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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 3, No. 21 April 26, 2016
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"This is one of the most autobiographical scripts that my father wrote."
- Anne Serling, describing an episode of "The Twilight Zone" called "Walking Distance" in a short documentary, "The Carousel," that was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival
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.
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.
All ads in Downtown Post NYC have clickable links. Click on an ad for more information. MASTHEAD PHOTO: Apple tree and tulips in Rector Place park. April 22, 2016
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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 JENIFER RAJKUMAR THROWS HER HAT IN THE RING FOR THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY SEAT FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY SHELDON SILVER
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| | Louise Velez, a supporter of Jenifer Rajkumar from the Lower East Side, at a rally on April 25 kicking off Rajkumar's campaign for the New York State Assembly seat in the 65th AD, previously held by Sheldon Silver. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Alice Cancel, the Democrat who won the special election on April 19 to replace Sheldon Silver as the New York State Assemblyperson for the 65th AD, will have barely had time to warm her seat in Albany before she will have to face a phalanx of other candidates who want that position. Cancel was anointed as the Democratic candidate for the 65th AD by the Democratic County Committee representing the Democratic clubs of Lower Manhattan. In September, there will be an open primary.
On April 25, Jenifer Rajkumar, a Democratic district leader and Battery Park City resident, threw her hat in the ring. At a gathering of around a hundred people at Southwest NY, a restaurant in Battery Park City, she made it clear that she wanted to represent all of the diverse constituencies in the 65th AD, which includes the Lower East Side and Chinatown, SoHo and Little Italy, and part of Battery Park City.
In her announcement speech, she referenced a range of issues: the dearth of local representation on the Battery Park City Authority board of directors, the upheavals on the Lower East Side and in Chinatown that are displacing thousands of residents, the fight to save the Elizabeth Street garden in Little Italy from being developed for housing, the dilapidated condition of the New York City Housing Authority apartments and ethics reform in Albany.
The word "corruption" occurred frequently in her remarks along with her desire to oppose it. She said that she had dedicated her life to "social justice" as expressed in action.
"I am proud to announce that 10 percent of my own and every campaign workers' time will be spent on community service in the district," she said, adding that volunteers from her campaign will work with "nonprofits and community-based groups across the Lower East Side, Chinatown and Battery Park City." She also said that, "We have started a pro bono legal clinic for residents of public housing, which will provide free housing and employment legal services."
Rajkumar, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford Law School, is a human rights lawyer who practices law at Sanford Heisler Kimpel LLP, where she litigates gender discrimination, tenants' rights and whistleblower cases. She is also an adjunct assistant professor at CUNY's Lehman College in the Political Science Department.
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Support for Rajkumar from Chinatown.
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At her launch party, Rajkumar was introduced by Wendy Cheung and Louise Velez, both of whom live on the Lower East Side, and by Gen. Sidney Baumgarten, who lives in Battery Park City.
Cheung, who said that she grew up in a Chinese immigrant family, commended Rajkumar for "taking a stand on the displacement concerns affecting our community" and for working to stop wage theft.
Velez said that she had known Rajkumar for four years and that Rajkumar "has never failed to attend any of our marches" and has given speeches in support of the campaign to implement the Chinatown Working Group Rezoning Plan.
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Rajkumar with Gen. Sidney Baumgarten.
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Baumgarten said that Rajkumar would represent the interests and concerns of Battery Park City in ways that they have not been voiced in the past when the focus of most elected officials seemed to be Chinatown and the Lower East Side.
The fight for the 65th Assembly District seat promises to be hotly contested. Yuh-Line Niou, who lives in the Financial District, and who came in second to Alice Cancel in the recent special election, reportedly raised around $160,000 to finance that campaign, where she ran on the Working Families line. Speculation is that she will run again in the open primary, this time, as a Democrat.
District leader Paul Newell has already announced his intention to run for the 65th Assembly District seat.
In an email on April 19th announcing his candidacy, Newell noted that, "Ms. Niou, outspent her opponent more than 50 to 1 - dumping hundreds of thousands of special interest dollars on vicious and misleading attack ads." He called the interim election "flawed" and said that he had spent his entire career "fighting for honest, progressive government for our neighborhoods and our state." (For Newell's website, click here.)
There are likely to be other candidates as well including, of course, Alice Cancel, who had been a Democratic district leader for 25 years before she won a seat in Albany. She lives in Southbridge Towers in the South Street Seaport. Her present term ends in January 2017 at which time her opponents hope she'll be packing her bags to return home.
- Terese Loeb Kreuzer
More information about Rajkumar, including her background and her endorsements, is available on her website. To see it, click here.
