A proposal to create more space for cyclists would close to traffic the right lane of the southbound side of West Street, between Canal and Chambers Streets.
Community Board 1 (CB1) is calling upon City and State transportation officials to close—at least temporarily—the lane of Route 9A (also know as the West Side Highway) that adjoins the Hudson River Park, between Chambers and Canal Streets, to enable continued social distancing, as New York scales back quarantine measures in the wake of the pandemic coronavirus outbreak.
The plan would use concrete barriers to bar traffic from the westernmost lane of the eight-lane highway, for a half-mile stretch of the waterfront boulevard, in order to allow users of the Hudson River Park additional room for biking, jogging, and walking.
A resolution enacted at CB1’s May 26 monthly meeting notes that the Hudson Park Greenway, is the most heavily used bikeway in America, and that usage of the Hudson River Park as a whole is expected to skyrocket with the coming of warm weather and the easing stay-at-home orders related to the health crisis. The need for Additional capacity for cyclists is also anticipated because of lingering fears of infection associated with using public transit.
The resolution also notes that, “CB1 would only support this lane closure for the portion of Route 9A north of Chambers Street,” because, “below Chambers, southbound vehicles need to be able to turn right into Battery Park City.”
In CB1’s version of this proposal, the lane closure could also be extended further northward along Route 9A, if the Community Boards of adjoining neighborhoods (such as Soho, the West Village, and the Meat Packing District) also gave their approval.
Matthew Fenton
All’s Fare
Downtown Alliance Efforts to Raise Funds for Local Eateries Via Virtual ‘Dine Around’ Fest Begins Today
The 19th annual Dine Around Downtown festival, presented by the Downtown Alliance and hosted by celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, will be transformed this year from the customary outdoor food fest into a virtual “Cooking At Home Edition” that will raise money for the local restaurant community.
Mr. DiSpirito will act as an online emcee while three local Lower Manhattan chefs demonstrate easy-to-replicate dishes from their restaurants. The series launches today Thursday (June 11) with chef Billy Oliva of Delmonico’s — America’s first restaurant — and will continue on June 25 with authentic Italian cuisine by chef Michele Iuliano of Gnoccheria, followed by Mediterranean flavors from chef Einat Admony of Taïm (July 9).
All sessions (which start at 4:00 pm) are free to attend via Zoom, and participants will have the option of donating funds sponsored by each restaurant, which will support their staff and/or local food supply charities. Anyone wishing to attend may pre-register by browsing: downtownny.com/dinearound.
Participants will also encouraged to make the dishes themselves and then post photos of their plates on Instagram, for a chance to win a personal, 30-minute cooking class with the featured chef.
“We’re finding new ways to support our restaurants given the incredible challenges they are facing,” says Jessica Lappin, president of the Alliance for Downtown New York. “New Yorkers love to eat, and we cherish our diverse dining scene. This series will connect our community to the people who help power our economy and keep us well-fed.”
This project is part of a continuing effort by the Alliance to support businesses that are being adversely impacted by the spread of COVID-19. From educating local business owners about available funding opportunities and convening working groups, to communicating which businesses are currently open and spotlighting essential workers who are making a difference, the Downtown Alliance is working to help Lower Manhattan’s business community.
Matthew Fenton
Letters
Reactions to Mariama James’s Story
Editor’s Note: Reporter Matthew Fenton mistakenly included in yesterday’s BroadsheetDAILY a private exchange that had been posted to Facebook. This exchange was published without permission of the Facebook account holder, and should not have been replicated within the Broadsheet. Mr. Fenton apologizes for the invasion of privacy, and the Broadsheet’s publishers (who were unaware of this issue until it was brought to their attention) regret the error.
To the editor:
“The point of saying that black lives matter is that they matter, too—not more and not instead of anybody else’s life,” she says. “And when people answer that all lives matter, they are lying, because one of the central lessons of racism is that some lives are treated as less valuable. Saying that all lives matter is a dismissal, designed to sound gentle and loving, while avoiding any change. People who are willing to listen to this lie are part of the problem.
M.Perillo
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To the editor:
[Mariama’s] interview is profound and says so much of what needs to be said… for this community and all others. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your story (and thank you to Matthew and Robert at the Broadsheet for writing and publishing it.)
The story of your parents’ recollections in South Carolina merit a book. The Angela Davis look alike/lock-up story left me speechless.
Alice Blank
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To the editor:
Thank you so much for featuring Mariana James’s fascinating story. She and her family are part of the “landed gentry” of Lower Manhattan and are true original pioneers and survivors in our neighborhood.
Her story is so American and very compelling. And I love the way she tells it like it is. This makes her relatable and a fascinating person to know. And admire. We appreciate her candid reflection on a life well lived despite the inconvenient burdens and debilitating obstacles of living in this bubble we call Lower Manhattan.
S. Garraway
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To the editor:
Thank you so much for yesterday’s issue. White people need to hear this over and over again. She’s right that changes need to be implemented now, before the momentum slows. Maybe the Broadsheet can help by including more life stories such as Mariama James?
D. Cragnotti
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To the editor:
Thank you, Mariama James. What a great article that I hope everyone reads.
