Ground Zero Mosque

Another Hurdle for Park51 Mosque: Con Edison

Buildings, News, Real Estate, , , , , , , , , ,
Ground Zero Mosque
The planned location of the Ground Zero Mosque.

After clearing a vote against landmark status for 45-47 Park Place, another hurdle has emerged concerning the development of what has been dubbed “The Ground Zero Mosque” or the Park51 Mosque.

The mosque which is slated to be located at 45-51 Park Place, built on two parcels of land, is only half owned by the developers spearheading the project according to the NY Post which first broke the report over the weekend. The building at 45-47 Park Place, which had been undergoing landmark status hearings is owned by Soho Properties, the developers of Park51 — whilst the building at 49-51 Park Place is not. Park51 is named after the address 51 Park Place, the address in scrutiny.

More surprisingly, the owner of the other parcel of land is actually Con Edison. This information took even Community Board 1 proponents by surprise who had not heard of this revelation through its own hearings.

According to the article, “Sharif El-Gamal, the head of Soho Properties, first came forward in 2006 seeking to buy the empty building at 45-47 Park Place, said Melvin Pomerantz, whose family owned the property.

Pomerantz said El-Gamal eventually raised $4.8 million cash for 45-47 Park Place. El- Gamal paid an extra $700,000 to take over the lease with Con Ed for the building next door. The lease expires in 2071.”

The discrepancy emerged because the two buildings were connected years ago, as it housed a former Burlington Coat Factory and was generally assumed ownership for that entire parcel was under one ownership, without the Community Board #1’s knowledge that Soho Properties would be developing half of the site under paying a $33K a month lease to Con Ed.

Con Ed is appraising the property for a potential sale, “The utility is now doing an appraisal to determine the property value, and it would be up to El-Gamal to decide whether to accept the price, the utility said. The price is estimated at $10 million to $20 million.

“We are following our legal obligations under the lease. We will not allow other considerations to enter into this transaction,” Con Ed said.

The sale proposal will go to the Public Service Commission, where it could possibly face a vote by a five-member board controlled by Gov. Paterson,” according to the same article.

Do you think that this will be a significant hurdle for the Park51 Mosque?

Stella Bistro on Front Street

Three People Shot at South Street Seaport

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Stella Bistro on Front Street
Stella Bistro on Front Street

An early morning shootout has left FiDi residents rattled after three people were shot by the South Street Seaport.

A night out at Stella Bistro left two women and a man shot after they got into a verbal altercation with another pair of men, after leaving the bar at 3am.

Witnesses alerted BatteryParkCity.com minutes after the shooting, “There was blood everywhere, bloody footprints, a woman was bleeding from her head but ambulances got to the scene pretty quickly.”

According to the New York Post, “A crowd formed, and a man pulled out a .357-caliber handgun and shot the three, then fled, authorities said.

The victims, who were from Brooklyn and Queens, were taken to Bellevue Hospital, where they were in stable condition, police said yesterday.

Cops cuffed two alleged perps just a block away from the shooting. Both live in the area.”

Tajin Restaurant 85 Greenwich

8 Great Take Out Restaurants Not On Seamless Web

Food, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Tajin Restaurant 85 Greenwich
Tajin Mexican Restaurant on 85 Greenwich

As we’ve been mulling over the restaurant changes in our neighborhood, it got us here at BatteryParkCity.com thinking and talking about how reliant we are on food delivery, more pointedly SeamlessWeb.com.

Unfortunately, there are some really fantastic restaurants you can’t get to through SeamlessWeb. Just like our past movie list — here are our favorite places you can’t get to on Seamless Web.

Battery Park City.com’s Favorite Restaurants You Can’t Order from on Seamless Web
(In no particular order! — and feeling kind of British-ish calling “Take Out” “Takeaway”)

1. Inatteso (Thanks Tom!)
Our area is deluged with hundreds of Italian restaurant options. Inatesso seems to be Battery Park City’s best kept secret — although the restaurant is packed nightly, they also have a strong delivery service. Consistent and delicious. One small drawback is that some of us wish they gave us a little more of their delectable bread.

2. Elixir
Sometimes after a Friday night bender, all you want is a healthy hangover helping smoothie. Unfortunately, Elixir (located in the World Financial Center) is not open on the weekends — nor do they offer delivery service. In comparison with other smoothie offering places, sometimes it’s worth waiting for Monday to roll around.

