|
DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
|
|
|
|
Volume 3, No. 1 Jan. 8, 2016
|
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"AlliedBarton security personnel did nothing to help the children. They watched and even told one girl to calm down and stop yelling."
- Statement by the mother of a teen who, with a friend, was viciously attacked by a gang in Battery Park City on Dec. 19 and had to be hospitalized because of a fractured skull
WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information, click here. 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 12th-century "Play of Daniel" as performed by the Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) at Trinity Church. Jan. 2, 2016. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
 TEENAGERS 'VICIOUSLY ATTACKED' IN BATTERY PARK CITY NOT FAR FROM ALLIEDBARTON SECURITY GUARD WHO DIDN'T INTERVENE
|
| |
A security guard hired by AlliedBarton patrolling the Battery Park City esplanade on Dec. 25, 2015. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
On Dec. 19 around 10:22 p.m., two 16-year-old boys and two teenaged girls had just left Shake Shack on Murray Street and were walking toward the Battery Park City esplanade when they noticed they were being followed by a group of around 10 people (according to the NYPD) and were attacked.
The boys told the girls to keep walking as the attackers surrounded them. The attackers pounded the head of one of the boys into the pavement, causing him to go unconscious. The other boy was also wounded but less severely. The attackers stole the unconscious boy's wallet before they fled.
News about this attack didn't surface until Jan. 7, 2016, when Geoffrey Croft reported it in his blog, "A Walk in the Park." Croft is the founder of NYC Park Advocates, described as "a ."
Croft said that he interviewed the parents of the seriously injured teen and several witnesses who told him that "a newly hired AlliedBarton 'security ambassador' watched" the assault and did nothing.
The attack occurred one day after AlliedBarton, a private security firm, began patrolling Battery Park City. AlliedBarton was hired by the Battery Park City Authority, outraging many BPC residents, who didn't learn of this move until it was too late to effectively protest. As a private security firm, AlliedBarton personnel have no authority to issue summons or to make arrests - unlike the Parks Enforcement Patrol, which the BPCA has put on a month-to-month contract that expires on Jan. 31, 2016.
In describing the attack, the NYPD said that the more seriously injured victim was struck from behind, hitting his head on a concrete ledge and going unconscious. The young man's friend told Croft that four people kicked the unconscious teen while an AlliedBarton security guard "just stood there and watched."
Then, instead of calling the police, he called his supervisor who showed up and called 911.
As a result, around half an hour elapsed between the attack and the arrival of the NYPD and a medical team. The seriously injured young man had to be hospitalized for several days, with a skull fracture, blood clots in his brain and a swollen eye. His friend was also hospitalized, but more briefly.
So far, none of the attackers have been apprehended. The NYPD says that an investigation is "ongoing."
After the attack came to light on Jan. 7, the Battery Park City Authority issued a statement that said, "The AlliedBarton Battery Park City Ambassadors were the first to respond to the scene and contacted NYPD and EMT services as well as PEP immediately. PEP responded to the scene based on the notification by AlliedBarton. The First Precinct has an open case regarding the assault and we do not want to interfere with the investigation."
This account contradicts what was reported by the parents of the severely injured boy and by witnesses. The boy's mother issued a statement that said, "The girls ran to get help. AlliedBarton security personnel did nothing to help the children. They watched and even told one girl to calm down and stop yelling. He said it was just his second day on the job. She asked him to run with her to the spot where one boy lay unconscious but he refused and walked like he was strolling through the park. We are not sure he even called 911."
According to Croft, AlliedBarton has refused to discuss the incident or reveal if any disciplinary action has been taken against any of the "safety ambassadors."
"AlliedBarton is trying to conceal this and downplay it," said Joe Puleo, president of Local 983, DC 37, the union that represents the Parks Enforcement Patrol.
He said that partially explained why the attack did not immediately come to light.
- Terese Loeb Kreuzer
|
Downtown Post Arts
TRINITY WALL STREET'S TWELFTH NIGHT FESTIVAL INCLUDES THE HAUNTING 'PLAY OF DANIEL,' WRITTEN IN THE 12TH CENTURY
|
| | James Ruff as Daniel, Peter Walker as King Belshazzar and Jos� Lemos as King Darius appeared in the 12th-century "Play of Daniel" as performed by the Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) at Trinity Church. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
From the back of Trinity Church's long aisle, the plaintive sound of recorders, rebecs, lutes, a harp and a drum accompanied a solemn procession of actors and singers about to re-enact "The Play of Daniel." The play, an early form of opera that survived in a single manuscript dating from the 12th century, was for the second year, part of Trinity Wall Street's Twelfth Night Festival, which illuminated the days between Dec. 26 and Epiphany on Jan. 6 with a succession of liturgical music, old and new.
