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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 3, No. 28 June 18, 2016
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Families need to know: free Summer Meals for kids are available all across Manhattan."
- Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer describing a federally funded program that provides free breakfast and lunch to low-income children during the summer
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: The SeaGlass carousel in The Battery is equipped with giant fish in which people sit. The fish change color during the three-minute ride. June 15, 2016
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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 Mention Downtown Post NYC and receive an extra 5% off. |
 ACCOMPANIED BY DISCOUNTED FOOD AND FREE MUSIC, SAMPLE DOWNTOWN'S MUSEUMS DURING 'NIGHT AT THE MUSEUMS' ON JUNE 21
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| Tourists on Broad Street. Federal Hall, behind them, will be one of 15 Lower Manhattan museums that will be open on June 21 for "Night at the Museums."
(Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
A cultural cornucopia on June 21 called "Night at the Museums" might more properly be called "Day at the Museums." From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., 15 downtown museums will open their doors without charge. To be absolutely accurate, when the event ends at 8 p.m., it will still be daylight because in these parts, June 21 is the longest day of the year. Nevertheless, even though all of the museums fit into Lower Manhattan's snug one-and-a-half square miles, that day won't be long enough to take in all 15 museums unless, of course, museum-goers wear their running shoes and sprint.
The museums include:
* The African Burial Ground National Monument at 290 Broadway, part of an extensive cemetery once outside the city walls, where African slaves were buried.
* The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect at 44 Park Place where a permanent exhibition enables visitors to learn how Anne and her family hid from the Nazis in an Amsterdam attic for more than two years before they were betrayed and sent to concentration camps.
* The China Institute at 100 Washington St., which offers programs in education, culture, business and art. During "Night at the Museums" there will be live music, a Chinese calligraphy demonstration and ice cream from Chinatown Ice Cream.
* Federal Hall National Memorial at 26 Wall St., the spot where Gen. George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789. The building where Washington stood was torn down but the Bible that he used is among the objects on display at Federal Hall. National Park Service Ranger-led tours will be offered on the hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
* Fraunces Tavern� Museum at 54 Pearl St. This is the only museum in Manhattan that focuses on the Colonial period, the Revolutionary War, and the Early Republic. There will be colonial music and dance presentations provided by historical Balladeer Linda Russell and The Tricorne Dance Ensemble. Kids can dress up in colonial costume and take home a souvenir photo.
* The Museum of American Finance at 48 Wall St. is the nation's only independent museum dedicated to American finance and financial history. In addition to the permanent exhibits, visitors can see special exhibits including "America in Circulation," which features hundreds of beautiful examples of American money and "Worth Its Weight: Gold from the Ground Up," which captivates visitors with the many ways gold has influenced our lives through hundreds of unique and rare objects. There will be free tours at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. with a limit of 20 people per tour.
* The Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust at 36 Battery
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The Museum of Jewish Heritage
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Place offers exhibitions that explore modern Jewish history, life, and culture. The Core Exhibition presents Jewish history and heritage from before, during, and after the Holocaust. Guided tours of the Core Exhibition will be offered on the hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. * The National Archives at New York City, 1 Bowling Green, 3rd floor, invites visitors to discover the many national treasures of New York. Begin your journey into family history research/genealogy in the Research Center by examining immigrant arrivals (including Ellis Island), Federal census and naturalization (citizenship) records, and more. The Learning Center offers "Amending America" activities and "Archival Adventures." In the Welcome Center, view select original documents that explore the Bill of Rights, constitutional amendments, and instances in which American citizens have sought to amend the Constitution to attain greater rights and freedoms. Meet Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson (historic reenactors) and witness these famous founding fathers debate our nation's principles.
* The National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, at 1 Bowling Green illuminates through exhibitions and programs the diversity of Native peoples of the Americas, from the Arctic Circle to the southern tip of Patagonia. Special tours will be offered of the museum's collections, Infinity of Nations, Unbound: Narrative Art of the Plains, and the stunning Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House Building on the hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tours of Cer�mica de los Ancestros: Central America's Past Revealed will take place at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Spanish. Children can also partake in fun and educational activities celebrating Native Cultures of the Great Plains from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
* The National September 11 Memorial Museum at 180 Greenwich St. is the country's principal institution concerned with exploring the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting the impact of those events, and exploring 9/11's continuing significance. Free admission is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the last admission two hours prior to closing. Tickets are not available in advance and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the museum starting at 4 p.m.
