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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC 
 
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
 
 
Volume 2, No. 74  Nov. 13, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
NEW: Each article in Downtown Post NYC now has a link. Clicking on a link will take you directly to that article without having to scroll through the whole document.   
     
* Calendar: Weeks of Nov. 9 and Nov. 16
 
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MASTHEAD PHOTO: River House Medley, a party plate as served at Merchants River House in Battery Park City. Sept. 21, 2015. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) 





LMDCLMDC APPROVES FUNDS FOR WTC PERFORMING ARTS CENTER DESIGN AND FOR BRIDGE OVER WEST STREET AT WEST THAMES STREET 
In December 2012, pedestrian traffic managers were stationed on West Street at West Thames, where a pedestrian bridge will be built and has now been funded.
 (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Despite the demands and stresses of his ongoing trial for corruption, New York State Assemblyman Sheldon Silver issued a triumphant email on Nov. 12 to his constituents in the 65th Assembly District.

"I'm very pleased to share some very good news regarding two issues I've been working on for our Lower Manhattan community for several years," he wrote. "In the aftermath of the tragic 9/11 attack, it was agreed early on that the rebuilt World Trade Center site should include a new Performing Arts Center (PAC) for Lower Manhattan. The community has long expressed strong support for this project but it has faced years of delay and uncertainty. Today the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the PAC announced a plan for an 80,000 square foot arts center that has full City, State and private sector support."

The other project that Silver had worked on for years and that finally was funded was a new
As an indication of how long the West Thames Street bridge has been under discussion, on Oct. 6, 2009, Leticia Remauro, who was then in charge of public and community relations for the Battery Park City Authority, told Community Board 1's Battery Park City Committee that the proposed West Thames bridge over West Street had lost its funding and would not be built in the near future, as planned. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) 
pedestrian bridge for Battery Park City at West Thames Street to replace the Rector Street bridge, which was only supposed to be temporary.

"Today, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation approved the final funds needed to make the bridge a reality and construction is finally slated to begin in late winter," Silver said in his email.

As Silver noted, a performing arts center has been on the drawing boards for years with many iterations as to what it would look like, the tenancy, the cost and the governing structure.

At one point the projected cost ballooned to $400 million. The LMDC board of directors nixed that idea and asked PAC Inc., the non-profit entity that had been established in March 2014 to plan, design, develop and program the performing arts center, to see what it could do with a budget of $200 million for above-grade costs at Site 1B. At its meeting in July 2015, the LMDC board authorized $500,000 to fund this study.

Based on this study, LMDC has now authorized $10 million to fund further design work. This is to be matched by at least $10 million raised by PAC Inc. The total estimated design cost is $23 million.

The current plan is for two, or possibly three, theaters consisting of 600 and 200 seats or two theaters on the main floor with black box theaters above.

LMDC envisions a concept design to be delivered in May 2016 and a schematic design with a final set of plans, sections, elevations, preliminary specifications and an updated cost estimate for delivery in November 2016. That design will undergo further development with deliverables expected in July 2017. Final construction documents would be due in February 2018 and will be subject to LMDC review before funds are made available for construction.

This means, of course, that the World Trade Center performing arts center is still many years away. The West Thames Street bridge across West Street is more imminent. The bridge is to be built in collaboration with the Battery Park City Authority, which is putting up $7.5 million for the bridge in addition to the $20 million that is coming from LMDC funds. Of that $20 million, $2.8 million has already been spent for the design and pre-construction phase of the project.

Up to $1 million of the BPCA money will be used to take down the existing Rector Street bridge.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation is also involved in the project as co-administrator with the Battery Park City Authority.

All required design and environmental assessment work has now been completed so that construction can begin. Construction bid projects are now being prepared, with bids expected to be awarded by February 2016. After bids are awarded, EDC estimates that it will take 24 to 30 months to construct the bridge. It will span West Street from Joseph P. Ward Street on the east to Little West and West Thames Street on the west, with an elevator and access stairway at each end.