"The Play of Daniel" was performed by the Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS), an organization devoted to the promotion and advancement of early music in New York City.
Around eight hundred years ago, the youth of Beauvais in northern France first performed "The
|
| |
The one surviving manuscript for "The Play of Daniel" indicated pitches for the music, but not the rhythms.
|
Play of Daniel" in their cathedral during the Feast of Fools observed on January 1st. This was when, as Gene Murrow, executive director of GEMS explained, "everything went topsy turvy." On the Feast of Fools, the lowest level of clerics planned the liturgical observance and would have laced it with such pranks as bringing a real donkey into the church - a reference, perhaps, to Christ's having ridden a donkey into Jerusalem and his affinity with the humble, or maybe just for fun.
Probably most of the people in the audience at that time would have been unable to read, so the performance, complete with two kings, a wise queen, angels, villainous courtiers, two prophets and several lions, would have been a chance to impart an important Biblical story in an entertaining and sometimes humorous form.
The play has two parts. In the first scene, Daniel correctly and fearlessly interprets the writing that mysteriously appears on the Babylonian King Belshazzar's wall during a sacrilegious feast. "Mane Tekel Phares," Daniel tells the king, means that his reign will end and that his kingdom will be given to another. The scene concludes with the victorious arrival of the Persian King Darius, who sends Belshazzar into exile to be killed.
In the second scene, King Darius is tricked by his courtiers into enacting a law that only he should be worshipped. When Daniel quietly disobeys that law, worshipping his God, Darius is forced to condemn him to be thrown into the lion's den. But angels appear and save him, and in the end, the envious courtiers are devoured and Darius converts to the worship of Daniel's God.
This drama was created at a tumultuous time in Europe, when crusades, ostensibly for religious reasons but often for political gain, were a constant threat. It must have been a comfort to the people in the cathedral of Beauvais to believe in the power of God and his angels and to be encouraged to have faith that they, too, could be saved.
The players in the production at Trinity looked as though they could have stepped out of a medieval illuminated manuscript. They emerged like an apparition from the long-distant past, bringing the people of Beauvais to life again. At the end, the players disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived, singing a Te Deum, proclaiming their faith in the power of God and the divinity of Christ. Under the spell, the audience sat in silence for a few moments before it applauded.
- Terese Loeb Kreuzer
To see a video of "The Play of Daniel" as performed by the Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) at Trinity Wall Street, click here.
|
| |
In the 12th-century "Play of Daniel," the prophet Habakkuk brings a meal to Daniel, who has been thrown into the lion's den by King Darius.
|
|
BATTERY PARK CITY COUPLE OPENS A GREENWICH VILLAGE TEA SHOP FEATURING OOLONG TEA, DELICIOUS FOOD AND SERENITY
|
| | Elena Liao and Frederico Ribeiro, owners of Te Company, a shop at 163 W. 10th St. and purveyors of oolong tea from Taiwan. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
In December 2012, Battery Park City residents Elena Liao and Frederico Ribeiro started a little business called "T� Company," headquartered in their apartment. They sold oolong tea via the Internet and from time to time, at the New Amsterdam Market on South Street. For several years, T� Company was just part of their lives as they pursued other jobs - she in inventory planning and he as a chef at Per Se. But last year, they took the leap. On Oct. 23, 2015, they opened a tearoom at 163 W. 10th St. and T� Company became their full-time occupation. Their tearoom had a previous culinary history. It was formerly the site of Bonnie Slotnick's cookbook store, which drew cooking aficionados in search of out-of-print and antiquarian cookbooks. When Slotnick decamped for the Lower East Side, Liao and Ribeiro took the space and spent months fixing it up. Ribeiro, 31, was born in Portugal. Liao, 33, comes from Taiwan and grew up drinking oolong  tea. For her, oolong tea is a passion that reminds her of her childhood and her family. Several of the teas she sells come from Yilan County, home town of her parents, in the northeastern part of Taiwan, where rice fields abound and where mild temperatures and frequent fogs nurture the tea leaves.
