|
DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
|
|
|
|
Volume 3, No. 3 Jan. 17, 2016
|
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"School capacity should grow as a neighborhood grows, not after a crisis has hit."
- New York State Senator Daniel Squadron commenting on the School Construction Authority's announcement that it will build an elementary school at 77 Greenwich St.
WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information, click here. ALTERNATE SIDE OF THE STREET PARKING: Alternate side parking (street cleaning) regulations will be suspended Monday, Jan. 18 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect. 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: Dawn on the Battery Park City esplanade. Dec. 25, 2015.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
 NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE BUILT AT 77 GREENWICH ST.
|
| | Trinity Place. On the left side of this picture are a landmarked house dating from 1810 and part of the building once occupied by the Syms clothing store, both of which belong to Trinity Place Holdings and are part of a parcel of land where a 500-foot-tall residential tower will rise with an elementary school in its base. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
There was good news and bad news on Thursday, Jan. 14, when the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) announced that it had reached a deal with Trinity Place Holdings Inc., (TPH) a real estate investment company, to build a new elementary school at 77 Greenwich St. The site, formerly occupied by the Syms Clothing Store, had been discussed for years as a possible location for a much-needed school but had previously been rejected. Now the SCA had changed its mind. |
| |
A rendering of what Trinity Place Holdings' mixed-use development may look like.
|
The proposed school will accommodate approximately 476 children in School District 2. Design of the school space is expected to be completed by early summer, said the SCA. That was the good news. The bad news was that the school may take as much as five years to build. It will be part of Trinity Place Holdings Inc.'s proposed mixed use development on a parcel of land that runs between Greenwich Street and Trinity Place, Edgar Street and Rector Street. A spokesperson for TPH said that a 500-foot-tall apartment tower is planned for the site, with details to be announced shortly. If construction does take five years, that's a long time to wait in a school district that is already bursting at the seams. Community Board 1 issued a report in April 2015 that showed that in 2012, the population of the district was 65,450. With 1,030 residential units under construction in 2015 and 2,739 in 2016, the population by the end of this year will be an estimated 77,402. Many of these newcomers to the district will be children and as usual, the SCA is lagging behind an acute and growing need for school seats. Money for a new elementary school was allocated in November 2013, when the city earmarked $27.5 million for the school. For community residents and local officials, the wait to designate a site seemed interminable. "Today is a big step in the community's long push for a simple idea - school capacity should grow as a neighborhood grows, not after a crisis has hit," said State Senator Daniel Squadron. He noted that a push for the school had come from the School Overcrowding Task Force founded by former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. When Silver was convicted of corruption charges in November 2015 and deposed from his Assembly seat, the fate of the School Overcrowding Task Force was uncertain. But now other local officials have said that they will take up the slack and make sure that it continues. The next meeting will take place on Feb. 4 in Squadron's office. Trinity Place Holdings, in whose apartment tower the school will be sited, was formed 10 months after the Syms Clothing Store filed for bankruptcy in November 2011. TPH owns the buildings next to the unprepossessing, warehouse-like structure where the clothing store was housed. Among TPH's properties is one of Lower Manhattan's treasures - a townhouse at 67 Greenwich St. built by Robert and Anne Dickey in 1809-1810 when Greenwich Street was New York City's most fashionable neighborhood. The exceptionally wide building was constructed with Flemish bond brickwork. Fluted keystones surmount the window lintels and an elliptical three-bay bow enhances the rear fa�ade. Though the Dickey house had been much neglected, it was landmarked in 2005. At the time,
|
| |
Greenwich Street below Thames Street as it looked in 1861 when it still showed why it had once been Manhattan's most fashionable neigbhborhood. (New York Public Library)
|
the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) said that "The Dickey House is one of only five surviving houses of Manhattan's most elite neighborhood of the post-Revolutionary War era, which are among the relatively rare extant Manhattan houses of the Federal period and style, and is one of only seven pre-1810 houses located south of Chambers Street, the oldest section of New York City." Trinity Place Holdings Inc. will be seeking New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission permission to use the Dickey House as part of the elementary school. When the doors finally open on the new school, the children will have history lessons right under their noses. They will be able to study the transformations that the neighborhood
