1. real estate
2. apartments

the broadsheet
Robert Simko
A COMMUNITY Bucks from Borough Hall,
ACTIVIST,
Capital from the Capitol
BUT NOT
BREWER FUNDS DOWNTOWN SCHOOLS, PARKS, AND
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS WITH $1.6 MILLION IN
FROM THIS
GRANTS; NADLER ANTES UP $2.8 MILLION
COMMUNITY
FOR PAIR OF DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SPACES
Volume 19 Number 13
Governor Taps
Widely Respected
Charity Head for
BPCA Board,
Ignoring Calls for
Greater Local
Representation
G
By Matthew Fenton
overnor Andrew Cuomo has
appointed Hector Batista, a muchadmired charity executive, to the
board of the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA). His nomination was
confirmed on June 18 by the New
York State Senate. This move appears to be part of an ongoing policy
by the Cuomo administration to ignore calls from residents, community
leaders, and local elected officials for
greater community representation on
the board of the Authority.
courtesy Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York
Hector Batista
Mr. Batista’s nomination was opposed by Daniel Squadron, the State
Senator who represents Lower Manhattan, who has long called for more
residents of Battery Park City to be
appointed to the Authority’s board.
Currently, only one of the Authority’s seven board seats is held by a
resident: Martha Gallo, who was ap-
continued on page 3
M
By Matthew Fenton
anhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and U.S. Congressman Jerrold Nadler have separately allocated a combined total of more than $3.4 million to more than a dozen projects in Lower Manhattan.
Ms. Brewer has earmarked more than $1.6 million in capital grants to 11
Lower Manhattan projects in sectors ranging from parks to schools to cultural
institutions. As part of the City budget, borough presidents can allocate a
portion of capital funds each fiscal year to buy or upgrade “fixed” assets, like
buildings or infrastructure. “Whether we’re fixing the roof at a branch library,
renovating a playground, or building out a new computer lab at a local school,
these capital grants are going to strengthen our communities and improve
people’s lives,” said Ms. Brewer.
“The projects that Manhattan Borough President Brewer is funding cover
a wide range of community needs: education, public safety, practical necessities (such as comfort stations in local public parks), open space and culture,”
said Community Board 1 (CB1) chair Catherine McVay Hughes. “These quality of life issues are important to people of all ages whether you are going to
a local school, walking the streets at night, or learning about our history. Some
of these commitments are big, and some are small, but all of them are the
kind of support that makes Manhattan work.”
Lower Manhattan schools will receive to total of $600,000. Of this,
Stuyvesant High School will get $150,000 for auditorium upgrades, while the
Lower Manhattan Community School and the Spruce Street School will get
$250,000 and $100,000, respectively, for technology upgrades. The Harbor
School, on Governors Island, will also get $100,000 to construct floating
docks, and Borough of Manhattan Community College (on Chambers Street,
in Tribeca) has been awarded $150,000 for perimeter security lighting.
“There is no better investment than in modern tools and technology for
the classroom, because they help prepare our kids for today’s working world,”
said Ms. Brewer. “That’s why my office has made technology for education a
priority in our capital funding grant program this year. Fifty-seven schools
across the entire borough of Manhattan will get significant tech upgrades as
a result of this funding.”
The Battery Conservancy is slated to receive $250,000 to help fund the
reconstruction of a limestone restroom building, dating from the 1950s, located in a playground near the Staten Island Ferry terminal. “This actually
stopped being a public restroom years ago,” explains Hope Cohen, chief operating officer of the Conservancy, “and became a headquarters for the local
Parks Department district. We’ve been advocating among local elected officials to switch this back, but the total price for the project is about $4 million.
We have assembled commitments of about $1 million, and CB1 has identified
this as its No. 3 capital priority for the entire district.”
Another parks project long supported by CB1 and now funded by Ms.
Brewer (with a grant of $300,000) is the removal of an exit ramp from the
Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, which will make possible the combination of a pair
of small Financial District plazas that it separates into a single, larger public
continued on page 2
ARCADE
HIRE
July 2 - July 16, 2015
All Rights Reserved © 2015 The Broadsheet Inc.
City Life: Pilfering and Performing
Shakespeare in the Parks
By Matthew Fenton
he Battery Park City Authority
(BPCA) has retained an urban design
consultant to propose improvements
to the streetscape on South End Avenue. “In recognition of certain concerns that have arisen, regarding
pedestrian safety, pedestrian experience, economic vitality of the corridor, loading and unloading, and a lot
of traffic-related issues,” said Gwen
Dawson, the Authority’s vice president for real estate at the June 9
meeting of the BPCA’s board, “the
Authority desires to evaluate the current condition of this streetscape,
and identify areas where it may be
improved or enhanced in support of
the interests of the community as
well as the City and the State.”
Ms. Dawson added that the Authority’s management was recommending that the board approve a
contract for Stantec, a design consulting firm, in the amount of
$247,514. “Over time, in the 35 years
that have elapsed since the development of the south neighborhood,”
Ms. Dawson added, “there have
been, of course, a great number of
changes to the neighborhood that relate to the buildout of Battery Park
City, the growth and evolution of
Lower Manhattan, increase in vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic,
the shifting mix of residents and retail and commercial tenants, and the
enormous growth in tourism.”
Among the possibilities that this
project will explore, Ms. Dawson
cited modifications to the arcades on
the west side of South End Avenue,
a series colonnades that stretch from
Albany Street, to Rector Place, to
continued on page 3
“We must be free not because we claim
freedom, but because we practice it.”