"Oolong is a semi-oxidized tea, midway between green tea, which isn't oxidized, and black tea, which is completely oxidized," Liao explained. Although all tea except herbal tea comes from the same species - Camellia Sinensis - variations in where the tea is grown, plant varietals and how the tea is processed create huge differences in the final result. The processing of tea is complex and this is particularly true of oolong tea. For high-quality tea such as sold and served by T� Company, tea buds are harvested, often by hand, spread out in the sun to begin the oxidation process, and then brought indoors so the  preparation can be finished in a temperature-controlled environment. The last stage in the processing is to heat the tea buds to stop oxidation and to roll them in small batches to break up the fibrous structure of the leaves. Visitors to the tearoom can choose from more than 20 different kinds of oolong - some of them such as Royal Courtesan, Mountain Range and Oriental Beauty of the "everyday" variety and some of them, rare and special vintages. They can be accompanied by some of Ribeiro's expertly crafted pastries and snacks that include  flans, salads, muffins and pineapple linzer cookies. The snacks range in price from $3 to $12 and the tea, from $3 to $5.50 for a cup or from $6 to $9.50 for a pot. Tea tastings can be arranged by appointment at a cost of $32 per person for three kinds of tea (including two snacks) or $40 per person for five kinds of tea (including five snacks). T� Company is lodged in a late 19th-century tenement building with a fire escape but with some charming, Greenwich Village-worthy details such as columns next to the front door and carved swags under the windows. The tearoom itself is completely charming with serene white walls, tables and shelving of dark wood and a brewing station at the rear. A rack holds newspapers for patrons to read. There are fresh flowers on the tables. Jazz plays softly in the background. A large map of Taiwan on the wall enables Liao to show where oolong tea is grown. "It's hard not to curate this experience," said Liao. "It's not well known." But that isn't all - or mainly - what she wants T� Company's tearoom to be about. "I want it to be a hideaway," she said. "I want it to be a place where people can come to take a breather and get away from the stress of their day." - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
T� Company's tearoom is open from Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, or to make an appointment for a tea tasting, call (929) 335-3168 or email Info@te-nyc.com. In addition to tea and food available at the tearoom, T� Company sells packaged tea. It is available at the tearoom along with accessories such as handmade teapots and cups and tea filters. Packaged tea can also be ordered from T� Company's website, http://www.te-nyc.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bits & Bytes
CORBIN BUILDING AMONG 2015'S DESIGNATED LANDMARKS; COMMUTERS GET A TAX BREAK; 1 WORLD TRADE CENTER WEDDING
|
| | A law that went into effect on Jan. 1 gives many New York City commuters a tax break when they buy monthly transit passes. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
"What New York City Landmarks Were Designated In 2015?" New York YIMBY, 12/30/15. "This year marked the 50th anniversary of the New York City landmarks law, which empowered the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate landmarks and historic districts in the five boroughs," says New York YIMBY. In 2015, "Six individual landmarks and four historic districts were designated, adding up to protection for over 2,000 more structures." They included the Corbin Building at 11 John Street in the Financial District. "Built between 1888 and 1889, the eight- and nine-story building was designed by Francis Kimball, who also designed the Montauk Club in Park Slope." For the complete article, click here. City's Commuter Benefits Law is now in effect: Under a law, signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio on Oct. 20, 2014, employers with 20 or more full-time, non-union employees are now required to offer a commuter benefits program to employees, allowing them to contribute pre-tax income to purchase monthly transit passes. As a result, more than 450,000 additional city workers will be able to save up to $800 a year in annual expenses. Last month, the federal government permanently increased the Mass Transit Commuter Benefit to allow employees to use up to $255 of their pre-tax income per month for qualified transit expenses, up from the previous $130 cap - helping nearly one million New York region commuters save even more. This pre-tax money can be used for mass transit (MTA subway and bus, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak), eligible ferry, water taxi, vanpool and commuter bus services, and Access-A-Ride. Employers must comply by Jan. 1, 2016 or four weeks after an employee begins full-time work, whichever is later. The law also provides