Hisham Elzanaty, the developer and single largest investor in the Park51 Islamic community center vows to move forward with developing a mosque near Ground Zero.
Elzanaty has received national attention in previous weeks after receiving two offers to buy out his stakes in the development from both Donald Trump and the World Chess Federation.
Having spoken only through his attorney, Elzanaty has broke his silence admitting that the mosque was indeed his idea and that he “felt it was a great place for people to pray” and that he “didn’t expect this commotion, this hate, this anger,” according a report from the Daily News.
According to the same article, Elzanaty’s parents were victims of the EgyptAir crash in 1999 and could relate to the plights of 9/11 families having been personally affected by a terrorist attack. “I am one of them. I lived this two years before they did. I will never do anything to harm America.”
Fox 5 News in New York did an exclusive interview with Elzanaty below:
Downtowners with “Fashion’s Night Out” withdrawal have another chance to live it up during “Luxury’s Night Out.”
On the heels of fashion’s successful shopping event, Financial District’s most well heeled retailers are spinning off their own event dubbed “Fidi’s Luxury’s Night Out.”
FiDi is home to some impressively luxurious boutiques, and our high end neighborhood retailers and restaurants in conjunction with the Downton Alliance, are offering one time deals and events for the downtown community and beyond.
The event will be held this Thursday, September 24th between 5pm-8pm. By mentioning “Luxury Night Out” visitors will be able to take advantage of each individual’s special promotion.
Andaz Wall Street
75 Wall Street
Enjoy complimentary cheese and charcuterie with drinks purchased at Bar Seven Five. Indulge in a complimentary dessert at the Wall & Water Restaurant with purchase of an entree. The Spa at Andaz Wall Street will offer complimentary “15 Minute†(“Share”) treatments from noon to 2 PM and 4 to 6 PM. The Andaz will hold a raffle as well for anyone who leaves a business card.
BMW
67 Wall Street
Join BMW of Manhattan for a wine and cheese reception, preview the new 5 Series, and welcome the MINI brand to the Wall Street store.
Bobby Van’s Steakhouse
25 Broad Street
Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drink specials surrounded by antique bank vaults from 1902 at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse at 25 Broad Street across from the New York Stock Exchange. Dropping off a business card gives guests a chance to win a dinner for four.
Canalici
25 Broad Street
Enjoy a wine and cheese reception while viewing Canali’s Fall Collection. A complimentary tie will be given with the purchase of a suit or sports coat and trouser. A raffle will be held so drop off a business card.
Cipriani
(Served at Tiffany’s, 37 Wall Street)
Cipriani will be serving hors d’oeurves and its classic Bellinis at Tiffany’s.
KiptonART
75 Wall street
Enjoy the new KiptonART exhibition, “Kismet,” and enter a raffle to win lunch with founder Kipton Cronkite, who will provide a free curatorial review and insider scoop on today’s art market.
La Maison du Chocolat
63 Wall Street
Visit La Maison du Chocolat to taste freshly prepared ganache and the signature hot and cold chocolate beverages.
The Setai Club & Spa
40 Broad Street
Rest weary soles at The Setai Spa, where there will be complimentary mini-reflexology sessions and champagne toasts from 8 to 10 PM (Remember to RSVP to [email protected]).
Thomas Pink
63 Wall Street
Enjoy a night of shopping with complimentary wine and a special gift with purchase and delectable hors d’oeuvres by The Capital Grille.
Tiffany & Co.
37 Wall Street
Tiffany & Co. will showcase its newest collection of dazzling yellow diamond jewelry (and serve the Cipriani delicacies as noted above).
Tourbillon Boutique
45 Wall Street
Tourbillon Boutique and The Greene Grape Company will hold a special “Watches and Wine Tasting” and offer complimentary gifts with purchase.
They are the best, the brightest and poorest students in the city.
Contrary to the overwhelming belief that kids who make it to Stuyvesant High School are often thought of as coming from families with a leg up in class and ability to pay for preparation for The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, the federal government believes otherwise.
This year, the high school will be receiving federal support after being designated as a “high poverty school.”
An overwhelming population of students are receiving free or reduced lunches at the school, qualifying Stuyvesant as a high poverty school, prompting Title I funding from the federal government.
In a recent campaign to properly identify the students at need, parents have counted the declining economy and students from new immigrant families at the school, are some of the reasons for the increase of impoverished students at Stuyvesant.
The numbers are staggering.
A count of students at the poverty level in 2006 accounted for only 17%, where as in 2009, nearly 40% of the entire school were considered at the poverty level.
The federal aid will provide nearly $1.6 million, which accounts for 10% of the high school’s total operating budget.