* The NYC Municipal Archives, located in a stunning Beaux Arts building at 31 Chambers
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The Surrogate's Court at 31 Chambers St. as viewed through the columns of New York City's Municipal Building. The Surrogate's Court was built between 1899 and 1907.
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St., hold New York City Government's historical records beginning with documents deeding land to the Lady Deborah Moody in 1645. The remarkable archives include early maps of the City, drawings for the Brooklyn Bridge, designs for Central Park, and other municipal records. Visitors can view "Little Syria, NY: An Immigrant Community's Life and Legacy," an exhibit developed by the Arab American National Museum which documents a neighborhood on Manhattan's lower west side that was home to one of the largest and earliest communities of Arab Americans in the nation, as well as records from the Municipal Archives and an exhibit of photographs by Mike Appleton. * The 9/11 Tribute Center at 120 Liberty St. was created by the September 11th Families Association. It offers visitors a place where they can connect with people from the 9/11 community including survivors, family members, rescuers and first responders. Visitors learn about 9/11 through personal stories told by those who were there. Volunteer guides will speak to visitors about the events of September 11th as well as their personal experiences every half-hour between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
* Poets House at 10 River Terrace has a 60,000-volume poetry library and a gallery where an exhibition of paintings entitled "Metamorphosis: The Collaboration of Poet Barbara Guest & Artist Fay Lansner" is now on display. Participate in a poetry scavenger hunt: visitors will be given popular poems with several words missing and will have to find the poems in books in the extensive library. The first person to correctly complete three poems will receive a free, one-year membership to Poets House. Everyone who fills in at least one poem correctly will get a special Haiku pencil, curated by poet Robert Hass. At 7 p.m., hear readings from the new anthology, The Collected Works of Adrienne Rich.
* The Skyscraper Museum at 39 Battery Place celebrates New York City's rich architectural heritage and examines the historical forces and individuals that have shaped its successive skylines. The museum explores tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate, and places of work and residence. At 5 p.m., take a curator's tour with founding director Carol Willis of the museum's special exhibition "Garden City | Mega City."
* The South Street Seaport Museum at 12 Fulton St. is dedicated to telling the story of the
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Bowne & Co. Stationers and Bowne Printers on Water Street are part of the South Street Seaport Museum and will be open during "Night at the Museums."
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rise of New York as a port city and its critical role in the development of the United States. The museum uses its historic buildings, unique art collection and ships to provide educational experiences and interactive exhibits. Enjoy free entry to the exhibition "Street of Ships: The Port and Its People." Walking tours exploring the history of the East River waterfront start at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (one-hour duration). Bowne Printers at 209 Water St. offers live demonstrations on printing presses dating from the mid-19th century. In addition to the museums, anyone who wants a quick guided tour of some parts of museum-rich Lower Manhattan can sign up with Lower Manhattan Tours for a 30-minute walk through the historic capital of world finance: the one-square-mile of downtown Manhattan known as "Wall Street." Mini-Walking Tours will take place every 30 minutes, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tours meet in front of 55 and 57 Wall Street and end at one of the museums or historic sites participating in "Night at the Museums." Book in advance at www.LowerManhattanTours.com. Tours will fill up quickly. A small number of slots will be held for walk-ups. "Night at the Museums" is accompanied this year by music programmed by Make Music New York, a live, free musical celebration with over 1,200 concerts on streets, sidewalks, and parks across the five boroughs, including Lower Manhattan.
On June 21 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City, there will be music between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. from DK and the Joy Machine (Irish dulcimer) and between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. from Eugene Marlow's Heritage Ensemble (jazz). At the Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall St., Cypher on Wall Street with Baba Israel and one-man-band Yako 440 will play from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. At the NYC Municipal Archives, 31 Chambers St., there will be live music from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Epyllion (Arabic/Middle Eastern/Folk) and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hejira (Arabic/Middle Eastern/Jazz)
"Night at the Museums" is presented as a part of the River To River Festival 2016, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's annual summer arts festival.
