According to a new statistical analysis released by City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Lower Manhattan’s population declined during the COVID-19 pandemic by more than that of any other community in the five boroughs, due to residents moving away.
The report, titled “The Pandemic’s Impact on NYC Migration Patterns,” quantifies this outflow by focusing on the “public use microdata area” (PUMA) demographic model used by the U.S. Census, which defines the community as “Battery Park City/Greenwich Village/Soho”—the combined catchments of Community Boards 1 and 2, or roughly the area below the Brooklyn Bridge on the East Side and south of 14th Street on the West Side, with those two boundaries connected by a north-south line that traces Fourth Avenue, Bowery, and Pearl Streets.
Using change of address filings submitted to the U.S. Postal Service, Mr. Stringer documents that out of every 1,000 residents, 130.9 people moved out of the Lower Manhattan PUMA during the pandemic. This translates into slightly less than a 14 percent reduction in the local population.
These results are especially stark when broken out by the eight residential zip codes within Community Board 1:
• 10282/Battery Park City North (above Brookfield Place): 911 residents moved out
• 10280/Battery Park City South (below Brookfield Place): 748 residents moved out
• 10007/Southern Tribeca (West Street to Broadway, north of Vesey Street and south of Chambers Street): 833 residents moved out
• 10013/Northern Tribeca (north of Chambers Street and south of Canal Street): 3,243 residents moved out
• 10006/Greenwich South (Broadway to West Street, south of Vesey Street and north of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel): 643 residents moved out
• 10004/Southern FiDi (West Street to the East River, south of Beaver Street): 381 residents moved out
• 10005/Eastern FiDi (Broadway to the East River, south of Maiden Lane, north of Beaver Street): 1,618 residents moved out
• 10038/the Civic Center and Seaport (Broadway to the East River, north of Maiden Lane and stretching a few blocks beyond the Brooklyn Bridge): 2,681 residents moved out
These totals yield a sum of 11,058 Lower Manhattan residents who left the community during the pandemic.
This exodus appears to have been driven by the convergence of multiple demographic indicators. Underscoring the relative affluence of Lower Manhattan’s residential districts, the report notes, “the ability to leave the City quickly depended on both the means to travel and secure a secondary living space, as well as being untethered from a job that required in-person work.”
The analysis continues, “residents in the wealthiest 10 percent of neighborhoods, corresponding to median incomes above $110,000, were 4.6 times more likely to leave than other residents… During spring 2020, residents of the wealthiest neighborhoods were 7.2 times more likely to exit.”
And Mr. Stringer also documents that, “residents of denser neighborhoods were also more likely to leave. Flight from the densest 10 percent of City neighborhoods was 3.3 times greater than the rest of the City.”
As the report indicates, the Battery Park City/Greenwich Village/Soho PUMA has the highest median annual income per household of of any district in the City (at $148,377), and the fourth-highest density (with a population of 58,909 residents per square mile).
Matthew Fenton
Uneasiness about the Easements
City Moves Forward with Plan to Make Sidewalk Dining Permanent, Despite Objections from Downtown Leaders
On Monday, the City Planning Commission moved toward making permanent the temporary measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed restaurants to take over sidewalk and street space for outdoor dining. The agency voted to enact a zoning text amendment (a change to the wording of the New York City Zoning Resolution) that will enable the Mayor and the City Council to formulate a program to perpetuate the expansion of restaurants into public space that was started, as a emergency stopgap, last year. This plan would have a particularly significant impact in Lower Manhattan (where narrow sidewalks and winding streets are the norm), which has sparked opposition among local elected officials. To read more…
A Seawall for the Seaport
City Poised to Reveal Plans for East River Landfill as Bulwark Against Flooding
In its waning weeks, the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio is adding new momentum to a Bloomberg era proposal to protect a section of Lower Manhattan’s coast from extreme weather events and rising sea levels, by using landfill to create new waterfront acreage at higher elevations than the current shoreline.
A story first reported by The City, the nonprofit, online digital news platform, notes that City Hall is considering a scaled-back version of the project that would stretch from the Brooklyn Bridge south to the Battery Maritime Building, and extend into the East River between 90 and 200 feet. To read more…
‘I Want to Amplify These Voices and Bring Them to Albany’
District Leader and Community Activist Vittoria Fariello Launches Campaign for State Senate
A highly regarded Downtown community leader has announced her candidacy for the State Senate seat representing Lower Manhattan. On Sunday afternoon, Battery Park City resident Vittoria Fariello, who has served for five years as the elected District Leader for the community, said, “I have lived in this district for over 20 years. We have raised four amazing kids and run our own business here. We have lived through September 11, the great recession of 2008, superstorm Sandy and now COVID. And we never left.”
Battery Park City Hotel Operator Implodes Amid Allegations of Fraud
Even by the standards of the distressed hotel industry, the spiraling adversity faced by the owners of the Wagner Hotel in Battery Park City is remarkable.