—William Faulkner
NEWS &
COMMENT
BPCA Retains
Design Consultant
to Rethink
South End Avenue,
Including Retail
Loggias
T
ebroadsheet.com
Non-Fiction Fable: A random encounter on the subway began with larceny, proceeded to
empathy, and ended in ambiguity, when a troubled youth accosted a teacher, who was determined not to be robbed, but was also intent on intervening in a life that was falling apart.
Whether the educator, who got back her purloined mobile phone, but willingly handed
over cash and became an informal mentor to her would-be mugger, made a lasting difference is still unknown—and perhaps unknowable. But does the absence of a straightforward
resolution invalidate the instinct? (See story on page 2).
Free outdoor performances of plays
by Shakespeare are returning to
Lower Manhattan in July. New York
Classical Theatre will be staging The
Taming of the Shrew in Teardrop Park
(enter from North End Avenue, between Murray and Warren Streets) on
the evenings of July 8 (Wednesday)
and July 10 - 12 (Friday through Sunday), from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The same
troupe will stage Measure for Measure
in the Battery (formerly known as
Historic Battery Park) in previews
from July 14 to 19 (Tuesday through
Sunday) and as finished performances for another three weeks, from
July 21 through August 9 (Tuesday
through Sunday evenings). Audience
members should meet in front of
Castle Clinton by 7:00 pm. Both
plays will wander freely through the
parks, with the audience following.
For more information, browse
NewYorkClassical.org.
Free Summer Flicks
June 24, River2River festival. As twilight turned to dusk on June 24, a couple hundred
people settled down on the elevated plaza at 28 Liberty Street to hear Roomful of Teeth, a
vocal ensemble that takes its cues from non-classical singing traditions from around the
world, such as Tuvan throat singing, Broadway-style belting, Inuit throat singing, and Persian classical singing.
Until recently, 28 Liberty was known as One Chase Manhattan Plaza. An executive
with the building's new owner, Fosun International, gave an animated welcome in Chinese, and Sam Miller, president of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), repeated
the welcome in English.
VENTURA
COME SAIL AWAY
Friday EVENING SUNSET SAILS • via smartix.com keyword sailing
private parties • call Capt Pat 212-786-1204 or [email protected]
more info on www.sailnewyork.com
The Hudson River Park Trust has resumed Hudson Riverflicks, its program of free outdoor movies on Pier
63 (near 23rd Street). Upcoming titles include The Imitation Game (July
8), Neighbors (July 15), Selma (July 22),
St. Vincent (July 29), The Hunger
Games: Mockingjay—Part 1 (August 5),
Boyhood (August 12), and Interstellar
(August 19). All shows are on
Wednesday evenings, and begin at
8:30 pm. For more information,
please browse HudsonRiverPark.org.
And Trinity Church will continue its
free Neighborhood Movie Night series on July 24 with Dirty Dancing,
which begins at 7:00 pm in St. Paul’s
Chapel (Broadway and Vesey Street),
where popcorn and drinks will be
served. For more information, please
browse www.trinitywallstreet.org/movies.
LUXURIOUS SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR SHORT TERM RENTAL NEEDS.
THE SUITES AT LIBERTY VIEW
212 842 7300
BATTERY PARK CITY
30 Day Minimum • Brokers Welcome
www.liberty-view.com
RENOVATING? OLD APARTMENT SOLD? NEW APARTMENT NOT READY? RELATIVES VISITING?
the broadsheet
Page 2
PARKS AND REGULATION
No More Geocaching, Paintballing, Stealing Birds Eggs, or
Prospecting for Doubloons in BPC’s Greenspaces
T
By Matthew Fenton
he Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) has enacted treasure-hunting games,” Ms. Kim went on. “We’d like to
2,800 words of new rules governing conduct in the neigh- prohibit that, except as expressly permitted by the Conborhood’s parks. “Our existing parks rules were enacted servancy.” The text of the rules posted online bans, “geomore than 20 years ago,” the Authority’s associate general caching or other treasure hunting games, activities,
counsel, explained Susie Kim, at the June 9 meeting of devices, logbooks, trinkets, or other materials.”
Elsewhere, rules about the safe operation of bicycles,
the BPCA’s board, “so our legal department undertook a
comprehensive review of our parks rules. We filed notice rollerblades, roller skates, and skateboards will now be exof proposed rule making in March, followed by a 45-day panded to cover scooters. Also, “specifically related to bipublic comment period, which has now expired. We did cycling,” Ms. Kim said, “we’d like to restrict bikes to
not receive any public comments,
and now I will be presenting for you
consideration and approval these
amendments.”
The new measures “fall into two
buckets,” Ms. Kim noted, “new rules,
or clarifications of existing rules.”
She added that the changes were
based on a comparison of the
BPCA’s existing parks rules with
those in effect City-wide, as well as
those implemented by the Hudson
River Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The first change, oddly enough,
prohibits the use of metal detectors.
Although this sounds like a restriction on the use of large, security
The Days of Wine and Poses: BPCA new park rules require a
permit before residents can share wine at an outdoor picnic
screening devices (like those seen at
airports), it is apparently intended as
a ban on the kind of portable device used to hunt for carrying no more than the number of persons for which
coins and jewelry on beaches. Another surprising amend- they are designed, except for child seats.”
Curiously, the new rules are silent about the self-powment concerns the use of paintball guns in Battery Park
City parks. They are now (along with air pistols, air rifles, ered bikes (which contain battery-powered motors) used
by many Lower Manhattan delivery people, which have
and “missile propelling instruments”) banned.
