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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 3, No. 31 June 28, 2016
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"It will be an asset for the city and the world."
- Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer describing the Battery Oval, which opened to the public on June 25
WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information, click here.PRIMARY ELECTION ON JUNE 28: A primary election in which registered Democrats can  vote is being held on June 28 to determine the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 10th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Jerrold Nadler whose opponent is Mikhail Oliver Rosenberg. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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: Children playing in the newly opened Battery Oval. June 26, 2016 (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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 BATTERY OVAL'S GRACIOUS LAWN DEBUTS AND IS AN INSTANT HIT
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| | On a warm summer day, people found tranquillity and shade under the Battery Oval's honey locust trees. (Photos: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
The ribbon-cutting for the Battery Oval, a 90,000-square-foot lawn in The Battery at the southern end of Manhattan, took place shortly before 10 a.m. on June 25, and then the people of New York City arrived, making the lawn their own. Within a few hours, a casual onlooker might have supposed that the lawn had been there forever in just the way it looked at that moment.
Children ran barefoot across the grass. A woman sat in the shade on a blue metal chair that looked like a flower, reading the newspaper. A mother hoisted her beaming baby into the air  and brought him down again, close to her heart. An elderly couple sat quietly with their dog at their feet. A man and a woman lay on their backs in the grass under the old honey locust trees. A little girl grasped her blue rubber ball and tossed it high in the air, trying to catch it. Several people pulled the moveable blue chairs into a circle so they could talk. A gentle breeze dispersed the summer heat. "It is breathtaking to be here on such a beautiful day," said Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer at the ribbon cutting. "When you're here, you understand that good design works for the city."
Warrie Price, president of The Battery Conservancy, a non-profit organization that she founded
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Warrie Price with one of her grandsons, and Beth Franz, landscape architect.
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in 1994 to help restore the dilapidated 25-acre park, was the tenacious force that made the Battery Oval possible in the way it looks now. "I started raising money for it before 9/11," she said at the ribbon cutting. But things happened that forced her to divert the funds to other projects. Nevertheless, her vision for the Battery Oval remained firmly in mind.
Catherine McVay Hughes, chair of Community Board 1, recalled that Price attended meeting after meeting, garnering community support and making sure that everyone knew that this project was still alive.
Price wanted it to be gracious and welcoming. She wanted it to have chairs that people could move to accommodate their wishes and needs. And she wanted grass - real grass, not artificial turf. The grass required more than a year to take root. When you've waited for more than a decade for something, a year probably doesn't seem like that much time.
"There never has been a toxin on this lawn or a synthetic fertilizer," Price said at the ribbon cutting of the plush, green carpet under her feet.
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The ribbon cutting for the Battery Oval.
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There are now around 70,000 residents in Community District 1. "When I moved here 29 years ago, this wasn't a welcoming place" said City Councilmember Margaret Chin of The Battery. Old photographs show that she was right about that. Park benches were missing slats. Asphalt paths were cracked and strewn with litter. A series of paths crisscrossed the oval, which was the centerpiece of the park's design but was far from fulfilling its intended or possible function.
McVay Hughes described the Battery as "a scary, desolate, paved area that you would only want to pass through."
Now the oval looks like the town green that it is. "This is Lower Manhattan's only major gathering space," said Beth Franz, a senior associate with Quennell Rothschild & Partners, the landscape architects that created the master landscape plan for the park.
"This will be a gathering place for community events," said Brewer. "It will be an asset for the city and the world."
- Terese Loeb Kreuzer
To see a slide show of The Battery as it looked before restoration and as it looks now, click here. 
