You are here: Home/Uncategorized/ The BroadsheetDAILY ~ 2/24/21 ~ The Gangs That Couldn’t Shoot Straight Crips and Bloods Exchange Gunfire at FiDi Hotel, But Hit Nobody
The BroadsheetDAILY ~ 2/24/21 ~ The Gangs That Couldn’t Shoot Straight Crips and Bloods Exchange Gunfire at FiDi Hotel, But Hit Nobody
Crips and Bloods Exchange Gunfire at FiDi Hotel, But Hit Nobody
Above: The Artezen Hotel, at 24 John Street, was the scene of a recent shootout that resulted in nine arrests, along with the recovery of eight guns.
Below: Captain Thomas P. Smith, commanding officer of the First Precinct: “There was a music video being filmed there, and a couple of rival groups were out in front of the location. Two sets of perpetrators exchanged gunfire between each other.”
The Artezen Hotel, at 24 John Street, was recently the scene of a shootout between two rival youth gangs, who fired multiple rounds at each other, all of which missed their targets. The February 7 incident resulted in the arrests of nine individuals and the confiscation of eight guns by officers of the NYPD’s First Precinct.
These details were relayed by Captain Thomas P. Smith, the newly assigned commanding officer of the First Precinct, during a February 18 meeting of the Quality of Life Committee of Community Board 1 (CB1).
“We had a shooting at the Artezen Hotel,” Captain Smith began. “There was a music video being filmed there, and a couple of rival groups were out in front of the location. Two sets of perpetrators exchanged gunfire between each other. No one was hurt, no one was struck.”
“From that incident,” he continued, “we were able to make four arrests and recover three firearms. Subsequently, the following day, while conducting an investigation at that same hotel, our Neighborhood Coordination Officers were able to recover another firearm from a car parked outside, as the perpetrator was exiting the hotel.”
“This led us to consult with hotel management,” Captain Smith recalled, “who alerted us to the fact that these perpetrators had three or four rooms on the same floor together. Through our cooperation with that hotel management, we were able to arrest another five individuals and recover another four firearms.”
Captain Smith noted that the Artezen Hotel has become the scene of repeated violent confrontations in recent weeks, because, “these youths have been attracted to hotels in the area because of relaxed security protocols and lower rates that they wouldn’t normally have access to. We have a trend of outer-borough youths coming in to take advantage of these reduced rates. A lot these youths are affiliated with gangs—the Crips and the Bloods. So you have conflicting sects of each of these gangs that converge on these hotels in the City. And with any large gathering like that, there will always be some kind of altercation that escalates to violence.”
“That’s what we’ve been noticing,” he acknowledged. “So we have a lot of resources dedicated to that hotel.”
Lisa Dickinson, a resident of nearby 65 Nassau Street, said, “we’ve experienced some frustration prior to this, because of a sense that the owner of the Artezen was complicit, not doing anything to prevent the blatant drug dealing that was going on there.”
Captain Smith replied, “since that incident, Sal Loria, the owner of the Artezen Hotel, has compiled a bunch of security measures to curb the violence at that location. For instance, from 11:00 pm through 6:00 am each night, they now lock the front door and allow in only guests with room keys. And they are limiting keys to one per room, so they can’t be passed around. And the Artezen now caps the number of guests, with just two allowed per one bedroom, and four in two-bedroom units. They have added additional security cameras, upping it to about 100 cameras. They also have elevator lockouts, which require a room key to access any floor. And they are now doing security checks, patrolling each floor, the hallways and staircases.”
Ms. Dickinson added that, “we intend to remain vigilant, and we’d be happy to consider additional surveillance on our building if that would help you.”
On a related topic, Captain Smith noted that the Artezen is not one of the four Lower Manhattan hotels currently being used as homeless shelters by the City, as part of its response to the pandemic coronavirus.
“For those four locations,” he noted, “we only have 16 calls to 911 in the last 28 days, and no 311 calls.” He added that, “we had one complaint report for a grand larceny, which was committed by an employee of the shelter who took a phone from one of the homeless tenants.”
A total of three arrests have been made in recent weeks of people associated with the four Downtown hotels being used as homeless shelters, he added. “One was the employee who took the phone,” he said, while the other two arrests were made miles away. “There was burglary in Queens, for stolen packages, and a controlled-substance arrest in Brooklyn. Both people lived at the Hilton at Six Water Street,” which is one the local hotels being used as a shelter.
He concluded that, “of those four locations, nothing is really jumping out as far as any attention being needed.”
Matthew Fenton
A Flood of Options
As City Hall formulates the FiDi-Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan, it is seeking community input about which options make the most sense, within the broader context of the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency plan.
To that end, the public is invited to participate in a Virtual Open House on February 25 (from 4:00 to 8:00 pm) to learn more and collaborate on the vision for the future of Lower Manhattan.