Additionally, every Tuesday until Aug. 30, visitors can experience the growing and vibrant food scene in Lower Manhattan at a discount. Sign up at downtownny.com/getlow for discounts, freebies, and other surprises at 34 restaurants across the district. For complete information, including a map and schedule of events, click here or pick up a free "Night at the Museums" Guide at any of the participating institutions. All activities are free but some require tickets or advance reservations.
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FREE MEALS FOR LOW-INCOME KIDS 18 AND YOUNGER ARE
AVAILABLE THROUGH NEW YORK CITY'S SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM
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| Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer handing out information about New York City's Summer Meals Program.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Manhattan Borough President's Office)
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During the school year, hundreds of thousands of New York City public school students have a compelling reason to get to school on time. If they're late or don't show up, they will be hungry.
Every day during the school year, the New York City Department of Education provides over 700,000 free meals in schools serving low-income populations. These meals are essential for the children's health and capacity to learn.
But what many families in need of this assistance don't realize is that free, nutritious meals are also available to their children during the summer. Nationally, only one in six low-income children who ate a school lunch during the 2014-2015 school year was reached by a summer nutrition program, according to the Food Research Action Center. And that's partially because their families don't know that these programs exist.
Children 18 and younger are eligible.
On June 17, Borough of Manhattan President Gale Brewer, members of her staff and that of City Councilmember Ben Kallos and volunteers visited 82 elementary schools in Manhattan to spread the word. "Families need to know: free Summer Meals for kids are available all across Manhattan," said Brewer.
The Summer Meals program is federally funded and includes breakfast and lunch. The meals are available in public schools, and at public pools and recreation centers, New York City Housing Authority complexes and other sites.
The program runs from June 27 to Sept. 4.
In Lower Manhattan, there are four schools offering this service, all of them in Chinatown.
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A banner outside the Yung Wing School at 40 Division St., one of four schools in Lower Manhattan that participates in the free Summer Meals program. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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They are PS 126, the Jacob August Riis School at 80 Catherine St.; PS 130, the Hernando De Soto School at 143 Baxter St.; PS 124, the Yung Wing School at 40 Division St.; and MS 131 at 100 Hester St. In addition, the free meal program is available at Columbus Park between Baxter, Mulberry, Bayard and Worth Streets.
The Manhattan Borough President's Office has created brochures describing the program and how to apply for it. They are available online in six languages. For more information, click here.
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Bits & Bytes
STATUE OF LIBERTY MAY GET NEW MUSEUM; SUBWAY HEROES RESCUE MAN FROM TRACKS; LOWER MANHATTAN SKYSCRAPER CONSTRUCTION
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The Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in New York harbor now has a museum housed in its base. Plans for a new museum are under way. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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"Fashion photographer's former Tribeca pad sells for $5.5M," New York Post, 6/9/16. "Parisian-born fashion photographer Antoine Verglas - whose famed naked shot of Melania Trump landed on the cover of British GQ in 2000, when America's next potential first lady was just dating The Donald - made his name shooting 1990s supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Stephanie Seymour," says the New York Post. "Now his former Tribeca home at the landmarked Roebling Building - named after Brooklyn Bridge designer John August Roebling - just went into contract. The second-floor loft at 169 Hudson St., between Laight and Vestry streets, was asking $5.5 million." For the complete article, click here. "'Sopranos' star's Wall Street rental is a gangster's paradise," New York Post, 6/9/16. "Steve Schirripa, who played Bobby Baccalieri on 'The Sopranos,' and who was also in 'Jersey Boys' and 'The Secret Life of the American Teenager,' is renting a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at 75 Wall St., where Ariel Cohen of Douglas Elliman is handling sales," says the New York Post. "The corner unit runs 1,411 square feet. It comes with 10-foot ceilings, large windows and boasts great city and river views." For the complete article, click