Cindy Rudolph
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‘When People Answer that All Lives Matter, They are Lying’
A Lifelong Resident of Downtown Considers Blackness Within a Bubble of Privilege
Ms. James moved to Lower Manhattan as a child, in 1971, when her family took up residence in the newly opened Southbridge Towers. “My dad worked for Citibank, at 20 Exchange Place; my mom worked at Bache, on Gold Street, and I was a latchkey kid, attending local schools,” she says. “Race was something we were conscious of, but in different ways. My best friend growing up was Italian, and her family loved me, but always made clear that I was an exception in their eyes.”
Each day, a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is available for free streaming on the Met website, with each performance available for 23 hours, from 7:30 p.m. EDT until 6:30 p.m. the following day. The schedule will include outstanding complete performances from the past 14 years of cinema transmissions, starring all of opera’s greatest singers.
Casper. Allbirds. Hinge. You can picture the logos, the typeface, the color of the subway ads. But how did these ubiquitous brands develop such unique and enduring identities? Join LHMQ and IFP’s Womxn Owning It for a virtual coffee break highlighting the work of Brooklyn-based branding studio Red Antler! The conversation will focus on how to balance building a business with fueling creativity and communicating the value of your work. Free. 11am
Imagine the stinging aroma of Sichuan’s ma la 麻辣 seasoning, as chef Fuchsia Dunlop shares the transcendent value of the humble cleaver. According to Dunlop, the cleaver, or caidao 菜刀, even features in the writings of ancient Taoist philosophers. Today, the cleaver is usually the only knife in a Chinese kitchen and is used for everything. From China Institute. Free. Noon.
Tommy Pico reads from his books Feed (Tin House, 2019), Junk (Tin House, 2018), and Nature Poem (Tin House, 2017) from his home in Chumash, Tongva & Tataviam Territory (Los Angeles, CA). Free. Noon.
Virtual performance at home by Amythyst Kiah whose raw and powerful vocals resemble a deeply moving, hypnotic sound that stirs echoes of a distant and restless past. The artist’s eclectic influences span decades, finding inspiration in old time music, alternative rock, folk, country, and blues. From Brookfield Place New York. Free. 12:30pm.
June 11: Today in History
1895 – Charles E Duryea patents a gas-driven automobile
1578 – England grants Sir Humphrey Gilbert a patent to explore and colonize North America
1644 – Florentine scientists describe invention of the barometer
1742 – Benjamin Franklin invents his Franklin stove, a metal lined fireplace with a hollow baffle and inverted siphon. The stove serves to produce more heat but less smoke than an ordinary stove.
1770 – Captain James Cook discovers the Great Barrier Reef off Australia
1825 – The first cornerstone is laid for Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. Fort Hamilton is the last active military post in New York City.
1895 – Charles E Duryea patents a gas-driven automobile
1935 – Inventor Edwin Armstrong gives the first public demonstration of FM broadcasting in the United States, at Alpine, New Jersey.
1951 – NY Times reports the subway will auction off items lost and found on the subway. The auctioning of these items continues to this day and is now operated off the MTA’s website.
2004 – Ronald Reagan’s funeral is held at Washington National Cathedral.
Birthdays
1842 – Carl von Linde, German engineer and industrialist who developed refrigeration and gas separation technologies.
1867 – Charles Fabry, discovered the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere
1886 – David Steinman, bridge builder who designed the Henry Hudson and Triborough Bridges, as well as numerous others across the globe.
1915 – Nicholas Metropolis, Greek-American mathematician, physicist and computer scientist
Weddings
1509 – King Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon, his first wife. They had one daughter, Mary I of England, but no sons. Henry VIII’s intentions of annulling their marriage set off the chain of events that resulted in England’s schism with the Catholic Church.
Previously Published Downtown News
Gauges Become Less Grim
Fourteen New Cases, and One Additional Death in Lower Manhattan
A New York City prepares to begin reopening on Monday, this will be the Broadsheet’s final weekly update about local health statistic related to the pandemic coronavirus — until and unless the outbreak reemerges.
Downtown Non-Profit Sues to Gain Release of Protestors
A non-profit based in Lower Manhattan is suing the New York Police Department (NYPD) to obtain the release of more than 100 protestors arrested during the recent demonstrations over the death of George Perry Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25.
The Legal Aid Society, headquartered at 199 Water Street, filed suit on Tuesday in New York State Supreme Court, on behalf of 108 detainees who were arrested in Manhattan during the first five days of protests.
CB1 Endorses Push to Expand VCF Coverage to Pandemic Illness
Community Board 1 (CB1) has signed on to a campaign that aims to expand the eligibility criteria of the September 11 Victims Compensation Fund (VCF) to include illnesses related to the outbreak of the pandemic coronavirus.
Crashes in Tourism and Business Travel May Signal Trouble for Downtown Hotel Sector
A hotel developer seeking to repeat a 2017 coup may face headwinds that could work against such a reprise. Last December, Hidrock Properties, a Manhattan-based builder of hotels and office properties, completed demolition of two small buildings at 110 and 112 Liberty Street, between Greenwich Street and Trinity Place, which it bought for $38 million in 2018. (Local residents may remember them as the home of the Ho-Yip and Essex World restaurants.)