3. Les Halles
The spotlight at Les Halles is often on their Chef-At-Large Anthony Bourdain, but should really be on their Steak Frites. Although they don’t have a delivery service, if you’re craving a quick steak or a hearty bistro brunch, Les Halles offers takeaway.

4. Majestic Pizza
The best pizza is sometimes the most unassuming. When we have our staff pizza meetings, we often agree on pies from this long standing pizza institution. We don’t know if its the well seasoned ovens but we love their traditional New York style slices.

5. Le Pain Quotidien
Yum. Tartines and a semblance of healthy rustic eating. Le Pain Quotidien’s new location in Battery Park City offers quick lunch options with a new to-go case. Including fresh and pre-made sandwiches and take away soups.

6. Tajin
From Tartines to Tajin. Located right off Seamless Web-friendly diner George’s at 85 Greenwich Street. Tajin is one of our favorite Mexican joints in the area. They offer an extensive selection of burritos for delivery, but their sit down menu options are equally impressive, especially their fresh daily specials and enchiladas.

7. Baoguette
Vietnamese sandwiches have taken New York City by storm and we’re big fans of the classic “Baoguette.” Drawing on classic Vietnamese flavors on crusty French breads — it’s nice to see that we have our very own in the neighborhood when our cravings call.

8. Picasso Pizza
If it hasn’t been officially designated, it should be called the first pizzeria in Battery Park City. Where Majestic doesn’t always have the delivery manpower to reach our neighborhood on weekends, Picasso is always there for us. Honorable mention for the fact they have instituted their own delivery system on their website.

9. Ruchi
Our Indian food options are most always in Tribeca. However, Ruchi (which is located amidst the construction and hustle of Ground Zero) offers solid Indian delivery options to our neighborhood. For those who want to venture to the restaurant, they offer a similar 50% off lunch for customers who choose to dine in.

10. Charly’s
Sometimes when 9pm rolls around, delivery options become a barren wasteland in our area. For those with both an empty fridge and empty stomach, Charly’s offers 24 hour delivery to our neighborhood. Sure it’s not lobster and crabcakes — but seriously, sometimes life calls for an emergency burger and fries. Charly’s is the place to get it.

11. Little Pie Company
The pies here are phenomenal and they offer delivery to Battery Park City as long as you meet the minimum delivery requirement and place your order before 4pm.

Did we miss any of your favorite restaurants? Let us know!

Lili's Noodle Shop Closed

Lili’s Noodle Shop and Pizzabola Closed For Business

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Lili's Noodle Shop Closed
Lili's Noodle Shop is Closed.

Brown paper has been taped up on the windows of both Lili’s Noodle Shop and Pizzabola for the last few days with the cryptic message:

“We will be closed from 8/1/10. Thank You. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

However, this is not your average story of another business at 102 North End Avenue biting the dust due to the Goldman shakeup.

Sign outside Lil's shop.
Sign outside Lil's shop.

Lili’s and Pizzabola owner Jonah Phillips spoke with BatteryParkCity.com this morning and let us know that Lili’s will not be permanently closing down but relocating and expanding their menu offering. Phillips will be breathing new life into the former Applebee’s space, introducing Lili’s successor as a new Asian-themed restaurant which will also have a sandwich/deli area.

Pizzabola’s fate is currently uncertain although the owner is looking into new locations for the Italian restaurant in the area. Regardless of the new location, Pizzabola will no longer be serving the gluten-free foods it had been known for.

Phillips, who also owns Izzy & Nats, said that finding a new spot for Pizzabola has been difficult: “There isn’t a lot of space left [to open a restaurant] in the area.”

The 102 North End restaurant version of musical chairs comes in light of Danny Meyer’s announcement last week of his openings of a Shake Shack, Blue Smoke and another “upscale” restaurant in the same building.

While most businesses in the building have gone to the wayside (Chevy’s, Applebees and DSW), it’s nice to know that at least one familiar face will remain amongst the newcomers.

Will you miss Pizzabola?

225 Rector Place

Rector Square Apartments Up For Bulk Sale

Buildings, Real Estate, , , , , , , , ,
225 Rector Place
Yair Levy accused of raiding the coffers of 225 Rector Place.

The bank which owns nearly 230 apartments at Rector Square has announced that it will be planning a “bulk sale” of the apartments in September according to reports from Independent.ie.

The Anglo Irish Bank has been embroiled in a legal dispute with Rector Square’s developer Yair Levy and won an order of foreclosure on the Rector Square building.
Yair Levy seems to have ground accustomed to legal problems, after Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and unit owners of the building have both filed suits against Levy’s company YL Real Esate, for mishandling the operations of the Rector Square building. YL Real Estate has defaulted on $165 million in loans.