A separate rule prohibits the hunting or trapping of elicited numerous safety complaints from residents. These
wild animals, as well as the possession of “any significant vehicles, along with electric scooters and skateboards, inportion of the remains of any undomesticated animal,” habit a legal netherworld: Since 2002, federal law has recaccording the to text of the new regulations posted on a ognized a distinction between bicycles with low-power
State website. Feeding animals in the parks is also now electric motors (usually capable moving no faster than 20
miles per hour) and other self-powered vehicles, such as
prohibited, as is taking their eggs or nests.
Allowing dogs off leash (except in dog runs) is for- motorcycles and mopeds. But the New York State Legisbidden, but an exception is made for service animals, in- lature has never followed suit. As a result, they are classicluding those engaged “pulling a wheelchair or fetching fied as “low-powered motorcycles” by New York
authorities. This means it is legal to buy, sell, and possess
dropped items.”
Other activities now banned in local parks include them in New York, but operating them can get you a
several that the area residents may be surprised to learn summons (or an arrest) for operation of an unregistered
were not explicitly outlawed before: “The next few rules (and technically unregisterable) vehicle.
Another passage in the new rules for Battery Park
are new rules that we currently don’t specifically have in
the parks,” explained Ms. Kim. “One is a prohibition on City parks that says, “no person shall bring, possess, disurination and defecation in any park. The next is a prohi- tribute, sell, solicit or consume alcoholic beverages in any
bition on unlawful exposure in any park.” Other new bans park, including any park street, playground, or other park
include smoking, and an expansion of the list of con- property or facility, except where specifically permitted,”
trolled substances, which did not previously include mar- elicited a question from Martha Gallo, the only member
of the Authority’s board who lives in Battery Park City.
ijuana.
An additional rule prohibits “commercial speech,” “That means that if somebody brings a bottle of wine to
which would consist primarily of companies distributing a picnic, they have to get a permit for that?”
Ms. Kim replied, “it’s a City rule.” After this discusfree samples of their products in parks. “We currently
regulate vendors,” noted Ms. Kim, “but not non-com- sion, the BPCA’s board voted to approve the new rules,
which will become effective once that are published in
mercial distribution.”
“The next new rule is about geocaching and other the State register.
July 2 - July 16, 2015
AN INCONCLUSIVE INTERVENTION
Unanswered Questions in the Wake of an Attempt to Help
A
By Matthew Fenton
teacher at a Lower Manhattan public school recently tried to make a difference in the life of a teenager
in trouble, but has no way of knowing whether she succeeded. The teacher (who asked that her name not be disclosed) was waiting for the uptown No. 1 train at the
Rector Street station, when a young woman sprinted past
her on the platform, grabbing her cell phone from an unzipped pocket on the outside of her backpack.
“I was angry, because this was the second time this
had happened to me,” the teacher recalled. “A few years
ago, a teenage boy did the same thing, and got away. That
time, I went to the police, and they had me look through
hundreds of photographs of young men who matched
the description I gave them. When I picked out a photo,
and they compared it to a video from a security camera
in Wall Street station, it was enough to identify who had
robbed me. They caught him the next morning. The police later told me he was a high school dropout, working
for an adult man, who sent kids into the subway to rob
for him. He was part of a
network that exported
stolen smart-phones to
places like China and
India. I never got my
phone back, which was
what the police had told
me to expect, but at least
they caught him.”
“But this time,” the
teacher recalled, “I didn’t
want to wait for the police. I ran after the girl
who robbed me. She wasn’t very fast, and there was a
crowd on the stairs, which slowed her down more.” The
teacher caught up with the girl right outside the station,
at Rector and Greenwich Streets. “I grabbed her, and
pulled my phone out of her hand. At that point, I didn’t
know what to do next. The girl was acting very tough,
trying to get away from me. And just then, two police officers walked over, and asked if everything was alright.”
When the teacher explained that she had been robbed
moments earlier the police asked her if she wanted to file
a complaint. “At that moment,” the teacher said, “the girl
began to cry. Very quickly, she became hysterical. A complete meltdown. I asked the police for a minute to talk to
her, before I decided whether to ask that she be arrested.”
The girl recounted that she had recently become
homeless. “She said her mother had died after a long illness, and she didn’t have any other family left,” the
teacher noted. “She also said that she didn’t have a place
to stay. This sounded genuine, but I wasn’t sure whether
to believe her. Then she showed me a referral slip to a
shelter for teenage girls uptown, and said she was trying
to get there. But she was lost and out of money, and
didn’t know what to do.”
The teacher decided to give the girl the benefit of the
doubt, and asked the police officers, who were still waiting nearby, not to arrest her. “I took her back on the subway and went with her to the shelter uptown,” the teacher
said. “The referral must have been genuine, because they
admitted her as soon as we got there. I gave her as much
cash as I had, about $25, plus my MetroCard, which was
good for the rest of the month. We also exchanged email
addresses, and I asked her to stay in touch.”
In the weeks that followed, the teacher heard from
the girl three more times. “In the first message,” the
teacher remembered, “she told me more about her life.
She had dropped out of high school around the time her
mother died. She didn’t think she had any future in
school, and her day-to-day life was such a struggle to survive that she couldn’t conceive of
any goal
measured in years.”
The girl messaged
again a few weeks later, the
teacher recalled. “She was
still in the shelter where I
had brought her, and
found a part-time job
working in retail. She
seemed to be doing better
and was also reconsidering
her choice about high
school, because she realized that even the most basic jobs
will pay more to somebody with a high school degree. So
I sent her information about how to get back into school,
and offered to help her fill out the paperwork.”
Less than a month later, “her third message was very
short,” the teacher said. “She said only that she had decided to leave the shelter I had brought her to, and was
looking for someplace else to live. There was no more information about her job or wanting to go back to school.