- Terese Loeb Kreuzer





FoodDowntown Post Food News
BREAKFAST AT BEAUBOURG; BRUNCH AT MIRAMAR; NEW MENU OFFERINGS AT MERCHANTS RIVER HOUSE; CHRISTMAS IN MALAYSIA AT MALAYSIAN KITCHEN

Television host and nutritionist Gina Keatley at Malaysian Kitchen in Battery Park City demonstrating how to make a Malaysian-style marinade for a Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

As has been generally acknowledged, Battery Park City is turning into a culinary hot spot, with more to come.

On Nov. 9, Beaubourg, the distingu� French restaurant in Le District, started serving breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. The menu features Les Oeufs (eggs, mon cher) prepared in a variety of ways (Benedict, Florentine, Norvegienne with smoked salmon, American he-man with steak [no, they don't call it that], and omelets) priced from $12 to $22. French toast, Belgian waffles, croissant au jambon (ham and cheese) and bagels with smoked salmon are also on the menu in addition to a variety of side dishes, pastries, fresh-squeezed juices, and of course, several kinds of coffee and tea. Address: 225 Liberty St. Phone: (212) 981-8588. Website: beaubourgnyc.com

It's been three weeks now since Miramar, the Mediterranean knock-off with water views of South Cove and the Hudson River, started serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A Mediterranean breakfast pizza with eggs, feta cheese, spinach, sundried tomatoes and onions costs $12. A Miramar omelet with salmon, shrimp and crabmeat is $17. There are a variety of other egg-based dishes priced from $13 to $17 plus "chocolate lover's pancakes" and "Red Velvet pancakes" ($13) and French toast and pancakes with fresh fruit ($12). Address: 21 South End Ave. Phone: (212) 964-3000. Miramar will deliver if you're feeling extra lazy on a weekend morning, but then you would miss the wonderful view.

Also on South End Avenue is Malaysian Kitchen, one of the few Malaysian restaurants in the United States. Kirby Tan, the owner, would like his country's cuisine and culture to be better known here, and with the help of the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation, has embarked on an ambitious project to familiarize American cooks with Malaysian spices, food products and recipes. On Nov. 7,  TV host and nutritionist, Gina Keatley, gave the first cooking demonstration at Malaysian Kitchen in what will be a month-long "road show" that will take her to several locations in New Jersey and will culminate on Dec. 5 with a gala event at Malaysian Kitchen in Battery Park City. At the kick-off for the road show, she demonstrated how to marinate and cook a "Spicy Malaysian Christmas turkey," prepared with garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, brown sugar, Chinese 5-spice powder, honey, lemons and oranges. She made the marinade from scratch but a facsimile of it can be purchased pre-packaged. Keatley stuffed her turkey with water spinach (available in Asian markets and in Chinatown.) The turkey turned out with a crisp, dark skin and a juicy inside that would have pleased both culinary traditionalists and adventurers. Address: 21 South End Ave. Phone: (212) 786-1888. Website: malaysiakitchenusa.com.  

And finally, the Merchants Hospitality restaurants in Battery Park City (Merchants River House and SouthwestNY) have been taking holiday party reservations for many weeks. At Merchants River House, a party plate called "River House Medley" ($35) is new to the menu this fall. It consists of chicken dumplings, zucchini sticks, vegetable spring rolls, jalape�o poppers and jumbo coconut shrimp with three kinds of sauces. One platter would be enough for eight people. Since the festive appearance of the Thanksgiving bird is still a few weeks away, diners might well enjoy the River House's turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables ($22), which is also new this fall. Address:  220 Liberty St. (facing the esplanade). Phone: (212) 432-1451. Website: merchantsriverhouse.com

- Terese Loeb Kreuzer    

Merchants River House in Battery Park City. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) 
 



Bits & Bytes
JetJET PACK VIEW OF STATUE OF LIBERTY; LOWER MANHATTAN RAPE;
TARGET COMING TO MURRAY STREET; SHAKE SHACK TO RAISE PRICES   
The Staten Island boat graveyard in Arthur Kill, with an osprey's nest in the foreground. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

"Spend 8 Marvelous Minutes Hovering Over This NYC Boat Graveyard," Gothamist, 11/11/15. "Staten Island's boat graveyard is a strangely beautiful thing to behold, which is typically only seen from sea level. But now we live an the era of drones," says Gothamist. "Chad Aaronson took this footage flying his drone over the watery grave in Arthur Kill - it's so vivid and crisp, showing every peeled paint detail, that it makes the whole scene even more surreal: In 1990s, the NY Times reported up to 200 boats in the the marine-salvage yard, from submarine chasers to tugboats, and some dating back to before WWI. It's unclear how many remain today." For the complete article, with video, click here.

