Governor's Island marks record summer attendance for the 2010 season
Governor’s Island marked record attendance for its summer events this year.
275,000 people visited the former Coast Guard facility this year so far. The season has 8-weeks left and has surpassed 2009’s attendance so far, according to the New York Daily News.
Governor Bloomberg made a statement over the weekend promising the city’s commitment to extended free resources on the island, “We’re committed to building on the momentum we’ve generated on the island by continuing to expand the programming and creating one of the world’s great waterfront parks.”
The island which only 800 yards off The Battery, has seen its popularity increase with a series of summer concerts and free events on the island. Free ferry service is available from the South Street Seaport and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Some other free events still available for the next eight weeks are free bike rides, kayaking, public art and concerts.
Brooklyn Bridge closings will affect downtown commuting for 4 years.
Starting today, the Brooklyn Bridge will undergo a 4-year renovation to restore deteriorating and corroding surfaces and cables on the bridge.
According to the New York City’s Department of Transportation, the rehabilitation project will cause siginificant closures to traffic for several years.
Beginning tonight (August 23, 2010), Manhattan bound lanes of traffic will be closed after 11PM most nights. Traffic will be detoured towards the Manhattan Bridge or other city crossings.
Brooklyn-bound traffic lanes during this time will remain open, until notice is given otherwise.
The closure schedule is as follows:
Sundays to Fridays: Manhattan bound lanes will be closed from 11PM until 6AM.
Saturdays: Closures will begin at 12:01AM until 7AM
Battery Park City residents suffer from summer party boat noise.
Governor Paterson signed into a law a new bill that would enable the State Liquor Authority to crack down on noisy bars, clubs and nightlife operators who violate noise laws.
With the growth of bars and nightlife in the Financial District in the past few years caused an increase of noise complaints over crowds spilling out of bars in residential areas.
According to State Senator Daniel Squadron, “The new law, allows the SLA to revoke a liquor license from a nightlife operator for which police have referred six or more noise or disorder incidents to the SLA within a 60-day period, establishing a clear standard for determining when an establishment has become subject to repeated police attention.”
“For too long, our communities have been kept up at all hours of the night by operators who fail to control noise and unrly crowds.”
For residents of Battery Park City, there are very seldom occurrences where we would be disrupted by noise from unruly bar crowds — however, party boats on the water is another issue.
It is not clear if the bill stipulates and includes remedies for noise complaints stemming from party boats on the Hudson River.
Residents of Battery Park City are not strangers to noise complaints from waterways. Recently, Goldman Sachs announced an initiative to remedy the noise pollution emanating from commuter ferries at the NY Waterways Ferry terminal.
During the summer months, it is not uncommon for residents with apartments facing the Hudson River to hear the noise emanating from party boats. Which often sail on Friday-Sunday nights.
Bottom line: it is not enough to consider the needs of residents who live in close proximity of noisy bars on land — but should also expand to party spots on water.
Tribeca Whole Foods is one of several supermarkets in Battery Park City
More often than not one of the following things happens to me at either one of the Gristedes on South End Avenue:
1. I get overcharged egregiously on a single item.
2. I bring home something that is way past its due date.
3. I do not find what I’m looking for at the supermarket.
So when the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs released a damning study that one out of every two supermarkets were found in pricing and tax violations — it was hardly a surprise.
According to their press release today:
“It’s a supermarket’s responsibility to ensure that its products are accurately priced and its customers are correctly charged, but with half the supermarkets in the City receiving violations, it is clear that they are failing their customers,” said Commissioner Jonathan Mintz, “Because thousands of New Yorkers continue to be overcharged, I’ve directed our inspectors to double the number of inspections in the coming year.”
Prices are not reliable at Gristedes
Hallelujah!
Dear. Mr Mintz can you send a couple over in our neighborhood? One for each of the Gristedes? This is something Battery Park City residents have been experiencing for years.
Neighborhood resident and Foursquarer Michelle D. had left a tip after checking into Gristedes,
“Lines are long, cashiers are rude, items are almost always scanned incorrectly versus the sticker or sign prices, items are at times spoiled or stale. I hate this place with a passion.”