I messaged back asking how I could help, but she didn’t
reply. I have tried emailing her several more times, but
she has stopped answering.” It has now been several
months since the teacher has heard from the girl.
“I hope she is okay,” the teacher said, “and I wish she
would answer me, even if the news is bad. But if there is
one thing I hope she took away from our encounter, it is
that asking for help is a much better way to deal with a
problem than a dangerous choice that risks making everything worse.”
BREWER AND NADLER FUND LOWER MANHATTAN PROJECTS
continued from page 1
square. One of the two spaces, Elizabeth H. Berger Plaza,
is located on the north side of the exit ramp, and surrounded by Edgar Street, Greenwich Street, and Trinity
Place. Formerly known as Edgar Plaza, this space was renamed in December 2013 to honor the deceased president of the Downtown Alliance, Elizabeth Berger, who
was a tireless civic champion of Lower Manhattan.
The second space, known as Trinity Plaza and situated on the south side of the exit ramp, is a forlorn, irregularly shaped expanse of concrete that is bordered by
Trinity Place on the east, but largely cut off from the surrounding community on all other sides by fencing and
guard rails for the tunnel. CB1 has included calls for funding to implement this project in its prioritized budget requests eight times, in fiscal years 2009 through 2016. Ms.
Hughes says, “the expansion of the former Edgar Plaza,
now known as the Elizabeth Berger Plaza, has been a top
priority of CB1 for the past decade. CB1 has repeatedly
made capital budget requests in order to make this a top
City priority. We are delighted that funding has now been
secured to make this dream a reality. Beautiful public open
space will transform this area.” (The Downtown Alliance
has also been allocated $38,000 to improve street lighting
between Battery Park and City Hall.)
A pair of grants will go to improvements on Governors Island, where the Governors Island Alliance will get
$42,000 for a floating dock, and the Trust for Governors
Island will receive $50,000 for restroom renovations.
Two Lower Manhattan cultural institutions will also
receive large grants. The Museum of Jewish Heritage (located on Battery Place) is slated to get $75,000 to help
fund a renovation of its theater. And the local branch of
the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of the
American Indian, will receive $100,000 to produce a Native New York exhibit.
“Capital grants give us the opportunity to both fix
nagging problems and invest in our neighborhoods’ future, and we’ve worked hard to evaluate every proposal
and give Manhattanites the most bang for their buck,”
Ms. Brewer said.
Separately, U.S. Congressman Jerrold Nadler has secured some $2.8 million in federal funds to help rebuild
two often-overlooked park spaces near the East River waterfront. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza and Mannahatta Park both suffered significant damage during
2012’s Hurricane Sandy, which submerged the area near
the East River waterfront beneath six feet of water. Much
of that damage has remained unrepaired in the 30
months since the storm. The funds will come from the
CLASSIFIEDS &
PERSONALS
Swaps & Trades
Respectable Employment
LOST AND FOUND
212-912-1106
[email protected]
PIANO FOR SALE
Casio AP45 Celviano digital
piano. Originally $850, sale
price $500.
Call 917-617-43412
PIANO LESSONS
Patient, fun and dedicated
teacher available. I travel to
you, or teach out of my studio
in the Lower East Side. Classical, Pop, Jazz Lauren:646-3548237
PIANO OR GUITAR
LESSONS
212-786-4376
All ages, all levels, all types of
music. Many years of experience, first lesson on me!!
TWIN IKEA LOFT BED
White metal and wood. Built-in
ladder. Like new. Mattress not
included. $135 or best offer.
Gateway Plaza. 212-321-2858
or [email protected]
Our Mother has Passed so we
are seeking employment for our
home health aide.We were
lucky to have had her. Honest
reliable hardworking Mary 347
596 1264
CUSTOM-MADE
TUTORING
Private tutoring specially tailored
to each student’s needs.
Focus on the accumulation
of Intellectual Skills.
Gabriel Lord Kalcheim
[email protected]
212-228-1314 or 917-837-5132
POCKET WATCHES
and wristwatches sought
Any condition 212-912-1106
HOME HEALTH AIDE
With over 12 years of experience working with the elderly
seeks position. Will perform
light housekeeping and prepare
nutritious, appetizing meals.
Excellent references.
Ann: 347-898 5804
Governors Island will receive $50,000 for restroom
renovations, one of more than a dozen projects Downtown
Public Assistance Program operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a division of the Department
of Homeland Security. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
will receive $1,256,216 and Mannahatta Park will receive
$1,560,351. “The devastation of Superstorm Sandy continues to have an effect on thousands of New Yorkers
whose homes, businesses and property were destroyed or
irrevocably damaged,” said Mr. Nadler. “There remains a
tremendous amount of work to be done. I am glad we
were able to bring these federal funds to repair the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Manahatta Park.”
DOWNTOWN DAY CAMPS:
Jack’s
Hair Salon
New York Mercantile Exchange
1 North End Avenue
212-619-4030
7:30am - 5:30pm
Monday - Friday
Trade Center
Locksmith &
Hardware
We Either Have It Or
We'll Get It For You!
Building & Apartment Supplies
45 New Street
212-962-1086
AGES 4-13
tradecenterlocksmith.com
Memories That Last a Lifetime
THE BROADSHEET INC
Editor in chief ~ Matthew Fenton
BroadsheetDAILY Editor ~ Jack Pickering
Contributors ~ Marti Ann Cohen-Wolf,
Cora Frederick, Caroline Press, Brian Rogers,
Alison Simko, Sarah Smedley
Advertising manager ~ Kris Frederick
Publisher ~ Robert Simko
[email protected]
212-912-1106
SPACE IS FILLING UP FAST
REGISTER
ONLINE TO%"Y!