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ELECTED OFFICIALS STAGING LAST-DITCH ATTEMPT TO ENSURE CONSTRUCTION COORDINATION IN LOWER MANHATTAN
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| Construction workers at the World Trade Center site. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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At the present time, there are more than 90 active construction projects in Lower Manhattan's one and a half square miles. Nevertheless, at the end of April, the City plans to close down the Department of Transportation's Lower Manhattan Borough Commissioner's Office, the only remaining buffer between the mayhem that this construction creates and the people who live and work downtown. Between 2004 and 2013, the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) provided residents with a single place to contact when they had quality-of-life issues such as noise, pollution and traffic problems related to construction. However, the LMCCC was disbanded in 2013 and its responsibilities shifted to the Department of Transportation. Despite the amount of construction that snarls Lower Manhattan's old and narrow streets and despite the crane collapse on Feb. 5 that killed one man and seriously injured others, the City has turned a deaf ear to pleas for adequate construction coordination. On March 9, four elected officials wrote to Anthony Shorris, first deputy mayor of New York City, requesting a meeting to discuss the problem. The letter, signed by State Senator Daniel Squadron, U.S. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Councilmember Margaret Chin, has gone unanswered. In the letter, the elected officials noted that even the Department of Transportation was not an adequate answer to downtown's construction issues. "As Commissioner Trottenberg stated at this year's City Council preliminary budget hearing," they wrote, "DOT does not have the resources, authority or mandate to consult with the multiple agencies that any construction project entails since LMCCC was downsized." On April 27 at 10 a.m., several elected officials and community members will hold a news conference on the steps of City Hall in a last-ditch effort to get the help that Lower Manhattan needs. Squadron, Chin, Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Community Board 1 chair Catherine McVay Hughes will speak, hoping that someone in City Hall will hear and respond. - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
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TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: A SHORT FILM, 'THE CAROUSEL,' WITH TIES TO ROD SERLING'S 'THE TWILIGHT ZONE,' HAS A PROFOUND MESSAGE
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| | The George F. Johnson Recreation Park "Rod Serling carousel" located in Binghamton, N.Y. (Photo: Jonathan Napolitano) |
The Tribeca Film Festival has come and gone, but memories and lessons remain. One of the lessons is that expensive films, larded with stars, are not necessarily more interesting or more useful than modest projects, created on a limited budget with heartfelt intent. One such project, "The Carousel," is a 12-minute-long documentary that is, in fact, about memory. It was shown at the festival along with several other short documentaries under the title "New York Then." The film opens with an old man, Bill Finkenstein, who gets a phone call from the assistant director of parks and recreation for the City of Binghamton. Is Finkenstein still involved with carousels? is the question. "Yes," was the answer. Then - would he be interested in restoring the city's carousel? The answer to that was also "Yes." The Binghamton carousel was built in 1925 and is well known, even for those who have never been to Binghamton. Rod Serling, creator of "The Twilight Zone," used a mate to it in the first season of the show, in an episode called "Walking Distance" that aired on Oct. 30, 1959. Artist Cortlandt Hull, who worked with Finkenstein on the restoration, came up with the idea that the carousel should honor Serling, who grew up in Binghamton. "Maybe we could consider putting some of his stories on the rounding board panels," Hull suggested. That's what they did. That old carousel was very important to Serling - so important that when it came time to shoot "Walking Distance," he insisted on finding a working carousel that was as close as possible to the one he remembered. It was made by the same carver, Allan Herschell. "Walking Distance" is about a harried, 36-year-old advertising executive who takes a Sunday drive and ends up within "walking distance" of the place he grew up. So, while his car is being serviced, he takes that walk and finds that he has gone through a wormhole in time and he is face to face with the 11-year-old boy he once was and with people who, in fact, are long dead, including his parents. But he sees them alive again, and talks to them. And there's that carousel, the one he rode when he was a child. "This is one of the most autobiographical scripts that my father wrote," Anne Serling says in "The Carousel" film. Rod Serling had enlisted in the military right out of high school, and while he was deployed, his father suddenly died, she says. Serling never had a chance to say good-by. In "The Twilight Zone" episode, he does. He talks to his father as they stand by the carousel, and his father advises him that each of us only has one chance to enjoy the time of youth, and that instead of looking behind him, he should look ahead. And then, in "The Twilight Zone," the father says, "Good-by, son" and the man replies, "Good-by, Pop" and they part. Forever. It is wrenching. "The Carousel" film, shot in black and white, expresses that sadness and that joy and that mystery - the carousel horses going around and around, from darkness into light and then into darkness again, like life itself. "The Carousel" was directed, produced, photographed and edited by Joseph Napolitano - "in memory of Rod Serling." - Terese Loeb Kreuzer
To see the "Walking Distance" episode of "The Twilight Zone," click here. "The Carousel" movie by Napolitano is now being shown in other festivals, but perhaps it will some day resurface in New York.