employers with a six-month grace period - from Jan. 1, 2016 until July 1, 2016 - before DCA may issue a notice of violation for failing to comply with the law. After July 1, 2016, employers will have an additional 90 days to cure violations before penalties are imposed. Employees can report noncompliance with DCA by emailing commuterbenefits@dca.nyc.gov or calling 311. Employers and employees can go to nyc.gov/CommuterBenefits or call 311 for more information in multiple languages, including who the law applies to, a flyer, FAQs and a model compliance form. "An Actress and an Agent: 'What Could Be a Better Match?'" New York Times, 12/31/15. When actress Haley Swindal, a granddaughter of the late George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees, married theatrical agent Jack Tantleff, they chose a dramatic setting for the wedding and the reception. "On a balmy Dec. 12, the couple were married on the 101st floor of One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan," says The New York Times. "Then 250 guests ascended to the 102nd floor, which had been transformed by white flowers and pine trees tipped in silver into a heavenly winter wonderland with the city twinkling far below." For the complete article, with photos, click here. "Planned 1,100-Foot, 86-Story Tower Will Rise at 45 Broad St.," Curbed.com, 1/6/16. "The last time we checked in with the vacant lot at 45 Broad Street, it had been sold to Robert Gladstone's Madison Equities and Italy-based Pizzarotti Group for a cool $86 million, with plans to develop a residential tower in place," says Curbed.com. "6sqft recently uncovered what appear to be preliminary renderings of the tower that will rise on the site, but Pizzarotti CEO Rance MacFarland recently confirmed more details about the building to Curbed-namely, that it will be a 1,100-foot-tall, 86-story tower, putting it among the ranks of New York City's supertalls." Groundbreaking should take place in the late fall of this year with 2018 as the estimated completion date for the building. For the complete article, click here.
|
|
REMEMBERING ALEXANDER HAMILTON ON HIS BIRTHDAY|
| | A statue of Alexander Hamilton is in the Museum of American Finance at 48 Wall St. The museum is housed in a building that formerly belonged to the Bank of New York, which Hamilton founded. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Alexander Hamilton, who is buried on the southern flank of Trinity Churchyard (facing Rector Street), was born on Jan. 11 - either in 1755 or 1757 - the year is in dispute. He was born on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean and came to the Colonies as an impecunious teenager after his mother had died and his father had deserted the family. From this difficult beginning, Hamilton became one of the founders of the United States through his brilliance as a writer and thinker, his courage as a soldier, his financial acuity and his perception of what the fledgling country would have to do to survive.
His accomplishments, large and small, were numerous. During the American Revolution, the young Hamilton was Gen. George Washington's aide-de-camp and after the United States was established, served as the first Secretary of the Treasury. He founded a predecessor of the U.S. Coast Guard and also founded the Bank of New York and the New York Post, the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A lawyer by training, he helped to frame the U.S. Constitution. A gifted writer, he was the author of most of "The Federalist Papers," which provided the philosophical and moral justification that persuaded the colonies to ratify the Constitution.
The anniversary of Hamilton's birth is being marked in several ways.
On Saturday, Jan. 9, at Hamilton Grange National Memorial in what is now west Harlem, Pooja Nair will give a presentation on the Manhattan Well Murder Trial in 1800. This is
|
| |
The family room in The Grange. The piano belonged to the Hamiltons. The rest of the furnishings are reproductions.
|
regarded as the first fully recorded murder trial in the United States. Hamilton teamed up with Aaron Burr, the man who later killed him in a duel, for the defense of Levi Weeks. Hamilton Grange was the only home ever owned by Hamilton. There will be a presentation about the history of the home, which Hamilton called his "sweet project," along with guided tours and open house tours, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Place: 414 W. 141st St. Time: 12 noon. Free. For more information, click here. At the Morris-Jumel mansion on Jan. 9, Dr. Thomas Oller, lecturer at Boston University and
|
| |
The Morris-Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights is Manhattan's oldest surviving house. It was built in 1765 and is now a museum. In 1832, Aaron Burr, who had killed Hamilton in a duel in 1804, married Stephen Jumel's widow, Eliza, in this house and lived with her here. She was one of the wealthiest women in New York. She divorced Burr in 1836, shortly before his death.
