remarkably, 70 percent of the staff returned on Sept. 13. "I think it was the most representative moment of staff dedication that I've ever seen," said Fleisher.

He choked back tears as he continued, "A deep, heartfelt thank you to all my colleagues, my brothers and sisters in arms. This is a bond that we all have together. It can never be broken and it's honored in this commemoration."

Since 9/11, there have been serious health consequences for some of the BPC staff who cleaned up the park. This past year, Gary Satriano died from a 9/11-related cancer.

"Unfortunately, Gary is only the most recent example of the tremendous price that continues to be paid for such dedication," said Shari Hyman, president of the Battery Park City Authority. "We also remember and honor Parks' employees Maurice Smalls and Will Smyers and are mindful of our colleagues who currently are facing health challenges due to their time spent on site throughout the recovery period."

Hyman explained that the site of the memorial was selected by a committee of Parks and Authority

The Circle of Remembrance.

employees. "We suggested that the ceremony be in South Cove because, for several years after 9/11, we gathered here and formed a circle," said senior horticulturist, Jean Schwartz, who was on the committee. "We started in silence and then we went around the circle and people took turns for a couple of moments if they wanted to to remember and reflect on 9/11 and the months of clean up."

She indicated the stone circle and the image of the Twin Towers in the pavement beside her. "This Circle of Remembrance represents our annual gathering and how we stood together," she said. "This Circle of Remembrance reflects how we have come full circle. The parks are completely restored....Your bravery, your integrity and hard work are now set in stone."

- Terese Loeb Kreuzer

The plaque on the wall in South Cove.

Bits & Bytes

GAULT AND CUDE WIN; SOUTHBRIDGE TOWERS; WORLD TRADE CENTER CHURCH; WORLD TRADE CENTER STEEL; ELLIS ISLAND ARTIFACTS

Items removed from Ellis Island to protect them from Hurricane Sandy were returned on Sept. 10 and will be reinstalled beginning Sept. 16. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Gault and Cude win District Leader election: Voters in the 66th Assembly District, Part B, which extends from the South Village to the northern part of Battery Park City, elected Dennis Gault and Terri Cude on Sept. 10 to be District Leaders. They defeated incumbents Jean Grillo and John Scott. Gault garnered 611 votes to 348 votes cast for Scott. Cude also won by approximately two-thirds of the votes cast. Gault is a teacher who lives in Battery Park City, and Terri Cude is a business consultant who lives on Bleecker Street.

Southbridge Towers privatization is confirmed: On Sept. 10, the final approval came through from New York State to take Southbridge Towers' 1,651 co-op apartments out of the State-subsidized Mitchell-Lama program and make them available for sale at market rates. New stock certificates will be issued to shareholders so that Southbridge shareholders can trade their apartments on the open market. Said one shareholder, "I am bursting with joy!" Southbridge Towers, on the western flank of the South Street Seaport, has nine buildings. It opened in 1970 as middle-income housing. Tenants bought their apartments for as little as $5,000. Now the apartments are expected to bring a half a million and up.

Big party on Pier 26?: Over the past week, something large has been built on Pier 26 in Hudson River Park and

Pier 26 with party fittings.

rumor has it that it's for a Givenchy fashion show to be held on the evening of Sept. 11 starting at 6 p.m. Rumor also has it that the Cirque du Soleil will perform and that the crowd will be very tony and well heeled. Tickets for this shindig allegedly are going for $1,000 a head. We'll soon know if the tom-toms are correct.

"Landmarks Approves Tweaked Design For New Hotel At 456 Greenwich Street," New York YIMBY, 9/9/15. A proposal for a hotel planned for 456 Greenwich Street, sitting partly in the TriBeCa North Historic District went before the [Landmarks Preservation Commission] in early August, but the brick choice and square fenestrations didn't fly," says New York YIMBY. "So, the applicant was forced to come back." On Sept. 8, after the LPC's desired changes had been made, the application was approved. For the complete article, click here.

"Church, Rising at Trade Center Site, Will Glow Where Darkness Fell," New York Times, 9/9/15. "What is most amazing about the World Trade Center, 14 years after the terrorist attack, is that it is steadily growing less amazing," says The New York Times. "With the removal last year of fences around the National September 11 Memorial, the opening this summer of Greenwich Street to foot traffic and the arrival of office tenants at Tower 1 and Tower 4, the site feels as if it is being knitted back into the fabric of Lower Manhattan." However, The Times continues, for those who know the trade center's history, "there is something amazing to report: Construction has begun in earnest on the St. Nicholas National Shrine, a Greek Orthodox church and nondenominational bereavement center, designed by Santiago Calatrava, which will overlook the memorial. On Aug. 28, the first concrete was poured. This week, the formwork is in place for the base of the drum-shaped sanctuary. Construction is expected to take two years." For the complete article, click here.