In October, lenders and investors filed suit against Los Angeles-based Urban Commons, the firm that bought the hotel in 2018 for $147 million, some $100 million of which was in the form of a loan from the seller, Westbrook Partners. The suit alleges that executives of the company accepted $1 million from an investor, which was intended to finance hotel acquisitions that never took place, and then refused to return the original funds. To read more…
Statue of Limitations
Local Leaders Want ‘Fearless Girl’ to Go Through Channels Before Becoming Permanent
An array of Lower Manhattan community leaders are mobilizing to lobby the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio to comply with legally required procedures before authorizing the continued presence on Broad Street of the “Fearless Girl” statue, a bronze likeness of a young female striking a jaunty, audacious pose.
A resolution enacted at October 26 monthly meeting of Community Board 1 (CB1) notes that the sculpture, “was originally placed at a nearby public site without authority in 2017.” To read more…
There are countless ways in which a work environment can be toxic and all of them can take a massive toll on your mental and physical health. So how do you report these incidents? How do you find your way out of a toxic environment? And what are the steps you can take to survive until you’re able to put an exit strategy in place? At LMHQ’s November Women’s Breakfast, you’ll hear from a panel of experts across industries who will share their lived experiences, lessons learned, and recommendations for navigating your way through a toxic workplace. Free.
Caryl Stern, the renowned human rights activist, is the third generation of women in her family whose lives were shaped by the Holocaust. Her grandmother, Mignon Langnas, was a nurse in Vienna when the Nazis invaded. Facing an agonizing decision, she sent her two young children to the US, opting to stay with her ailing parents and to take care of her patients in a Jewish children’s hospital. Caryl’s mother, Manuela Stern, crossed the ocean at the age of six and once here, lived in an orphanage on the lower East side of Manhattan. Manuela’s experience contributed to her becoming a passionate civic activist and educator. For these three women, “tikkun olam” (Hebrew for, “to heal the world”) is now part of their DNA. The program will be moderated by NBC’s senior legal and investigative correspondent Cynthia McFadden. $10.
Launched during the height of the pandemic and hosted by James Beard Award-winning chef and New York Times bestselling author Rocco DiSpirito, the series features chefs from Lower Manhattan restaurants cooking up signature recipes and sharing tips. All donations go directly to a food-security charity of the restaurant’s choice. Today, cook with Malibu Farm executive chef Amy Sur-Trevino. Free.
We can help you easily declutter and organize your overstuffed closets, jammed bookcases, bursting cabinets and drawers, and enormous stacks of paper to put your home in “company is coming” condition.
Providing Companion and Home Health Aide Care to clients with dementia.Help with grooming, dressing and wheelchair assistance. Able to escort client to parks and engage in conversations of desired topics and interests of client. Reliable & Honest
78 year old refined intellectual gentleman having a passion for cruises and travel seeking a male or female caregiver/companion in exchange for all expense paid venture on the ocean. Only requirement is relationship comfort between us and ability to help with physical care regarding the limitations and restrictions of COPD.
Reliable, trustworthy and caring Nanny looking for full time position preferably with newborns, infants and toddlers. I have experience in the Battery Park City area for 8 years. I will provide a loving, safe and nurturing environment for your child. Refs available upon request. Beverly 347 882 6612
HOUSEKEEPING/ NANNY/ BABYSITTER
Available for PT/FT. Wonderful person, who is a great worker.
Refs avail.
Worked in BPC. Call Tenzin
347-803-9523
SEEKING LIVE-IN ELDER CARE
12 years experience, refs avail. I am a loving caring hardworking certified home health aide
Schedule Changes: Market closed 12/25 for Christmas Day and 1/1 for New Year’s Day.
The loyal community of neighborhood residents who shop at the Tribeca Greenmarket show up each Wednesday and Saturday year-round to get their fix of locally grown produce, sustainably raised meat, seafood, sheep’s milk cheese and yogurt, orchard fruit and berries, herbs, live plants and cut flowers. Cooking demonstrations, raffles, and educational activities make the market a hands-on experience for shoppers of all ages.
Farmers:
American Pride Seafood Wild-caught fish and shellfish from Suffolk County, NY
Dipaola Turkeys Turkey and turkey products from Mercer County, NJ
Francesca’s Bakery Breads and baked goods from Passaic County, NJ
Hudson Valley Duck Farm Heritage breed ducks and duck products from Sullivan County, NY
Jersey Farm Produce Vegetables, herbs, orchard and small fruit from Hunterdon County, NJ
Lani’s Farm Vegetables, eggs and prepared foods from Burlington County, NJ
Millport Dairy Eggs, cheddar cheese, beef, pork, pickles and baked goods from Lancaster County, PA
Prospect Hill Orchards Fruit, some certified organic, granola, and baked goods from Ulster County, NY
Tucker Farms Cut Flowers from Burlington & Monmouth County, NJ
Westmeadow Farm cow and goat milk cheeses and cows butter from Montgomery County, NY
Yellow Bell Farm Chicken and eggs from Dutchess County, NY
Bowling Green Greenmarket
Green Greenmarket at Bowling Green
Broadway & Whitehall St
Open Tuesday and Thursdays, year-round
Market Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Compost Program: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
The Bowling Green Greenmarket brings fresh offerings from local farms to Lower Manhattan’s historic Bowling Green plaza. Twice a week year-round stop by to load up on the season’s freshest fruit, crisp vegetables, beautiful plants, and freshly baked loaves of bread, quiches, and pot pies.