"Man wanted in 3 attacks in 3 hours, raping 1 woman in Lower Manhattan,"
abc7ny.com, 11/13/15. According to ABC News, "Authorities are searching for a man they said attacked three women, including raping a 40-year-old woman during a robbery, all in Lower Manhattan Thursday morning. Starting before daybreak, police said a man had been trolling the area hunting for a woman to rape. In Chinatown, he followed a 33-year-old into her James Street apartment building and grabbed her, but she fought him off. Two hours later, on the Lower East Side, he followed a 24-year-old woman into her building, but she screamed and he fled. An hour after that he was at the Baruch Houses. At 9 a.m., he walked through an unlocked outside door and up the stairs where he encountered a 40-year-old mother as she entered her apartment. He pushed her in and raped her." For the complete article, click here.

"Target signs lease for lower Manhattan store,"
New York Post, 11/12/15. "Target has finally hit a bulls eye in lower Manhattan," says the New York Post. "The cheap chic retailer has signed a lease for 48,242 feet at 255 Greenwich St., with an entrance at the corner of Murray Street. The store is slated to open in October 2016, with 7,358 feet on the ground and 40,894 feet on the lower level of the property." The New York Post says that, "The downtown store will include a pharmacy, apparel, shoes, accessories, baby items, home goods, beauty products and food offerings, including grab-and-go section with sandwiches, salads, beverages and snacks, as well as Target Mobile." For the complete article, click here.

"TriBeCa: Not for Starving Artists,"
New York Times, 11/4/15. "Fast-growing and super-affluent, this Lower Manhattan neighborhood has many loft-style apartments in converted industrial buildings or in new towers that are rising," says The New York Times, describing Tribeca. "Though it is still comparatively low in density, with many buildings protected by landmark status, its sidewalks are often filled with stroller-pushing adults and scooter-racing children." The Times observes that, "Though TriBeCa started to revive soon after the devastation of 9/11, it really blossomed around 2008, many residents say, when a Whole Foods Market opened on the corner of Greenwich and Warren Streets. ... Around the same time, many new preschools sprang up, including the Jewish Community Project or JCP, one of the first, which opened in 2005. Then in 2009, Goldman Sachs opened its 43-story headquarters just west of TriBeCa, bringing in workers who wanted to live near their jobs." For the complete article, click here.

"Video: Guy Flies Around Statue of Liberty on a Jet Pack," Curbed.com, 11/10/15. "The New York Ferry is on a slippery slope towards oblivion now that a video flaunting a jet pack's maiden voyage over the harbor and around the Statue of Liberty is making the rounds," says Curbed.com. "First noted by The Verge, the jet pack is the work of the aptly-named start-up Jetpack Aviation who thought it'd be a good idea to demo their product near Lower Manhattan. These bad boys aren't up for grabs quite yet, but our bet is that when they are, the city will ban them faster than you can say d-r-o-n-e." For the complete article, with video, click here.

"With Fast Food Wages Rising, Shake Shack Will Raise Prices Again," Buzzfeed.com, 11/10/15. "Sales at burger chain Shake Shack have grown spectacularly so far in 2015, aided in no small part by higher prices. And in January, prices are set to rise yet again," says BuzzFeed. "With the minimum wage looking set to rise in more cities around the country over the next few years, Shake Shack is preparing to increase worker pay, CEO Randy Garutti told investors last week. The New York-based company plans to increase prices again at the beginning of 2016, likely a low single-digit percent hike. Wages are the biggest issue facing the fast food business. Shake Shack - which has 46 U.S. outlets - is among chains including Starbucks, Chipotle, and Panera that have increased prices this year as labor costs tick up. ... Shake Shack already pays its Washington, D.C., workers $12 an hour (the city's minimum wage is $10.50 and will rise to $11.50 in 2016) and its workers in Texas $11 an hour (the state minimum wage is $7.25)." There is a Shake Shack in Battery Park City at 215 Murray St. For the complete article, click here.