"World Trade Center steel nearly gone," Crain's New York Business, 9/9/15. "In an airplane hangar at New York's Kennedy Airport, fewer than 30 pieces of steel remain from the debris

Remnants of the Twin Towers in a waterfront park in Weehawken, N.J. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

recovered after terrorists flew hijacked planes into the World Trade Center's twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001," says Crain's New York Business. "Even 14 years after the attacks, applications are still pending for the pieces of metal-mostly for memorials and museum exhibits-and some pieces found a new home as recently as last week in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida. Beginning in August 1968, builders used 200,000 tons of steel to build the World Trade Center complex, enough to raise the twin towers to heights of 1,362 feet (south tower) and 1,368 feet (north tower). Out of 1.8 million tons of debris removed from the site after the attacks, recovery workers collected 840 pieces of steel, some of which were cut up to make a total of 2,200 separate items. They ranged from 6-inch slabs to massive beams to the 7.5 tons the Navy used in the construction of the warship USS New York." For the complete article, click here.

"United ousts CEO amid Port Authority corruption probe," Crain's New York Business, 9/9/15. "United Continental Holdings Inc. ousted Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek and two of his lieutenants while federal investigators probe the airline's ties to the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey," says Crain's New York Business. "Mr. Smisek's abrupt exit Tuesday added a dramatic new element to the inquiry by U.S. prosecutors into whether ex-Port Authority chief David Samson got the carrier to restart a money-losing route to his weekend home in South Carolina in exchange for political favors. United dropped that service, once known as 'the chairman's flight,' days after Mr. Samson left the agency in 2014." Crain's notes that, "The agency, which oversees the New York area's major airports, has been under scrutiny after allies of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie closed traffic lanes at the George Washington Bridge." For the complete article, click here.

"Argentina native, 23, arrested after he tried to climb Brooklyn Bridge: police," Daily News, 9/3/15. "Cops cuffed an Argentine daredevil who tried to climb the cables on the Brooklyn Bridge," the Daily News reported. "Jorge Arredondo, 23, was facing trespassing and reckless endangerment charges after a cop assigned to the walkway on the historic span saw him in a restricted area scaling the main cable on the Brooklyn side about 8:45 p.m. Wednesday. He already circumvented one security gate on the cable used for bridge workers and was approaching the second gate when the officer called up to him and ordered him to come down. Arredondo, who is visiting the city from Argentina and was staying at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Tribeca, complied and was taken into custody. His arraignment was pending." For the complete article, click here.

Ellis Island artifacts: The National Park Service has announced that a major milestone in Ellis Island's recovery from Hurricane Sandy was reached on Sept. 10 when the museum's exhibit collection was returned to the island from a National Park Service museum storage facility in Maryland. The date marks the 25th anniversary week of the opening of the immigration museum on Ellis Island to the public.

Approximately half the museum's collection, comprised of over a million archival documents and thousands of artifacts, was removed after the storm to a museum storage facility in Landover, Md. Its return has been on hold so that a $39.4 million mechanical and electrical infrastructure project to move these critical systems above flood elevations could be completed. The new systems will be more efficient and provide more precise humidity controls in the museum. The project is part of a $53 million storm recovery package for the island.

Installation of the artifacts into the exhibits will begin on Sept. 16 after the collection has been inspected and inventoried. A team of National Park Service museum staff and volunteers from the metropolitan region will work to return approximately 2,000 artifacts to their pre-storm locations within the exhibits. Full restoration of exhibits is anticipated to be completed by early October

Lighthouse tender Lilac stars in a commercial: The U.S. Lighthouse Tender Lilac, which once called at the U.S. Lighthouse Service Depot in St. George, returned to Staten Island for the first time in at least 43 years on Sept. 8. to appear in a commercial celebrating the 1937 arrival of the Italian immigrant founders of Ragu. The commercial was shot at Caddell Dry Dock and Repair, where the South Street Seaport Museum's 1885 sailing ship Wavertree is currently being refurbished. Lilac was towed by Miller's Tug and Barge, Inc. based on Staten Island.