|
| |
A sign on the landmarked building at 67 Greenwich St. dates from the time when what had once been a fashionable townhouse served an immigrant neighborhood.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
surrounding their school has undergone (the Dickey house had become a boarding house by the mid-19th century, and by the end of the century, had become a tenement, housing the influx of immigrants that gave the neighborhood the name "Little Syria.") And they will be able to learn about urban planning and what Robert Moses' building of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel did to the once thriving immigrant neighborhood. As for recreation, they will be able to cross Edgar Street to the Elizabeth H. Berger Plaza, just south of the school's front door. By then, the two parts of the park, now bifurcated by a tunnel exit, will have been reunited and transformed by the New York City Department of Parks. Designs are in place, money is in hand. The park should be finished by 2018 - perhaps a good three years before the school. - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
|
SEARING 'ANGEL'S BONE' AT 3-LEGGED DOG ON GREENWICH STREET
|
| Abigail Fischer, Jennifer Charles and Kyle Bielfield in "Angel's Bone," an opera about human trafficking with music by Du Yun and a libretto by Royce Vavrek.
(Photo: Cory Weaver)
|
The creators of "Angel's Bone," an offering from the Prototype Festival ( www.prototypefestival.org), call it "opera-theatre." That hardly begins to describe this production, much less define it. It utilizes video projections, cameras, TV screens and music with elements of Gregorian chant, punk rock, cabaret and traditional opera, to meditate on human trafficking. In a post-performance discussion on Jan. 13, librettist Royce Vavrek explained how this came
|
| |
Beth Morrison (producer), Julian Wachner (music director), Michael McQuilken (director) and Royce Vavrek (librettist) at a talkback following a performance of the opera, "Angel's Bone." (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
about. Several years ago, when he met composer Du Yun, he told her that he was interested in angels. She replied that she was interested in prostitution. So they wrote an opera about two angels who fell to Earth, who were captured by a suburban couple under the gun financially, unable to pay their bills and having to put their house up for sale. Mrs. X.E. (played by Abigail Fischer) instructs her husband, Mr. X.E. (Kyle Pfortmiller) to cut off the angels' wings. ("Prune them!" she sings, as remorseless as Lady Macbeth plotting murder and inciting her husband to carry it out.) Abjectly, Mr. X.E. hacks the angels' wings from their backs, trying to please his wife, and then the ruthless woman begins to sell sexual trysts with the mutilated angels, netting a handsome profit. This is as horrifying as it sounds. The poor, exploited angels are subjected to humiliation, degradation and pain from a steady supply of customers seeking sexual services until finally the girl angel (Jennifer Charles) screams about her agony as the boy angel (Kyle Bielfield) cowers and trembles. ("Our hearts explode, Leaving scar tissue hidden, Where no one can reach or fondle," they sing.) Ultimately with the help of Mr. X.E., who kills himself, the angels escape but this is not the end. No. The end comes when Mrs. X.E. appears on a TV talk show, explaining demurely that she was a victim of her husband's abuse. Julian Wachner, music and arts director of Trinity Wall Street, is the music director of "Angel's Bone," bringing with him to the task some of the members of the Choir of Trinity Wall Street and NOVUS NY, Trinity Wall Street's contemporary music orchestra. These superb musicians seem to have had no difficulty with the complex, untraditional score. Wachner commented that perhaps the most challenging thing for some of the Trinity Choir singers was having to dance and to enact sexual scenes with the angels. Along with Beth Morrison Productions and HERE, which produces new hybrid art, Trinity Wall Street was a producer of "Angel's Bone." Trinity is working to combat human trafficking, a $32-billion-a-year industry. According to the U.S. State Department, it is the world's fastest growing criminal enterprise with an estimated 27 million people, worldwide, who are forced to perform labor or commercial sex acts. In the talkback that followed the Jan. 13 performance of "Angel's Bone," its creators said that they wanted to raise awareness of human trafficking, which is not just confined to poor and remote parts of the world. It has been reported in all 50 states of the United States and in major cities, including New York City. (For more information about this from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, click here.) - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
"Angel's Bone" is playing 3-Legged Dog Art & Technology Center, 80 Greenwich St., on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. Tickets: $25. To buy tickets, click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bits & Bytes
WEST BROADWAY HISTORY; SOUTH STREET SEAPORT'S PIER 17 CONSTRUCTION; HOWARD HUGHES CORP. STOCK PLUMMETS
|