Among the subjects slated for consideration are the area’s low-lying topography, dense infrastructure, and waterfront and maritime uses, all of which make for a complex interplay of priorities and opportunities.
Visible in the photograph above, taken from the now-demolished Rector Street Bridge on the evening of October 29, 2012, during Hurricane Sandy, West Street is completely submerged.
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Report
More Survivors than Responders Now are Submitting Claims
Sept. 11, 2001. That afternoon, residents began to make their way out of Lower Manhattan.
photo: Robert Simko
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) has released its annual report for 2020, which documents some significant developments.
Over the course of its ten years of operation thus far, the VCF has awarded $7.76 billion to more than 34,400 individuals who have suffered death or personal injury as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath. The vast majority of these injuries take the form of illness caused by exposure to toxic materials that were released by the destruction of the World Trade Center.
Literature is a powerful tool that can help deepen our understanding of the China’s immense complexity. But who decides what Chinese books get translated? As it turns out, many of China’s most popular novels never make it into English at all. When it comes to Chinese literature, more may get “lost in translation” than meets the eye. On February 25, join three of the top Chinese-English translators will debate the political and cultural biases that impact the books we get to read. Free
Special joint program with the Tenement Museum. Free
2PM
Meeting of the Members of the Authority
Battery Park City Authority
The Meeting will be livestreamed at: bpca.divacommunications.com/bpca-live/and a video recording made available for post-meeting access via the Battery Park City Authority website.
An agenda will be made available in advance of scheduled Meeting, and a public comment period will be scheduled during the Meeting of the Members of the Authority at a time on the agenda determined by the Chairman.
Anyone wishing to participate in the public comment period should submit their comments via email to boardcomment@bpca.ny.gov by no later than 5:30 p.m. on the day prior to the Meeting. Comments should be no longer than two minutes in length, and may be read into the record during the livestream broadcast. BPCA reserves the right to prioritize comments that have not been previously raised.
On Thursday, February 25, the Jewish Learning Experience (JLE) will host a socially distanced Purim Under The Stars at the Rooftop Garden of 128 Pearl Street, featuring music, a pre-packaged sushi buffet, and Megillah reading, along with, “hamantashen and all the Purim Shtick.”
(There will be plexiglass partitions for dining and plenty of room for distancing.) Admission is $26 per person. For more info please browse: thejle.com/purimstars.
The next day (Friday, February 6, from 4:00 to 5:30 pm), JLE will host a family-friendly Purim at The Carnival (also on the rooftop of 128 Pearl), featuring music, a pre-Packaged Carnival Dinner, and Lechaim. Attendees are asked to come in costume. For more information, or to register, please browse: thejle.com/familypurim.
The Quad Preparatory School
The Quad Preparatory School will be hosting the eighth annual national conference Breakthroughs in Twice Exceptional Education 2021. Bringing together clinicians, parents, educators, on the latest best-practices in working with twice-exceptional learners.
This year’s Breakthroughs focuses on the intersection of neurodiversity and other diverse identities; engaging and inquiry based academics; and clinically informed social-emotional learning and clinical practices, all in support of twice exceptional education.
Twice-exceptional, or 2e, students are gifted children with special needs, such as ADHD, learning challenges, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
CB1 Decries Expanded Free Parking for Scofflaws with Badges
For years, cars bearing law enforcement placards have parked illegally on the west side of River Terrace each day. More recently, they have begun commandeering spaces on the east side of the street, once used to drop off and pick up school children, who must now venture into traffic.
Community Board 1 (CB1) is urging that the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio remove what appears to be an unauthorized (and possibly illegal) parking sign on River Terrace, which has been used to broaden the already rampant problem of illegal parking by government employees whose cars display official credentials.
In a resolution enacted at its January 26 meeting, CB1 noted that the River & Warren condominium (located on River Terrace, at 212 Warren Street) had for years used “for safe drop-offs and pickups” a length of curb in front of the building, which was designed “No Standing Anytime.” To read more…
Eyes to the Sky
February 22 – March 7, 2021
Sun’s return north, Lion springs tonight
It seems that we are born knowing that we can tell the time of day by the position of the Sun in the sky. The time of year is evident when we observe the changing location of the rising and setting Sun along the horizon, the trajectory of the Sun’s arc on the sky dome, and the length of day. In the illustration, February is represented by the third line. The whole image reflects our experience of the Sun’s northerly movement on the horizon from winter to summer solstice. We observe our star, the Sun, climb higher in the sky each day. On the vernal equinox, March 20, the sunrise point is due east on the skyline. To read more…
Letter
To the editor:
People concerned about law enforcement parking at River Terrace (or elesewhere) might follow and post on this twitter account – @placardabuse
The person behind it has been fighting this issue for some time and seems to have made a bit of headway with the Mayor though there is a long way to go. I live on Franklin Street where we have a lot of this, even parking on the sidewalk.