According to the same report, Units initial sold for $1000 per square foot  are now valued at $400 per square foot. It is not clear what the foreclosure rate for the units will be when the parcel of units go up on the block in September.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Rudolph Giuliani make statements on Ground Zero Mosque

A Tale of Two Mayors: Bloomberg vs. Giuliani

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Rudolph Giuliani make statements on Ground Zero Mosque
Two mayors give rise to two divergent opinions

September 11th marked the line between a United States before and after terrorism. In New York City it also marked the changing of the guard between two mayors. Both of their legacies rely upon the memory of the World Trade Center’s reconstruction. Who would have guessed that an addition of a mosque at Ground Zero would serve as the dividing line between the two mayors.

On one side, Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a born and raised New Yorker, saw through New York’s change under his administration and after September 11th became “The America’s Mayor” for his poise during the terrorist attacks on New York.

On the other side, Michael Bloomberg, who upon his election as Mayor inherited the post traumatic New York environment, only three months after the attack. Bloomberg has been guiding the city for almost a decade after the attack.

Although both men have made major strides in what is arguably one of the toughest cities to run in the country — it’s interesting to note their divergent opinions sharing only one element — their vehement beliefs in their stance.

Guiliani’s Statement:

“It sends a particularly bad message, particularly (because) of the background of the imam who is supporting this. This is an Imam who has supported radical causes, who has not been forthright in condemning Islamic (terrorism) and the worst instincts that that brings about.
“So it not only is exactly the wrong place, right at ground zero, but it’s a mosque supported by an imam who has a record of support for causes that were sympathetic with terrorism. Come on! We’re gonna allow that at ground zero?

“This is a desecration,” he added. “Nobody would allow something like that at Pearl Harbor. Let’s have some respect for who died there and why they died there. Let’s not put this off on some kind of politically correct theory.
“I mean, they died there because of Islamic extremist terrorism. They are our enemy, we can say that, the world will not end when we say that. And the reality is, it will not and should not insult any decent Muslim because decent Muslims should be as opposed to Islamic extremism as you and I are.”

In response to all the opposition the building of the Park51 mosque has received, Bloomberg re-iterates the constitutional right for freedom of religion as the basis of his opinion.

Bloomberg’s Statement:

“The World Trade Center Site will forever hold a special place in our City, in our hearts. But we would be untrue to the best part of ourselves – and who we are as New Yorkers and Americans – if we said ‘no’ to a mosque in Lower Manhattan. “Let us not forget that Muslims were among those murdered on 9/11 and that our Muslim neighbors grieved with us as New Yorkers and as Americans.

We would betray our values – and play into our enemies’ hands – if we were to treat Muslims differently than anyone else. In fact, to cave to popular sentiment would be to hand a victory to the terrorists – and we should not stand for that.

“For that reason, I believe that this is an important test of the separation of church and state as we may see in our lifetime – as important a test – and it is critically important that we get it right…

“Political controversies come and go, but our values and our traditions endure – and there is no neighborhood in this City that is off limits to God’s love and mercy, as the religious leaders here with us today can attest.”

What do you think about the divergent ideas from both mayors?

Conde Nast Flagship Building Will Move to Ground Zero World Trade Center

Conde Nast Moves Headquarters To New World Trade Center

Buildings, Real Estate, , , , , ,
Conde Nast Flagship Building Will Move to Ground Zero World Trade Center
Conde Nast moves its headquarters to the new World Trade Center site

If you build office space, someone is bound to move in. Conde Nast has confirmed they signed a tentative deal that would move from their flagship Times Square location into the building formerly known as the Freedom Tower.

According to NY Magazine, employees were emailed a memo regarding the move today:

‘We have been evaluating real estate opportunities that would allow us to house all our brands in a single, state-of-the-art headquarters, as some of you may already know.As part of that process, we are in active discussions regarding 1 World Trade Center, a development project underway with the Durst Organization (our 4 Times Square landlord) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

While a final decision is several months away — and a move itself unlikely before 2014 – we wanted to keep you apprised of the status of this project. We also wanted to alert you, since it is now highly likely that we will move from 4 Times Square, whether to 1 World Trade Center or another location, that we will be reviewing our present and future space requirements for each of our businesses. More information about that process will be communicated shortly.”

It was speculated that Conde Nast would be one of the first tenants at the World Trade Center site after Durst was confirmed as one of the of two developers overseeing the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site. Durst’s relationship with high profile tenants was seen as an advantageous by the Port Authority.