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Bits & Bytes
HOW SUPREME COURT DEPORTATION DECISION AFFECTS NEW YORK CITY IMMIGRANTS; LIBERTY PARK AT WTC; WALL ST. BONUSES DOWN
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On April 11, 2010, flanked by then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and then-New York State Governor David Paterson, former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver addressed the press conference announcing the transfer of Governors Island to the city. Since then, Silver has been tried and convicted for corruption and sentenced to 12 years in prison, but a Supreme Court ruling this week could open the way for a retrial. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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"Skelos and Silver See Hope in Supreme Court Ruling," Wall Street Journal, 6/27/16. "Two of the most powerful New York politicians convicted of public corruption, Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos, received possible lifelines Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the corruption conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell," says the Wall Street Journal. "The court unanimously determined that a public official must decide or act in a way that involves a formal exercise of governmental power, or agree to do so, to qualify as having taken an official action, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. Activities such as arranging meetings or attending events are ordinary political activities, the court said, which public officials routinely do for their constituents. Those actions were at the heart of the case against Mr. McDonnell and his wife. Prosecutors alleged they secretly accepted more than $175,000 in gifts and loans from a wealthy local businessman who sought favorable government consideration for his dietary-supplement company. Prosecutors on Monday said that the ruling wouldn't affect the convictions of Messrs. Skelos and Silver, but defense attorneys for both men have signaled their plans to appeal based on the McDonnell decision." For the complete article, click here. Articles about the impact of the Supreme Court decision on the Silver and Skelos cases also appeared in the New York Times ( "Supreme Court Complicates Corruption Cases From New York to Illinois," 6/27/16) and on WGRZ.com ( "Silver, Skelos get help from Supreme Court," 6/27/16.) "In Immigration Fight, Asians Work to Be Heard," New York Times, 6/24/16. "As immigration activists gathered in Lower Manhattan on Friday afternoon, chanting in Spanish to denounce the Supreme Court deadlock that effectively shut down President Obama's program of deportation relief, a group of eight advocates stood quietly in the back," says The New York Times. "They held hand-painted signs of protest. 'We're all immigrants,' one sign said in Chinese. 'We want to see comprehensive immigration reform,' another said in Korean." Asian immigrants and their advocates say they are used to being a minority within a minority at rallies such as these, and Friday's gathering, organized by the immigration rights group Make the Road New York was no different. The small band from the MinKwon Center for Community Action, a predominately Korean advocacy group that also serves the Chinese community in Flushing, Queens, was but a fraction of the 100 protesters." The rally took place at Foley Square where "undocumented Hispanic families with small children in baby carriages joined union members with megaphones and longtime leaders from advocacy groups; many came in defiance of their lack of legal status. In New York City, more than 220,000 immigrants would have been eligible for temporary protection from deportation under the president's executive actions, which included a protection for parents with children who are American citizens or permanent residents." For the complete article, click here. "Touches of Whimsy at World Trade Center's Liberty Park," New York Times, 6/27/16. The New York Times quoted Steven Plate when he said about the 25-foot-high structure that leads into and out of the underground vehicle security center at the World Trade Center, "This is one of the most beautiful garages in the world." Plate "is the chief of major capital projects at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is redeveloping the trade center site," says The Times. "Offhand, it is hard to imagine another garage in New York City with 19 planters on a publicly accessible roof, many with recycled teak seating set into their sharply angled concrete walls; a 336-foot-long vertical garden planted with a half-dozen species; a panoramic view of the National September 11 Memorial; a sapling propagated from the horse chestnut tree that Anne Frank could see outside her window in Amsterdam; and a Greek Orthodox shrine designed by Santiago Calatrava. Taken together, these features are called Liberty Park. The one-acre, $50 million park, elevated on Liberty Street, is to be dedicated on Wednesday. After that, it will be open to the public from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, said Glenn P. Guzi, a program director at the Port Authority." For the complete article, click here. "Brexit threatens Wall Street bonuses," Crain's New York Business, 6/27/16. "In early 2014, Morgan Stanley awarded about $1.4 billion worth of shares to employees on the condition that they couldn't sell them until early 2017," says Crain's New York Business. "No doubt the firm's bankers and traders appreciated the gesture, but in hindsight they probably would have preferred cash. The value of the grant has sunk to less than $1 billion as Morgan Stanley's stock price got clobbered the last two days after the Brexit vote. It's the same story across Wall Street. A Goldman Sachs share grant to employees valued at about $750 million two years ago is today worth about $670 million. A Bank of America grant worth about $35 million is now worth about $25 million. The declines are significant because the lion's share of Wall Street bonuses these days are paid in deferred stock, rather than cash. Typically, deferred shares account for 75% of bonus pay and in most cases the lucky recipients aren't allowed to sell the stock for three years." For the complete article, click here.