Bits & Bytes
SheldonTHE SHELDON SILVER TRIAL CONTINUES IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT  
Defense attorney Steven Molo cross examines Dr Robert Taub while Sheldon Silver, (seated far right) looks on. (� Elizabeth Williams)

"Sheldon Silver Was Paid for Referrals, Not Legal Work, Law Firm Leader Says at Trial," New York Times, 11/10/15. "The exact nature of Sheldon Silver's lucrative outside legal work had long been one of the best-kept secrets in New York politics," says The New York Times. "For years, Mr. Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, maintained that his law clients were just 'plain, ordinary, simple people,' but he offered little else about how he earned often hundreds of thousands of dollars a year while also serving as speaker of the State Assembly. On Tuesday, during Mr. Silver's political corruption trial in Federal District Court in Manhattan, that veil was lifted by lawyers from Weitz & Luxenberg, the firm where he worked for more than a decade. Mr. Silver performed no actual legal work, according to Gary R. Klein, the managing attorney at Weitz & Luxenberg; his income came instead from cases he referred to the firm." For the complete article, click here.

"Firm Leader Denies Expectation Silver Would Bring Benefits," New York Law Journal, 11/12/15. "Arthur Luxenberg, cofounder of the personal injury firm Weitz & Luxenberg, said Sheldon Silver spoke to him in 2010 about the decline in lucrative patient referrals he was getting from Dr. Robert Taub at Columbia Medical Center," the New York Law Journal reports. "Silver 'was unconcerned,' about the lone referral Taub made to the firm in 2010 after seven referrals the year before, Luxenberg said. '[Silver] expected the referrals to continue.' Luxenberg's testimony on Tuesday came on the fifth day of the assemblyman's trial for theft of honest services, extortion and money laundering that revolve around two principal schemes. The first, and largest, involves Silver sending two discretionary $250,000 health care grants to Taub's mesothelioma research at Columbia Mesothelioma Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital in 2005 and 2006, respectively. In return, Silver, at the height of his power during a 21-year run as Assembly speaker, received dozens of patient referrals from Taub to Weitz & Luxenberg that netted Silver $3.4 million in fees. The second alleged scheme is a real estate tax appeals fee referral arrangement involving major real estate developers that earned Silver around $700,000." For the complete article, click here.




Downtown bulletin board
FutureTHE FUTURE OF TRIBECA; TRIBECA GREENMARKET NEWS; EMERGING POETS FELLOWSHIP; TOUR DOWNTOWN'S LOST NEIGHBORHOOD
 The house at 94 Greenwich Street (at the corner of Rector Street ) dates from 1799 and is landmarked. The two houses next to it are of similar age. When these houses were built, this was one of the most prestigious places in New York City in which to live. Later, they were occupied by immigrants and were part of a neighborhood known as "Little Syria." The houses will be on a walking tour on Saturday, Nov. 14, called "Downtown's Lost Neighborhood." For more information, see below. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
An Information Session on the Future of Tribeca: On Nov. 17, Tribeca Trust is holding a meeting to discuss what can be done to influence Tribeca's future. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with "meeting and mingling" followed at 6:45 p.m. with a succession of speakers. They include Hal Bromm, advisor to Tribeca Trust: "The Effort to Expand Tribeca's Historic Districts: Where are we?;" Lynn Ellsworth, Tribeca Trust: "The Logic Behind Tribeca Trust's Position Paper on Zoning Reform;" Roger Byrom, Chair, CB1's Landmarks Committee: "How The Community Board has been trying to Protect Tribeca's Character;" and Kristin Theodos, #SAVENYC, "Why the Small Business Survival Act Matters." After a question and answer period, there will be another chance to mingle and refreshments. Place: Downtown Community Center, 120 Warren St. (between Greenwich and West Streets). Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, click here.