Assigned to the Fourth Lighthouse District, Lilac carried supplies to lighthouses and maintained buoys and other aids to navigation on the Delaware River from Trenton, N.J. south to Lewes, Del. When the ship needed maintenance or upgrades to equipment, she went to the Staten Island Depot, although the Depot primarily served the Third Lighthouse District, stretching from Sandy Hook up to Albany. Later, as lighthouses became automated, maintenance of local tenders was moved to the Coast Guard's shipyard in Curtis Bay, Md. and the depot on Staten Island was closed.

Lilac, the last steam-powered lighthouse tender in America, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is eligible to become a National Historic Landmark. Launched on May 26, 1933, she served the U.S. Lighthouse Service and then the U.S. Coast Guard until she was decommissioned in 1972. Lilac is currently being restored as a unique vehicle for maritime education and community activities and is berthed at Hudson River Park's Pier 25 in New York City. For more information, click here.

EVENTS AND COMMEMORATIONS FOR SEPT. 11

The National September 11 Memorial. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Sept. 11 at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum: On Sept. 11, a private ceremony was held on the Memorial plaza for 9/11 and 1993 family members. Family members read

Tribute in Lights. Sept. 9, 2015

the names of the victims and there were moments of silence. The ceremony was closed to the public. The 9/11 Memorial Museum is also closed to the public on Sept. 11, reopening on Sept. 12. Beginning at 3 p.m. on Sept. 11, the public will be able to visit the Memorial plaza. The Tribute in Light will be visible from the plaza and from elsewhere in Lower Manhattan that evening. Sidewalk closures on Sept. 11 will be as follows: Beginning at 5 a.m., the sidewalks immediately adjacent to the Memorial, including Greenwich Street between Liberty and Vesey Streets, Liberty Street between Greenwich and West Streets and the east side of West Street between Vesey and Liberty Streets will be closed. Parking will be unavailable on Liberty Street between Broadway and Greenwich Street and on Greenwich Street between Liberty and Rector Streets.

9/11 Commemoration at Manhattan Youth: On Sept. 11, Manhattan Youth will hold what has become an annual event to commemorate 9/11. "Join with your neighbors as we share memories, music by the Tribeca Chamber Players and refreshments by Chef David Bouley," says the announcement. "This year, we again wish to honor the memory of Rev. William Grant, who worked hand in hand with Manhattan Youth for many years to organize these events, and who did so much to help our community heal." At 7 p.m., there will be music followed by conversation and refreshments at 7:30 p.m. and more music at 8:15 p.m. To attend the event, a $5 donation to the 9/11 Memorial Museum is requested. Place: Downtown Community Center, 120 Warren St. To make a donation and reserve a ticket, click here. For more information, call (212) 766-1104 and dial O.

Sept. 12: Trinity Movement Choir will perform "Reconciliation," a special piece illuminating the events, emotions, and awakenings experienced by the nation on 9/11/2001. Originally performed for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, this half-hour performance takes dancers and the audience through the stages of shock and pain to a renewed connection with life and love. St. Paul's miraculously escaped damage on 9/11 and was used by volunteers at the World Trade Center site as a place to rest. People from all over the world left tokens of their thoughts, memories and grief at St. Paul's. Much of what they left is still there. Place: St. Paul's Chapel (Broadway and Fulton Street). Time: Noon. Free. For more information, click here.

Street closures on Sept. 11: The following streets in Manhattan will be closed on Sept. 11 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the 9/11 ceremony: Areas bounded by Vesey Street on the north; Rector on the south; Broadway on the east; West Street on the west; All inclusive Liberty Street, Albany Street and West Thames Street between West Street and South End Avenue; South End Avenue between Liberty Street and West Thames; Little West Street between West Thames and Battery Place; Areas bounded by Rector Street on the north; Battery Place on the south; Trinity Place/Greenwich Street on the east; West Street on the west.

Downtown bulletin board

MEETINGS ON LOWER MANHATTAN RESILIENCY PLANS; RAT ACADEMY FOR BUSINESS OWNERS; BPC BLOCK PARTY TABLES; INTERNSHIPS

Caroline Bragdon, a research scientist in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, explaining the habits of rats and how to control the rat population. A "rat academy" for business owners will take place on Sept. 16 at 1 Centre St.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

LMDC forum on how to spend remaining federal funds: Because of a settlement with Bovis Lend Lease for a fire at the World Trade Center site that killed two firemen, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) has $50 million to spend on projects in Lower Manhattan. The LMDC is holding a public forum on Sept. 17 to solicit input and ideas regarding potential projects to be supported with its remaining federal funds. Members of the public can share their ideas and comments with LMDC at this public forum either orally or in writing. Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Place: Fiterman Hall/Borough of Manhattan Community College, 245 Greenwich St. (Barclay Street - side entrance) 13th floor. New York, New York 10007. For more information, click here. In an article on July 24, 2015, ("Lower Manhattan Development Corp. submits project wish list for Downtown," theRealDeal.com, 7/24/15), The Real Deal said that LMDC already had some ideas about what to do with the money, including "completing the final leg of Hudson River Park and improving open spaces on Water Street, among other projects," but presumably public input will also factor into the decision and is not just pro forma.

