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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC 
 
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
 
 
Volume 3, No. 7  Feb. 10, 2016
IN THIS ISSUE

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"He was an extraordinarily wonderful human being and his death is a tragedy."
     - Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer on the death of David Wichs, who was killed when a mammoth construction crane collapsed on Worth Street on Feb. 5           

 
WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information, click here.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS IN BATTERY PARK CITY: To reach AlliedBarton "safety ambassadors," call  (212) 945-SAFE (7233). The Battery Park City Command Center is now located at the Verdesian at 211 North End Ave. In case of emergencies, call 911.

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MASTHEAD PHOTO: Sweets for sale at Stick With Me, a candy shop on Mott Street. Feb. 4, 2016. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) 



craneMAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW MEASURES FOR CRANE SAFETY  
There are 376 crawler cranes and 43 larger tower cranes currently operating in New York City. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

After a 565-foot crane crashed on Worth Street on Feb. 5, killing David Wichs, 38, and injuring three others, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a four-point plan to increase safety when large cranes are operating. Those steps include new restrictions on crawler cranes during wind conditions, doubled fines for failure to safeguard equipment, increased enforcement of pedestrian safety alongside crane sites and more notification of crane activities to adjacent buildings.

The investigation into Friday's crane collapse is continuing, including a forensic investigation of the equipment itself. On Friday, the Mayor ordered that the city's crawler cranes be inspected by the Department of Buildings before they are put back into service.

"No building is worth a person's life. We are going to ensure the record boom in construction and growth does not come at the expense of safety," de Blasio said.

"We are conducting a thorough investigation and are determined to improve the safety of cranes, and the neighborhoods in which they work, through aggressive enforcement and implementing lessons learned from this incident," said Buildings Commissioner Rick D. Chandler, PE.
 
"I attended the funeral service for David Wichs who was killed by the crane. He was an extraordinarily wonderful human being and his death is a tragedy," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A Brewer.

Even though there are 90 construction projects currently under way in Lower Manhattan, the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC), which supervised such projects, was disbanded in February 2014, and now the Department of Transportation is planning to fold the Lower Manhattan Borough Commissioner's Office, which had taken over the functions of the LMCCC, into a borough-wide office, effective March 2016.
 
"This is a tragic reminder of the need for construction coordination in lower Manhattan, as LMCCC and the more recent DOT coordination have done so well since 2004," said New York State Senator Daniel Squadron.

Under the new policies, all crawler cranes will be required to cease operation and go into safety mode whenever steady winds are forecast to exceed 20mph or gusts to exceed 30mph. The Department of Buildings will send advisories to crane engineers when wind conditions warrant. Engineers will be required to certify the compliance with the DOB. Inspections and violations will result if certification is not reported. Through rulemaking, the DOB will raise the base penalty for failure to safeguard from $4,800 to $10,000.

In addition, there will be more sidewalk protection for pedestrians. The NYPD, FDNY, DOB and DOT will increase enforcement of sidewalk and street closures related to crane activity. The DOT will require pedestrian traffic managers on projects operating large cranes in areas with significant pedestrian traffic. The DOB will conduct inspections and issue violations to crane firms, operators and other personnel if flaggers are not appropriately restricting pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
 
Before moving a crane, operators will be required to notify those who live or work in the area. Currently, crane operators are required to notify residents and businesses only when the crane is first installed.

There will also be a new task force on crane safety. The City will convene a technical working group to develop further strategies to improve crane safety. Over the next 90 days, the task force will evaluate the conditions involved in Friday's collapse and propose additional best practices and regulations.

The new regulations went into effect on Monday, Feb. 8. Some of them are temporary, pending a report from the task force as to what regulations should be made permanent.

 



Bits & Bytes
shockingSHOCKING SUPER BOWL AD; DEMS PICK SUCCESSOR FOR SILVER;
125 GREENWICH ST. DEVELOPERS SEEK $500M CONSTRUCTION LOAN    
A depiction of Washington's triumphal entry into New York City on Nov. 25, 1783 just after the last of the British departed. The day, commemorated as "Evacuation Day," was celebrated until the beginning of the 20th century.

"Crane Collapse Impacts Legal Community in Manhattan," New York Law Journal, 2/5/16. "A crane collapse in Manhattan's TriBeCa neighborhood that killed one and injured three others Friday morning also caused disruptions for the legal community," the New York Law Journal reports. "The construction crane fell along Worth Street and across its intersection with West Broadway, damaging a portion of New York Law School, which cancelled all classes and activities until Monday. The collapse also shuttered two Legal Aid NYC offices, the Innocence Project office and the New York County Supreme Court building. Attorneys and operations in those offices were moved to other facilities. New York Law School, located at 185 W. Broadway, operates in several buildings along Worth Street." For the complete article, click here.