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Bits & Bytes
MARCHERS REMEMBER NEPAL EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS; CELEBRATING IRELAND'S INDEPENDENCE; 9/11 GUARD HUSHES NATIONAL ANTHEM
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| | Water Street in Lower Manhattan. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
"Robert A.M. Stern Has Plans for TriBeCa," New York Times, 4/22/16. "Robert A. M. Stern may be best known in certain New York circles for the high-end 'apartment houses' that his firm, Robert A. M. Stern Architects, has designed uptown in the manner of the city's grand and gracious prewar residences," says The New York Times. "But the firm is also making its mark downtown with buildings like Abington House, a rental building in Chelsea, and Superior Ink, a condominium in the West Village. Another condo it designed, 30 Park Place, an 82-story tower in the Financial District, is expected to begin welcoming residents in a few months. Now comes 70 Vestry in TriBeCa. It's still a hole in the ground - a big one, stretching along West Street between Vestry and Desbrosses Streets, with backhoes busily digging in the dirt. But the site would be hard to beat - directly across from Hudson River Park, offering unobstructed views of the water. And the building's developer, the Related Companies, has now opened a sales gallery a couple of blocks east, at 50 Vestry Street, that showcases the condo's design and model rooms by the architect Daniel Romualdez, who took charge of 70 Vestry's interiors." For the complete article, click here. "Hundreds March in Lower Manhattan to Remember the Victims of Nepal's 2015 Earthquake," NY1.com, 4/24/16. "Hundreds gathered in Lower Manhattan to remember the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal one year ago [on April 25, 2015]," says NY1.com. "They represented several organizations who want to keep the memory of the nearly 9,000 lives lost in the earthquake alive, and get more help for survivors. People who experienced the earthquake were among the marchers who walked for about one mile" and who spoke about the traumatic losses and the difficulty getting aid to rebuild. For the complete article, with a video, click here. "A Celebration in Song and Dance of Ireland's Independence and Culture," New York Times, 4/24/16. "As the Irish fiddles began to play on Sunday afternoon, Fiona Kells strapped on her dancing shoes at a festival in Battery Park in Manhattan celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the Easter Rising, a rebellion that started Ireland on its path to independence," says The New York Times. "The celebration highlighted the inspiration those revolutionaries found in American principles of liberty and their connection to the Irish diaspora - like Fiona and her family - in America. Of her own accord, the 9-year-old girl stepped in front of the crowd. She tossed her red hair and began to jig with passion." For the complete article, click here. "RXR Sells Interest in 61 Broadway," GlobeSt.com, 4/22/16. "RXR Realty has sold a 49% interest in 61 Broadway, an office tower in the Financial District here, to an affiliate of China Orient Asset Management for approximately $215.6 million," says GlobeSt.com. "The purchase price was based on a gross valuation of $440 million for the 33-story, 787,000-square-foot office building, RXR Realty states in its announcement of the transaction. RXR Realty acquired the building in March 2014 in a deal valued at approximately $330 million." For the complete article, click here. "City considers retail in open spaces along Water Street," Politico.com, 4/25/16. "Water Street in Lower Manhattan, with 19 million square feet of towering office buildings, is at the center of a debate over how to utilize privately owned public spaces," says Politico.com. "At its meeting on Monday, the City Planning Commission is expected to approve a proposed change to how these spaces, known as POPS, are used. If the City Council ultimately signs off on the plan, Water Street would be poised to undergo a transformation from a quiet area dominated by commercial real estate to one teeming with restaurants, shops and outdoor cafes." For the complete article, click here. "Classified report thought to link Saudi Arabia to 9/11 attacks could be released as early as June," Daily News, 4/25/16. According to the Daily News, "The classified 28-page section of a joint congressional report thought to contain information connecting Saudi Arabia to the 9/11 attacks could be released as early as June, the top U.S. intelligence official said Monday." The Daily News cited James Clapper, director of National Intelligence, who called the release of the document by June "a realistic goal." His office is "in charge of deciding whether to declassify the papers. The 28 pages - which are from a 2002 report based on a joint House and Senate Intelligence Committee probe into the 9/11 attacks - have remained classified since the George W. Bush presidency, fueling rampant speculation they may contain damning information connecting the 9/11 hijackers to the Saudi government." For the complete article, click here. "Guard Stops Students From Singing National Anthem at 9/11 Memorial," New York Times, 4/25/16. "Officials at the National September 11 Memorial Museum in Manhattan said on Monday that one of their security guards should not have stopped a North Carolina middle school choir from singing the national anthem on the plaza last week," The New York Times reported. "About 50 students from Waynesville Middle School in western North Carolina were at the memorial on Wednesday and had just started singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' when a guard told them to stop. Martha Brown, a teacher from the school, said on Monday that a different security guard had given permission for her students to sing." For the complete article, click here.