A lot of the placards are fake by the way, and many are used improperly in situations where they should not be used (like when a cop just wants to park his car, as opposed to official duty). Changing the sign at River Terrace is a new twist!
Alice Kerslaw
Flying on One Wing
Lower Manhattan Raptor Struggles to Survive
Financial District resident Janet Fish was walking home from her morning shift volunteering at the Bowery Mission recently when she found herself face to face with a local aristocrat. As she passed a pizzeria at the intersection of St. James Place and Madison Street, she was confronted by a stately red-tailed hawk, perched on a post.
Appeals Court Focuses on Meaning of Four-Letter Word to Block Suit Against Two Bridges Development Plan
A coalition of community groups opposed to three massive real estate developments planned for the Lower East Side were dealt a setback on Tuesday, when the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court reversed a trial-court ruling from last year that said the projects were required to undergo a more rigorous form of public review before final approval.
City Planning Commission to Consider Endorsing Privatization of Public Space in Tribeca
On Tuesday, February 16, the City Planning Commission considered a request by the owner of large bank building in Tribeca, seeking to privatize in perpetuity a space it originally created as a public amenity. Community Board 1 (CB1) has strongly denounced this move.
Nine-Hundred Foot Tower Will Include 300-Plus Affordable Units
The boards of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) have both approved the proposal by a development partnership that wants to erect a 900-foot-plus tower at Five World Trade Center, a now-vacant lot that occupies the three-quarter-acre square block bounded by Liberty, Greenwich, Albany, and Washington Streets. To read more…
CLASSIFIEDS & PERSONALS
Swaps & Trades, Respectable Employment, Lost and Found
needed for filing, packaging/mailing items, and computer work including spreadsheets. Handyman skills helpful. $25/hour, approximately 12 hours/week. email cathy@riverprojectnyc.org.
TUTOR AVAILABLE FOR HOMEWORK SUPPORT
Stuyvesant HS student available for homework help. All grades especially math. References available upon request
No judgment for those of you who will want to drop those new year’s resolutions (or whatever other health kicks you’ve got going on) after reading this PSA:
NYC Restaurant Week launched this week, as hundreds of hot spots citywide have been lining up special delivery deals through February 28.
Promotions include lunch or dinner with a side for $20.21, two-course brunches and lunches ($26) and three-course dinners ($42), mostly Monday through Friday. (Some participating restaurants are honoring those prices on weekends.)
Dozens of restaurants south of Chambers Street plan to take part in NYC Restaurant Week, including Brooklyn Chop House, The Fulton, Crown Shy, Stone Street Tavern, The Dead Rabbit and more.
The Restaurant Week website lists several more tempting options to treat yourself — even if it means playing it a little fast and loose with your commitments to fitness. (We won’t tell.)
1582 – With the papal bull Inter gravissimas, Pope Gregory XIII announces the Gregorian calendar.
1803 – In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court of the United States establishes the principle of judicial review.
1831 – The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, the first removal treaty in accordance with the Indian Removal Act, is proclaimed. The Choctaws in Mississippi cede land east of the river in exchange for payment and land in the West.
1854 – A Penny Red with perforations was the first perforated postage stamp to be officially issued for distribution.
1868 – Andrew Johnson becomes the first President to be impeached by the United States House of Representatives. He is later acquitted in the Senate.
1875 – The SS Gothenburg hits the Great Barrier Reef and sinks off the Australian east coast, killing approximately 100, including a number of high-profile civil servants and dignitaries.
1917 – World War I: The U.S. ambassador Walter Hines Page to the United Kingdom is given the Zimmermann Telegram, in which Germany pledges to ensure the return of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona to Mexico if Mexico declares war on the United States.
1942 – An order-in-council passed under the Defence of Canada Regulations of the War Measures Act gives the Canadian federal government the power to intern all “persons of Japanese racial origin”.
1983 – A special commission of the US Congress condemns the Japanese American internment during World War II.
Births
1103 – Emperor Toba of Japan (d. 1156)
1553 – Cherubino Alberti, Italian engraver and painter (d. 1615)
1743 – Joseph Banks, English botanist and explorer (d. 1820)
1836 – Winslow Homer, American painter and illustrator (d. 1910)
1922 – Richard Hamilton, English painter and academic (d. 2011)
1933 – David “Fathead” Newman, American saxophonist and composer (d. 2009)
1934 – Bettino Craxi, Italian lawyer and politician, 45th Prime Minister of Italy (d. 2000)
1955 – Steve Jobs, co-founded Apple Inc. and Pixar (d. 2011)
Deaths
1910 – Osman Hamdi Bey, Greek archaeologist and painter (b. 1842)
1990 – Malcolm Forbes, American sergeant and publisher (b. 1917)
1998 – Henny Youngman, English-American comedian and violinist (b. 1906)