|
previously at Harvard, will present the first part of a two-part lecture series sponsored by the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society. Entitled "Hamilton and Jefferson: Competing Visions for America," his talk will explore the different philosophies of these two Founding Fathers and what they envisioned the newly formed United States should become. Place: 65 Jumel Terrace. Time: 3 p.m. Tickets: $15; $10 (members of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society and Morris-Jumel Mansion members). To reserve a ticket, call (212) 923-8008 or email visitorservices@morrisjumel.org. On Monday, Jan. 11, Federal Hall National Memorial will host Dr. Thomas Oller (see above) in the talk "From Colleagues to Rivals: Hamilton and Jefferson in Washington's Cabinet and Beyond." Federal Hall National Memorial at what is now the junction of Wall, Nassau and Broad Streets, was the location of the seat of the new federal government for 17 months in 1789-1790. After the lecture, a birthday cake will be cut and served. Place: Federal Hall, 26 Wall St. Time: 11 a.m. Free. For more information, click here. In honor of Hamilton, on Jan. 11 the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society will lay a wreath on his grave at Trinity Church and say a blessing. The U.S. Coast Guard Color Guard from Sector New York will present the colors, sing the national anthem and play taps. Place: Trinity Churchyard (entrance is on Broadway at Wall Street). Time: 1 p.m. Free. Following the wreath-laying, Dr. Stephen Knott, author of "Alexander Hamilton and the Persistence of Myth," will speak about his latest book, co-authored with Tony Williams. Called "Washington and Hamilton: The Alliance That Forged America," it explores the 22-year-long partnership between Washington and Hamilton. The talk will be given inside Trinity Church. Time: 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Free. - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
|
| |
Alexander Hamilton's tomb in Trinity churchyard.
|
|
Downtown bulletin board
NEW YORK HARBOR ECOCRUISES; COMMUNITY BOARD APPLICATIONS OPEN; LMCC OFFERING WORKSPACE FOR ARTISTS; SANDY LOANS
|
| | A harbor seal near Swinburne Island (between Staten Island and Brooklyn). On Jan. 17, New York City Audubon in collaboration with New York Water Taxi begins its winter series of EcoCruises to see seals and birds that visit New York harbor only in the winter. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
New York City Audubon Winter EcoCruise: At this time of year, seals return to New York harbor and birds come down from the Arctic to winter in New York City. The New York City Audubon Society offers wildlife-watching cruises aboard New York Water Taxi every Sunday starting Jan. 17 and ending on March 13. They leave from Pier 16 in the South Street Seaport and cost $35 (adults) and $25 (children). Discounted family packs are available. For more information and to buy tickets, click here. For an article from Downtown Post about Audubon's winter EcoCruises, click here.
LMCC offering Workspace for artists: Workspace is a nine-month studio residency program for emerging artists working in all disciplines. The program, sponsored by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), offers 25 to 30 artists free, dedicated studio space to create and develop their work and practice. It also provides artists a chance to engage with peers and arts professionals, present their work to the public, and participate in career-advancement opportunities. The residency runs from September 2016 to May 2017. The application deadline is Thursday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. On Thursday, Jan. 21, LMCC is holding an information session for Workspace where artists will have the opportunity to hear more about the program from LMCC staff and ask questions about what makes a competitive application. To RSVP for Jan. 21, 2016 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., click here. The session will be held in LMCC's Studios at 28 Liberty St. (between William and Nassau Streets) For more information, call (212) 219-9401 or email workspaceapp@lmcc.net.
Small Business Administration reopens Sandy disaster loan application process: New York businesses and residents affected by Superstorm Sandy from Oct. 27 through Nov. 8, 2012 have more time to request low-interest disaster loans, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced. The new deadline to submit applications for physical damage and economic injury losses is Dec. 1, 2016. SBA's customer service representatives are available at Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in each of the Sandy-affected counties to answer questions and help individuals complete their applications. New York County's outreach center is at the NYC Business Solutions Center, 110 Williams St., and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Applications are available online using the Electronic Loan Application via the SBA's website, by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955, or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications are also available. Completed applications should be submitted by Dec. 1, 2016.