City Hall resiliency update for Lower Manhattan: New York City is applying for funding as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC) to implement a comprehensive resiliency vision for Lower Manhattan. The City will use this opportunity to strengthen social and economic resiliency in climate-vulnerable communities, and to enhance the city's coastal defenses in response to the evolving risks associated with climate change and other 21st century threats. Lower Manhattan and its residents remain vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. The City's proposed project, "Protect and Connect," will focus on coastal resiliency in Lower Manhattan.

The proposed projects include: Coastal protection for Lower Manhattan south of Montgomery Street to Battery Park; Stormwater management for NYCHA campuses in the Lower East Side and Two Bridges; Resiliency upgrades for affordable housing developments in the Lower East Side and Two Bridges.

To explain more about these proposed projects, there was a public hearing on Sept. 10 at Southbridge Towers. There will be a second hearing on Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. at a location to be determined.

To view and comment on the City's draft application, go to www.nyc.gov/cdbg

Written comments can be mailed to Jessica Colon, Senior Policy Advisor, NYC Mayor's Office of Recovery and Resiliency, 253 Broadway, 10th floor, New York, NY 10007.

Comments can also be provided by contacting 311. For any questions, email nycresiliency@cityhall.nyc.gov

'Rat Academy' for business owners: On Sept. 16, business owners are invited to a free "rat academy" for training on safe and effective rodent mitigation techniques, preventive measures, and how to avoid Pest Control violations. The session will be led by Caroline Bragdon of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. All participants will be eligible to receive a voucher for a free, rodent-resistant garbage can. Place: 1 Centre St., 19th floor. Time: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP by noon on Tuesday, Sept. 15 to yteo@council.nyc.gov or call Yong Teo at (212) 587-3159. Businesses that are interested but can't make this date and time should email in case a second event is possible. The "rat academy" is sponsored by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Councilmember Margaret Chin, and co-sponsored by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York State Sen. Daniel Squadron, New York State Assemblyman Sheldon Silver and Community Boards 1, 2 and 3.

School crossing guard jobs: With the school year starting this month, the NYPD is accepting applications for 41 school crossing guard positions in Manhattan. These jobs offer regular hours and steady pay starting at $11.50 an hour. If weekly hours exceed 20 per week, benefits are included. Click here for more information.

Internships in Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer's office: Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer is looking for interns at either the undergraduate or graduate level. Prospective interns must be committed to connecting with and delivering for Manhattan's diverse neighborhoods, communities and constituents. Candidates should submit resumes and cover letters to Brian Lafferty, Special Projects Coordinator, at blafferty@manhattanbp.nyc.gov.

Battery Park City block party tables: The 14th annual Battery Park City block party is scheduled this year for Sept. 20, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the plaza next to North Cove Marina. If you want a table at the block party to promote your business or organization, contact Ava Garrett at avagarrett@hotmail.com. Tables cost $25 for businesses and are free to not-for-profit organizations and public schools. Battery Park City businesses and members of the Battery Park City Chamber get first preference.

Battery Park underpass closure: Due to planned maintenance, the south tube of the Battery Park underpass, from West Street to the FDR Drive, will be closed during the early morning hours from Tues., Aug. 25 through Sat., Sept. 12, except Labor Day weekend and Sept. 11. Closures will be from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday - Friday and 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Saturday. On Sept. 11, the north tube of the Battery Park underpass from the FDR Drive to West Street will be closed from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Consider alternate routes and allow for additional travel time. For more information, click here.

South Street Seaport Museum's Mini Mates program expands: The South Street Seaport Museum begins a new fall session of the Mini Mates program with an expanded schedule. Sessions will be held on Thursdays and Fridays from Sept. 10 to Nov. 20. The expanded schedule will allow more families to participate while keeping class size to no more than 12 students per class. Families can sign up for Thursdays and/or Fridays, as both days will offer the same program. This program, aimed at children ages 18 months to 4 years and their parents or caregivers, is designed to encourage adults to engage in fun and educational activities with their children under the guidance of a museum educator. Themes include holidays, the changing seasons, nature, and the Seaport neighborhood. Time: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Cost for one class per week, $275; $550 (for two classes per week). Drop-in Open Play, open to Mini Mates participants only, will be held on Wednesdays, Sept. 9-Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with a $100 additional optional fee for access to space during Open Play time. All Museum Family Members will receive a 10% discount. To reserve space in Mini Mates, email education@seany.org or call (212) 748-8753. Registration is now open.