Bowling Green Park now also called "Evacuation Day Plaza:" On Nov. 25, 1783, General George Washington rode his horse down Broadway to Bowling Green as the last of the British occupying forces boarded ships for their return to England. That date, known thereafter as "Evacuation Day," ended a brutal seven-year occupation of much of Manhattan and Brooklyn by British forces. Until the early 20th century, Evacuation Day was a major holiday in New York City. But alliances with the British caused it to be politically incorrect, so it was swept under the rug. Now it will again be remembered.

On Feb. 5, City Council voted to officially co-name Bowling Green, "Evacuation Day Plaza." For several years, downtown historians have worked to memorialize Evacuation Day, but (like the Continental Army that was initially pulverized by the British), suffered defeat after defeat.

The final victory was spearheaded in City Council by Margaret Chin, who represents Lower Manhattan. "Evacuation Day symbolized the triumph of liberty, self-determination, and democracy over the forces of tyranny," she said in a statement. "It is my hope that with this official designation, Evacuation Day will again take its rightful place in the rich and colorful history of our City, which played such a vital role in the great American experiment that continues today."

Arthur Piccolo, co-founder of the Lower Manhattan Historical Society and chairman of the Bowling Green Civic Association, expressed his gratitude. "Council Member Margaret Chin's determination to make sure Evacuation Day Plaza would be approved by the City Council made all the difference and everyone who cares about Lower Manhattan and New York City should applaud her for doing so," he said.

"We think this is a great forward step in educating the people of Lower Manhattan and all New Yorkers about this very important holiday and the City's Revolutionary War history," said James Kaplan, co-founder and president of the Lower Manhattan Historical Society.
 
"Tourism spot for Colonial Williamsburg shocks some New Yorkers during Super Bowl 50 for use of 9/11 attack footage," Daily News, 2/8/16. "Footage from the 9/11 attacks flashed across regionally targeted television screens in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., for an ad by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Virginia," the Daily News reports. "The tourism spot celebrated a montage of defining moments in American history dating back to the Founding Fathers. It aired just after halftime, offending some viewers for what they interpreted as a macabre use of 9/11 footage." For the complete article, click here.

"Dems Pick Successor for Sheldon Silver Seat-Who Will Face WFP Opponent," Observer.com, 2/7/16. "Alice Cancel, a longtime Lower East Side district leader, triumphed in a backroom battle for the Democratic nomination to take over the Assembly seat of disgraced former Speaker Sheldon Silver," Observer.com reported. "The 65th Assembly Democratic County Committee voted overwhelmingly for Ms. Cancel over her rivals: district leader Paul Newell, district leader Jenifer Rajkumar, community board chairwoman Gigi Li and Yuh-Line Niou, chief of staff to Queens Assemblyman Ron Kim. Numerous allies of Mr. Silver, convicted on corruption charges last year, worked the room ahead of the decision." Observer.com said that Newell, Rajkumar and Li stated that they intend to run against the winner of the special election in the Democratic primary in September. For the complete article, click here.

"Developers of 125 Greenwich in talks with Singaporean bank for $500M-plus construction loan," The Real Deal, 2/5/16. "The developers of a supertall Financial District condominium tower at 125 Greenwich Street are in advanced talks to land just north of $500 million in construction financing, separate from a round of EB-5 funding," according to The Real Deal. "The lender, sources said, is Singapore's United Overseas Bank, which would provide a three-year construction loan with a one-year extension option. The developers, Bizzi & Partners, Michael Shvo's SHVO and Howard Lorber's New Valley LLC, have yet to sign a term sheet, but are in advanced discussions, according to sources familiar with the financing.
The prospective lender has plans to syndicate the massive debt deal, though no other lenders are involved at this time, those sources said." For the complete article, click here.

"John Tishman, an Acrophobe Who Took the Manhattan Skyline to New Heights," New York Times, 2/10/16. "There was a time in New York City when a big, bold T on a development project could mean only one thing. And it wasn't Trump," says The New York Times. "This T stood for Tishman Realty and Construction, as personified from the mid-1960s through the early 2000s by John L. Tishman, who died on Saturday at 90." Among many other projects, Tishman supervised the construction of the World Trade Center towers. For the complete article, click here.




Downtown bulletin board
winterWINTER BREAK PROGRAMS; NEW FINANCIAL DISTRICT
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION; DISCOUNTED FARM-FRESH PRODUCE
The basketball court at the Stuyvesant High School Community Center. During the winter break, there will be a basketball clinic a basketball clinic taught by former pro ball players, Jamel Thomas and Louis Frye. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
Financial District Neighborhood Association: A newly formed group, the Financial District Neighborhood Association, will hold its first meeting on Feb. 11 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Pine Street School, 25 Pine St. "Learn how you can make this growing neighborhood even better," say the organizers, Patrick Kennell, president of the association, and Sienam Lulla, its vice president. To RSVP for the meeting, click here.