Next Issue: July 16
Ad Deadline: July 10
[email protected]
Private PPPMt'JFME4QPSUTt1JFStKaratFtTFOOJTt"SUT$rBGUTt.VTJD%SVNNJOH
.oveNent t4tory PiratFTt4oOH4howT tWeekly'ielETriQT t$IPiDe TJNF'PS4FOiPS%JWJTJPO$BNQFST
wwwNBOIattanyPVUI.orH
Tribeca | Battery Park City | Lower Manhattan
X BUSING
AVAILABLE
ISSN# 1539-9060
375 South End Avenue, NYC 10280
To subscribe to the BroadsheetDAILY
go to ebroadsheet.com
Annual print subscriptions ($60) are available.
the broadsheet
July 2 - July 16, 2015
BPCA CONSULTANT TO CONSIDER SOUTH END AVENUE
Page 3
CUOMO NOMINATES BROOKLYN-BASED BATISTA TO BPCA BOARD
continued from page 1
continued from page 1
West Thames Street. These arcades widen what would
BPCA chair Dennis Mehiel asked why other firms,
otherwise be a very narrow (and heavily trafficked) side- which had submitted significantly lower bids, were not
walk, also providing pedestrians with shelter during in- selected. Referring to one of these, the Project for Public
clement weather, and shade during bright sunshine. They, Spaces, whose bid was $113,000 lower than Stantec’s, he
“were originally part of the master plan and design guide- asked, “you ruled them out as not capable at all?” Ms.
lines, which tends to stifle the retail presence and activity.” Dawson replied, “no, they were not ruled out as not caShe added, “the visibility for retail activity is very limited.” pable. But there were certain elements that were considBPCA board member
ered important to the evaluation
Donald Capoccia appeared to
that they did not present proper
be unfamiliar with this feature,
capabilities to assess.”
which is incorporated into
The Project for Public
four large apartment buildings,
Spaces is a non-profit, based in
and asked, “the residential
New York, whose mission is,
portion extends out over the
“helping people create and susretail?” When Ms. Dawson
tain public spaces that build
confirmed that this was the
stronger communities.” Stantec
case, Mr. Capoccia observed
is based in Alberta, Canada, and
The BPCA has hired a consultant to recommend
that, if the design project exlast year merged with Dessau, a
upgrades to South End Avenue
pands the retail spaces at the
firm caught up in a corruption
base of each of these buildings into what is now the pub- scandal stemming from public works contract bidding in
lic space of the arcades, “that’s going to increase the value Quebec. More recently, Stantec has been criticized for a
or the size of the retail. They may have a direct benefit report, prepared on behalf of a consortium of energy
from what we’re doing. If we increase their value through companies, which concluded that building an $11 billion
this function, that comes back to us.” This appeared to liquefied natural gas terminal on a pristine island off the
raise the possibility that the ground rents the BPCA coast of British Columbia would have little or no envicharges these buildings might increase in the event the ronmental impact.
square footage of the storefronts was enlarged. Mr.
“In the totality of your requirements,” Mr. Mehiel
Capoccia asked whether the buildings that might be af- pressed Ms. Dawson, “you deemed [the Project for Public
fected by such as decision “are engaged in this process.” Spaces] to be unqualified. True or false?” Visibly uncomMs. Dawson replied that fostering such engagement is fortable, Ms. Dawson replied, “Less qualified.” Mr.
one of the reasons that the consultant was being hired.
Mehiel answered, “It had to be significantly less, because
Ms. Dawson noted that the BPCA had issued a re- there’s a 45 percent spread between bids.”
quest for proposals (RFP) in February, “for urban planAt this point, Mr. Capoccia interjected, “this is an
ning, architectural, economic planning and/or urban planning task, is that correct? Whoever you hire,
engineering firms.” She added that the BPCA received they’re going to turn their work over to engineers who
ten responses, of which it disallowed four. The remaining are going to do the technical design of it, correct?” Ms.
six firms were scored on a variety of metrics, which led Dawson replied that the project involves, “urban planthe Authority’s management to settle on Stantec, in spite ning, but there’s an economic component to this, a reguof the fact that the firm was not the lowest bidder.
latory assessment component.”
Mr. Mehiel then read aloud the
priorities assigned by the Authority’s
RFP to various criteria for selecting
the winning bidder, which gave
weightings of 40 percent (for “ex-
pointed in 2012.
and Finance. Later, during the mayoral administration of Rudolph Giuliani,
On June 18, Mr. Squadron rose in the chamber of the State Senate and Mr. Batista was appointed Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Offisaid, “once upon a time, Battery Park City was a development project started cer of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. In the
by the State. But today, it is a residential neighborhood, a local neighborhood, private sector, Mr. Batista served as managing director and chief operating
and a community. We have been pushing for a long time to have more local officer at Jeffrey M. Brown Associates, a real estate development firm, where
representation on the Battery Park City Authority. The challenges of the Au- he oversaw building projects in eighteen states.
thority are no longer the challenges of a major infrastructure project. They
These accomplishments notwithstanding, Mr. Batista’s appointment apare the challenges of running a neighborhood. The residents of that neigh- pears to disregard a long-held consensus view among Lower Manhattan leadborhood, the members of that community should have a greater say than they ers that more area residents should serve on the board of the BPCA. (For
currently do on the BPCA board.”
comparison, the board of the Roosevelt Island Operation Corporation, a sim“Among Mr. Batista’s many accomplishments,” Senator Squadron contin- ilar State agency overseeing another government-sponsored residential develued, “none of them are that he is a member of this community. Without par- opment, is comprised entirely of residents of that community.)