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Downtown bulletin board
FREE SAILING AT NORTH COVE MARINA; FIREBOAT JOHN J. HARVEY GALA; LMCC OPEN STUDIOS; SAILORS BALL THIS FRIDAY NIGHT
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| | The fireboat John J. Harvey is 85 years old this year. On May 3, celebrate Harvey's 85th birthday with an evening of music, cocktails and a buffet dinner at the New York City Fire Museum. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Asphalt Green special: Former members of Asphalt Green Battery Park City whose memberships have lapsed can rejoin without paying an initiation fee and can also get three free introductory personal training sessions. The offer expires on April 30. Asphalt Green is located at 212 North End Ave. and is open daily offering sports, fitness and aquatic programs. Contact membership at (212) 298-2900, ext. 2910 for more information or email bpcmembership@asphaltgreen.org.
National Museum of the American Indian gala: A gala on May 11 will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of George Gustav Heye's collection as the National Museum of the American Indian. Louise Erdrich (Turtle Mountain Chippewa/Ojibwe), novelist and National Book Award Winner, will be honored for her achievements. Tickets start at $1,000. For more information and tickets, click here or call (212) 514-3750.
Stockings With Care benefit concert: Stockings With Care, a charity founded by Battery Park City resident Rosalie Joseph to provide December holiday gifts for homeless and other at-risk children, will be the beneficiary of Bankrupt Talent's 8th Annual Rock 'n Roll Charity Concert on May 11. Place: Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleeker St. Time: 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $35 (in advance); $45 (at the door). For more information and to buy tickets, click here. LMCC Open Studios with Workspace Artists-in Residence: The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) provides free workspace for artists in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, performance and writing. On Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30, the current group of artists will open their studios to the public. Place: 28 Liberty St. (the former One Chase Manhattan Plaza where corporate offices on the 19th floor have been repurposed into a space for artists). Time: April 29: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 30: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. (visual arts). 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (readings by poets, playwrights, novelists and other artists). Free. Reservations are required. To reserve, click here. Manhattan Youth's 2016 Downtown Community Awards: Manhattan Youth will honor Catherine McVay Hughes on May 12 for her leadership as chair of Community Board 1 and for her dedication to issues such as community resilience, land use and overall services. Twenty students who have participated in Manhattan Youth's Community Service Program will also be honored. They have contributed to community endeavors during Manhattan Youth's After-School programs, environmental cleanup and overall advocacy. Place: Manhattan Youth Downtown Community Center, 120 Warren St. Time: 7 p.m. Tickets (to cover the cost of refreshments), $12. To buy tickets, click here. Manhattan Youth volleyball: On Friday nights, Manhattan Youth offers beach volleyball instruction and games on Pier 25 in Hudson River Park for kids from grades 5 to 12. The Volleyball League runs from May 13 to July 25. Fifth to eighth graders play from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. while ninth through 12th graders play from 7:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. The program is free for Downtown Community Center members. The fee for non-members is $35. For more information, email Marshal Coleman at mc@marshalcoleman.com. To register, click here. Free sailing: Every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., May through October, Offshore Sailing is offering a free one-hour sail for New York City residents with a valid New York City ID. The boats leave from North Cove Marina at Brookfield Place in Battery Park City. There is a limit of one free sail per person per season. All who participate must be be 18+ years old or 7-17 years of age with a parent/guardian. Spots are limited - only 10 are available each day, so advance reservations are necessary. To reserve, click here. For information about the Offshore Sailing School's sailing programs for adults, families and kids, email Meg@offshoresailing.com. Downtown Boathouse kayaking season: The Downtown Boathouse season of free kayaking will open at Pier 26 (on the Hudson River at North Moore Street) on Saturday, May 21. On weekends and holidays through Oct. 10, the hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last boat going out a half hour before closing time. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from June 15 to Sept.15, the boathouse will be open from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. In addition to Pier 26, the Downtown Boathouse runs a free public kayaking program on Governors Island, with details about the plans for this season yet to be announced. For information about how to become a volunteer for the Downtown Boathouse, click here. Reduced fees at Stuyvesant High School Community Center: All-access memberships in the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School (CCSHS) at 345 Chambers St. will now cost $199 for adults (ages 18-61), down from $525. For Battery Park City residents, the price will be $179. For seniors, youth (17 and under) and for members of the military, all-access annual membership is now $79, down from $150 for seniors and $100 for youth. Military membership pricing is being offered for the first time. Battery Park City residents in these categories will pay $59 annually for an all-access membership. Day passes will continue to cost $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and youth, with a first-time $10 day pass option now available for military members. Beginning May 1, annual membership and day pass purchases will include free access to many classes and programs at the community center. Upcoming classes and programs include group swim lessons for children and adults, tennis clinics, yoga, badminton, total body boxing, the BPC Running Club, and more. The Community Center at Stuyvesant High School is operated by the Parks Programming department of the Battery Park City Authority. The community center is open seven days a week when classes at the high school are not in session. For full membership options or to join CCSHS email ccshs@bpcparks.org or call (212) 267-9700. For more information, click here.