Battery Park Synagogue has become locally famous for their children’s candlelight and flashlight procession for Neilah, the conclusion of Yom Kippur services Saturday night, September 18 at around 7:30 pm.
Battery Park Synagogue Neilah Shofar
As in past years, services are held in the 2nd floor ballrooms of the NY Marriott Downtown Hotel, 85 West Street. They will be held in a dimly lit sanctuary, during the closing service that ends with multiple individuals blowing shofars, as well as many dozens kids, standing on the podium at the front of the room, singing and swaying to usher in the end of Yom Kippur.
Obviously, the MTA doesn’t want us to leave Battery Park City, we are losing our 1 train over the next two weekends.
On top of losing the 9 and W trains as well as M9 service, we are really living up to our “Lower Manhattan’s Siberia” reputation.
The shut down of the 1 train will accomodate for end-to-end maintenance on the line, which includes completing work at the World Trade Center site.
The decision to shut the 1 train down over two weekends was the lesser of two transportation evils and provided more efficient repairs versus stretching them out over months.
For the next two weekends, free shuttle buses will connect riders to points on the A line that will run locally along the 2/3 lines within Manhattan.
According to the MTA.info website:
The 2,3,A trains, free shuttle buses, and the M3 bus provide alternate service
Weekend, 11:30 PM Fri to 5 AM Mon, Sep 17 – 20 | Sep 24 – 27
2 and 3 trains run local and replace the 1 between 96 and Chambers Sts.
(Downtown 2 and 3 trains skip 86 and 79 Sts)
Shuttle buses run in four sections making station stops on the 1 line:
1. On Broadway between 242 and 215 Sts, then connecting to the 207 St A station.
2. On St Nicholas Av between 191 and 168 Sts.
3. On Broadway between 168 and 96 Sts (express and local service).
4. In Lower Manhattan between Chambers St and South Ferry.
Wall Street bankers rejoice! BlackboardEats is offering a coupon code for 30% off lunch or dinner for a party of 2-4 people at Cipriani Wall Street! The best part of BlackboardEats is that unlike other companies that provide deals in New York City, they offer their coupon codes absolutely free, no strings attached. You can get your personal code sent straight to your cellphone- how convenient is that?
If you want this deal, you must get your passcode before 5:30 AM tomorrow, and use it by October 15. Get it before they run out!
Battery Park City Esplanade (Credit: saitowitz/Flickr)
Finding a place to smoke is becoming a real drag. After banning smoking in bars and restaurants, Mayor Bloomberg has announced plans to introduce legislation making it illegal to smoke in public areas.
The legislation will be introduced in City Council today, and if approved will go into effect in approximately 3 months after being signed into law.
Violators of this proposed law will be fined $50 by either a Police or Parks Department official.
The pedestrian plaza at Times Square, Central Park and other major public  parks and areas, conceivably even the Battery Park City esplanade could be part of the smoking ban.
The planned location of the Park51 Community Center
Checks are flying in the offers to buy out Park51 investors.
This time The World Chess Federation (FIDE) has offered to make a bid to purchase the site where the projected Park51 Islamic community center is slated for development.
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has sent formal letters on behalf of the FIDE to Mayor Bloomberg.
According to the Montreal Gazette, “We named the sum of 10 million dollars because last week billionaire Donald Trump gave an offer of 7.5 million dollars and we decided to outdo him.”
The intent of the organization is to build a complex completely dedicated to chess, being dubbed “Chess City.” Very strategic moves indeed.
Public school teachers just don’t make enough money.
A former Stuyvesant High School music teacher has been arrested after being caught selling weapons to what he thought was a terrorist network.
Theophilus Burroughs was arrested after a year long sting by the Bronx District Attornye’s office investigating a Bronx warehouse suspected to be a point where assault weapons were being sold.
Burroughs was caught negotiating firearms sales which included AK-47’s, .40-caliber guns and often praised terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
According to the New York Post, Burroughs, “showed up at the Westchester Square warehouse expecting to collect a cool $10,000 for a pair of night-vision goggles, two bulletproof vests and 200,000 counterfeit cigarette stamps.”
Burroughs was on unpaid medical leave and had been a former Marine from Newark. Apparently surprised by the arrest, he web his pants as he was being taken away by investigators.
The charges against Burroughs include weapons possession and forgery.
Burroughs had been teaching at Stuyvesant since 1992, starting as a substitute teacher and then as a music teacher from 2002-2003. Also according to the same article, Burroughs has been under investigation by the Board of Education in an alleged misconduct situation at the Cobble Hill School for American Studies.