ticular statement to his other accomplishments and his other qualifications,
In January of this year, four elected officials who represent Lower Manwhich I know are significant and long-earned, I’m going to need to oppose hattan wrote to Governor Cuomo, urging him to give residents a greater voice
this nomination and I urge my colleagues to do so. When you have a State in the agency that governs them. Senator Squadron, along with U.S. Congressagency whose job is to run the quality of life in the community, I think we man Jerrold Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and City
would all believe that local representation and local input is an important part Council member Margaret Chin wrote, “given that the Board has direct adof that. That’s why I’m voting no on this nomination and I urge my colleagues ministrative and decision making powers normally assigned to municipal govto join me.”
ernment, we believe that the majority of the Board should be made up of
Mr. Batista is currently the execmembers who represent the local
utive director of Big Brothers and
community.... With the completion
Big Sisters of New York, a nonof the final development sites in
profit based in New York City, whose
northern Battery Park City, it is no
mission is to help underprivileged
longer the mission of the Authority
children through professionally supto guide development in the neighported, one-on-one relationships
borhood but to foster vibrancy and
with mentors. Big Brothers and Big
preserve local community benefits.
Sisters of New York has been given
We believe that this new mission canan overall rating of 90.23 (out of
not be achieved without adequate
100) by Charity Navigator, which
local representation and a broader
also awards the organization four
process of community input into the
stars, the highest ranking, which deadministration and governance of
notes an “exceptional” charity that,
the neighborhood.” The letter also
“exceeds industry standards and outState Senator Daniel Squadron argues against Governor Cuomo’s nomination of stated, “it is a matter of urgency and
performs most charities in its cause.”
Hector Batista to the BPCA board, pushing instead for more local representation necessity that the Authority Board reMr. Batista is paid $257,770, which is
flects the local community.”
slightly less than three percent of the funds raised by the group in 2013.
The call for Governor Cuomo to appoint more residents to the AuthorBefore joining Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Mr. Batista was chief execu- ity’s board comes at a pivotal time. Of the seven seats on the BPCA board,
tive officer of Way to Work (formerly known as the Vocational Foundation), two were vacant before Mr. Batista’s appointment. Three of the remaining
where he oversaw youth workforce development programs. He additionally five are occupied by appointees whose terms have expired (one of whom
serves on the boards of St. Francis College and Bishop Loughlin High School. moved to New Jersey in 2011). Thus, if Battery Park City residents were
An immigrant from the Dominican Republic, Batista came to the United named to four of the five board seats that were awaiting appointment before
States at nine years old.
Mr. Batista’s nomination, they would comprise an outright majority.
Mr. Batista’s political and private-sector experience may prove more diThe four elected officials who signed the January letter to Governor
rectly relevant to the decisions he Cuomo were joined by a phalanx of Lower Manhattan community leaders.
will help shape on the BPCA’s board. Community Board 1 (CB1) chair Catherine McVay Hughes said, “the sevenMr. Batista started his career in the member board of the Battery Park City Authority makes important decisions
Brooklyn Borough President’s office, that impact the daily lives of thousands of people that live and work in Battery
where he held posts such as Director Park City—and those who live and work nearby. Adequate residential repreof Real Estate for the Brooklyn Eco- sentation is a key component to making sure that [they] have their voices
nomic Development Corporation, heard during discussions.”
Director of Economic DevelopAnthony Notaro, who chairs CB1’s Battery Park City Committee, said,
ment, and Director of Development “we have advocated for this for years and it makes even more sense as the
continued on page 4
continued on page 4
Regatta New York Realty
Licensed Real Estate Brokers
300 Rector Place Ste. 3R
Serving Battery Park City for more than 25 years
WORLD TRADE CENTER
DENTAL GROUP, PC
Bill Graizel
[email protected]
Services Offered:
•Cleaning • Digital X-Rays
Restorative Crown • Bleaching
Implants • Veneers • Implants
Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Richard Marchitto DDS has been
practicing dentistry for over 40 years
in Lower Manhattan. His first office
was in the WTC North Tower.
After 9/11 he moved to
42 Broadway just up the block
from the Bowling Green Bull
Recent studies have linked Periodontal Disease and Heart Health.
Brushing and flossing may actually decrease the risk
of coronary heart disease.
Come in for a checkup and learn more about how the
health of your teeth plays a significant role in your general well-being.
We offer an oral pre-cancerous exam with the velscope detection tool.
Most Insurance Accepted
Insurances accepted Aetna PPO, Cigna PPO,
Delta Dental PPO,Guardian PPO,
EmpireDental PPO
Richard Marchitto, DMD
42 Broadway, Suite 1536
212.968.0631
[email protected]
wtcdentalgroup.com
BATTERY PARK
VISION ASSOCIATES, PC
Doctors of Optometry
“We Cater to the Hard to Fit”
Dr. David Naparstek
Dr. Michele Maxwell
2015 is our 27th Year in Battery Park City
101 Battery Place 212-945-6789 batteryparkvision.com
212-945-2121
www.regattany.com
Gary Seiden
[email protected]
the broadsheet
Volume 19 Number 13
July 2 - July 16, 2015
continued from page 3
development phase of the BPCA has
ended. The focus now should be on
sustainability and quality of life.
There are so many more units in Battery Park City now, and even more
are owned rather than rented. So
there’s a real interest in continuing to
make this neighborhood a vibrant
and diverse community. Whether directly, through ground rent, civic
fees, and payments in lieu of taxes,
or indirectly, through monthly rent,
Battery Park City residents make a
real contribution to the financial
health of BPCA, the City and the
State. All of this speaks to a greater
voice by those of us who call Battery
Park City home.”
