The BroadsheetDAILY ~ The News of Lower Manhattan ~ 10/31/19

Community Leader Rallies Support to Halt Planned Demolition of Pedestrian Span Over West Side Highway

Bob Schneck: “What we’re asking for, instead of the bridge coming down in the next few months, is that we have a period of public engagement. Don’t take my word for the fact that people care about this, but actually find out what the community really wants. Because the only way you find out the value of something is by asking.”

A Battery Park City resident and community leader is mobilizing support to preserve the Rector Street Bridge, the pedestrian span that is slated for demolition as a newer overpass at nearby West Thames Street (which unofficially opened in September) is gradually integrated into the local streetscape.

Bob Schneck spoke during the public comment session of the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) board meeting on Tuesday, pointing to a petition drive he has spearheaded, and noting that, “I have collected more than 1,800 signatures by residents who want to keep the bridge. Rector Street lines up with almost every subway line in Lower Manhattan, and ferries on both ends.”

“I’ve also done surveys and counted people crossing the bridge,” Mr. Schneck continued. “I know now that about 214 people per hour use the bridge on a typical weekday afternoon. Of all the people crossing, 60 percent are residents and 35 to 40 percent are workers.”

“Of these,” he noted, “only 30 percent knew that the bridge might come down. And even among this group, almost nobody said they were willing to use the new bridge. They admitted that crossing West Street at Albany Street, at ground level, is dangerous. But most of them would prefer this to walking two blocks out of the way and two blocks back.”

These comments echo those of other concerned residents. At the September 24 meeting of the BPCA board, Nancy Wann said, “Our family, like many families in the Battery Park City community, relies heavily on the Rector Street Bridge. It’s not a convenience, but a safe means to get to and from one side and the other.” She noted that dozens of children cross the span each day to play in West Thames Park, which has a large lawn beneath the Rector Street Bridge.

If the overpass is demolished, Ms. Wann predicted, “people will be running across the West Side Highway, and there’ll be unnecessary accidents. So we just request respectfully that you consider not taking down the bridge.”

She added that, “a lot of financial resources will go into taking down the bridge. So if all that money is going toward taking down the bridge, we respectfully request that you take the money to invest it into making it a stronger bridge, so that it could last for a longer period of time.” This was a reference to the fact that the City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has budgeted $3.8 million in federal funds to cover the cost of demolishing the Rector Street Bridge, which is $300,000 more than the span cost to build in 2002.

The Rector Street Bridge was originally constructed on an expedited basis, as a temporary way for residents to access Battery Park City in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when most other routes in and out of the community were blocked. Initially slated to be demolished within two years of its opening, it was given a new lease on life by the BPCA a decade ago, when the Authority shored up the structure by removing half of its width, which enabled the footings beneath to support the remaining structure’s weight more easily.

The Rector Street Pedestrian Bridge, which was construction in 2002 and originally slated for demolition in 2004, is now the focus of a campaign to safe access across West Street, at a location that many residents find most convenient.

At the September BPCA board meeting, Authority chair George Tsunis replied to Ms. Wann, “would it be disrespectful if I pointed out that there’s a brand new bridge immediately next to it?”

She answered, “we’re aware of the bridge and we’ve been on it. But so many people rely on this specific bridge. It’s a bit of a walk for us to go down by the tunnel. A lot of people did not even know that the Rector Street Bridge was even going to come down and a lot of people moved into the neighborhood not knowing that the bridge was going to come down. They see it as an easy means to get to the Financial District,” and the subways beyond.

“May I respectfully ask what is the current plan for the bridge?” Ms. Wann pressed.

Mr. Tsunis replied, “I’m going to respectfully point you in the direction of the New York [State] Department of Transportation, who has ownership of it. And although I think this is wonderful awareness for our community, and I appreciate you coming down and sharing your thoughts, it’s their decision.”

These concerns are echoed by City Council member Margaret Chin, who said in an August 9 letter to EDC president James Patchett, “I write to join residents of Battery Park City to call on the EDC, the BPCA and Manhattan Community Board One to reconsider the demolition of the Rector Street Bridge. Connecting the bustling commercial hub of the Financial District with Battery Park City, the Rector Street Bridge provides a vital and safe pathway for pedestrians to cross both the West Side Highway and the bicycle greenway. The bridge also offers residents, tourists and workers with easy and safe access to more than ten subway lines.”