| | Christopher Curry, senior executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corporation, at a Community Board 1 Seaport/Civic Center Committee meeting on Sept. 24, 2015. HHC's stock fell more than 19 percent in the last year. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
"These are the five biggest Manhattan buildings in the 421a program," The Real Deal, 1/14/16. "Friday marks the end of the line for the ongoing 421a dispute between labor and real estate - the developer tax cut program, which has funded the creation of tens of thousands of apartments across New York City since 1971, is set to expire," says The Real Deal. "TRData, The Real Deal's new source for real estate research, has compiled the five largest Manhattan apartment buildings by unit count where owners receive a 421a tax break (among others)." The list includes New York by Gehry at 8 Spruce St. For the complete article, click here. "J. Crew CEO's Designer Tribeca Apartment Is Back For $25M," Curbed.com, 1/14/16. "J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler first listed his apartment, with interiors by celebrated designer Thierry Despont, back in early 2015 for $35 million," says Curbed.com. "And there it sat for only a few months before being de-listed in July, after a price chop that took it to $29 million. Now, the apartment is back on the market with new listings photos (which show off Despont's quirky-but-swanky design) and an even bigger price chop: it's asking 'just' $25 million." For the complete article with photos, click here. "How West Broadway Became One of NYC's Most Important Streets," Curbed.com, 1/14/15. "Lower Manhattan is filled with odd streets, from the obscure intersection of Jay and Staple (where you can own your own skybridge!), to Mill Lane and Edgar Street, which duke it out to be the city's shortest thoroughfare," says Curbed.com. "But none are quirkier than West Broadway. The name alone has perplexed New Yorkers for generations. Is it really called that because it happens to be west of Broadway? (Yes.) Leading to the confusion is the fact that over the years the street has gone by so many monikers - Chapel Street, College Place, Laurens Street, South Fifth Avenue, LaGuardia Place - that it can be difficult to sort through what happened when. These days, New Yorkers have a tendency to take West Broadway for granted, but this short thoroughfare linking the World Trade Center to Washington Square provides a compact narrative of the development of the city, beginning with its life as a country lane and ending with today's multi-million dollar condo conversions in Soho and Tribeca." For the complete article, click here. "New Yorkers, Self-Assured and Opinionated, Defend Their Values," New York Times,
|
| |
The exterior of New York Dolls, a "gentlemen's club" on Murray Street in Tribeca. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
1/15/16. In the aftermath of Sen. Ted Cruz' disparaging comments this week about "New York values," The New York Times tried to define what they are. The photograph that accompanied the New York Times article was taken in front of New York Dolls, a "gentlemen's club" with strippers on Murray Street in Tribeca. About New York values, the article commented, "There is an ambition - king-size. There is an edginess. Chips on many shoulders. There is a tolerance, too, because everything imaginable is here, all day, every day. There is a resilience and collective muscle. Look no further than the aftermath of Sept. 11." For the complete article, click here. "South Street Seaport's Pier 17 Is On the Rise," Curbed.com, 1/15/16. "Howard Hughes Corporation's 300,000 square foot retail space on Pier 17 is quickly taking shape with half the structure already having risen to roof level," Curbed.com reports, citing Field Condition. "After a lot of back and forth, the SHoP-designed building received approval from the Landmarks Commission back in October. This was after the architect and developer decided to get rid of the controversial glass pergola, that was criticized for its height. Construction on the four-story structure is expected to wrap up sometime next year." For the complete article, click here. Howard Hughes stock falls: The stock price for The Howard Hughes Corporation continues to fall. On Friday, Jan. 15, it closed at $95.56, down from $115.15 a month ago (on Dec. 16, 2015). For more information, click here. Meanwhile, in an article entitled "Bill Ackman is getting crushed, again," Business Insider reports on Jan. 13, 2016 that "Hedge fund titan Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Holdings, the fund's publicly traded vehicle, has fallen 11.4% in 2016, according to a performance update. That performance is through January 12." Ackman is the chairman of The Howard Hughes Corporation. Business Insider states that, "Pershing Square had its worst year in its history last year, falling 20.5%. Ackman, a well-known activist investor, makes large bets in a handful of companies. His largest holdings include, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Air Products & Chemicals, Canadian Pacific, Mondelez, and Zoetis. Another holding, the Howard Hughes Corporation, has fallen more than 19% this year. Pershing Square, which began building its stake in the company in the fourth quarter of 2010, last held 5.48 million shares of Howard Hughes, according to a securities filing from January 4." For the complete article, click here.