here. "Artificial intelligence developer takes 27K sf at 7 WTC," therealdeal.com, 6/9/16. "Artificial intelligence developer IPsoft took a 27,200-square-foot sub-sublease for office space at Silverstein Properties' 7 World Trade Center in the Financial District," says The Real Deal. "IPsoft has already moved into the space, which comprises of roughly two-thirds of the 32nd floor at 7 WTC. The company is subleasing the office from currency trading firm FXDD, which itself subleased nearly 41,000 square feet - the building's entire 32nd floor - from Dutch bank ABN AMBRO in 2009." For the complete article, click here. "First Look at 54-Story Tower at 23 Park Row, Financial District," New York YIMBY, 6/9/16. "L+M Development is nearly finished demolishing J&R Music and Computer World's former flagship at 23-32 Park Row in the Financial District to make way for a 54-story residential tower," says New York YIMBY. Primary Capital "is handling the EB-5 fundraising for this project. The firm pegs the total construction cost at $492 million, and L&M is seeking $49 million in EB-5 funding. Designed by COOKFOX, the building will reach 691 feet into the air across from City Hall Park. In terms of height, it will rival The Beekman, the 700-foot-tall residential building under construction across the street." For the complete article, click here. "101 Murray Bites the Dust and 111 Murray Street Rises Skyward in Ever-Changing West Tribeca," New York YIMBY, 6/10/16. Over the past two centuries, the western part of Tribeca along West Street "has been repeatedly transformed beyond recognition, particularly by the 1960s urban renewal program that completely cleared dozens of formerly-vibrant blocks," says New York YIMBY. "But even there, a 32-year building life span is short by any measure. Designed by architect Haines Lundberg Waehler, 101 Murray Street rose at the corner of Murray and West streets in 1983. Despite its relatively low, 10-story profile, the trapezoid-shaped ziggurat towered prominently over the empty blocks paved over with parking lots and the newly created ground on the other side of the wide West Street, awaiting the eventual development of Battery Park City. As the city's largest produce market turned no man's land has transformed into one of the city's most exclusive residential addresses, the site would become home to the latest herald of the luxury high-rise movement. The building was dismantled by mid-2015 after the site was sold for one of the highest prices in Lower Manhattan history. It is being replaced by a soaring, 857-foot-tall skyscraper designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and Goldstein, Hill & West. The curving glass tower will be known as 111 Murray Street." For the complete article, with many interesting historic drawings and photos, click here. "Watch These Subway Heroes Join Forces To Rescue A Man From The Tracks," Gothamist.com, 6/10/16. "A group of good Samaritans rescued a man who fell into the subway tracks in lower Manhattan this afternoon, managing to pull him out minutes before a train pulled into the station," says Gothamist.com of an event that occurred on June 10 around 2:30 p.m. at the City Hall R Station. "The man was back on the platform about two minutes before the next train arrived," says the Gothamist account, "surrounded by an MTA worker and the men who saved his life." For the complete article, click here. "Statue of Liberty Museum Could Get a Complete Makeover," Curbed.com, 6/10/16. "According to the National Park Service, around 4 million people take the trip to Liberty Island to check out the statue every year," says Curbed.com. "The museum at the base of the Statue, however, is facing growing pains: the number of people who can visit that in its current, tiny form is limited to around 5,000 each day. But that could soon change: according to the Wall Street Journal, the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation are planning a new, much larger Statue of Liberty museum. Their plans currently call for a free-standing structure that would sit at the opposite end of the island from Lady Liberty herself. FXFOWLE is reportedly designing the 15,000-square-foot space, which would feature galleries, a bookstore, a theater, and a green roof, among other elements." For the complete article, click here. "A Saudi Imam, 2 Hijackers and Lingering 9/11 Mystery," New York Times, 6/17/16. "Inside an opulent palace in Riyadh late one evening in February 2004, two American investigators interrogated a man they believed might hold answers to one of the lingering mysteries of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: What role, if any, did officials in Saudi Arabia's government play in the plot?" says The New York Times. "The man under questioning, Fahad al-Thumairy, had been a Saudi consular official based in Los Angeles and the imam of a mosque visited by two of the hijackers. The investigators, staff members of the national 9/11 commission who had waited all day at the United States Embassy before being summoned to the late-night interview, believed