Fulton Street cobblestones between South and Front Sts. across from McNally Jackson Bookstore.
Locally grown produce from Rogowski Farm, Breezy Hill Orchard, and other farmers and small-batch specialty food products, sold directly by their producers. Producers vary from week to week.
Fulton Stall Market participants include farmers and agricultural producers from New York and adjacent states as well as small-batch processed food producers from NYC and the region.
Indoor market participants’ products can be purchased Monday – Saturday 11:30 AM – 5:00 PM from the indoor market store’s shelves and coolers.
Outdoor Sunday Market participants sell directly to consumers at open-air stalls and vary from week to week.
INDOOR FARMERS MARKET STORE:
91 South St., bet. Fulton & John Sts. Open Monday – Saturdays 11:30 AM – 5 PM
OUTDOOR SATURDAY MARKET:
Fulton St. bet. South & Front Sts. Every Saturday 11:30 AM – 5 PM to November 20.
Fulton Stall Market is a non-profit farmers public marketplace for local foods connecting farmers and producers with the growing Lower Manhattan community.
91 South St., bet. Fulton & John Sts.
Indoor Market Hours: Monday – Saturday
11:30 AM to 5:00 PM, year round
Outdoor Market: Saturday 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Fulton St. at South St., May through Thanksgiving.
SNAP/EBT/P-EBT, Debit/Credit, and Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks accepted at all farmers markets.
Six Figures for Every 12 Inches
City Announces $110 Million for Resiliency in Seaport
Another piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is resiliency protection for Lower Manhattan appeared to fall into place on October 26, when Mayor Bill de Blasio announced $110 million in funding for protective measures covering a small stretch of the South Street Seaport waterfront. The Mayor’s announcement said, “the proposed project, which will be subject to appropriate review, will rebuild and raise the existing bulkhead and improve drainage in the area from approximately the Brooklyn Bridge to Pier 17.” To read more…
What’s Up, Dock?
Planning Moves Ahead for Elevating Battery Waterfront
With the ongoing design process for the Battery Wharf resiliency project now 50 percent complete (and construction slated to begin in late 2022), Community Board 1 (CB1) is weighing in with concerns and ideas about how to refine the vision for raising the level of the waterfront esplanade in the Battery to protect the historic park against future sea-level rise and extreme-weather events.
326 – Old St. Peter’s Basilica is consecrated. Stood 4th – 16th century. Replaced by current St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
1755 – Worst quake in Mass Bay area strikes Boston; no deaths report
1776 – Hessians capture Ft Lee, NJ
1865 – Mark Twain publishes “Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”
1871 – American suffragette Susan B Anthony arrested after voting on the 5th November in Rochester NY
1909 – US invades Nicaragua, later overthrows Pres Zelaya
1928 The first successful sound-synchronized animated cartoon, Walt Disney’s”Steamboat Willie” starring Mickey Mouse, premiered in New York.
1929 – Large earthquake in Atlantic breaks transatlantic cable in 28 places
1940 – George Matesky, New York City’s Mad Bomber places his first bomb at a Manhattan office building used by Consolidated Edison.
1943 – 444 British bombers attack Berlin
1955 – Bell X-2 rocket plane taken up for first powered flight
1961 – JFK sends 18,000 military advisors to South Vietnam
1963 – Bell Telephone introduces push button telephone
1964 – J. Edgar Hoover describes Martin Luther King as “most notorious liar”
1978 – In Jonestown, Guyana 918 members of Peoples Temple are murdered/commit suicide under leadership of cult leader Jim Jones
1987 – The congressional Iran-Contra committees issued their final report, saying President Ronald Reagan bore “ultimate responsibility” for wrongdoing by his aides.
1993 – North-Siberia record cold for November (-55°C)
1997 – FBI says no evidence of foul play in 1996 TWA 800 crash
1997 – Willem de Kooning painting “Two Standing Women” sold for $4,182,500
Births
1571 – Hippolytus Guarinonius, Italian physician and polymath (d. 1654)
1787 – Louis Daguerre, French physicist and photographer, developed the daguerreotype (d. 1851)
1901 – George Gallup, American statistician and academic (d. 1984)
1908 – Imogene Coca, American actress, comedian, and singer (d. 2001)
1939 – Margaret Atwood, Canadian novelist, poet, and critic
Deaths
1170 – Albert the Bear, margrave of Brandenburg (b. c. 1100)
1797 – Jacques-Alexandre Laffon de Ladebat, French shipbuilder and merchant (b. 1719)
1922 – Marcel Proust, French author and critic (b. 1871)
1962 – Niels Bohr, Danish footballer, physicist, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1885)
1969 – Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., businessman and diplomat, 44th US Ambassador to the United Kingdom (b. 1888)
Credit to Wikipedia and other internet and non-internet sources