|
|
Downtown bulletin board
MINI-MATES AT THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM; LUMINARIES HELD OVER; DISCOUNTED FARM-FRESH PRODUCE; AUDUBON ECOCRUISE
|
| The winter session of the South Street Seaport Museum's popular miniMATES program for children 18 months to 4 years old begins on Jan. 21. Under the guidance of a museum educator, children and their caretakers engage in a variety of fun and educational activities including music, art-making, story reading and more.
(Photo: South Street Seaport Museum)
|
New miniMates sessions at the South Street Seaport Museum: The South Street Seaport Museum begins a winter session of its popular miniMATES program with sessions on Thursdays and Fridays from Jan. 21 to March 25. Classes are limited to 12 students. Families can sign up for Thursdays and/or Fridays. This program, aimed at children ages 18 months to 4 years and their parents or caregivers, is designed to encourage adults to engage in fun and educational activities with their children while guided by a museum educator. The activities include music, art-making, sensory play, story time, and more! The Thursday program, "Seaport Sillies," is exploratory while the Friday program, "Seaport Junior Adventurers," is more theme based. The cost is $250 for the session, with a 10% discount for additional children from the same family. Family-level membership holders receive an additional $25 off total enrollment. To reserve space, click here, email minimates@seany.org or call (212) 748-8753. Place: 12 Fulton St. Time: 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Luminaries held over: Luminaries, the light show that David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group devised for Brookfield Place's Winter Garden in Battery Park City, went on display in December and was supposed to come down on Jan. 10. But it has proven so popular that it will remain up until Feb. 29. For photographs of Luminaries, click here.
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.
GrowNYC offers discounted farm-fresh produce: From now through May, residents and community members of all income levels can sign up for a bag of farm-fresh produce for $12 a bag. Cash, credit cards, debit cards, and SNAP (food stamps) can be used in payment. To participate, customers pre-order bags one week in advance of the designated distribution day. The next week, they can pick up their Fresh Food Box containing seven to nine seasonal fruits, vegetables, and grains, along with healthy recipes and tips on how to store and prepare the produce. All of the produce comes from family farms selling through GrowNYC's wholesale food hub and distribution arm, Greenmarket, Co. In Lower Manhattan, this service is available at 1 Centre St., 9th floor, South Building, Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. through May 2016. For more information, click here.
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. Naima Rauam in the Seaport: Naima Rauam just concluded her show "Remembering Fulton Fish Market," marking 10 years since the fishmongers left the South Street Seaport for The Bronx, but anyone who missed the show can still arrange to buy art from her. Her email is seaportartist@gmail.com and her phone number is (212) 964-8465. In addition, she welcomes visitors to her studio, which is on South Street. 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.