Fireboat John J. Harvey gala: The fireboat John J. Harvey is 85 years old this year. At 130 feet and 268 gross tons, she is among the most powerful fireboats ever in service, capable of pumping up to 18,000 gallons of water a minute. Harvey assisted during such notable fires as the Cunard Line pier fire in 1932, the burning of the Normandie in 1942, and the ammunition ship El Estero during World War II. She served the FDNY until her retirement in 1994. On September 11, 2001, John J. Harvey was reactivated as FDNY Marine 2. Alongside FDNY fireboats Firefighter and John D. McKean, she pumped water for 80 hours, until water mains were restored. On May 3, celebrate Harvey's 85th birthday with an evening of music, cocktails and a buffet dinner with a selection of Firehouse Chilis, plus an exploration of the history of the New York Fire Department. Place: New York City Fire Museum, 278 Spring St. (between Varick and Hudson Streets). Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets: $125. For more information and to buy tickets, click here. Community Convention: State Senator Daniel Squadron will be holding his 8th Annual Community Convention on Sunday, May 15 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at PS 124, The Yung Wing School, 40 Division St. (between Bowery and Market). The convention will be an opportunity to raise issues important to residents of the 26th Senate District, which Squadron represents. Subway: F to East Broadway, 6/J/N/Q/R/Z to Canal, or B/D to Grand Street. To register, click here. Contributions for earthquake victims in Ecuador and Japan: The Financial District Lions Club is helping to collect money for earthquake victims in Ecuador and Japan. Send contributions to the Lions Clubs International Foundation. For more information, click here.
Contributions in memory of Peter Stanford: Peter Stanford, founder and first president of the South Street Seaport Museum and the second president of the National Maritime Historical Society, died on March 24 at the age of 89. The Stanford family has asked that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to the National Maritime Historical Society and the South Street Seaport Museum. The National Maritime Historical Society is also requesting remembrances and photos for a feature on Peter Stanford for the next issue of Sea History. They can be emailed to nmhs@seahistory.org or mailed to 5 John Walsh Boulevard, PO Box 68, Peekskill New York 10567.
Unclaimed funds in New York: The New York State Comptroller's Office reports that it is holding nearly $14 billion in unclaimed money for New York residents who may have been charged superfluous fees or overpaid a bill, among other reasons for the money to end up in that office. Manhattan has the largest number of unclaimed funds in the New York area with just over 1.5 million potential cases. To search the comptroller's database and verify if you have unclaimed funds, click here or call (800) 221-9311 for more information. Disposing of electronic waste: New York State and City laws require the safe disposal of electronic waste (such as cellphones, computers and television sets) so that it doesn't end up in landfill. Most electronics can't be discarded through regular curb-side pick ups. The Lower East Side Ecology Center has a warehouse in Gowanus where electronic waste can be dropped off. In addition, the Lower East Side Ecology Center has rotating monthly recycling events in various city neighborhoods. For a calendar of its April recycling events, click here. The New York City Department of Sanitation offers a free recycling service for apartment buildings with more than 10 units. For information on how to enroll, call (212) 437-4647. Finally, many manufacturers offer drop off or mail-back options. For a list of manufacturers registered in New York State, go to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website by clicking here. If a manufacturer on the list refuses to accept your electronics, notify the Department of Environmental Conservation by calling (800) 847-7332.
Sailors Ball tickets on sale: The annual Sailors Ball is a black-tie party that celebrates the start of a new sailing season and raises funds for the Manhattan Yacht Club's junior sailing programs. This year, the ball will take place at the Down Town Association, 60 Pine St., on April 29. Regular ball tickets (with an open bar, finger food, dancing and casino games) cost $95 before April 26 and $120 afterward. VIP ball tickets cost $250 and include the 12 Meter Dinner from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and admission to the Ball. In addition there are raffle tickets whose proceeds support junior sailing. The raffle prizes include a place on board the historic America II during the America's Cup World Series in New York Harbor, Saturday May 7. (America II competed in the 1987 America's Cup, so this is a rare circumstance where a historic America's Cup boat will be in the same waters as the modern ones. Prize value $800) and two VIP tickets aboard the Arabella during the America's Cup World Series, Saturday May 7. The Arabella is the flagship of Manhattan Yacht Club and will be hosting its Club and special guests to watch this unique event with the most spectacular backdrop! Prize value $800.) Raffle tickets cost $20 (one ticket); $50 (three tickets); $100 (seven tickets). To buy tickets for the ball and the raffle, click here.
Luminaries: 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 proved so popular that it remained up until Feb. 29. For photographs of Luminaries, 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.
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.
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 May 3, 10, 17 and 24 and June 7, 14, 21 and 28. To register for a tour, click here. SeaGlass Carousel: Following 10 years of design and fundraising and a setback named "Sandy," the SeaGlass Carousel in The Battery opened on Aug. 19, 2015 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 open daily, weather permitting. For updates on changes to operating hours, follow The Battery Conservancy on Facebook. Admission to SeaGlass Carousel is $5 per ride. Access to The Battery is free and open to the public. 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.