Stockings With Care:  Stockings with Care (SWC) was created 24 years ago by casting director (and Battery Park City resident) Rosalie Joseph and producer Tom Fontana to grant the gift wishes of children at the holiday time while preserving the dignity of parents and caregivers. The children make their wish lists, and social workers provide SWC with the name, gender and age of each child along with their wishes. Individual donors (aka "Santas"), corporations and an army of volunteers come together to purchase and wrap the gifts. They are then delivered anonymously to the parents before the holidays, ensuring dignity and creating holiday magic. Last year over 1,000 children woke up to a miracle on Christmas morning. Since its inception in 1992, over 40,000 children have benefited from Stockings with Care.

To raise money for Stockings with Care, New York's television and theatrical celebrities bartend at the annual "Stockings with Care Celebrity Bartending Night." This year, it will be on Monday, Nov. 16 at Hudson Station Bar and Grill (440 Ninth Ave. between 34th and 35th Streets) from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (You must be 21 or over to attend.)

There will also be a silent auction and raffle. All monies raised from this event will support Stockings with Care's 2015 Holiday Drive. A $30 cover will be charged in advance and $40 at the door and all tips raised by the celebrity bartenders will be donated to Stockings with Care. Tickets can be purchased for a further discount in advance via the Stockings with Care website at www.stockingswithcare.org or http://celebritybartending.brownpapertickets.com.

This year's Holiday Drive will take place the weekend of Dec. 10 to Dec. 13.

For more information about Stockings with Care or to sign up to be a "Santa," go to  www.stockingswithcare.org, Be A Santa or Donate. For additional information, email [email protected] or call (917) 991-5975.

Tribeca Greenmarket:  Prospect Hill Orchard is bringing a cider press to the Tribeca Greenmarket on Saturday, Nov. 14, and will be using it to press apples at the market. There will also be free samples of hot cider from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition, there will be Brussels sprouts and root vegetables for sale along with the usual assortment of apples, greens, vegetables, cheese, honey, fish, and grass-fed meat.  Next Saturday, Nov. 21, from noon to 1 p.m. is the last day for the Tribeca Greenmarket's Kids Reading Corner with the Battery Park City Library. The Tribeca Greenmarket is on Greenwich Street, just north of Chambers Street.

Emerging Poets Fellowship at Poets House: The Emerging Poets Fellowship is an annual opportunity for poets to receive guidance and instruction from a distinguished and diverse faculty and enter the next stage of their professional and artistic practice. Funded by a grant from the Jerome Foundation, this fellowship immerses poets in a 12-week program consisting of workshops and meetings that are reinforced by the inspiring environment here at Poets House, including our poetry library and unique archives as well as a diverse offering of readings and conversations by leading poets and scholars. The program includes weekly writing workshops, mentoring sessions, meetings with guest speakers, free access to Poets House's events and archival resources and culminates in a final group reading. Each participant will receive a $500 honorarium for their participation and a stipend of $100 to cover travel expenses. There may also be some funding to help participants pay childcare expenses. The application process is competitive; tuition is free to those accepted into the program. For more information about the program and required application materials, click here. The application deadline is Dec. 11, 2015.

The rink at Brookfield Place:
The ice skating rink at Brookfield Place will open on Nov. 22, weather permitting. Public skating hours are weekdays, 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and weekends from 10:15 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The rates are $15 (single session of 90 minutes); $5, skate rental; $200, individual season pass; $500, family of three season pass. Group rates, classes, private rentals and private lessons available. For more information, email [email protected], call (917) 391-8982 or click here

Affordable housing opportunity: The Related Management Company has announced that a building that it is currently constructing at 456 Washington St. in Tribeca will have 22 apartments for low-income residents. Half of these apartments will go to residents of Community Board 1. There will be five studio apartments for one person, six one-bedrooms for one or two people, and 11 two-bedrooms for two to four people. Rents range from $800 a month to $1,041. Annual household income requirements range from $28,800 a year to $51,780. To apply and for more information about this building, known as Bridge Land West, click here. Applications are due by Dec. 14, 2015.