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Downtown bulletin board
GET LOW RESTAURANT DISCOUNTS ARE BACK; NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATION EXPANDS BREAST CANCER SCREENING COVERAGE
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| | A fireworks display near Pier 40 in Hudson River Park ended Gay Pride Day on June 26. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer is hosting a final LGBT Pride Month celebration on June 29 with a Manhattan Pride Dance from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Surrogate's Courthouse, 31 Chambers St. For more information and to RSVP, click here. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Westfield World Trade Center Job Fair: Westfield has already opened stores in the Fulton Center and will be opening more stores in the end of August at the World Trade Center. In an effort to hire experienced people to staff these shops, Westfield is hosting a job fair on June 29 with around 50 retailers present. Available positions include part-time and full-time help in the fields of sales, operations, back of house and management. In addition to an opportunity to meet retailers who are hiring, there will be free seminars in interview skills and r�sum� building along with a professional photographer for profile headshots. Registration is required. To register, click here. For more information, email westfieldwtcjobfair@westfield.com. Place: Conrad Hotel, 102 North End Ave. Time: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Get Low 2016: The Alliance for Downtown New York's popular summer program, Get Low, is back for the third year with restaurant discounts on Tuesdays through Aug. 30. The program brings special deals to Downtown diners with discounts at 34 restaurants every Tuesday night after 4 p.m. Photograph your meal and post the picture to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #DownIsWhatsUp for a chance to win one of the weekly prizes for the most interesting posts. All participants who tag @ICECulinary will be entered to win the grand prize - a cooking course for two at the Institute for Culinary Education's new Brookfield Place location. The Institute will also offer all participants a 20 percent discount on their Tuesday night classes. For more information on the program, click here.
Breast Cancer Screening: New York State has launched a program to improve access to breast cancer screening. Newly passed legislation extends hours for screening at 210 hospital-based mammography facilities across the state and eliminates insurance hurdles for mammograms and other screening and diagnostic procedures to detect breast cancer. (In Lower Manhattan, New York Downtown Hospital at 170 William St. is participating in the extended hours program.) The legislation eliminates annual deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance payments for all screening mammograms, including those provided to women more frequently than current federal screening guidelines would indicate (such as annual mammograms for women in their forties). Breast ultrasounds and breast MRIs for women at high risk for breast cancer are also covered. For more information about the program, click here.
River Project Anniversary Gala: For the last 30 years, The River Project has been connecting the people of New York and visitors from around the world with the marvels and mysteries of the Hudson River. On Aug. 1, The River Project will celebrate with a fundraising dinner cruise aboard the Hornblower Hybrid. The event will feature the creatures of the Hudson River, live from underwater at Pier 42. Laurie Anderson will add special music. In addition, the gala will honor three special friends of the Harbor's wildlife: U.S. Congressman Jerry Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and author Paul Greenberg. Place: Leaving from Pier 40. Time: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets start at $250. For more information, email cathy@riverprojectnyc.org. To buy tickets, click here.
More free Wi-Fi in Lower Manhattan: The Alliance for Downtown New York has expanded the free wi-fi network in Lower Manhattan. The network now runs from the Battery to Barclay Street. Since the Downtown Alliance started this network in 2003, it has grown steadily with the support of numerous downtown businesses and organizations, most recently Trinity Church and the law firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP. The network is accessed via #DwntwnAllianceFreeWiFi. For more information, click here.
Adult Ceramics: Adults can take ceramics classes this summer at the Downtown Community Center, 120 Warren St., starting any time throughout June and July. Classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Enrolled students have access to the studio on Tuesdays and Thursdays (6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.), Saturdays (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Sundays (noon to 3 p.m.), where they can work on their own projects. Cost: $210 plus $40 materials fee for each six-week session, with a 10 percent discount for Community Center members or past Living Social participants. For more information or to register, email Susan@manhattanyouth.org.
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.
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.
New York City primary: June 28 is the date for a federal primary election for registered Democrats in seven of New York City's congressional districts. Voters will select a 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 are open on June 28 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. To locate your polling site, click here.