Ms. Chin continued, “since its construction in 2002 at the cost of $3.5 million, the Rector Street Pedestrian Bridge remains one of the best returns on investment in the area. With the West Side Highway remaining one of the most heavily utilized thoroughfares in New York City, this bridge has dramatically reduced the safety risk for pedestrians — especially the seniors and children who cross it every day to go to school or their neighborhood community center. If New York City is to achieve its Vision Zero goals, then the Rector Street Pedestrian Bridge should be preserved and renovated, not demolished.”

She concluded, “while I understand that the demolition of the Rector Street Pedestrian Bridge was part of the discussion around the construction of the West Thames Bridge, I urge you to delay the demolition and join my office in starting a community engagement process that weighs all options and alternatives.”

This goal is seconded by Mr. Schneck, who says, “what we’re asking for, instead of the bridge coming down in the next few months, is that we have a period of public engagement. Don’t take my word for the fact that people care about this, but actually find out what the community really wants. Because the only way you find out the value of something is by asking.”

Chin Pushes Legislation to Rein in Production Permits

	A late-night film shoot on  Tribeca’s Staple Street

City Council member Margaret Chin is co-sponsoring a package of bills to clamp down on rampant film and television production in Lower Manhattan.

Although the new laws, if enacted, will have City-wide effect, their impact would be especially significant in the square mile below Chambers Street, where dozens of movies and TV shows commandeer local streets (sometimes for days at a time) each year.

Betty Kay

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Amid a Booming Economy, Lower Manhattan Retail Space Languishes

Vacant storefronts dot the landscape of Downtown

A new report from City Comptroller Scott Stringer finds that in one Lower Manhattan zip code — 10013, which covers parts of western Tribeca SoHo, and the Canal Street corridor in Chinatown — there are 319 empty retail spaces, comprising almost 300,000 square feet of unused property. To read more…

The Battery Park City Dog Association would like to thank the following people and businesses for participating in and donating to our 18th Annual BPC Halloween Puppy Parade on October 26th:

Phil Castiglia and Judy Passer of Le Pet Spa, our Co-Hosts and the provider of the top prizes.

All of the fantastic participants in the parade, both human and canine for their enthusiasm, creativity and support for our annual community event;

Also a huge thanks to our esteemed judges: Rena, Rich and Sheila.

And of course, thank you to the BPCA for issuing our permit and to Bruno Pomponio for making our judging area safe and clean.

Pictures of the winners and the event can be seen at:  www.bpcdogs.org.

1PM
Charlas Sobre la Ofrenda del Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead Altar Talks
One Bowling Green
National Museum of the American Indian
Join museum Cultural Interpreter Carrie Gonzalez as she discusses the significance of the Día de Los Muertos altar.

St. Paul’s Chapel
The weekly Pipes at One series showcases leading organists and rising stars from around the country in this year-round series at St. Paul’s Chapel, featuring its celebrated three-manual Noack organ.

South Cove
Battery Park City Authority
Challenge your artistic skills by drawing the humangure. 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.

Fraunces Tavern Museum
Start your Halloween off by visiting the oldest standing structure in Manhattan for a special spooky Halloween inspired tour of the Museum led by a costumed guide! Hear stories about the tragic event that took place in this very building, 18th century funerary customs, George Washington’s last days at Mount Vernon, and even learn about the paranormal investigators findings within the Museum itself! 54 Pearl Street.

St. Paul’s Chapel
The new Candlelight Baroque series features international baroque artists in solo and small chamber music concerts performing in an intimate candlelit setting in historic St. Paul’s Chapel.

City Council Approves de Blasio Controversial Plan for New Jail Complex in Lower Manhattan; Legal Challenges Likely

	A rendering that illustrates the original bulk and shape of the 45-story, prison complex that Mayor Bill de Blasio proposes to erect in Lower Manhattan, which has now been scaled back by approximately one-third.

The administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio won City Council approval on October 17 for a modified version of its controversial plan to erect a new, skyscraper prison in Lower Manhattan, as part of a wider scheme to close the City’s notorious detention complex on Rikers Island, and replace it with four, large “borough-based jail” facilities-one in each county, except Staten Island.

At the session during which the plan was approved, City Council member Margaret Chin said, “to my constituents-I hear you.

Lawsuit Over Similarity Between One World Trade and Architecture Student’s Design Moves Ahead

	Jeehoon Park’s 1999 design for a skyscraper with eight sides that taper between a square base and a square roof.

One thing is reasonably certain: In 1999, Jeehoon Park, then a student at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture, created a design for a very tall building with a large square base tapering to a smaller square top. In Mr. Park’s vision, the square formed by the roof was rotated 45 degrees relative to the one at the ground level, so that the center-points on each side of the quadrilateral below corresponded to the corners of the one above, and vice versa. And instead of four vertical walls, the structure’s facade consisted of eight elongated triangles.

That structure was never built. Or was it?

Driver Alleged to Have Run Over Tribeca Pedestrian in May Indicted for Separate Manhattan Traffic Death

	Reckless driving has become a chronic safety menace in Lower Manhattan in recent years.

The New York County District Attorney’s Office has indicted Jessenia Fajardo, a resident of the upstate town of Walden in two separate incidents involving reckless driving that caused injury to pedestrians. The more serious of these took place on July 19, when Ms. Fajardo is accused of having run a red light on the Upper West Side and then slamming into an elderly couple in a crosswalk. One of these pedestrians, 62-year-old Alfred Pocari, was killed, while the second (whose name has not been released) was seriously injured.

When police took Ms. Fajardo into custody at the scene of the July incident, they discovered that she was also involved in a similar (albeit less gravely serious) incident two months earlier.   To read more…

Ridership Survey Indicates That Ferry Coming Soon to Battery Park City Primarily Serves Affluent Riders

An analysis of who uses the NYC Ferry service, which the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to expand to Battery Park City next year, shows that riders are primarily white passengers who earn more money than average New Yorkers.

Volleyball Players Rescued from Hudson, After Jumping Into River to Retrieve Ball

Two young men were pulled from the waters of the Hudson River on Saturday morning, after jumping from the Battery Park City Esplanade to retrieve a volleyball that went over the railing, near North Cove Marina.

The men, whose names have not been released, were playing volleyball on the court that overlooks that yacht basin at approximately 11:40 am, when a wild serve sent their ball into the Hudson. Impulsively, they both leaped in after it.

Condo Boards Question Need for South End Avenue Redesign After Installation of Traffic Signal

	A rendering of the BPCA’s plan for changes to the South End Avenue

At the October 2 meeting of the Battery Park City Committee of Community Board 1, Battery Park City Authority president B.J. Jones was apprised by the leader of a coalition of condominiums along South End Avenue of that group’s ongoing reservations about the Authority’s plan to revamp the thoroughfare.

Pat Smith, the board president of the Battery Pointe condominium (at South End Avenue and Rector Place) told Mr. Jones, “before you go too far on South End Avenue, please remember that six condo boards, representing more than 1,000 households along South End Avenue, from Albany down to West Thames, don’t want you to do this.”    To read more…

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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.

Margrethe ll, Queen of Denmark. As a girl growing up in Copenhagen, Ms. Reumert performed with the Saint Anne Girls Choir as a soprano and a soloist.

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CHINESE AIDE/CAREGIVER FOR ELDERLY

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OLD WATCHES SOUGHT, PREFER NON-WORKING

Mechanical pocket and wristwatches sought and sometimes repaired

Click to watch monarch butterflies feeding on milkweed planted by the Battery Park City Authority to help them on their annual fall migration from Canada to the mountains of Mexico.  To read more…

Thank you, kind-hearted gardeners. We must all do whatever little bit we can to hold back the wave of extinctions that is a hair’s breadth from taking the last of our monarchs.

