The Broadsheet will be on hiatus until early September.
Happy summer, dear readers.
Matthew Fenton, editor Robert Simko, publisher
The Weekly Calendar
August 26 ~ 31
Monday August 26
10:30AM
Senior Group Exercise 6 River Terrace Join a community of adults and seniors for a total-body workout appropriate for any fitness level. The instructor-led classes are designed to increase flexibility, joint stability, balance, coordination, agility, muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. Battery Park City Authority
6 River Terrace Join a fitness dance party with upbeat Latin music of salsa, merengue, hip-hop, and more! Enthusiastic instruction creates a fun community of dancers who learn new steps each week. Bring your friends and share in this fit and fun dancing community. Battery Park City Authority
Meeting of the Members of the Battery Park City Authority
Battery Park City Authority
Open to the public. Anyone wishing to speak during the public comment period should make a request via email to boardcomment@bpca.ny.gov by no later than 5:30 p.m. on the day prior to the Meeting. 200 Liberty Street 24th Floor
3:30PM
Drop-In Chess Rockefeller Park Play the popular strategy game while getting pointers and advice from an expert. Chess improves concentration, problem-solving, and strategic planning – plus it’s fun! For ages 5 and up (adults welcome). Battery Park City Authority https://bpcparks.org/events/2019-08/
photo by Dorothy Lipsky
Wednesday August 28
9:30AM
Pickleball Esplanade Plaza
An exciting fusion of badminton and tennis, this new sport has been proven to strengthen muscles, boost cardiovascular health, enhance brain function. Join yourfavorite BPCA staff and other adults for some friendly competition at drop-in pickleball. All skill levels welcome! Equipment provided. Esplanade Plaza. Battery Park City Authority https://bpcparks.org/events/2019-08/
11AM
Elements of Nature Drawing
Wagner Park
Get inspired by the beautiful expanse of the Hudson River & New York Harbor. Embolden your artwork amidst the flower-filled and seasonally evolving palette of Wagner Park’s verdant gardens. An artist/educator will provide ideas and instruction. Materials provided. https://bpcparks.org/events/2019-08/
2:30PM
Figure Al Fresco South Cove
Battery Park City Authority Challenge your artistic skills by drawing the human figure. Each week a model will strike both long and short poses for participants to draw. Artist/educators will offer constructive suggestions and critique. Materials provided. https://bpcparks.org/events/2019-08/
6PM
Sunset Yoga Wagner Park
Unwind from the day with outdoor yoga overlooking the sights and sounds of our river. Strengthen the body and cultivate awareness in a relaxed environment. An instructor provides guidance with alignment and poses. All levels welcome. Bring your own mat. https://bpcparks.org/events/2019-08/
6:30PM
The Plaza: The Secret Life of America’s Most Famous Hotel Skyscraper Museum A great hotel is a theater of dreams,” notes Tina Brown in the New York Times Book Review, and Julie Satow “digs deep into the forces that took the Plaza from a living center of aspiring social connection tied to the fortunes of American high society to its present status in an atomized era of pitiless transactional globalism.” In The Plaza:The Secret Life of America’s Most Famous Hotel, Satow vividly chronicles the life of the 18-story skyscraper hotel that opened in October 1907 and the cast of characters that made it a center for culture and commerce for more than a century. 39 Battery Place. https://www.skyscraper.org/PROGRAMS/upcoming_programs/
7PM
Stories Survive Speaker Series: Eddy Boas
Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust Born in The Hague, Holland, in 1940, Boas was just three months old when the Nazis invaded and three years old when his family was rounded up and sent to Hollands Spoor train station. From there, he was loaded into a cattle wagon with his mother Sara, his father Philip, and his older brother Samuel. They were deported to Westerbork concentration camp, and taken from there to Bergen-Belsen. They were kept in Star Camp along with 6,000 other prisoners who had been designated for possible exchange with German prisoners of war. 36 Battery Place. https://mjhnyc.org/current-events/
Thursday August 29
8AM
Sunrise Yoga Rockefeller Park
Rise and shine to begin your morning with an outdoor yoga class that will help align your chakras and invigorate your day. Instructors focus on movements meant to enhance posture alignment and increase flexibility and balance. All levels welcome. Bringing your own mat is encouraged, as provided accessories are first come, first served. https://bpcparks.org/events/2019-08/
2PM
Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House Tour
Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Tour of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, home of the National Museum of the American Indian in New York. Tour highlights include a discussion of the history of the site, architect Cass Gilbert, viewing the Collectors office; Tiffany woodwork; Reginald Marsh murals; and the 140-ton rotunda dome by Raphael Gustavino. One Bowling Green.