This frustration over our supermarket reflects a need for fresh and affordable groceries. It isn’t a case of how our needs are not heard — for the addition of the seasonal greenmarket and to some extent the 24-hour fruit vendor on the corner of Albany street often helps, although in a more renegade style. The inspectors may be the type of regulation we need to help to alleviate this situation.
The supermarkets in violation could face more than $380,000 in fines to the City. These violations include inaccurate check-out scanners, lack of prices on individual items, taxation of items that are not taxable, improperly weighed food, and unavailability of scales for customers.
Also according to the report, the most common violation was lack of item pricing, for items without price tags. This immediately brought me back to Gristedes last week when I purchased a bottle of capers for an astounding $4.99 — for a bottle that is usually $1.99. When I asked the cashier if that was the right price, her response was, “yup.”
Some people may just respond, “Go to Whole Foods” or “Order from Fresh Direct,” it doesn’t seem to be the right answer, although these are both options i frequent. For residents who live on South End Avenue it’s a lose lose situation. By virtue of how estranged our neighborhood is, Gristedes wins — in essence cornering the grocery market, at least south of the Marina.
So although I started this piece on how the report was not a surprise — it is still a welcomed acknowledgement. That is, if we can get one of the inspectors up in our neighborhood…
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church destroyed on 9/11
With all the political and media attention turned to what has been dubbed the “Ground Zero Mosque,” The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has accused officials on ignoring the reconstruction efforts of the church decimated during the September 11 attacks.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was a small building located within a parking lot area at the World Trade Center site. During the collapse of the Twin Towers, debris fell directly on the church destroying the entire structure. The congregation has been working with community groups to rebuild the demolished church.
The Port Authority and archdiocese have been in active negotiations until last year, and talks have not continued since.
“We have people that are saying, why isn’t our church being rebuilt and why is there.. such a concern for people of the mosque” according to Father Alex Karloutsos, to FoxNews.com. “Unfortunately, [the Port Authority] have just been silent — dead silent actually. They simply forgot about the church.”
According to the same article, “The archdiocese and Port Authority offer sharply conflicting accounts of where things went wrong. The Port Authority has previously claimed the church was making additional demands — like wanting the $20 million up front and wanting to review plans for the surrounding area. They say the church can still proceed on its own if it wishes.”
The church still reserves the rite to rebuild the church upon the property where the original church has stood. Representatives of the church have claimed the Port Authority has not sought to meet with church officials and has backpeddled on rebuilding the church.
As the church has not attracted the national media attention that Park51 has — it may be an upward battle to see the rebuilding of St. Nicholas back at the World Trade Center site.
Map of estimated elemental carbon concentrations (Credit: NYCDOH)
There’s something in the air in Battery Park City!
A report released by the New York City Department of Health yesterday confirms that even in our quiet neighborhood, our community district reports the “highest particulate concentration” or high levels of smog in the city.
Particulate matter consists of pollen, dust and other materials in the area — mostly found in high trafficked areas, or areas flanked by major highways or thoroughfares, including in our areas, the West Side Highway and the entrance to the Holland Tunnel.
Particulate Matter in New York City (Credit: NYCDOH)
The study which was conducted during the summer months of 2009 also found that most of the major summertime pollutants are concentrated in densely populated areas, where traffic is more congested and where more fuel is used for cooking and water heating.
The particulants are small enough to “penetrate into the lungs, causing inflammation of the airways, exacerbating lung and heart disease.”
The study also stipulates that cities with high PM2.5 pollution had shorter life expectancies.
“The NYCCAS report reinforces the need to make our buildings more efficient and reduce vehicle emissions. The latest report also demonstrates that traffic congestion in the city’s central business districts has an impact on air quality throughout the city and must be viewed as a citywide issue.”
To view and access the entire report visit New York City’s Department of Health website.
Are you worried about the  air quality report in our area?
Albany and West Street has been a fatal intersection in our area.
We don’t have to wait for New Years Eve to see countdown clocks in Manhattan.
After several studies on pedestrian safety within the five boroughs, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and Mayor Bloomberg have announced plans to install crosswalk countdown clocks at all major New York City intersections.
According to Mayor Bloomberg, “we’ve made historic gains in reducing traffic fatalities, and this year we are seeing pedestrian fatalities decline again. But we still see too many families devastated by traffic accidents. [The] countdown signals across the city, will make streets even safer, especially for the pedestrians who, year in and year out, account for the majority of New York’s traffic fatalities.”