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 through 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 [email protected] or call (212) 748-8753. Place: 12 Fulton St. Time: 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Community Center at Stuyvesant High School offers winter break programs:
During the winter break from Feb. 15 to Feb. 19, the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School
345 Chambers St., will offer a basketball clinic taught by former pro ball players, Jamel Thomas and Louis Frye. The program is being run for two age groups; ages 10-13 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and ages 14-17 from 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., Monday to Friday. There will also be a Lifeguard Training Certification class where participants can learn a new skill or renew their certifications. This is great job training for teens who will need that certification for a summer job! Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. Call (212) 267-9700 or email, [email protected] to register, or inquire.

Manhattan Youth School Holiday Camp: From Feb. 15 to Feb. 19,
Manhattan Youth's School Holiday Camp provides full-day coverage for K-5 graders from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Camps are open to children from all schools and take place at Manhattan Youth's Downtown Community Center and at P.S. 89, where Manhattan Youth has a full gym, theater, cafeteria, schoolyard, art room, dance studio, library and classrooms. All students will swim every day. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided, but families may choose to pack a lunch that will be refrigerated for their child. Cost: 1 to 3 days: $100 per day; 4 or more days: $85 per day; Downtown Community Center members receive 10% off. For more information, call the Manhattan Youth office, (212) 766-1104 (ext. 404). To register, click here.

Asphalt Green:
Asphalt Green Battery Park City at 212 North End Ave. is currently offering a promotion to attract new members. For a limited time, the initiation fee has been reduced to $29. The month of March would be free to anyone who works out six times in February. In addition, new enrollees would receive a free training session. A one-year contract is required, with a cancellation fee of $125. For more information, click here or call (212) 298-2900, ext. 2910.

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
Greater Scaup are among the birds that visit New York harbor in winter. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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 through 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

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 [email protected]. 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 recently 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 [email protected] and her phone number is (212) 964-8465. In addition, she welcomes visitors to her studio, which is on South Street.

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 Feb. 16 and 23; March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; April 5 and 12. 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 February, SeaGlass will be open on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., weather permitting. SeaGlass will also be open during 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 [email protected] with your request for more information about sizes and prices.



Letter to the editor
PeckPECK SLIP SCHOOL STAGES A VARIETY SHOW AND CELEBRATES THE CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR TO RAISE MONEY FOR MUSIC AND ART

On Feb. 6, after the Peck Slip School variety show, a fundraiser for the music and arts program, around 100 people followed a dragon and lion dancers to Peck Slip park where the kids fed the dragon cabbage and red envelopes filled with $1 bills for good luck. (Photo: Amanda Byron)

To the editor:
On Feb. 6, we held our second annual Peck Slip School variety show - our first event ever in our new school's auditorium at 1 Peck Slip. Then we followed the show with a Chinese New Year surprise for the kids out in Peck Slip plaza.

During our variety show (called "February Follies"), 88 children performed to a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd of 300 (up from 60 kids previous year). From singers, song writers, pianist, dancers, rappers, ballerinas, to one child making homemade butter, the talent at Peck Slip School runs deep. Out in the hallway, parent volunteers brought in over 15 bakers selling trays and trays of baked goods; Peck Slip School T-shirts were flying off the shelf! The event proved what school spirit our young school has, and how much parents are involved.

After the variety show, the kids had an hour-long dance party and then spilled out into the streets where they were greeted by a Chinese New Year dragon and lion dancers. The crowd of about 100 followed the dragon and dancers to Peck Slip park where the kids fed the dragon cabbage and red envelopes filled with $1 bills for good luck.

Money raised by the event will go toward bridging the gap between funds that come from the City and what the school actually needs to have a well-rounded and robust arts and music program.

We hope to make this an annual event where the kids write and present their own production.

Amanda Byron

From the editor:
We welcome letters to the editor. Email them to [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit them for clarity and length.


communityCOMMUNITY BOARD MEETINGS: Week of Feb. 8   
The City Vineyard restaurant will occupy the southern end of Pier 26 in Hudson River Park and is requesting a liquor license. (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.