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, is open 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 is an announcer doing play-by-play on race nights so you can follow the action and root for your favorite team. A bar on board sells drinks and sodas. 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 (in Hudson River Park near North Moore Street) is in full swing. 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. Kayaking classes take place every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting. 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
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On June 25, during the Battery Park City Community Day at the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School, there were free demonstration classes in core fitness, tai chi, yoga and masala bhangra. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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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 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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Letter to the editor
IN SUPPORT OF REP. JERRY NADLER IN THE JUNE 28 ELECTION
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| At a rally on Dec. 3, 2015 in front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) spoke on behalf of permanent passage of the Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, who represents the 10th Congressional District, is in a contested primary for the Democratic nomination. His opponent is Mikhail Oliver Rosenberg. The primary election is on Tuesday, June 28.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
To the editor:
The Democratic Primary for U.S. Congress is on, Tuesday, June 28. I am writing to ask that you join me in supporting Congressman Jerrold Nadler, and am proud to be joining Democrats across New York City, Pres. Barack Obama and The New York Times in supporting Jerry for re-election.
Never afraid to stand up for what is right, Jerry has built an incredible record championing progressive causes that advance economic and social justice. He has regularly fought against the special interests as an advocate for gun control, worked to secure federal funding for MTA and 9/11 health and compensation, and has been a Congressional leader on women's health, LGBT rights, Israel, and so much more. I can honestly say that there are few in Congress who have been as passionate and effective a voice for New York, which is why I hope everyone will go out and support Jerry this Election Day.
Time and time again, Jerry has been on the front lines fighting for what is right on behalf of all New Yorkers. On Tuesday, June 28 please go to the polls and help keep Jerry Nadler fighting for all of us in Congress.
Robin ForstBattery Park City resident
From the editor:
Rep. Jerrold Nadler is running for the Democratic nomination in the 10th Congressional District against Mikhail Oliver Rosenberg. Polls are open Tuesday, June 28 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. To find out where you vote, call 311 or click here.
We welcome letters to the editor. Email them to editor@downtownpostnyc.com. We reserve the right to edit them for clarity and length.
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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 MEETING: Week of June 27
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| Two weeks after a young woman riding a bicycle was killed by a hit-and-run driver at the corner of Chambers and West Streets, a bicyclist looked at notes, flowers and gifts that had been left in her memory at the place where she was killed. Community Board 1 will discuss West Street traffic issues at its full-board meeting on June 28.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
June 28: CB 1 Monthly Meeting - 6 p.m. NEW LOCATION: 4 World Trade Center
(between Liberty Street and Cortlandt Way), 67th floor
I. Public Session* Comments by members of the public (6 p.m. to 7 p.m.) (1-2 minutes per speaker) * Guest Speaker Jennifer Adams-Webb, Chief Executive Officer, 9/11 Tribute Center II. Business Session* Adoption of May 2016 minutes * Chairperson's Report - C. McVay Hughes * District Manager's Report - N. Pfefferblit * Election of Officers - S. Cole * Report * Distribution of ballots and voting (ballot box will remain open for one hour after conclusion of candidates forum) III. Committee ReportsA) Street Fair Task Force Committee - D. Charkoudian* Battery Park fairs - Report * Expanding the number of CB1-sponsored street fairs in 2017 - Report * Possible CB1-sponsored Holiday fair for 2016 - Report * Pop-up style street fairs for 2017 - Report * Summary of dates, locations and received or expected revenues of 2015 and projected 2016 Street Fairs - Report B) Personnel Committee - R. Byrom* Selection of Community Board 1 Land Use Consultant - Possible resolution * Application for Public Membership on Community Board 1 - Report C) Youth & Education Committee - T. Joyce Seaport/Civic Center Committee - P. Hovitz* Application for play street 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 - Resolution D) Youth & Education Committee - T. Joyce* Increasing Speed Cameras in School Zones - Resolution * Traffic Safety on West Street - Resolution * City Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Consultation Process with Department of Education - Resolution * Ideas + Inspiration - Report E) Battery Park City Committee - A. Notaro* Battery Park City Authority - Report * Allied Barton Ambassadors - Report * Unexpected rent hikes and lease issues in Battery Park City - Report * Asphalt Green agreement with BPCA and performance as a Community Center - Report * West Street traffic issues - Report * Presentations by BPC organizations - Report F) Quality of Life Committee - P. Moore* Letter to Congress in support of funding for the Zika virus - Resolution * Crane Technical Working Group Report - Resolution * American Heart Association Walk/Run - Report * Construction Forum on Sept. 22, 2016 - Report * Legislation to amend State Liquor Authority law - Report G) Seaport/Civic Center Committee - P. Hovitz* Hornblower noise and air pollution on Pier 15 - Resolution * High Water Mark - Resolution * 111 Worth Street, 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 * Development at former J&R Site - Report * New Market and Tin Building Cooler Demolition - Report * Artists Loft, 181 Front St. - Report * 15 Cliff Street plaza certification - Report H) Planning Committee - P. Kennell* Community District 1 Streetscape Survey - Resolution * Hazard Mitigation Grant Program resiliency funding - Resolution * New York City DEP plan to manage stormwater - Resolution * The Battery Playground - Resolution * Waterfront Alliance, City of Water Day on Saturday, July 16, 2016 - Report * MTA subway connections at the World Trade Center - Report * Mandatory Inclusionary Housing /Zoning for Quality and Affordability - Report * Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) and Its Impact on Water Quality in NY Harbor - Report * NYC 2030 - Report * Mayor's Office of Recovery & Resiliency Interactive Map - Report I) Tribeca Committee - E. Lewinsohn1) 165 Church Street, application for unenclosed sidewalk caf� for Sole Di Capri LLC - Resolution 2) 69 Leonard Street, application for restaurant liquor license for Ichidan LLC - Resolution 3) 281 Church Street aka 35 White Street, application for liquor license for David Bouley Atelier LLC - Resolution 4) 118-120 Duane Street tenants - Resolution J) Financial District Committee - S. Cole* 100 Washington Street, China Institute Phase Two Renovations - Resolution * 1 Wall St., application to waive requirement for rooftop recreation space - Resolution * 17 Trinity Place, application for pizzeria beer and cider license for 18 Pizza LLC d/b/a Bravo Kosher Pizza - Resolution * 23 Park Place, application for an alteration of a restaurant liquor license for Murray Place Inc. d/b/a Barleycorn - Resolution * 62 Pearl St, application for restaurant liquor license for Shorty's Restaurant LLC d/b/a Shorty's - Resolution * Game On! Water Street summer programming - Report * Pen Parentis, Ltd - Report K) Landmarks Committee - R. Byrom* Climate Change Threats to Heritage Sites - Resolution * Fulton Market Building, application for approval of second floor signage - Resolution * 73 Worth St., application for new glass and steel entrance canopy and accessibility upgrades for the commercial entrances - Resolution * One Chase Manhattan Plaza/28 Liberty St. - Report * Revised Landmarks Law - Report V. Old BusinessVI. New Business VII. AdjournmentAll documents relating to the above agenda items are on file at the Community Board 1 office and are available for viewing by the public upon written request to man01@cb.nyc.gov
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CALENDAR: Week of June 27
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| Gabriel Willow (with binoculars), a guide for the New York City Audubon Society, leading a trip aboard New York Water Taxi to see egrets, herons, cormorants, gulls and other birds. These summer eco-cruise trips go to Hoffman and Swinburne Islands; the Brother Islands; and Jamaica Bay. For more information, click here.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
June 28: 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 29: New York Classical Theatre presents William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Through July 2. Place: Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City. Time: 7 p.m. Free. For more information, click here. June 29: Join a New York City Audubon Society Eco-cruise aboard New York Water Taxi for a thrilling glimpse of New York Harbor's wildlife. The tour on June 29 goes to Hoffman and Swinburne Islands - man-made islands on the far side of the Verrazanno Narrows Bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island - for sightings of herons, egrets and more. Also, July 13 and July 27. Place: Leaves from Pier 16 in the South Street Seaport. Time: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets: $35 (adults); $25 (children, 3 to 12). 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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