Brewer's office accepting capital funding applications: The office of Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer is accepting capital funding applications from schools, cultural institutions and nonprofits for Fiscal Year 2017. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 12. In FY 2016, Brewer's office awarded $30 million for Manhattan capital projects. Representatives of organizations interested in applying for capital funding grants should schedule a meeting with staff from the Borough President's office. Email budget@manhattanbp.nyc.gov. For more information on eligibility, click here. Friday nights at the Whitney: From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays, admission to the Whitney Museum of American Art at 99 Gansevoort St. is now "pay what you wish." The reduced admission charge has been made possible by a gift from The Donald and Barbara Zucker Family Foundation. Tickets usually cost $22 for adults and $18 for seniors. They are free to members and to visitors under 18. Current exhibitions include a Frank Stella retrospective and a show of the paintings of Archibald John Motley Jr. (1891-1981), who first came to prominence in the 1920s during the early days of the Harlem Renaissance. The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875−1942), houses the foremost collection of American art from the 20th and 21st centuries. For more information, click here. Open auditions for Downtown Voices: Are you interested in singing alongside members of the Grammy�-nominated Choir of Trinity Wall Street? Trinity is looking for experienced volunteer singers to join Downtown Voices, a newly formed choir bringing together the finest professional and non-professional singers in the New York metro area. The choir rehearses once a week and is directed by Stephen Sands. Spring performances include works by Beethoven, Alberto Ginastera, and James MacMillan. Audition date: Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. Place: Trinity Church choir room (Broadway at Wall Street). Time: Slots open starting at 11 a.m. For more information including audition requirements, click here. Community Board applications open: The Manhattan Borough President's office is currently accepting applications for Community Board membership. Community Boards represent their neighborhoods on crucial issues including real estate development and land use, historic preservation and even liquor licenses. There are 12 Community Boards in Manhattan and 59 citywide. "Right now Manhattan's Community Boards are in the center of a debate over the most ambitious rezoning proposals in a generation," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. "Community Boards may be New York City's most grassroots level of government, but they are deeply involved in some of our city's biggest policy questions. If you want to make a difference on anything from investment in our parks and public spaces, to determining the future of our city's skyline and streetscape, Community Boards are the place to start." Community Board members are appointed to staggered two-year terms by the Manhattan Borough President, with half selected solely by the Borough President and half nominated by the City Council members representing each Community Board district. Since taking office, Brewer has enhanced the selection process by introducing online applications and a robust review process that includes group interviews with discussion and problem-solving components. Community Board selections for 2016 will be announced in late March. Although each Community Board has a small, paid administrative staff, Community Board members are volunteers. If you would like to join your Community Board, fill out the online application by Jan. 29, 2016 at 5 p.m. After submission, you will be contacted regarding the next steps in the screening and interview process. For more information about Manhattan's 12 Community Boards, go to Manhattan Borough President Brewer's website or email Paola Liriano. For the online application, click here. For Manhattan Borough President Brewer's website, click here.
The rink at Brookfield Place: The ice skating rink at Brookfield Place is offering free skating classes on Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. Register for a one-time free class at http://www.gpice.com.Also on Jan. 9, there will be performances by regional, national and international skaters starting at 11:30 a.m. 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 info@eduskating.com, call (917) 391-8982 or 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.
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. Gracie Mansion: Artifacts and Tours: Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City's mayors at 88th Street and East End Avenue, was built in 1799 as a country retreat for financier Archibald Gracie and his family. At the time, the gracious, Federal-style house was five miles outside the city limits - and at that time, the city limits would have meant what we now call "Lower Manhattan." A recently installed exhibit of paintings, sculptures and documents called "Windows on the City: Looking Out at Gracie's New York" sheds light on what our neighborhood was like at the turn
|
| | A portrait of Pierre Toussaint by Meucci hangs in Gracie Mansion. In 1787, Toussaint came to New York City as a slave. Subsequently, he obtained his freedom and became a philanthropist. |
of the 19th century. Slavery was still legal, and there was a slave market at the foot of Wall Street. Clipper ships plied the harbor, taking cargo in some cases to and from Asia - a recently opened market. The streets were noisy with the raucous calls of vendors selling oysters, ice, charcoal, milk and many other goods and services. Immigrants began to arrive in greater numbers, many of them living in crowded tenements and working at monotonous, low-paying jobs. The city, already diverse from the time of the Dutch settlers in the early 17th century, became even more so. For more about Gracie Mansion and to see photographs, click here. Free tours are available on Jan. 5, 12, 19 and 26 and Feb. 2, 9 and 16. To register for a tour, 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 is currently open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. "Crowds are still coming, but wait time is typically minimal," according to a spokesperson for the Battery Conservancy. "The line is rarely longer than 15 minutes." Due to popular demand, the Battery Conservancy has extended operating hours for SeaGlass Carousel. In January and February, SeaGlass will be open on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., weather permitting. SeaGlass will also be open on Monday, Jan. 18 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), and Presidents' Week, Feb. 15-19. For updates on changes to operating hours, follow The Battery Conservancy on Twitter and Facebook. Admission to SeaGlass Carousel is $5 per ride. Access to The Battery is free and open to the public. 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. Downtown Post NYC photos for sale: If would like to buy prints of a photograph that has appeared in Downtown Post NYC, email editor@downtownpostnyc.com with your request for more information about sizes and prices.