Lower Manhattan’s Old Syrian Quarter

This map from 1899 highlights  “Little Syria”

Today, the stretch of Greenwich and Washington Streets between Battery Place and Albany Street — bisected by the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel entrance — is known by the forgettable name, “Greenwich South.”

By all appearances it is an orphan of a neighborhood that never quite coalesced. But nothing could be further from the truth. A century ago, before the World Trade Center or the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (the two giant public works projects that decimated this once-thriving quarter), it was an ethnic enclave as vibrant as Little Italy or Chinatown. To read more…

Residents Riled about Tribeca Tavern

	Does this look like a dance club?

More than a dozen concerned Tribeca residents turned out for the September meeting the Licensing and Permits Committee, which weighs in on the granting or renewal of liquor licenses.

They showed up to voice concerns about MI-5, a bar located at 52 Walker Street, which has been a source of local complaints as far back 2007.

Neighbors of the bar allege that it operates as a dance club (in violation of its current license, which is now up for renewal), and that loud music penetrates the upper floors of the residential building located above the bar as late as 4:00 am. To read more…

City Agency Leaves Cash-Strapped Local Museum Off Roster of Cultural Institutions

The City’s Department of Cultural Affairs has omitted from its list of dozens of New York-based cultural institutions that receive public support the museum that chronicles the oldest community anywhere in the five boroughs.

BPCA Puts the Brakes on Conversions of Rental Buildings within Community

Costs to Rent or Own in Lower Manhattan Are Matched by Lofty Local Earnings

A slew of recent reports documents what everyone who lives or works in Lower Manhattan already sensed in their bones: This is a mind-numbingly expensive place to call home.

In September, RENTCafé issued a new analysis of the most expensive neighborhoods for renters in the United States that finds northern Battery Park City (zip code 10282) is the priciest enclave in America, with an average rent of $6,211 per month.  Coming in at second place is zip code 10013, which covers western Tribeca, along with part of Soho.  To read more…

New Arts Center on Governors Island Will Provide Studio Space and Cultural Programming

	The historic building at Soissons Landing at  Governors Island.

Lower Manhattan has a new cultural hub. The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Trust for Governors Island have partnered to create the LMCC Arts Center at Governors Island, a 40,000-square foot studio space and education facility, housed within a restored 1870s ammunition warehouse — a relic from the days when the island was a military outpost.

CB1 Makes Exception to New Policy; Okays Naming Street for Former NYPD Commissioner

	Baxter Street

A public figure from the 1980s may soon be honored by having a street co-named in his memory, if Community Board 1 gets its way. The panel recommended that Benjamin Ward, New York’s first African-American police commissioner, be commemorated by rechristening one block of Baxter Street as Benjamin Ward Way.

This comes on the heels of a controversial decision by CB1 in 2018 to decline such a request on behalf 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.”

Onetime Non-Profit Nursing Facility Sold to Anonymous Buyer for Five Times Original Price

	Rivington House

If there is an Exhibit A in the case of fevered speculation in Lower Manhattan real estate, it must be Rivington House

After purchasing the block-long, 150,000-square-foot structure (located at 45 Rivington Street, near the Williamsburg Bridge), the developer, the Allure Group, paid the City an additional $16 million to remove the deed restriction that limited the property to its legacy use of non-profit, residential healthcare. To read more…

Composting Catches on in Battery Park City

	Jake Jacevicius and Joshua DeVoto of BPCA parks operations dump out a binful of fruit and vegetable scraps where the neighborhood’s composting process takes place.

You’re probably heard of the farm-to-table movement. Thanks to the Battery Park City Authority’s compost initiative, there’s a burgeoning table-to-earth movement in this Lower Manhattan community.

	In an instant, both wagon and horse were vaporized, and the closest automobile was tossed twenty feet in the air. Incredibly, the iconic bronze of George Washington surveys the devastation from the steps of the Sub-Treasury without so much as a scratch.

As the noon hour approached on a fall Thursday morning in 1920, a horse-drawn wagon slowly made its way west down Wall Street toward “the Corner,” the high-powered intersection of Wall and Broad. Its driver came to a gentle stop in front of the Assay Office, where stockpiles of gold and silver were stored and tested for purity. But theft was not his motive.