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 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. 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
|
| |
SeaGlass Carousel in The Battery. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
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.
|
GOVERNORS ISLAND NOW ACCEPTING PERMITS TO USE ITS TWO NATURAL TURF BALL FIELDS, OPEN FROM MAY 28 TO SEPT. 25
|
| A rendering of the ball fields on Governors Island. The permit process to use the ball fields is open from now through March 1. (Courtesy of the Trust For Governors Island)
|
The permit process to use Governors Island's sports fields opened on Jan. 15 for the 2016 season. The two natural turf ballfields can be easily configured for Little League baseball and adult softball or for soccer and other field sports. The fields will be open for permitted use during daylight hours every day from May 28 when Governors Island opens for the season to Sept. 25, when it closes. On weekdays, the Island is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on weekends, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
"We hope school, youth groups, and adult leagues from neighborhoods across the City will use Governors Island's ballfields," said Leslie Koch, President of The Trust for Governors Island. "Our fields offer extraordinary views of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan skyline."
The two baseball/softball fields can be used simultaneously. Each baseball/softball field contains a clay infield with full back stops and bleacher seating for 84. Fields are available for morning games, beginning at 10 a.m. and afternoon games, beginning at 2 p.m. Bases and striping are provided. Goals are provided for soccer.
Governors Island and its fields are accessible only by ferry. Ferries run every day from Lower Manhattan and on Saturdays and Sundays they also run from Brooklyn. On weekdays, the Lower Manhattan ferries run once an hour, beginning at 10 a.m.
There is a $2 round trip ferry fare for all weekday ferries and weekend ferries in the afternoons. Children under 12 ride free. Weekend morning ferries are free for adults and children.
The fields are approximately a 10-minute walk from both ferry landings.
For more information about the permitting process to use the fields, click here. The permit process will be open until March 1 at which point The Trust will review all of the applications it has received. There is a $26 non-refundable permit fee. As with other public ballfields in New York City, preference will be given to youth groups, schools and leagues from across the City. Groups can apply for as many dates as they wish. Once the permit process is closed, The Trust will let groups know if they have secured field space and the dates and times at which they can use the fields. Fields can be used free of charge by all youth and school groups. Adult leagues may use the fields for a fee of $50 an hour. For the form needed to apply for a permit, click here.
|
COMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETINGS: Week of Jan. 18
|
| South Street as it looked in 1935. Berenice Abbott took this picture as part of the Federal Art Project during the Depression. These buildings are across the street from the Tin Building, which was also part of the Fulton Fish Market, and which The Howard Hughes Corporation wants to move. (Photo: New York Public Library)
|
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. There will be a special combined meeting of Community Board 1's Seaport and Landmarks Committee on Jan. 19 during which The Howard Hughes Corporation will make a presentation about its plan to go back to the Landmarks Preservation Commission to request changes to its application for the rebuilding of the landmarked Tin Building in the South Street Seaport. Specifically, HHC wants to eliminate a proposed extra floor and to move the building, although not as far as originally proposed. In addition, the Department of Buildings requires loading dock doors that have been added to the original proposal. This application does NOT include further proposed changes to Pier 17 and does not involve the New Market building. Place: Southbridge Towers Community Room, 90 Beekman St. Time: 6 p.m.
Jan. 19: Joint Seaport/Civic Center and Landmarks Committees - 6 p.m.
Location: Southbridge Towers, Community Room, 90 Beekman St.
* Landmarks Preservation Commission application: Modification of previously approved plans for the Tin Building - Presentation by Howard Hughes Corporation and SHOP Architects and resolution
Seaport/Civic Center Committee
* NY Presbyterian - Update by Robert Guimento, Sr. VP/COO-LMH, Anne Sperling, VP, Government Relations & Community Affairs & Marci Allen, Director, Business Administration, NY Presbyterian Hospital
* 195 Notice of Intent to Acquire Office Space, Department of Citywide Administrative Services /Department of Finance, 375 Pearl St. - Presentation by Chris Fleming, DCAS and possible resolution
* City Hall Greenmarket - Presentation by Cathy Chambers, GrowNYC and letter of support
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
* River to River street activity permit application for Front Street between Beekman Street
and Peck Slip, Sunday, June 26, 2016 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.- Resolution (Postponed to
February)
* 199 Water St., application for a liquor license for Foruino @ The Seaport Inc. -
Resolution (Postponed)
The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 150 Centre St., application for renewal of a liquor license for Mika Japanese Cuisine
& Bar Inc.