that tying him to the plot could be a step toward proving Saudi government complicity in the attacks. They were unsuccessful. In two interviews lasting four hours, Mr. Thumairy, a father of two then in his early 30s, denied any ties to the hijackers or their known associates. Presented with phone records that seemed to contradict his answers, he gave no ground, saying the records were wrong or people were trying to smear him. The investigators wrote a report to their bosses saying they believed Mr. Thumairy was probably lying, though no government investigation into the Sept. 11 attacks has ever found conclusive evidence that Mr. Thumairy - or any other Saudi official - assisted in the plot. But nearly 15 years after the attacks on New York and Washington, the question of a Saudi connection has arisen again amid new calls for the release of a long-classified section of a 2002 congressional inquiry into the attacks that discusses a possible Saudi role in the terrorist plot - the so-called 28 pages, whose secrecy has made them almost mythical." For the complete article, click here. |
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Downtown bulletin board
PRO VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND; CONGRESSMAN NADLER ON BALLOT IN JUNE 28 PRIMARY ELECTION; LIGHTNING SAFETY
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| | The Tribeca Greenmarket on Greenwich Street north of Chambers Street is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Volleyball tournament: The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) is holding a tournament through June 19 at Piers 25 and 26 in Hudson River Park. The schedule is as follows: June 18, 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. / Elimination Rounds; June 19, 10:00 a.m. - 6 p.m. / Semi-Finals and Finals. General admission is free with tickets available to covered premium seating areas and a hosted lounge. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Battery Park City Parks Summer Events Calendar: For a complete list of events and classes taking place this summer in Battery Park City under the auspices of Battery Park City Parks, click here.
Tribeca Greenmarket: There are several Greenmarkets in Lower Manhattan (at Bowling Green, City Hall, the Staten Island Ferry, Water Street at Coenties Slip and on Greenwich Street just north of Chambers Street in Tribeca). Of these, the Tribeca Greenmarket is the largest. At this market, year-round vendors sell staples such as bread, dairy products, chicken and other poultry, eggs, beef, apples and pears. In addition, local produce is beginning to arrive. Strawberries will be available for another couple of weeks. Blue Moon Fish is back with wild-caught fish and shellfish from Suffolk County. Several local farmers are bringing vegetables, herbs and flowers to the market. One vendor, Lavender By the Bay, sells fresh cut, dried and potted lavender. On Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to noon, Barefoot Books will bring books about farming and food to the Tribeca market. The Tribeca Greenmarket is open Wednesdays (a small market with just a handful of vendors) and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. although many vendors start to pack up shortly after 2 p.m. so it's best to get there before that. For more information, click here.
BPC Community Day: The Battery Park City Authority is sponsoring a Battery Park City Community Day on Saturday, June 25, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School (CCSHS), 345 Chambers St. The event will feature lawn games, prizes, pizza and other snacks and refreshments, as well as full access to all the Community Center's offerings. Attendees can swim in the half-sized Olympic pool, play basketball, work out in the weight room, play pickup basketball or compete in free-throw and three-point shot contests. There will be 20-minute fitness classes throughout the day, including yoga, total body boxing, tai chi, core fitness, cardio swim, and Masala Banghra dance fitness. Those wishing to use the pool should bring their own locks and towels. Admission is free.
Seafarers Camp 2016: The South Street Seaport Museum 's 1893 fishing schooner, Lettie G. Howard, will serve as a camp for teens this summer. The week-long Seafarers Camp is for middle and high school students, who will acquire sailing and science skills, make friends and have fun aboard this historic, Coast-Guard certified tall ship. It will depart each week from Manhattan and sail into Long Island Sound where the teens will raise and handle sail, stand lookout, navigate and plot a course, steer the ship and sail through the night, taking their watch on deck. In the morning, they will anchor in a quiet harbor for a morning swim. The six-day voyages will depart every Sunday from July 3 through Aug. 26. Campers can sign up for one or more weeks. Cost: $1,250 per participant (covers all trip expenses). Group rates are available. Scholarships may be available based on financial need. For more information, email lettieghoward@seany.org or click here.