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AMERICA'S CUP COMING TO NEW YORK HARBOR ON MAY 7 AND MAY 8
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| The America's Cup trophy. (Photo: Rob Tringali)
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The sailing season on the Hudson River will have barely begun when the America's Cup World Series arrives in town. On Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8, the world's best sailors racing the fastest boats will compete for points that count toward the final competition for the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda in 2017.
On both days, the epicenter of the race festivities will be Battery Park City and the Brookfield Place North Cove Marina. All races will finish just off the plaza, which will be home to one central event village.
The Competition Six teams, each sailing on behalf of a home country (defending champion Oracle Team USA, Emirates Team New Zealand, Land Rover BAR for Great Britain, Artemis Racing for Sweden, SoftBank Team Japan, and Groupama Team France) will compete in the New York race.
All six teams will race against one another at the same time, in a fleet racing format. Racing will take place from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Weather will determine the exact race course as well as the total number of races per day (up to a maximum of three). A New York champion will be crowned on Sunday, May 8, after the final race.
The event village at the Brookfield Place Waterfront Plaza will be open on both days of the race from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with entertainment, food vendors, sponsor activity and hospitality, all free to the public.
The main stage will host music and performances, including the "Dock Out" show, during which fans can hear from each team's skipper before they head out to race, and the awards ceremony on Sunday. Spectators watching from the event village will also be able to see a broadcast of the race on big screens in the plaza with an announcer calling the race live over a speaker system.
The race and event village are free and open to the public with no tickets required.
For those who can't make it to the race in person, Saturday's races will air live on NBC Sports Live Extra, and Sunday's races will air on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra at 2 p.m. ET.
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COMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETING: Week of April 25
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| | Leslie Koch, president of the Trust for Governors Island, addressed Community Board 1's full board meeting on April 25. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
April 26: CB 1 Monthly Meeting - 6 p.m.
Location: Governors Island Ferry Terminal
10 South St.
Waiting Room at the Terminal (street level/ground floor)
I. Public Session
Comments by members of the public (6 p.m.-7 p.m.) (1 to 2 minutes per speaker)
Guest Speaker
Leslie Koch, President, Trust for Governors Island
II. Business Session
A) Adoption of March 2016 minutes
B) Chairperson's Report - C. McVay Hughes
C) District Manager's Report - N. Pfefferblit
D) Treasurer's Report - J. Kopel
IV. Committee Reports
A) Nominating Committee
* Selection of Committee Chair - Report
* Discussion of Candidates for Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer - Report
B) Personnel Committee - R. Byrom
* Paid parental leave - Report
* Discussion of operations of CB1 Office - Report
* Land Use Consultant - Report
C) Quality of Life Committee - P. Moore
* Request to establish a construction coordinator to engage the Lower Manhattan community - Resolution
* Light pollution - Resolution
* Construction Forum - Report
D) Joint Quality of Life and Financial District Committees
P. Moore and S. Cole
* Proposed City Council legislation to license ticket vendors - Resolution
E) Seaport/Civic Center Committee - M. Pasanella
* Development in the Seaport area - Resolution
* Street Activity Permit Office application for 4th of July Pig Roast, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016, Maiden Lane between South and Water Streets - Resolution
* 21 Peck Slip, application for modification of a sidewalk caf� license for Acqua Restaurant - Resolution
* 212 Front St., application for change in method of operation for a restaurant liquor license - Resolution
* 78 South St., request for one-time alteration of hours for Watermark - Resolution
* Future of Brooklyn Banks - Report
F) Planning Committee - D. Switaj
* 375 Pearl St., notice of intent to acquire office space by Human Resources Administration - Resolution
* World Trade Center Quarterly Update - Report
* Performing Arts Center World Trade Center - Report
* Silverstein Properties Update - Report
* Retail at World Trade Center Transportation Hub - Report
* 9/11 Memorial & Museum - Report
G) Tribeca Committee - A. Blank/J. Ehrlich
* 404 Broadway, application for liquor license for Chipotle Mexican Grill - Resolution
* JCP sidewalk Sukkah street activity permit application for Duane Street between Church Street and West Broadway, Oct. 14, 2016 8 a.m. - Oct. 26, 2016 8 p.m. - Resolution
* Chabad of Tribeca, street activity permit application for Reade Street between Broadway and Church Street, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Resolution
* Street activity permit for Church Street School, Sunday, May 22, 2016 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Warren Street between West Broadway and Greenwich - Resolution
* 70 Vestry St., application for City Planning Commission Special Permit to allow a 42 space accessory parking garage - Resolution
* 62 Thomas St., application for restaurant liquor license for Elmwood Venture LLC d/b/a Buddha Bar - Resolution