* 261 Water St., application for renewal of a sidewalk cafe license for T Bone Inc.
d/b/a Mark Joseph Steakhouse
* 36 Peck Slip, application for renewal of a sidewalk café license for Goat Fifty, LLC
d/b/a Nelson Blue
Jan. 20: Executive Committee
* Committee reports
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
Jan. 21: Quality of Life Committee
* NYC Department of Transportation construction update
* NYC Department of Homeless Services - Update by Matt Borden, Assistant
Commissioner for Government Affairs and External Relations
* Discussion with Bill Reda, Director of Communications, 311
* Drones registration - Report by Celine Mizrahi, Community Liaison, Congressman
Jerrold Nadler's office
* Proposed legislation regarding scaffolding permit renewal for ongoing construction
projects - Discussion by Assemblymember Glick's Office representatives (Tentative)
* Formation of a construction forum - Discussion
* Committee Accomplishments for 2015 for CB 1 annual report
Jan. 26: CB 1 Monthly Meeting - 6 p.m. Location: TBD
|
CALENDAR: Weeks of Jan. 11 and Jan. 18
|
| Furniture designed for the Schiff House in San Francisco, part of "Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism," an exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City. It closes on Monday, Jan. 18. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
|
Jan. 17: 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. Place: 3LD Arts & Technology Center (80 Greenwich St.) Time: 7 p.m. Tickets: $25. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Jan. 17 (last days): 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. 18, 2016. Place: 36 Battery Place. For more information, click here. Jan. 17: "Soul to Soul" with opera singer Elmore James, actor Tony Perry and singer-trumpeter Magda Fishman honors the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. with nostalgic Yiddish melodies and evocative blues tunes. Place: Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place. Time: 2 p.m. Tickets: $25; $15 (members and students). For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Jan. 18: OPERA America and NOVUS NY orchestra of Trinity Wall Street present orchestral readings of four operas in development as part of the New Works Forum, OPERA America's annual gathering of opera creators. For the first time, these concert presentations are open to the public. Hear portions of "A Thousand Splendid Suns, the Opera" by Sheila Silver and Stephen Kitsakos, "Beowulf" by Hannah Lash, "Dream of the Red Chamber" by Bright Sheng and David Henry Hwang, and "The Invention of Morel" by Stewart Copeland and Jonathan Moore - all performed by NOVUS NY orchestra under the direction of Julian Wachner, with guest conductors Sara Jobin and Daniela Candillari. Place: Trinity Church (Broadway at Wall Street). Time: 8 p.m. Tickets: $25. For more information and to buy tickets, click here. Jan. 20: Can the Jewish Narrative Be Revived? Roger Cohen, New York Times columnist, in conversation with Ari Shavit (My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel), will discuss what is fact and what is fiction in accounts of Israel today. Place: Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place. Time: 7 p.m. Tickets: $20 (free for students with valid ID at the door). For more information and to buy tickets, click here. Jan. 23: "The Most Common English Language Mistakes...And how to Avoid Them" is the name of Dale Burg's talk at the Battery Park City public library. Is it "its or it's? Less or fewer? Bring or take?" Burg, the author of 22 books and a college-level instructor of editing and writing, observes that, "With more than one million words borrowed from many sources, English is hard to master. The rules of spelling and grammar are numerous and often inconsistent, and though many words sound alike or seem interchangeable, they are not." Her presentation will provide practical tips for improving speaking and writing. Place: Battery Park City Library, 175 North End Ave. Time: 3 p.m. Free. 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. 30, 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 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: "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.
� 2016
|
|
|
|
|