CB1 member Tom Goodkind
said, “the problem we have in the
Authority is clearly taxation without
representation. Having proper representation at the Authority is a right.
It is time for the Governor to listen
to his constituents by enforcing better representation from those who
live in our area. For decades, I’ve seen
a group of well-educated, well-heeled
friends of the Governor making
major decisions affecting the thousands who live in Battery Park City
without clear understanding of the
consequences of those decisions.
After years of embarrassing leadership missteps, it is past time to hand
decision making to the community.”
CB1 member Tammy Meltzer
noted that, “as the BPCA exists
today, it does not seek input to ensure public benefits to its stakeholders nor the public interest. Only by
adding a greater number of representatives on the board from the local
community and developing a process
for community input beyond the
board can the Authority can truly ‘reflect the public interest and support
a public benefit to their stakeholders...’ their affirmed mission.”
On Saturday, the Fourth of July, a flotilla of more than 100 vessels lead by
the French L'Hermione will pass under the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge and
enter the Upper Bay of New York Harbor. At L'Hermione's side will be the
Spanish tall ship El Galeon, New York's own Clipper City, Arabella from the
Manhattan Yacht Club, the schooners America 2.0 and Shearwater, a Sandy
Hook Pilot boat, the fireboats John J. Harvey and Firefighter II, and scores of
other sailing vessels, yachts, motorboats, and even the Hayward, a debris collection vessel from the Army Corps of Engineers.
By noon, L'Hermione will be passing the Statue of Liberty and sailing north
to the Intrepid Sea/Air/Space Museum at 46th Street. The parade will hug
the Manhattan shore heading north, and then will turn to port and proceed
back down the Hudson along the New Jersey side. L'Hermione will be docked
at South Street Seaport from July 1 through 4, and El Galeon will be docked
there July 4 through 12.
Cruise Ships in the Harbor
Many ships pass Battery Park City on their way to and
from the midtown passenger ship terminal. Others may
be seen on their way to or from docks in Brooklyn and
Bayonne. Stated times, when appropriate, are for
passing the Colgate Clock 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.
July 4
July 5
July 7
July 11
July 12
L'Hermione’s itinerary
July 14
July 15
July 16
Norwegian Gem
Celebrity Summit
Norwegian Breakaway
Carnival Splendor
Liberty of the Seas
Norwegian Gem
Celebrity Summit
Norwegian Breakaway
Queen Mary 2
Carnival Splendor
Liberty of the Seas
INBOUND OUTBOUND
7:15 am
6:30 am (Bayonne)
7:15 am
7:15 am
6:30 am (Bayonne)
7:15 am
6:30 am (Bayonne)
7:15 am
5:30 am (Brooklyn)
7:15 am
6:30 am (Bayonne)
4:30 pm Bahamas
4:00 pm Bermuda
4:30 pm Bermuda
4:30 pm Caribbean
4:00 pm
4:30 pm Bahamas
4:00 pm Bermuda
4:30 pm Bermuda
5:00 pm Transatlantic
4:30 pm Caribbean
4:00 pm Caribbean
courtesy L’Hermione
THU 2
Calendar
Please confirm information as details may have changed since we compiled this calendar
Get Pop-Cultured: Throw- narian Ada solitarily marks time in the pat- Parade of Ships
terns of a life built for two. However, a trav- A parade of ships led by the tall ship
back Thursday - 1950s
US Customs House
Building Tour
45-minute public tour of the U.S. Customs
House, the home of the National Museum
of the American Indian in New York. Tour
highlights include a discussion of the history of the site, architect Cass Gilbert, and
sculptor Daniel Chester French; viewing the
Collector's Office, with Tiffany woodwork;
Reginald Marsh murals; and the 140-ton Rotunda dome by Rafael Gustavino. Today
and regularly throughout the month. Check
web site for times. Free. One Bowling
Green. www.americanindian.si.edu
Festival of Tall Ships: Voyage of L'Hermione
Twenty years ago, a small group dreamed
of reconstructing an exact replica of General Lafayette’s 18th-century ship called the
Hermione. L’Hermione will be docked at
Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport through
July 4. www.southstreetseaport.com
Relive iconic moments in pop culture from
the 1950s. Explore the books, toys, games,
music, movies, TV and fashion that shaped
the decade and participate in a Hula Hoop
contest. Free. 2pm. Barnes & Noble, 97
Warren Street. www.barnesandnoble.com
Z Park Jazz
Featuring the Bob Stewart Quartet (tuba,
trumpet, trombone and violin). Zuccotti
Park. Free. 12:30pm-1:30pm. www.ArtsBrookfield.com
SeaWife
SeaWife is a haunted cautionary tale that envelops its audience in joyous pleasures,
wrenching horrors, unbearable heartache,
and the most glorious of nautical adventures.
Join Naked Angels and raucous folk band
The Lobbyists for a concert play of monumental scope. Most evenings through July 19 at
7pm. Melville Gallery, South Street Seaport.
southstreetseaportmuseum.org
Ada/Ava
Bereaved of her twin sister Ava, septuage-
eling carnival and a trip to a mirror maze
plunges her into a journey across the
thresholds of life and death. Set in a landscape of the New England gothic, Ada/Ava
uses a story of the fantastic and super natural to explore mourning and melancholy,
self and other. Through July 5. $24, $15. 3Legged Dog, 80 Greenwich St.
www.3ldnyc.org
FRI
3
A Toast to History:
Independence Eve
Spend the evening of July 3rd strolling the
streets of the Financial District with
Fraunces Tavern Museum’s Director of Education and Public Programs, Jennifer Patton, to learn about the city’s rich
Revolutionary War history. Advance ticket
purchase is required and will include a pint
of Samuel Fraunces Ale to enjoy at the Tavern before the tour starts. $25. 8pm10:30pm. Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54
Pearl St. www.frauncestavernmuseum.org
L’Hermione will sail up the Hudson, passing
the Statue of Liberty at noon.
parade.hermione2015.com.