Next New York City primary: On June 28, there will be a federal primary election for registered Democrats in seven of New York City's congressional districts. Voters will select a
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A primary election on June 28 will determine who will be the Democratic candidate in the 10th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Rep. Jerrold Nadler who is running against Mikhail Oliver Rosenberg.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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candidate to represent their party in the Nov. 8 general election for the U.S. House of Representatives. Only registered Democrats can vote in these primaries. (There are no Republican primaries in these districts.) In District 10, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, the incumbent, is running against Mikhail Oliver Rosenberg. This district includes the Financial District, Battery Park City, Tribeca, Soho, the West Village, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen, Clinton, Midtown West, and the Upper West Side. For more information about Congressman Nadler and his record, click here. For more information about Rosenberg, click here. Polls will be open on June 28 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. To locate your polling site, click here.
Lightning safety: According to the National Weather Service (NWS), lightning strikes the United States about 25 million times each year. Most lightning storms occur during the summer. The NWS offers these safety tips if you are indoors: * Stay off corded phones. You can use cellular or cordless phones. * Don't touch electrical equipment such as computers, TVs, or cords. You can use the remote control safely; and * Stay away from windows and doors that might have small leaks around the sides to let in lightning, and stay off porches. According to the NWS, if you are outside during a storm it is important to get inside a safe building or vehicle. You are not safe outdoors, but if you absolutely cannot get to safety, follow these tips to slightly lessen the threat of being struck by lightning: * Avoid open fields, the top of a hill or a ridge top; * Stay away from tall, isolated trees or other tall objects. If you're in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees; and * If you're in a group, spread out to avoid the current traveling between group members.
Volunteers needed at the South Street Seaport Museum: Since its founding, the South Street Seaport Museum's mission has been to preserve and interpret the history of the Port of New York. Volunteers and interns are essential to this effort. Their skills are needed in many aspects of the museum's operation including administration, the crafts centers, and visitor services. Volunteers and interns help to inventory items in the museum's collections and assist with exhibitions. In the Education Department, they help the staff with public programs, book talks, lectures, workshops, walking tours and family programming. Some volunteers serve as docents after they receive training provided by Museum staff, giving tours of the collections and the historic district. On the waterfront, volunteers and interns help maintain and interpret the stationary vessels and operate, maintain and interpret the operational vessels. All of the ships need carpenters, electricians, ship engineers, riggers, metalworkers and divers from time to time. Volunteers and interns also work as crew on the schooner Pioneer as she cruises in New York Harbor and beyond. Training is provided. Those who are interested must be over the age of 18 or have parental or guardian permission, and pass a US Coast Guard-required drug test. For more information about volunteering for the South Street Seaport Museum, click here.
Fort Jay Troph�e d'Armes on Governors Island needs restoration funds: The sandstone eagle sculpture atop Fort Jay's monumental arch on Governors Island was designed by Joseph Mangin, architect of New York's City Hall. It is a one-of-a-kind national treasure and work of art, but two centuries of water, ice and pollution have damaged this national symbol. The preservation of the eagle sculpture was selected to take part in a national competition run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express, which will award grants to national parks in need of preservation. There are 20 parks competing, with just a quarter of the projects winning funding. A $245,000 grant from the competition would help restore the iconic eagle and stabilize the arch's deteriorating surfaces. Voting takes place between May 25 and July 5. The Friends of Governors Island is asking the public to vote once a day, every day to #SaveOurEagle at VoteYourPark.org/gois. After clicking to vote for Governors Island, you must scroll to the bottom of the voting site and click "Submit Votes" for your vote to be counted.
Minority and women-owned businesses get boost from New York City: Mayor Bill de Blasio has committed to awarding Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) $16 billion in contracts over the next 10 years. During FY 2015, the City awarded M/WBEs $1.6 billion and is on track to reach the $16 billion goal. There are now 4,454 M/WBEs in the City, a 21 percent increase since the start of De Blasio's administration. Free services are available to help strengthen certified M/WBE's including access to technical assistance, bonding, financing, teaming and mentorship. Firms interested in starting the M/WBE certification process or participating in M/WBE programming can learn more by calling 311, meeting with a client manager at one of the City's seven NYC Business Solution Centers (the Lower Manhattan center is at 79 John St., second floor) or by clicking here.