Feb. 10: Tribeca Committee 
Location: Manhattan Borough President's Office - 1 Centre St.
19th Floor Southside meeting room
* Crane Accident on Worth Street at 60 Hudson Street - Updates by:
   * Frank McCarton, Deputy Commissioner for Operations, New York City Emergency Management
   * Patrick A. Wehle, Assistant Commissioner of External Affairs, Department of Buildings
   * Louise Levi, Executive Liaison, NYC Department of Design and Construction
   * Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, Director of Community Affairs, Department of Environmental Protection
   * Battalion Chief Chris Reginella, Manhattan Borough Command, and Clement James, Assistant Director of Community Affairs, Fire Department
   * Vincent Maniscalco, the Assistant Commissioner for SIM/HIQA, Department of Transportation
   * Other agencies invited
*  Hudson River Park Security Plan - Presentation by Debra Kustka, Vice President of Operations, Hudson River Park Trust
* 52 Walker Street, application for alteration of liquor license for KNH Enterprises LLC d/b/a M 15 - Resolution
* Bogardus Plaza - Update by Victoria Weil, President, Friends of Bogardus Plaza
* Street Activity Permit Application by Tribeca Family Festival, April 21, 2016 6 a.m. - April 23, 2016 11:59 p.m., Greenwich, Beach, North Moore, Franklin, Harrison, Jay, Duane, and Reade Streets, and April 11, 2016 12 a.m. - April 18, 2016 12 a.m., Laight Street between Hudson and Varick Streets - Resolution
* Pier 26 at Hudson River Park, 233 West Street, application for restaurant liquor license for City Vineyard - Resolution
* Street Activity Permit Application by Transportation Alternatives, Oct. 5, 2016 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Beach Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets - Resolution
* Meeting with Spring Studios regarding lighting - Report by Elizabeth Lewinsohn

The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 325 Broadway, application for a renewal of a beer license for Arome Cafe
* 377 Greenwich St., application for a renewal of a hotel liquor license for The Greenwich
* 388 Greenwich St., application for renewal of catering liquor license for Aramark Corporation
* 21 Hudson St., application for restaurant liquor license renewal for MC Tribeca, LLC d/b/a Mr Chow

Feb. 11: Landmarks Committee

* 11 Hubert Street, application for additions to existing building - Resolution
* 79 Chambers St., application for new storefront - Resolution
* 67 Greenwich St., application for restoration, window replacement, removal of rear addition, fences and gates and for a cantilever - Resolution
* 1 Wall Street, request for interior designation - Resolution
* Peck Slip Design Concepts - Presentation by Jason Friedman

Feb. 15: Office Closed - President's Day



calendarCALENDAR: Week of Feb. 8

The Doge's Palace and the Campanile in Venice. On Feb. 10, a concert at the Museum of Jewish Heritage will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Venice ghetto.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Feb. 10: Songs from Shylock's Venice with Ensemble Lucidarium at the Museum of Jewish
A Bible with commentaries by Rashi and Ibn Ezra was printed by Giovanni di Gara in Venice in 1568.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

Heritage celebrates the 500th anniversary of the Venice Ghetto. Experience the sounds and sights of Shylock's world as one of Italy's premiere Early Music ensembles brings to life 16th-century Venice through this multimedia concert.  Place: 36 Battery Place. Time: 7 p.m. Tickets:  $25; $20 (members and students). For additional information or to buy tickets, click here.

Feb. 13: The Municipal Art Society celebrates Black History Month with a walking tour of Pierre Toussaint's New York. Toussaint, a 23-year-old slave, arrived in New York in 1797, a refugee from the revolution in Saint-Domingue. He went on to become a society hairdresser and philanthropist - a one-man social service agency. Word around town in antebellum New York was "go to Toussaint" if you were down and out. The Catholic Church says he practiced heroic charity and his cause for canonization is in progress. Join urban historian James A. Sullivan as he follows Toussaint's footpaths in Lower Manhattan, from Wall Street and Trinity churchyard to Reade and Franklin Streets. The tour will conclude at Old St. Patrick's Cathedral where Toussaint was buried in 1853. Time: 11 a.m. Meeting place will be sent with ticket purchase. Tickets: $30; $20 (MAS members). For more information and to buy tickets, 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 December 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. For a video related to the exhibition, click here.

Ongoing: The annual Battery Park City Parks art show displays artwork created by participants of all ages in the Battery Park City Parks art programs. Place: Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, 75 Battery Place. The exhibition will be on view weekdays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., through March 31. Free.

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: 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: "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 [email protected].

Across the Hudson River: Liberty State Park, comprised of 1,212 acres, is easily accessible by ferry from Battery Park City. For more information about the park, click here.

Feb. 20: Join Liberty State Park naturalists on a winter tree hike and "spruce" up your skills on identifying various species of trees as they appear during the winter months. Dress to be outdoors. Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free. Pre-registration required.

For more information or to register for a program, call (201) 915-3400 ext. 109 or email [email protected]

The park office and visitor center, located at 200 Morris Pesin Drive, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer

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