Upper Room Laid Low

Despite Last-Minute Efforts to Save It, Castellated Courtyard is Demolished

Advice, If Not Consent

Bob Townley, the founder and executive director of Manhattan Youth, as well as a member of Community Board 1 (CB1), is proposing that the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) form advisory council of stakeholders and residents to foster a better relationship with the community. At its monthly meeting on April 26, the board discussed a...
Bob Townley, the founder and executive director of Manhattan Youth, who has also served on the Hudson River Park Trust Advisory Council, is proposing the creation of a similar consultative body to help guide the Battery Park City Authority.

Letters

To the editor: It (“City Council Hears Testimony On Water Street Arcade Proposal” May 5BroadsheetDAILY) sounds like nothing has stopped the land barons from converting their arcades except a charitable handout or a $$,$$$,$$$ present from the city. Massive increase in residency and overwhelming foot traffic from tourists seem not to be enough incentive for...

Today in History

1260 – Kublai Khan becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire 1494 – On second voyage to New World, Christopher Columbus sights Jamaica 1780 – Second oldest learned society in US (American Academy of Arts & Sciences) forms in Boston 1809 – Mary Kies is first woman issued a US patent  for a ‘weaving straw’ 1855 – NYC regains Castle Clinton, to be used...
Elizabeth Cochran Seaman aka Nellie Bly

Today in History

1436 – Assassination of the Swedish rebel (later national hero) Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson 1471 – War of the Roses: The Battle of Tewkesbury: Edward IV defeats a Lancastrian Army and kills Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales. 1493 – Pope Alexander VI divides the New World between Spain and Portugal along the Line of Demarcation. 1626 – Dutch explorer Peter Minuit arrives in New...
Peter Minuit, Pieter Minuit, Pierre Minuit or Peter Minnewit was a Walloon from Wesel, in present-day North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, then part of the Duchy of Cleves. His surname means 'midnight.'

Letters

To the editor: The recent investigation into a multitude of campaign contributions and much more alone should stop this madness. Is there anyone anywhere that can put this on a public ballot for the November election and stop the entire madness? Land give-away and tax breaks to private enterprises (developers) have a sole purpose-make the...
Water Street Arcade

City Hall Wants to Turn Water Street Into Arcadia for Building Owners

The de Blasio administration plans to give away to real estate developers 2.6 acres of public property in Lower Manhattan that may be worth more than a quarter of a billion dollars. The public space being privatized consists of arcades, the columned porticos at the ground level of 19 buildings along Water Street, between Whitehall...
A map created by the Department of City Planning, highlighting the buildings where the de Blasio administration proposes to create new retail space by enclosing arcades.