* Street Activity Permit application by Transportation Alternatives, October 5, 2016 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Beach Street between Collister and Greenwich Streets - Resolution
* 325 Broadway, application for restaurant wine and beer license for Wichcraft - Resolution
* 251 Church Street, application for new sidewalk cafe at Two Hands Tribeca LLC - Resolution
* The Flea Theater - Report
* Worth Street Reconstruction Project - Report
* TD Five Borough Bike Tour temporary street closures - Report
H) Financial District Committee - S. Cole
* 70 Pine St., Board of Standards and Appeals application for a special permit to allow a physical culture establishment - Resolution
* 99 Church St., Board of Standards and Appeals application for a special permit to allow a physical culture establishment - Resolution
* 10 Murray St., application for restaurant wine & beer license for Vidhan Bhatt Inc. - Resolution
* 20 Maiden Lane/51 Nassau Street, application for hotel/restaurant liquor license for HCIN Maiden Hotel Lessee, LLC d/b/a Holiday Inn Wall Street - Resolution
* 120 Church Street, application for restaurant wine, beer & cider license application for SRG Church Street LLC d/b/a Schnippers - Resolution
* 32 Pearl Street, application for hotel liquor license for 44 Pearl Street Lessee LLC, Hersha d/b/a Hampton Inn Pearl Street - Resolution
*75 Maiden Lane, application for restaurant liquor license for an entity to be formed by Jason Francisco - Resolution
* The Battery Conservancy - Report
* Restoration of Vietnam Veterans Plaza - Report
I) Landmarks Committee - B. Ehrmann
* 70 Pine St., application for signage - Resolution
* 37 Harrison St., application to legalize and bring into code compliance back porch - Resolution
* Remembering Peter Stanford, founder of South Street Seaport Museum - Resolution
* Historical Map of Lower Manhattan - Report
* 346 Broadway Clock Tower - Report
J) Youth & Education Committee - T. Joyce
* Breakfast in the Classroom - Report
* School Crossing Guard Letter from Assemblymember Deborah Glick - Report
K) Battery Park City Committee - A. Notaro
* Wagner Park redesign and community input - Resolution
* Public Comments at Battery Park City Authority Board Meetings - Resolution
* The Skyscraper Museum - Report
* BPCA permit request for 2016 - Report
* Allied Barton Ambassadors - Report
* BPC Community Center Affordability - Report
* Zoning for Morton Street School - Report
* Response to NYS Homes and Community Renewal FOIL request - Report
V. Old Business
VI. New Business
VII. Adjournment
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CALENDAR: Week of April 24
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ParkRoyal on Pickering is a hotel in Singapore that is covered with vegetation. It is depicted in an exhibition entitled "Rethinking Cities for the Age of Global Warming" at the Skyscraper Museum in Battery Park City.
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April 28: Learn about "The Secret Life of the Brooklyn Bridge" on a walking tour with a guide from the South Street Seaport Museum. Beneath its elegant and restrained exterior, the Brooklyn Bridge holds many secrets. Hear the stories of the bridge's remarkable builders and the quirky life of this enigmatic structure. (Note: this walking tour does not go across the Brooklyn Bridge.) Also, May 12, May 19 and May 26. Registration is required. Place: Meet at the South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St. Time: 12:15 p.m. (Starting May 12, the tour will also be available at 6 p.m.) Tickets: $20; $15 (seniors and museum members); $10 (children). For tickets, click here. April 29: The South Street Seaport and the area immediately north of it are decorous now compared with what they used to be. Take a walking tour of the "wicked 4th Ward" with a guide from the South Street Seaport Museum. Home to eccentric and dangerous characters, the Fourth Ward was the city's district of vice and crime. Tours meet at the Museum's main entrance (12 Fulton St.) and will last approximately 75 minutes. E-mail walkingtours@seany.org for more information. Also May 13, May 20 and May 27. Time: 12:15 p.m. (Starting May 13, the tour will also be available at 6 p.m.) Tickets: $20; $15 (seniors and museum members); $10 (children). For tickets, click here. April 29: Composers Julian Wachner (director of music and arts at Trinity Wall Street) and Ralf Yusuf Gawlick present a concert of their own works at Carnegie Hall. Wachner's "An October Garden" will have its New York premiere. His "Improvisations" is also on the program. Gawlick's "Imagined Memories" will have its world premiere and his "At the still point of the turning world," its New York premiere. Place: Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 154 W. 57th St. Time: 8 p.m. Tickets: $35 to $75. For more information and to buy tickets, click here. April 30: The National Museum of the American Indian will be holding its annual Children's Festival with games of skill, art projects, storytelling, dancing and more. Also, May 1. Place: 1 Bowling Green. Time: Noon to 5 p.m. Free. For more information, click here. Through April 30: An exhibition entitled "Metamorphosis: The Collaboration of Poet Barbara Guest & Artist Fay Lansner" runs at Poets House through April 30. Beginning in the 1960s and continuing through the 1990s, this exhibition charts the creative collaboration and friendship between the New York School Poet Barbara Guest (1920- 2006) and painter Fay Lansner (1921-2010). Included in the exhibit are drawings, paintings, collages and portraits of Guest that depict the progressive transformation of the creative process. This is the first time that these works have been brought together in an exhibition. Place: 10 River Terrace. The exhibition is open during Poets House's regular hours. Free. For more information, click here.