Battery Park City is certainly not immune to traffic fatalities. Last year 26-year-old Marilyn Feng of 200 Rector Place was hit and killed by a drunk driver while crossing the West Side Highway at Albany Street. Â A notoriously dangerous six lane intersection. Before that incident, our area recorded 1-2 pedestrian injuries at year.
In response to the study, countdown clocks will be installed at every intersection crossing West street in our area.
Other interesting findings include:
Some of the key findings in the report include:
1. Pedestrian fatalities in 2009 were down nearly 20 percent from 2001.
2. In the event of a crash, pedestrians are 10 times more likely to die than a motor vehicle occupant.
3. Pedestrians accounted for 52 percent of traffic fatalities from 2005-2009.
4. Driver inattention was cited in 36 percent of crashes resulting in pedestrians killed or seriously injured.
5. Driver failure to yield was cited in 27 percent of fatal pedestrian crashes.
6. Pedestrian-vehicle crashes involving unsafe speeds are twice as deadly as other crashes.
7. Serious pedestrian crashes are about two-thirds deadlier on major street corridors than on smaller local streets.
8. Most New Yorkers do not know the city’s standard speed limit is 30 m.p.h.
9. Male drivers are involved in 80 percent of crashes that kill or seriously injure pedestrians.
10. Private vehicles – not taxis, trucks or buses – are involved in 79 percent of crashes that kill or seriously injure pedestrians.
11. Manhattan has four times as many pedestrians killed or severely injured per mile of street compared to the other four boroughs.
12. Pedestrians killed in Manhattan lived in other boroughs or outside New York City 43 percent of the time.
How do you feel about the study and new countdown clocks?
A once embattled World Trade Center developer, Larry Silverstein is praising the rate of construction at the World Trade Center.
So much so, that his optimism has predicted the World Trade Center site to be fully completed in the next five to six years, as reported by NY1.com.
“Here we are, after nine years of this, and this thing is now moving forward at a terrific pace, and we are thrilled with the acceleration and the reality of what’s transpiring before us on a daily basis,” Silverstein is quoted in the same report.
Silverstein’s relationship with the Port Authority in regards to the rebuilding of World Trade Center can be described best as contentious. Silverstein who developed the first tower to rise, 7 World Trade Center, has often complained over the speed of which it was taking the Port Authority to move ahead with the rebuilding of his other buildings, which include 2 World Trade Center, 3 World Trade Center and 4 World Trade Center.
In March, after 9 years of negotiation towards financing, Silverstein and the Port Authority finally reached a tentative agreement and commenced with construction.
According to the report. Tower 3 will get 5 stories of retail (do we smell a mall?)
Tower 2 will be built only to street level, deferring the air rights back to Silverstein if the economy should pick up.
Although Silverstein’s optimism is infectious for those long waiting for the rebuilding, Port Authority spokesman John Kelly was guarded in designating a timeline for completion,“We are continuing to work together to get the entire World Trade Center built and restored. That partnership has ensured that every project on the site is under active construction.”
What do you think about the rate of construction at the World Trade Center so far?
President Obama breaks his silence on Park51 mosque
President Obama finally broke his silence on the Park51 mosque and community center and stipulates that Muslims are within their right to build a place of worship during a State Dinner at the White House celebrating the Muslim holiday Ramadan:
“Let me be clear: as a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country,” President Obama said in the State Dining Room. “That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable.
We must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of Lower Manhattan,” he said. “The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country. The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable. So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.
Our enemies respect no freedom of religion. Al Qaeda’s cause is not Islam – it is a gross distortion of Islam. These are not religious leaders – these are terrorists who murder innocent men, women and children. In fact, al Qaeda has killed more Muslims than people of any other religion – and that list of victims includes innocent Muslims who were killed on 9/11.
It is a testament to the wisdom of our founders that America remains deeply religious – a nation where the ability of peoples of different faiths to coexist peacefully and with mutual respect for one another stands in contrast to the religious conflict that persists around the globe.”
Nearly 24 hours later, after GOP scrutiny attacked on his comments, President Obama made a second statement while vacationing on the Florida coast:
“I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there.”
What do you think about President Obama’s comments on Park51?