Downtown Boathouse: Weekday evening kayaking at the Downtown Boathouse, Pier 26 in Hudson River Park (near North Moore Street), is over for the season but Saturday, Sunday and holiday kayaking continues. It runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through mid-October, weather permitting. For more information about the Downtown Boathouse, which is run by volunteers, click here.

Downtown Post Portfolio: Downtown Post Portfolio is a 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.

South Street Seaport Museum on Schermerhorn Row: To see photographs of some of the

In April, 2012, costumes made for a television miniseries on the Titanic were part of an exhibit about the Titanic at the South Street Seaport Museum. The exhibit included documents, mementos and photographs about the doomed ship never previously on public display. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

artifacts inside the South Street Seaport Museum's premises on Schermerhorn Row and photos of past exhibitions, 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.

COMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETINGS: Week of Sept. 14

The former Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank is being converted into apartments. On Sept. 10, CB1's Landmarks Committee discussed an application for modifications to the building including new windows in the east and west facades where iconic signage now appears. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Community Board 1's meetings take place in the Municipal Building, Conference Room 1, Centre Street, Room 2202A-North starting at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. All are welcome to attend. Bring photo ID to enter the building.

Sept. 16: Executive Committee
* Capital and Expense Budget Requests for FY 2017 - Resolution
* Citywide Ferry Service Draft Scope of Work for a Draft Environmental Impact Statement - Discussion and resolution
* Calendars for January-June 2016 - Discussion
* Committee reports

Sept. 17: Quality of Life Committee
* NYC Department of Transportation construction update
* WTC Health Program for Survivors - Update by Terry Miles, Executive Director
* Rats and garbage issues in CB1 - Discussion with City agencies and the Downtown Alliance

CALENDAR: Week of Sept. 7

There are still three weekends left to enjoy Governors Island before it closes for the season. For a ferry schedule, click here. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Sept. 12: The Tensegrity Model Workshop at the Skyscraper Museum introduces tensegrity to kids. Tensegrity is a structural principle based on compression and tension. In this hands-on workshop, kids will learn about the forces of tension and compression through a series of experiments. Kids will build their own tensegrity models while learning some history along the way. Ages 8-14. RSVP required. RSVP by calling (212) 945-6324. Place: 39 Battery Place. Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. For more information, click here.

Ongoing: Governors Island is open weekends through Sept. 27. On Sept. 12, the Vendy Awards will determine the best street food vendors in New York City while raising money for the Vendor Project. Twenty-five finalists will compete in five different categories: Vendy Cup/People's Choice, Rookie of the Year, Best of Market, A Special 2015 Category, and Best Dessert. These vendors bring their best dishes to the event and ticket holders sample delicious offerings from each vendor before voting for their favorites. Place: Colonel's Row. Time: 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Sept. 13, the Second Annual Governors Island Kite Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Play Lawn. For a calendar of Governors Island events and activities, click here.

Ongoing: "Spirits of the Passage: Stories of the Transatlantic Slave Trade" on the museum ship Lilac at Hudson River Park's Pier 25 discusses aspects of the maritime trade in African slaves combined with profiles of slaves, former slaves, abolitionists and others whose lives were touched by this global traffic. The exhibit was created by the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum (www.melfisher.org) in Key West, Fla. Lilac received key funding from the Sandy Hook Pilots' Association (www.sandyhookpilots.com) to bring this exhibit to New York. Through Sept. 27. The ship is open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and

Sundays. Lilac is the last steam-powered lighthouse tender in America and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Launched on May 26, 1933, she carried supplies to lighthouses and maintained buoys for the U.S. Lighthouse Service and then the U.S. Coast Guard until she was decommissioned in 1972. For more information about Lilac, 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: "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: Fraunces Tavern Museum's exhibition, "Lafayette," opened in May to complement the docking of the Marquis de Lafayette's replica ship, L'Hermione at the South Street Seaport over the July 4th weekend. It includes 20 items from the museum's collection such as Lafayette's calling card and the his sash, splashed with his blood from a wound sustained at the Battle of Brandywine. Through December 2016. 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. Lobby access: Fridays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For private tours of Schermerhorn Row and its old hotels, email info@seany.org.

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Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer

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