|
COMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETINGS: Weeks of Jan. 4 and Jan. 11
|
| | Dennis Mehiel presiding at the Battery Park City Authority meeting on Jan. 22, 2015 at which the BPCA announced that it was awarding a 10-year management contract for North Cove Marina to Brookfield Properties. Only one member of the BPCA board lives in Battery Park City despite repeated efforts on the part of the community and elected officials to get more local representation on the board. This was discussed at CB1's Battery Park City Committee meeting on Jan. 5 and a resolution was drafted to be presented to Gov. Andrew Cuomo requesting that a majority of the vacant seats on the BPCA board of directors be filled by Battery Park City residents. In the photograph above, Frank Branchini, who has homes in New Jersey and Florida, participated in the meeting via video. He has recently resigned from the BPCA board, leaving it with two vacant seats and three members whose terms have expired. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Community Board 1 meetings take place in the Municipal Building, 1 Centre St., Room 2202A-North, starting at 6 p.m. unless otherwise indicated. Bring photo ID to enter the building.
Jan. 5: Battery Park City Committee
* Asphalt Green - Update by Bryan Beary, Director
* Battery Park City Authority Board composition - Discussion and resolution
* 225 Liberty St., Store 245A, application for upgrade from wine and beer to liquor license for Tartinery Liberty LLC at 225 Liberty Street - Resolution
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 28 West Street, renewal application for a sidewalk café license for Osteria Casano
LLC
* 259 Vesey Street, application for renewal of a sidewalk cafe license for the El Vez
* 30 West Street-North Store, renewal of application for a restaurant wine and beer
license for Café Casano LLC d/b/a Inatteso Caffe Cassano
Jan. 6: Financial District Committee
* Traffic noise and congestion in Hanover Square area - Discussion with Andrew Heaton, Director of Operations, Cipriani and Joel Nunez, Deutsche Bank
* Proposal for Water Street Pilot Bike Lane - Resolution
* 195 Notice of Intent to Acquire Office Space, Department of Citywide Administrative Services/Department of Youth and Community Development, 123 William St. - Presentation by Chris Fleming, DCAS & possible resolution
* Downtown Independent Democrats Festival street activity permit application for Liberty Street between Broadway and Church Street, Sunday, July 24, 2016 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Resolution
* Coenties Slip Greenmarket street activity permit application for Coenties Slip between Water Street and Pearl Street, Thursday, June 2, 2016 6:00 am to Thursday, Nov. 16, 2016 7 p.m. - Resolution
* 225 Liberty St., 6th Floor, application for a liquor license for Restaurant Associates, Inc. - Resolution
* 25 John St., application for a beer license for New Toasties Deli, Inc. - Resolution
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 75 Maiden Lane, application for renewal of a liquor license for ML Rest. Inc.
* 1 Wall Street, application for renewal of a liquor license for Maletona Corp d/b/a
Fino Ristorante
Jan. 11: Personnel Committee - 5 p.m.
* Agenda to be determined
Jan. 11: Planning Committee - 6 p.m.