Manhattan Youth's Outdoor Adventure Summer Program: From Aug. 15 to Aug. 19, Manhattan Youth is offering a week-long sleepaway program for young people in grades 4 to 9 at the Appalachian Mountain Club's Outdoor Mohican Center in Blairstown, N.J. The program will include swimming, canoeing and kayaking, camping, day and night hikes, fishing, outdoor sports, evening campfires and more. Private transportation to and from the Mohican Outdoor Center will be provided. The center is a 90-minute drive from New York City located on 70,000 acres in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The program costs $945, however any child previously or currently enrolled in Manhattan Youth's Downtown Day Camp or After School Outdoor Adventure Program will receive a discount of $100. There is an additional $100 discount for siblings. For more information, email Yessenia Chimelis at yessenia@manhattanyouth.org or call (212) 766-1104, ext. 303.
Poets House membership: If you're not yet a member of Poets House, this is the time to sign up. Poets House, at 10 River Terrace in Battery Park City, is a free, 60,000 volume poetry library that sponsors lectures, symposia, exhibitions and classes and has special programs and facilities for children. Memberships start at $40 a year and are tax deductible. For more information about membership, click here.
Willy Wall open for the summer season: The Honorable William Wall, Manhattan Yacht Club's floating clubhouse in the harbor, has opened for the summer season. Buy a ticket, ride out to the Willy Wall on a launch and experience the incredible harbor. The Willy Wall offers unmatched views of sailboat races on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. This year, there will be an announcer doing play-by-play on race nights so you can follow the action and root for your favorite team. There is a bar on board where drinks and sodas can be purchased. Many people bring a picnic basket. For more about the Willy Wall, click here. Tickets: $20. To buy tickets, click here.
Downtown Boathouse season: This year's season of free kayaking at the Downtown Boathouse on Pier 26 (near North Moore Street) has begun. Weekends and holidays, the Downtown Boathouse is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 10. It is also open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings between June 15 and Sept. 15 from 5 p.m to 7:30 p.m. with the last boat going out a half hour before closing time. 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 more information about the Downtown Boathouse, 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 through July 15. 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. 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. Annual membership and day pass purchases 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.
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.
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 June 21 and 28 and July 5, 12, 19 and 26. 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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Before the construction of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and the World Trade Center, Manhattan's Lower West Side was home to one of the largest and earliest communities of Arab Americans in the United States. Little Syria, NY: An Immigrant Community's Life and Legacy tells the story of this neighborhood from its beginnings in the late 1800s to its legacy in Brooklyn and beyond.
May 25 to Sept. 16: The NYC Department of Records and Information Services, 31 Chambers St. Visitors Center. This exhibition was created by the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Mich. For more information, click here. |
COMMUNITY BOARD 1 MEETINGS: Week of June 20
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| Pier 17 in the East River, where The Howard Hughes Corporation is building a shopping mall. On June 21, Community Board 1's Seaport/Civic Center Committee will hear from Howard Hughes about "minor modifications" to its previously approved ULURP
for Pier 17. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
All meetings of Community Board 1 take place in the conference room at 1 Centre St., Room 2202-A North, starting at 6 p.m. unless otherwise indicated. A photo ID is needed to enter the building.
June 21: Seaport/Civic Center Committee - 6 p.m.