Proposal for a new Statue of Liberty museum: The National Park Service is gathering public comments on a proposal to construct a new 20,000-square-foot museum on Liberty Island. The proposed museum would be located in the northwest portion of the island adjacent to the Administration Building and would be built in cooperation with the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation. A proposed temporary construction pier would also be constructed on the northern side of the island to facilitate the movement of construction materials to and from the island. After construction was finished, the pier would be dismantled and removed.

The purpose of the museum construction project would be to move the existing Statue of Liberty museum out of the Statue of Liberty's pedestal and into a new facility on the island. Recent life-safety upgrades at the Statue of Liberty have led to revised occupancy levels inside the monument. Currently, only about 20 percent of visitors to Liberty Island can explore the museum inside the Statue of Liberty and are required to reserve tickets in advance. The remaining visitors to the island are "grounds only."  While free audio tours add to their experience, there is limited space for visitors to sit or take shelter in foul weather. The new museum would provide a richer interpretive experience that would be available to all visitors, and provide indoor space for visitors during inclement weather.

Information about the proposal, including concept design renderings, is available on the project website. To see it, click here.

Comments will be taken throughout a 30-day public scoping period. During the scoping period, the public is invited to identify any issues or concerns they might have with the proposed project so that the National Park Service can consider them in preparing an environmental assessment (EA) for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments related to historic properties will also be gathered in order to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Section 106 is the process by which federal agencies take into account the effect of undertakings upon historic resources in or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Comments can be submitted online by clicking here no later than Dec. 9, 2015.

Downtown's Lost Neighborhood: Friends of the Lower West Side have been fighting for years to protect the last remnants of what was once the most ethnically diverse neighborhood in New York City. In 1917, a news article noted the presence of 27 nationalities on Lower Washington Street and in streets that paralleled and intersected it. But the construction of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in the 1940s and the World Trade Center in the 1960s destroyed this vibrant community.

On Saturday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m., the Friends of the Lower West Side are sponsoring a walking tour to explore what's left of this immigrant neighborhood and to raise money to fight for its preservation. This was once the heart of the Syrian Quarter, also called "Little Syria," the first major Arab settlement in the United States. Between the 1840s and the 1960s, Irish, German, an assortment of Middle Easterners and Slavic immigrants also lived there. Now, only a few authentic buildings remain. The tour will visit the former St. George Melkite Church, the Downtown Community House, some Federal-style townhouses and the few remaining tenements. Following the walking tour, there will be a reception. The tour will be led by Joe Svehlak, an urban historian, whose family lived on the Lower West Side in the early 1900s, and Esther Regelson, community activist and current resident.

Meet inside the Staten Island Ferry Terminal (South Ferry) at the bottom of the escalators, left side. A donation of $15 will help with the preservation efforts. RSVP to Joe at (718) 855-7374 or Esther at (212) 349-4396 or email [email protected].

Protecting birds: New York City is hazardous for birds. During migration seasons, corpses litter the ground around some skyscrapers because birds collide with the glass. In fact, over 900 million birds are killed every year by glass collisions. On Tuesday, Nov. 17, a panel of experts will talk about this problem and what can be done to address it. Hear Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Senior Member, Environmental Conservation Committee; Susan Elbin, Audubon Society, Director of Conservation and Science and Guy Maxwell, Partner, Ennead Architects. Place: The New School, 63 Fifth Ave., Room UL104. Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Free.

Music workshop series at Trinity Wall Street
: Trinity's music staff has been offering a  series of classes focusing on vocal skills, sight-reading, musicology, hymnology and more. The first session was on Oct. 8 to introduce the 2015-2016 season with a Q & A with Julian Wachner, Trinity's director of music and the arts. The final session is on Nov. 19: Healthy hymn singing: Vocal technique for the congregation - led by Thomas McCargar. Place: Trinity Church. Time: 6:15 p.m. Free.

Battery Park underpass closures: To facilitate post-Sandy restoration, full and partial overnight closures of the Battery Park Underpass will occur as follows:  Closures of the North Tube (FDR Drive to West Street) for conduit installation, standpipe work, and coring will be in effect through Friday morning, Nov. 20. The South Tube (West Street to FDR Drive) will be closed in the early morning on Saturday, Nov. 21.  (A previously announced closure of the South Tube on Saturday morning, November 14, has been cancelled.) Single-lane closures start at 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.  Full closures follow, lasting from midnight until 5 a.m.  Full closures are in effect on Saturday mornings from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. For more information, click here.