Through April 30: Australian artist Amanda Parer's North American tour of Intrude, a public art installation, features monumental rabbits - five two-story rabbits and two four-story "XL" rabbits, commissioned by Arts Brookfield. Each rabbit is sewn in nylon and internally lit. The rabbits have been installed on Brookfield Plaza (at North Cove Marina), in the Winter Garden and in the shopping mall.
Through April 27: The National Museum of Immigration at Ellis Island is displaying 13 art quilts created to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service. The quilts were created by Fiber Works, a group of textile artists from the Lincoln-Omaha, Nebraska area. The artists were inspired by their favorite national park site. The quilts are on a year-long tour of the 13 chosen parks. For more information about the exhibition, click here.
Ongoing: "Street of Ships: The Port and Its People" in the South Street Seaport Museum's 12 Fulton St. lobby. The exhibition showcases works of art and artifacts from the museum's permanent collections related to the 19th century history of the Port of New York. The objects on display illuminate the Seaport's decisive role in securing New York City's place as America's largest city and the world's busiest port by the start of the 20th century. On view through 2016. Place: 12 Fulton St. Time: Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets: $12; $8 (seniors 65+, Merchant Mariners, Active Duty Military and students (with valid ID); $6 (kids, ages 6-17); free (children ages 5 and under). For more information or to reserve tickets, click here. Ongoing: "Rethinking Cities for the Age of Global Warming" is the title of the newest exhibition at the Skyscraper Museum. Of the world's 20 largest megacities - metropolitan areas with a population of 10 million or more - seven are located in the tropical countries and islands of Southeast Asia. WOHA - the practice begun in 1994 by architects Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell - has built extensively in the tiny city-state of Singapore, as well as in Bangkok, Mumbai, and other megacities in the region. WOHA proposes - and has built - tropical skyscrapers enveloped by nature and vertical villages with sky gardens, breezeways, and elevated parks. At a time when global warming threatens the future, the enlightened work of WOHA rethinks the urban environment, offering prototypes that use vertical density to create highly social, sustainable, and garden-filled cities. Through Sept. 4, 2016. Place: Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place. Museum open, Wednesday-Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Admission: $5; $2.50 (students and seniors). For more information, click here.
Ongoing: "Unbound: Narrative Art of the Plains" at the National Museum of the American Indian traces the evolution of the narrative art form from historic hides, muslins and ledger books to a selection of contemporary works by Native artists, the majority commissioned for this exhibition. Warrior-artists from the Native nations of North America's plains have long used pictures to depict visionary experiences and successes in battle and horse raiding. When the U.S. government enacted policies from 1870 to 1920 that forced Plains people to give up their traditions, drawings became a crucial means of addressing cultural upheaval. Since the 1960s, narrative artists have blended traditional and modern materials to depict everything from ceremonies and family histories to humor and contemporary life. Through Dec. 4, 2016. Place: 1 Bowling Green. The museum is open daily. Free. For more information, click here.
Ongoing: The exhibition, "New York's Yiddish Theater: From the Bowery to Broadway," is playing at the Museum of the City of New York (definitely uptown - the museum is at 1220 Fifth Ave., at 103rd Street - but the subject matter recalls the downtown heyday of the Yiddish theater in New York City). New York's first Yiddish production was staged in 1882. In the ensuing decades, so many Yiddish theaters opened on Second Avenue between Houston Street and East 14th Street that the area was known as the "Yiddish Rialto." The exhibition features more than 250 artifacts, including photographs, costumes, playbills, sets, drawings, sculptures and film clips. Some of them came from the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City, now affiliated with Folksbiene, the National Yiddish Theatre - one of the co-presenters of the exhibition along with the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and the National Yiddish Book Center. Place: Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Chalsty's Caf� in the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets: Suggested admission, $14; $10 (seniors and students with ID); free (under age 20 and members). For more information, click here.
Ongoing: In Atlanta, in 1915, Leo Frank became the only Jew ever lynched in the United States. He was accused of murdering a 13-year-old girl who worked at the pencil factory that he managed. His trial, murder and the aftermath are the subject of an exhibition, "Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited." Through Aug. 28, 2016. Place: Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place. Open Sunday to Friday (closed Saturdays). 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 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: "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 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.Nearby attractions:April 30-May 1: The 35th annual Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri) at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, is centered by 220 cherry trees in full bloom. In addition, there are an array of  events and activities celebrating Japanese culture including traditional Japanese music and dance, taiko drumming, martial arts, bonsai-pruning workshops, tea ceremonies and manga art. Transportation from Lower Manhattan: The 2, 3, 4, 5, N and R trains stop near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Place: Several entrances, including one at 150 Eastern Parkway. Open on weekends: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets for the Sakura Matsuri Festival: $25; $20 (seniors and students). For more information, click here.
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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
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