Location: Manhattan Borough President's Office
1 Centre Street - 19th Floor, Southside meeting room
* Minor modifications to previously approved Pier 17 ULURP - Presentation by Howard Hughes Corporation and resolution
* New Market and Tin Building Cooler Demolition - Update by Richard Cote, Executive Vice President, Asset Management
* Artists Loft, 181 Front St. - Update by Harry Young, Owner
* Application for Playstreet on Peck Slip between Pearl Street and Water Street on all school days at various times from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. by PS 343, The Peck Slip School - Joint Resolution with Youth and Education Committee
* 111 Worth St., application for wine and beer license for Smit and Smith Worth Street LLC - Resolution
* 42 Peck Slip (119 South St.), application for restaurant liquor license for Paris Caf� LLC d/b/a Paris Caf� - Resolution
* 15 Cliff St. plaza certification - Update
* Committee Accomplishments from January - June 2016 - Discussion
* Development at former J&R Site - Presentation by L&M Development (Tentative)
The following notices have been received for renewal, upgrade, or transfer of wine and beer or liquor licenses or sidewalk cafe permits:
* 146 Beekman St., application for renewal of a bar and restaurant liquor license for Manhattan Island Group LLC
June 23: Street Fair Task Force
* Agenda to be determined
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CALENDAR: Week of June 13
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| Shakespeare Downtown's production of "Romeo and Juliet" at the Castle Clinton National Monument in The Battery continues Tuesdays to Saturdays through June 25.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
June 18: An exhibition, "Deep Calls Deep" is at the World Trade Gallery with artists Michael Alan, Jenny McGee, Desmond Frick, Alicia Flannery, Ruben 415 and Erasmo. Gallery open Monday to Saturday. Place: 120 Broadway (entrance on Cedar Street). For gallery hours and more information, click here.
June 18: Shakespeare Downtown presents "Romeo and Juliet" at Castle Clinton. Place: The Battery. Tuesdays to Saturdays, through June 25. Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Tickets: Free. (Available beginning at 5 p.m. on the day of the performance. Get tickets at Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park. Seating capacity, 200 people per performance.) For more information, click here. June 18: Inti Ravmi, or the "Festival of the Sun" is a celebration of the winter solstice throughout many Andean cultures. (It's late fall in the Southern Hemisphere now and about to be winter.) The shortest day of the year in the Andes Mountains, this event welcomes the sun, longer days, plantings and harvests to follow. This festival is celebrated in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, yet each community has its own unique way of celebrating. At the National Museum of the American Indian, the celebration will include an opening blessing and the presentation of an altar followed by an afternoon of music and dance. Place: 1 Bowling Green. Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Free. For more information, click here. Ongoing: An exhibition called "Dunsmore: Illustrating the American Revolutionary War" opened on June 17 at the Fraunces Tavern Museum. John Ward Dunsmore (1856-1945) was a realistic and accurate genre painter who focused on the American Revolution and Early Republic. Through a chronological display of the Revolutionary War, this exhibition returns 47 recently conserved paintings to their rightful place in the iconography of American culture. Place: 54 Pearl St. Open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Admission: $7; $4 (seniors, students and children 6 to 18); free (children under 5 and active military). For more information, click here.
Ongoing: A retrospective of the work of Rosemarie Castoro (1939 - 2015) is at the Hal Bromm Gallery in Tribeca. The exhibition features over 50 works from the 1960s to the 2000s  including painting, sculpture and work on paper. Castoro established herself in the late '60s as one of the few well-recognized female painters among the New York Minimalists. Through June 30. Place: 90 West Broadway (at Chambers Street). Open: Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, call (212) 732-6196 or click here.
Ongoing: "Stitching History from the Holocaust," an exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, re-creates the dress designs of Hedy Strnad. In 1939, she and her husband, Paul, wrote to his American cousin seeking help to escape Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. Nearly 60 years later, the Strnad family discovered the letter in their basement, along with a packet of Hedy's dress designs. While Hedy and Paul did not survive, their story is brought to life through the contemporary creation of Hedy's designs and the piecing together of this couple's history. Through Aug. 14, 2016. Place: 36 Battery Place. The museum is open Sunday to Friday. Tickets: $12; $10 (seniors, 65 and up); $7 (students); free (children, 12 and under and museum members). For hours and more information, click here. Ongoing: Aboard the historic lighthouse tender Lilac, a photography exhibition by Richard W. Golden entitled "Defending New York Harbor: The City's Waterfront Forts" documents the fortifications that protectively ring New York Harbor. Through July 31. Place: Pier 25 in Hudson River Park. Time: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Thursdays) and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays). Free. For more information, 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: 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.
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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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