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.
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.
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?
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
We've listed some Battery Park City cheesecake restaurants!
Today is an important day in New York cuisine. It’s National Cheesecake day!
Junior’s Cheesecake a veritable New York institution is celebrating National Cheesecake day as well as their 60th Anniversary today by giving away 60 cent slices of their delicious cheesecake at their original Brooklyn location.
As New Yorkers we take our Cheesecake’s very seriously, so if you can’t make it to Brooklyn to Junior’s for a taste of their world renowned cheesecake — we’ve got some neighborhood options for you.
Little Pie Company – New York Style Cheesecake $65.00 (Whole Cheesecake)
So go forth today and do not take your New Yorker given right to enjoy cheesecake! If there is a cheesecake serving restaurant that we have forgotten let us know on Facebook or of course right here in our comments!
Dogs may be man’s best friend, but dog owners are not best friends with the Parks Department these days.
The Parks Department have been stepping up their efforts to enforce leash laws, prohibiting unleashed dogs to run in public areas during all hours — in stark contrast with laws which had previously allowed unleashing during certain hours and were relatively unenforced.
Dog owners are up in arms with the unclear rules and have called the new enforcements “confusing.” According to a report in the Downtown Express, “The Parks Department said there is no confusion about the law which was codified back in 2007, shortly after the city’s then Board of Health voted in favor of the informal ‘courtesy hours’ policy, which allowed dogs off leashes in designated areas of City parks between 9PM and 9AM.”
Battery Park is not included as one of the places that allows for leash-free dogs.
Violations of this rule are costly: non-compliant dog owners can be forced to pay $100 fines for unleashed dogs.
However, according to Jeff Galloway, longtime founder of the Battery Park City Dog Association, enforcement of the rule has been arbitrary. In an email sent to Battery Park City residents, Galloway states, “Off-leash privileges in Battery Park have resulted in no damage to the Park and, to the contrary, have greatly enhanced the quality of life for local residents, by providing a much-needed recreation area for local pets and by making the Park safer for all residents during the hours in which off-leash use had been permitted. The Financial District is fast-becoming a vibrant residential area; if Battery Park becomes off-limits, Financial District residents will have no place in their own neighborhood to take their dogs. Many BPC residents would love to have an off-leash area as well, and Battery Park is conveniently located for BPC residents.”
Community Board 1 is in recess for August, but have invited the Parks Department to discuss the issue when the board reconvenes in September. For those interested in supporting the Downtown Dog Owners initiatives to keep unleashed hours in Battery Park, sign the petition online.
How do you feel about dog owners unleashing pets in Battery Park during designated hours?
Food scene grows in Battery Park City with the opening of our own BLT
Are you looking for a great dinner option tonight, and have gotten tired of the restaurants around you?
You’re in luck because today marks the opening of the long awaited BLT Bar & Grill at the new W Hotel Downtown on Albany Street.
“We are pleased to partner with the W and become a presence in Lower Manhattan,” says Jimmy Haber, owner of the BLT Restaurant Group, “The BLT Bar & Grill concept was tailor-made for the neighborhood, offering a variety of dining options under one roof for friends, businesses and locals.”
The BLT enterprise has been testing our downtown palates with their GO Burger trucks at the South Street Seaport for a while, you can consider that they’ve done their homework on our neighborhood. With the rumored openings of Shake Shack and Blue Smoke in our neighborhood, Battery Park City is set to be a veritable foodie fiefdom.
According to the press release the restaurant bills itselve as “a modern tavern — offering modern American bar food with a wide selection of cocktails, beer and wine” with Executive Chefs Christophe Bellanca and David Craine at the helm of the cuiisine. The restaurant seats 23 at the bar, and has two levels of seating, including a private dining room and an outside patio area.
As BLT is billing itself as “affordable fare for everyday dining, ” that may be considered fighting words for our beloved Gatehouse, which has been the only other restaurant offering everyday pub-ish fare on Albany Street for years.
In terms of the menu, include the following selections:
Breakfast:
Brioche French Toast with cinnamon-caramelized apples
“Downtown” Burrito, cheddar scrambled eggs, peppers and onion tomato salsa.
Lunch:
Eggplant & Taleggio Panini with caper aioli
Cuban Sandwich pressed with pork belly and speck.
Dinner:
Spiced Rotisserie Chicken with cabernet honey and chicken jus
Fish & Chips with zesty tartar sauce
Filet Mignon, Bone-In Ribeye and NY Strip steaks.
There are daily specials being offered and to find out more check out their breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bar menus here.
The restaurant is open daily serving breakfast from 6:30AM -10:30AM, lunch from 11:30AM – 2:30PM and dinner from 5:30PM – 10PM. The bar is open from 11AM-1AM, which includes its own special bar menu. Â Lucky condominium residents and guests of the W Hotel can count on BLT to provide them sustenance at their beck and call for “in residence dining”, including offering food options at Living Room Bar and Terrace location within the hotel.
We’ve all seen the images of what the Freedom Tower and World Trade Center Memorial pool will look like from images strewn against the chain link fences at Ground Zero. However, Myfoxny.com has a video from Brookfield Properties, the owners of the World Financial Center, depicting time lapse change in our neighborhood.
The video itself is stunning and could also help us residents to imagine the metamorphosis of our neighborhood once construction is finished in 2012-2013.
What is strikingly poignant is the real visual loss of commercial real estate space in our area. How do you feel about the architecture of the site? Do you think the loss of business real estate will help or hurt our community?
Basketball Set for Sony Pictures "Friends With Benefits"
Before you run out and bring your trusty basketball today to live up your hoop dreams — this isn’t what you think it is…
…and for all the volleyball lovers, don’t worry your net is coming back.
Justin Timberlake fans, on the other hand, pay attention.
The esplanade space located immediately south of the North Cove Marina will be a film set for the Sony Pictures movie, “Friends With Benefits” starring Justin Timberlake. The basketball court will obviously not be for public use, but you can be sure to catch a glimpse of the actors putting up their best lay ups for the next two days.
The film purportedly stars Mila Kunis, Emma Stone, Cam Gigandet, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow, Thomas Haden Church and Stanley Tucci.
Co written and directed by Will Gluck, Friends with Benefits is about the relationship between two good friends (Timberlake and Kunis) who take it to the friends with benefits level, who surprise surprise — are secretly in love. Which obviously ruins their good thing.
For those who live on South End Avenue, the taxi stand will be parking for the movie set trucks. Parking on either side of South End Avenue between Liberty and Albany Streets will be limited during the next two days.
Not quite sure how basketball plays into this, but if you happen to catch the filming of the scene between today and tomorrow, let us know in the comments!