Founding Martyr: The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, the American Revolution’s Lost Hero History Lecture at Fraunces Tavern Not much has been known of Dr. Joseph Warren, an architect of the colonial rebellion and a man who might have led the country as Washington or Jefferson did had he not been martyred at Bunker Hill in 1775. In this lecture, Christian Di Spigna will explore the documents and artifacts he uncovered in the 20 years spent researching Warren’s private life and public career, shedding new light on an often overlooked leader of the early Revolution.
Tai Chi Esplanade Plaza, south of North Cove Marina Build muscle and strength, improve flexibility and balance, and increase aerobic conditioning. Tai Chi results in strength and focus of body and mind. Esplanade Plaza. Battery Park City Authority
Pipes at One St. Paul’s Chapel Pipes at One concerts feature the celebrated three-manual Noack organ that was inaugurated in the spring of 2018.Today, listen to Damin Spritzer, organ, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. St. Paul’s Chapel.
Saturday August 31
10AM
Drawing in the Park South Cove
Paint in watercolor, or use pastels, chalk, and charcoal to capture the magical vistas of the Hudson River and the unique landscape of South Cove. An artist/ educator will help participants of all levels with instruction and critique. Materials provided.
12NOON
Bon Odori Festival
Governors Island Japan Performing Arts, Inc. is bringing the Japanese summer experience of Bon Odori dances to Governors Island. This event is notable for bringing Japan’s Big Three Bon Odori dances into one venue, including Nishimonai Bon Odori from Akita, Gujo Odori from Gifu, and Awa Odori from Tokushima. https://govisland.com/things-to-do/events/
12NOON
10th Annual NYC Unicycle Festival
Trust for Governors Island On August 31 and September 1, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus brings the 10th Annual NYC Unicycle Festival to Governors Island.
Something for everyone, from long-time unicycle enthusiasts to first-time thrill-seekers, from extreme sports adventurers to circus fans, from avid bicyclists to families looking for the best way to spend a summer’s day in the Big Apple. https://govisland.com/things-to-do/events/
Work with well-reviewed author of five E-books, developing and implementing outreach strategies. Includes writing, placement, research, new outlets and on-line advertising.
Savvy social media skills a must. Downtown location.
Experienced IT technician. Expertise in 1-on-1 tutoring for all ages.Computer upgrading & troubleshooting.
Knowledgeable in all software programs. James Kierstead james.f.kierstead@gmail.com 347-933-1362. Refs available
ELDER COMPANION
Experienced with BPC residents. Available nights, days, and weekends. Will cook, clean and administer medicine on time. Speaks French and English. Can start immediately.
What was Planned as a Grand Affair became a Comedy of Errors
New York’s first ticker-tape parade erupted spontaneously from bad weather and an over-zealous stockbroker.
While the festivities in New York Harbor didn’t go as scripted that afternoon, the spontaneous gesture it generated from the brokerage houses lining Broadway famously lives on more than a century later.
On October 28, 1886, Liberty Enlightening the World was to be unveiled to New York City and the world as it stood atop its tall base on Bedloe’s Island. But the morning mist had turned to afternoon fog, blurring the view of the statue from revelers on the Manhattan shore and the long parade of three hundred ships on the Hudson River.
Borough President and City Council Member Win Court Round Seeking to Slow Planned Development at Two Bridges
City Council member Margaret Chin (left) and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (center) at a June rally called to build support for their lawsuit against the de Blasio administration’s development plans for the Two Bridges community.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Council Margaret Chin were handed a victory on Thursday by the State Supreme Court, when Judge Arthur Engoron ruled in favor of their argument that a cluster of super-tall residential towers proposed for the East River waterfront in Lower Manhattan must be subjected to a full public-review process.
CB1 Joins Elected Officials in Calling for Renewed Stabilization at Gateway
GPTA board member Jeff Galloway (center): Having stabilization in Gateway Plaza affects the character of the entire neighborhood. It contributes to the community as a whole, over time. But if you have massive turnover, that hurts the community.”
Community Board 1has endorsed the call by the Gateway Plaza Tenants’ Association to renew the rent stabilization program at Battery Park City’s largest residential complex. To read more…
Matthew Fenton
When Vice is Nice
Two Veteran Committee Chairs Seek CB1’s Number Two Spot
Thinking Outside the Box: Tammy Meltzer and Paul Goldstein playfully engage in some pantomime sparring as they debate their respective visions for the role of Community Board 1’s vice chair.
Community Board 1 has a new vice chair. Tammy Meltzer, who currently serves as CB1’s Secretary, as well as the chair of the Battery Park City Committee, was elected at the Board’s monthly meeting on Tuesday evening.
Also vying for the post was Paul Goldstein, who serves as the chairman of CB1’s Waterfront, Parks & Cultural Committee.