More free Wi-Fi in Lower Manhattan
: The Alliance for Downtown New York recently announced that more than one million square feet have been added to its free Wi-Fi network, bringing plans to provide access for the entire Lower Broadway corridor halfway to completion. In total, the Alliance now provides more than 3.7 million square feet of coverage throughout the district. The most recent addition to the network provides uninterrupted service on Broadway from the Battery to Trinity Church. The Downtown Alliance's network is free. For more information about the network, 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 [email protected]. (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.

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

SeaGlass Carousel: After 10 years of design and fundraising and a setback named "Sandy," the SeaGlass Carousel in The Battery opened on Aug. 19 to universal critical acclaim and rapturous crowds. Downtown Post NYC was there for the opening. Read about the carousel and see photos by clicking here. SeaGlass Carousel will remain open through Dec. 31, 2015 but will close during January and February, with a reopening in the spring.

Taste of the Seaport 2015: The 6th Annual Taste of the Seaport brought more people than ever to the South Street Seaport on Oct. 17 for a fund-raiser to benefit arts education at the Spruce Street and Peck Slip Schools. More than 40 neighborhood restaurants participated, doling out "tastes" to the hungry crowd. There were also activities for kids and cooking demonstrations. For photos of this year's Taste of the Seaport, click here.

Wavertree video: The South Street Seaport Museum's 1885 sailing ship, Wavertree, is currently at Caddell Drydock on Staten Island, where the ship is undergoing a $10.6 million refurbishment. The museum has created a video to show the progress of the overhaul. To see the video, click here.

CommunityCOMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETINGS: Week of Nov. 16   

"The Nomad" with book and lyrics by Elizabeth Swados and Erin Courtney, composed and directed by Swados, premiered at the Flea Theater in March 2015. On Nov. 16, Carol Ostrow, producing director of the Flea Theater, will make a presentation to Community Board 1's Tribeca Committee. (Photo: Courtesy of the Flea Theater) 

All Community Board 1 meetings are held in the Municipal Building, 1 Centre St., in CB1's Conference Room, Room 2202A-North, starting at 6 p.m. unless otherwise indicated. The public is welcome to attend and to comment. Bring photo ID to enter the building.   
 
Nov. 16: Tribeca Committee
* The Flea Theater. Update by Carol Ostrow, Producing Director
* Citi building and plaza renovations.  Update by John Krush, Managing Director, Citi Realty Services
* 86 Chambers St., application for HJBNYC LLC d/b/a Hank's Juicy Beef - Resolution 
* Tribeca Meet & Greet - Update by David Cleaver
* 78 Leonard St., application for restaurant liquor license for TriMasa Restaurant Partners LLC & Takayama Management LLC - Resolution 
* Temporary public art project in Capsouto Park - Presentation by Curtis Wallin, artist
* 156 Chambers St., application to transfer liquor license from 61 Warren St. to 156 Chambers St., Mariachi's Restaurant Corp. - Resolution
* Temporary public art project in Finn Square - Presentation by Tracy Causey, Causey Contemporary Gallery
* 413 Greenwich St., application for sidewalk cafe for Sweetgreen New York LLC,
d/b/a Sweetgreen Tribeca - Resolution
* HRPT Pier 26 - Update and possible resolution

The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
 * 165 Church St., application for renewal of wine and beer license for Sole Di Capri
 * 99 Hudson St., application for renewal of liquor license for Tamarind Tribeca  
* 75 Murray St., application for renewal of a liquor license for Caviarteria
 
Nov. 17: Seaport/Civic Center Committee   
* 42 Peck Slip, application for a liquor license for Paris Café LLC d/b/a Paris Café - Resolution 

Nov. 18: Executive Committee
* Committee reports

Nov. 19: CB 1 Monthly Meeting 
Location: PS 343 - The Peck Slip School at 1 Peck Slip. Time: 6 p.m.