This is the second announcement of publications moving into the lower manhattan area. The Daily News, America Media Inc. and Manseuto Ventures have recently called our area their new homes.

Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts

Landmark Commission Issues 9-0 Vote Against Landmark Status

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Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts
Imam Feisal Abdul Raif is leading the Ground Zero mosque building efforts

UPDATED:Developers of the Ground Zero mosque have recieved a green light from today’s Landmark status vote on 45-51 Park Place, the slated address of the Park51 mosque.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 9-0 against granting landmark status to the former Burlington Coat Factory building, clearing the way for the Cordoba Initiative to develop their Park51 mosque.

The vote was seen as the biggest hurdle for the Cordoba initiative’s plans on building a Muslim community center 600 feet from the World Trade Center site.

However, according to the New York Post, should the vote clear the way for the dubbed “Ground Zero Mosque,” a lawsuit is set to be filed immediately against the landmark vote on behalf of 9/11 first responders.

“We believe the Landmarks Preservation Commission would have allowed politics and mayor’s fervent support for the project to replace the deliberative process,” said Jack Lester, an attorney for 9/11 responder Tim Brown according to the same article.

The next step for the developers would be to solidify the $100 million dollar price tag for construction costs. Imam Feisal Abdul Raif, one of the developers of the mosque is said to solicit funding from the Muslim communities, foundations as well as Muslim nations for funding.

How do you feel about granting the site landmark status? Should this stop the building of the mosque?

Battery Park City Hates The Sounds of “Frank Sinatra”

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Battery Park City Residents are fed up with the sounds of "Frank Sinatra"

Battery Park City residents are not in love with the sounds of “Frank Sinatra.”

The “Frank Sinatra” and the “Yogi Berra” are just two of the ferry boats that illicit unending complaints from Battery Park City residents for nearly eight months. The vessels shuttle commuters from New Jersey to Battery Park City mostly for the service of Goldman Sachs employees who moved its corporate headquarters to our neighborhood almost a year ago.

According to a New York Times article, ‘The dispute about the boat noise has droned on for so long that Battery Park City officials have hinted that they might want to give the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the $50 million floating terminal, the heave-ho, saying the agency is violating the terms of its lease with the high noise levels.”

The public transportation nightmare has caused headaches for residents closest to the ferry terminal for some time. The ferries shuttle commuters more frequently than most other ferry services in the area during normal rush hours; however, the ferries also operate outside of those hours primarily for Goldman Sachs employees. The noise that emanates from the commuter ferries are due to older vessels being used to keep up with the increased commuter use as well as the siren signals heard when arriving and leaving the ferry terminal.

To alleviate the public problem, a private wallet has emerged — Goldman Sachs has agreed to spend $5 million dollars to provide updated ferries that would alleviate the noise pollution.

Goldman had been quick to “bridle at the complaints, suggesting that the neighbors were piling criticism on a firm that has already been faulted in the public eye,” as mentioned in the same article.

For those who don’t know, Goldman might be referencing our neighborhoods tested and fractured relationship that started with their construction woes nearly two years ago. Falling glass and debris from the construction site had been known to fall upon our community ball fields and sidewalks, injuring one of their own architects, as well as the community outcry for the recent closings of several retail and restaurants in our area.

How do you feel about Goldman Sachs’ offer to our community for new ferryboats? Does the ferry noise affect you?

Crumbs Wall Street

Crumbs Wall Street Gives Away Free Weekend Cupcakes!

Food, , , , , , , ,
Crumbs Wall Street
Crumbs Wall Street

First of all, how could you miss the memo about the Crumbs on Wall Street?

Secondly, how could you not take them up on their summer cupcake giveaway? Crumbs Wall Street is offering a buy one get one coupon on the weekends at their new Crumbs location in our area. Ok, so it’s not entirely a free giveaway — but since when were cupcakes a loner food? Cupcakes are best consumed in pairs. In general and with others.

In order to get your free cupcake, make sure to print out their coupon here.

The offer is good throughout September 5th — clearing your way to a summer weekends filled with cupcakes!

CRUMBS WALL STREET
87 Beaver St (Pearl/Hanover)
New York, NY 10005

T 212 480 7500
F 212 480 7507

Sunday: OPEN!
Monday: 7:30am – 8pm
Tuesday: 7:30am – 8pm
Wednesday: 7:30am – 8pm
Thursday: 7:30am – 8pm
Friday: 7:30am – 8pm
Saturday: OPEN!