HRPT Plans Beach and Historic Sculpture for Gansevoort Peninsula
An overview rending of the Hudson River Park Trust’s plan for the Gansevoort Peninsula
The Hudson River Park Trust has unveiled plans to create Manhattan’s first-ever public beach on the Gansevoort Peninsula, a five-acre-plus chersonese that juts out from the West Side waterfront, between Horatio and West 13th Streets.
The beach will be more for viewing the water than public bathing, owing to concerns about hygiene and safety — although a kayak launch is also planned for the site, for parks users who want to come into contact with the Hudson. But the sandy riverfront portion of the park will feature a playground and an area for sunbathing.
Ten Years Later, It Turns Out That FiDi Tenants Were Entitled to Rent Stabilization
90 West Street: Converted from office use to 410 apartments in 2005
Tenants at two FiDi rental buildings scored a major victory on June 25 when New York State’s highest court ruled that they had been illegally deprived of rent stabilization benefits.
The suit, which has been winding its way through the courts for a decade, focused on residents of 90 West Street and 50 Murray Street, but has implications for more than 5,000 apartments spread across more than a dozen buildings throughout Lower Manhattan.
BPCA and CB1 to Host Discussion of Ball Fields Resiliency Plans Tonight
The Battery Park City ball fields
Tonight (Thursday, July 25), the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) and Community Board 1 (CB1) will co-host a public meeting to review resiliency plans for the ball fields in Battery Park City’s northern section. To read more…
Matthew Fenton
Dulce et Decorum Est…
City Council Overrules CB1 on Naming Tribeca Intersection for NYPD Officer Killed in Iraq
NYPD Officer and U.S. Army Staff Sergeant James McNaughton
The City Council on Tuesday overturned a preliminary determination made by Community Board 1 last October, by deciding to approve a proposal to co-name the Tribeca intersection of West Broadway and Lispenard Street in honor of James D. McNaughton, who, on August 2, 2005, at age 27, became the first New York City Police officer to be killed in action while serving in “Operation Iraqi Freedom.”
In a vigorous debate, CB1 members voiced competing priorities.
Bumptious Bumpkins Make for Bus Bumpy Ride for Locals
Lower Manhattan community leaders are grappling with concerns about crowding, safety, and possible criminal activity surrounding the Connection shuttle bus, operated by the Downtown Alliance, which ferries riders around Lower Manhattan, free of charge.
For several years, apprehension about spurious ticket sellers hawking fake boarding passes to boats that purport to bring tourists to the State of Liberty have overlapped with concerns about the Connection bus.
Stalled Tower at 125 Greenwich Street May Be Headed to Foreclosure
The 88-story building, where construction work has stalled due to financial setbacks
The troubled residential tower at 125 Greenwich Street may be facing foreclosure by lenders who say the development team has defaulted on the terms of several mortgages.
In May, work stopped on the building when multiple construction contractors filed liens against the developers for some $40 million in unpaid fees. This prompted several creditors — most prominently, the United Overseas Bank — to file notice with New York courts that they are owed $199 million in mortgage payments. The bank’s overall loan to the developers of 125 Greenwich is more than $450 million, and it is only one of half a dozen creditors.
Former Governors Island Overseer Takes Helm at World Trade Center Performance Venue
Leslie Koch
The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center, now under construction at the World Trade Center, has a new president — Leslie Koch. Ms. Koch will be most familiar to Lower Manhattan residents as the guiding hand behind the Trust for Governors Island.
Bermuda Queen Mary 2 Inbound 6:00 am (Brooklyn); outbound 5:00 pm;
Bar Harbor, ME/Canadian Maritimes
Many ships pass Lower Manhattan on their way to and from the Midtown Passenger Ship Terminal. Others may be seen on their way to or from piers in Brooklyn and Bayonne. Stated times, when appropriate, are for passing the Colgate clock in Jersey City, New Jersey, and are based on sighting histories, published schedules and intuition. They are also subject to tides, fog, winds, freak waves, hurricanes and the whims of upper management.
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Albany Wants to Keelhaul Ad Barges
State Lawmakers Bark ‘Belay That’ to Water-Borne Marketing Messages
The advertising barges operated by Ballyhoo Media
The ubiquitous advertising barges that have become anathema for Lower Manhattan residents over the past year have attracted hostile attention from members of the State Senate and Assembly.
Bills were enacted in the closing days of the legislative session that would ban the 60-foot catamaran — bearing an electronic sign capable of rendering high-definition, full-motion video, similar to the “jumbo-tron” panels that adorn multiple buildings in Times Square — from continuing to conduct its business in New York’s waters.
Federal Report Foresees More Frequent Flooding for Lower Manhattan
Superstorm Sandy floods West Street
A new report from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the federal scientific agency responsible for study of oceans, major waterways, and the atmosphere, predicts that Lower Manhattan will, in the next 12 months, experience between double and triple the number of flooding days that it did in 2000.