Nov. 26: Office closed for Thanksgiving 



CalendarCALENDAR: Weeks of Nov. 9 and Nov. 16

GACE Consulting Engineers built this butterfly for the annual Canstruction competition at Brookfield Place. The butterfly consists of 5,362 tins of tuna and sardines. Canstruction is on view through Nov. 16 after which all of the canned food will be donated to City Harvest. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
  
Nov. 13: Canstruction, the annual pre-Thanksgiving exhibit of sculptures made from canned food, is now on view at Brookfield Place, in and around the Winter Garden, and runs through Nov. 16. Canstruction challenges teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to build sculptures made entirely out of unopened cans of food. The structures are placed on display and later donated to City Harvest for distribution to those in need. This year, there will also be cooking demonstrations by chefs from The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), who will demo  tastings created with canned food. Look for them on Nov. 12, from noon to 3 p.m. For more information about Canstruction, click here.

Nov. 14: The Municipal Art Society of New York is offering a tour called "When New York was Nieuw Amsterdam." It will show what's left of old Dutch New York. Where were the windmills, the canals, the first church, and the fort? Where did the girls go to do the laundry, and where did the boys go to graze the cattle? In conjunction with the Dutch Days celebration, join guide Joe Svehlak for a look at New York's Dutch roots in Downtown Manhattan over four centuries ago. Walking Downtown's old streets and the original shoreline, learn about the Dutch legacy of commerce and tolerance. Hear about the diverse immigrant population, the problems they faced, and the part they played in the foundation of our democratic society. Place: Meeting place is sent with ticket purchase. Time: 11 a.m. Tickets: $30; $20 (Municipal Art Society members). For more information and to buy tickets, click here.   

Nov. 19: The South Street Seaport Museum presents a walking tour entitled, "Hidden History of the Brooklyn Bridge." This iconic landmark and the virtual symbol of New York in the 19th century has secrets hidden deep within its granite towers, as well as within its 140-year-old history. Secret vaults, underground rooms filled with priceless drawings, a fortified (and amply provisioned) bomb shelter, undisclosed passages as well as some quirky and mostly forgotten construction techniques give the story of this structure a much richer and more interesting flavor than any other structure in the city. Place: Leaves from 12 Fulton St. Time: 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Tickets: $10; $8 (museum members); $5 (children). For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

Nov. 20: Traditionally, printers held a "wayzgoose" for their apprentices when daylight grew shorter and they had to print by candlelight. A wayzgoose was a celebration of their work and of the passing seasons. Join Master Printer Robert Warner and Resident Printer Rob Wilson for a celebratory evening of typographic excess and printmakerly merriment as Bowne Printers - part of the South Street Seaport Museum - welcomes the winter printing season. Place: Bowne Printers at 209 Water St. Time: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Free. For more information about Bowne Printers, click here.

Ongoing: The World Trade Gallery's show, "Emerging Artists from the Streets of Brooklyn,"  continues through Dec. 1. The gallery is open daily.  Place: 120 Broadway (entrance on Cedar Street). For more information about the World Trade Gallery, click here.

Ongoing: Work by Trevor Winkfield showcases his visionary contributions to the overall aesthetic of poetry publishing. Place: Poets House, 10 River Terrace in Battery Park City.  Exhibition will be on view through Jan. 10, 2016 during regular hours for Poets House. Free. For more information, 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.  Through Jan. 17, 2016. Place: 36 Battery Place. For more information, click here.

Ongoing: The Skyscraper Museum's 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 November 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 [email protected].
  
Buy tickets now: On Nov. 28, the Municipal Art Society of New York is offering a tour called "What's New in Lower Manhattan." Many high-profile projects are finally beginning to see the light of day in Lower Manhattan. With One World Trade Center now ruled the "tallest" building in the United States, Matt Postal will lead a tour of the immediate neighborhood, discussing new residential towers, Nicholas Grimshaw's Fulton Transit Hub, as well as the recently-opened concourse linking Santiago Calatrava's $5 billion PATH Station to a new entry pavilion at Brookfield Place (formerly the World Financial Center).  Place: Meeting place is sent with ticket purchase. Time: 11 a.m. Tickets: $30; $20 (Municipal Art Society members). For more information and to buy tickets, click here  
 

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Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer

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