* World Trade Center - Update by Glenn Guzi, Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey
* Neighborhoods.nyc - Presentation by Margie Weinstein, Strategy and Innovation Fellow,
Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
Jan. 12: Youth & Education Committee
* 75 Morton Street - Follow-up discussion
*Borough President Seminars on Mental Health in Our Schools and Reso A Borough President Funding Grants - Report
* Removal of Food Carts Which Created Safety Hazards at PS 234 - Follow-up discussion
* Future of the School Overcrowding Task Force - Continued discussion and possible
resolution
* Gehry Parking Garage Concerns - Discussion
* Free After School Programs - Discussion
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 Annual Report
Jan. 13: Tribeca Committee
* 225 West Broadway, application for tavern liquor license for C. Rendell on behalf of an
entity to be determined - Resolution
* 86 Chambers Street, application for HJBNYC LLC d/b/a Hank's Juicy Beef - Resolution
* 184 Duane Street, Street Seats installation at Laughing Man Coffee - Update by David
Steingard, Laughing Man Coffee - Resolution
* 67 Murray St., request for extended hours for Kinjo Inc. d/b/a Gunbae - Possible resolution
* 111 Murray St., request for permission to start work on Saturdays at 8 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. - Presentation by Donato Vinciguerra, Plaza Construction and possible resolution
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 281 Broadway, application for renewal of a liquor license for Chipotle Mexican Grill
of Colorado, LLC d/b/a Chipotle Mexican Grill
* 81 West Broadway aka 60 Warren Street, application for renewal of wine and beer
license PQ Tribeca Inc., d/b/a Le Pain Quotidien
* 105 Reade St., application for renewal of liquor license for Sazon
* 59 Warren St., application for renewal of liquor license for Garanga Corp. d/b/a
Raccoon Lodge
* 285 West Broadway, application for renewal of a liquor license for Haus
Jan. 14: Landmarks Committee
* 79 Chambers St., application for new storefront - Resolution
* 1 Wall Street, application for creation of new windows and doors and window
replacement, rooftop addition on lower setback floors along Broadway and rooftop
mechanical enclosure - Resolution
* 13 Worth St., application for vertical enlargement of existing lot line windows -
Resolution
* 72 Reade St., application for façade restoration, storefront replacement and new
windows - Resolution
* 11 Hubert St., application for additions to existing building - Resolution
* 385 Greenwich St., application for new storefront, signage, awnings and lighting, and
new and altered door and window openings - Resolution
* 90 Franklin St., application for window replacement - Resolution
* 108-110 Franklin St., application for removal of rear yard extension - Resolution
* Peck Slip Design Concepts - Presentation by Jason Friedman
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
Jan. 14: Street Fair Task Force Committee - 6 p.m.
Location: MBPO - 1 Centre Street, 19th Floor South Meeting
* Presentation on the protocol on how to submit an application to the SAPO by Dawn
Tolson, Director Street Activity Permit Office
|
CALENDAR: Week of Jan. 4
|
| A necklace of fossil Lone Mountain turquoise and 14-karat gold made by Mary Marie Yazzie is in the exhibition, "Glittering World: Navajo Jewelry of the Yazzie Family" at the National Museum of the American Indian. The exhibition closes on Jan. 10.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
Jan. 8: Naima Rauam fell in love with the Fulton Fish Market when she first saw it as an art student in the 1960's. For decades, she had a studio in the fish market, observing it as it came to life at dusk. It operated through the night, closing shortly after dawn. Although the fishmongers moved to the Bronx on Nov. 11, 2005, Rauam continues to draw and paint what she saw and still treasures. Under the title, "Remembering Fulton Fish Market," some of her art is on display at 207A Front St. through Jan. 10. Time: Noon to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, click here. On Jan. 10, there will be a closing reception. Jan. 9: World Premiere of "Angel's Bone," a new work of opera-theater that melds chamber music, theater, punk rock, opera, cabaret, and electronics, exploring the dark effects and motivations behind modern-day slavery and the human trafficking industry. Featuring The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and NOVUS NY. Composer: Du Yun, Librettist: Royce Vavrek, Director: Michael McQulken, Music Direction: Julian Wachner. Also, Jan. 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17. Place: 3LD Arts & Technology Center (80 Greenwich St.) Time: 3 p.m. on Jan. 9. Other performances at 7 p.m. Tickets: $25. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Ongoing: "City Lives," an exhibit of painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, film, video and ceramics, runs at the Borough of Manhattan Community College's Shirley Fiterman Art Center through Jan. 16, 2016. The art is available for sale with proceeds benefiting the BMCC Foundation Scholarship Fund. Place: 81 Barclay St. Open Tues.-Sat., noon to 6 p.m. For more information, 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 February 2016. 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. 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.
|
|
|
Downtown Post NYC is emailed to subscribers twice a week.
Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer
All articles and photographs in Downtown Post NYC are copyrighted and
may not be reprinted or republished without written permission.
� 2015
|
|
|
|
|