MON 6
I Am Charlie Wilson
Legendary soul/R&B singer Charlie Wilson
appears at Barnes & Noble to discuss his
memoir. Free. 6pm. 97 Warren St. www.barnesandnoble.com
TUE 7
Storytime at the Battery
Meet at Battery Urban Farm to read a story
and complete a hands-on project, recipe, or
game, to delve into a morning all about
bees and honey, the wildlife swimming
through the Hudson, the Statue of Liberty
and understanding cultural diversity
through food, and so much more! For kids
ages 3-8 and their grown-up chaperones.
Free. 9am-10am. The Battery Conservancy
www.thebattery.org
www.bpcparks.org
river & blues
Enjoy free concerts by the Hudson
River in Battery Park City’s Wagner
Park. 7-8:30 pm. Thursdays in July.
Under STRESS? In PAIN?
can enhance your well-being
ACUPUNCTURE
Dr. Jonathan L. Harwayne
In Battery Park City
Board Certified Acupuncturist
212-786-9292
Accepting BlueCross BlueShield
ACUPUNCTURE-DOC.COM
SIGN UP NOW!
The Camp is at St. John’s University
Transportation Available (30 minutes from Downtown)
6
-1
5
ES
2015 SUMMER
Eric Rebhuhn
TENNIS ACADEMY
$400/week Best Price in the TriState area
Eric Rebhuhn - 2014 & 2015 Big East
Coach of the Year
redstormsports.com 718-990-5549 St. John’s University, 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, NY
www.ertennis.com
914-523-2539
On this early-morning walking tour through
Lower Manhattan with James S. Kaplan,
you will discover how pivotal New York City
was during the war for independence and
learn little known facts about Revolutionary
War heroes like Marinus Willet. Advance
ticket purchase required.
Once you receive your confirmation email,
you will be provided with the starting location of the walking tour. $20. 3am-7am.
www.frauncestavernmuseum.org
Students investigate what insects are, what
makes them unique and how they are a crucial part of the environment. Students are
also introduced to science methodology and
concepts through experiments, demonstrations, art projects and story times. for
grades K - 5. Presented by Children's Museum of Manhattan. Limited the first 25
school age kids and their caregivers; firstcome first-served. No advance registration.
Free. 4pm. Battery Park City branch of the
New York Public Library, 175 North End Avenue. www.nypl.org
Game On Summer
Block Party
ISTORIC
SAILING YACHT
July 16, Valerie June
$1 admission to Fraunces Tavern Museum
all weekend. 54 Pearl St. www.frauncestavernmuseum.org
Revolutionary War New
York Nighttime Walking
Tour
Bug Out!
VENTURA
H
1921
Independence Day Weekend Open House
SAT 4
WED 8
July 9, John Hammond
The Young Girls
of Rochefort
The Cultural Services of the French Embassy
and the Poitou-Charentes region will screen,
as part of the Hermione Cultural Program,
The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), a
jazzy, lighthearted musical film full of
missed connections and serendipitous second chances. In French with English subtitles. Free. 8:30pm. Outdoors at Castle
Clinton Plaza. www.thebattery.org
Storytelling and interactive Native dance
sessions. Repeated at 1pm. Also on July 8
and 9. Free. 11am. Smithsonian's National
Museum of the American Indian, One Bowling Green. www.americanindian.si.edu
Music, drinks, food, games and film, on
Water Street between Wall Street and Old
Slip. Free. 5pm. www.downtownny.com
Lower Manhattan
Historical Society Parade
In honor of the visit of the French Frigate
Hermione and her crew, and the French role
in America's independence, march from
Pier 15 at South Street Seaport along the
historic streets of Lower Manhattan to Bowling Green, where flags will be raised to be
flown until Bastille Day (July 14). 11am.
Check website more details. www.southstreetseaport.com
Summer Dance!
©MATTHEW WIGNALL
pertise and experience”), 25 percent
(for “integration of adequate expertise and experience”), 25 percent (for
“approach to Project and staffing”),
and 10 percent (for utilizing firms
owned by women or ethnic minorities). “But there’s nothing there about
money,” he said, in an apparent reference to the fact that the RFP was
structured in such a way that BPCA
executives were not required to give
any consideration to the cost of various bids. The RFP says only that,
“the Contract will be awarded to the
highest technically rated Proposer
whose Proposal is determined to be
responsive and in the best interests
of BPCA, subject to a determination
that the Cost Proposal is fair and reasonable and represents the best value
for BPCA given the requirements of
the Project.” Stantec’s bid was the
second most expensive of the six
that were considered, according to a
source who has seen the bids.
The conversation at the BPCA’s
June board meeting wandered as various senior BPCA personnel expressed confusion about the physical
location of the project Stantec will be
paid a quarter of a million dollars to
oversee. Ms. Dawson repeatedly referred to West Thames Street as
“West Thames Avenue,” and Mr.
Capoccia confessed, “I’m not 100
percent certain that I understand
what locations these are. Can we look
at a map and see?”
Arrivals &
Departures
The Fourth of July: Time for a Parade
©ARNIE GOODMAN/ELMORE MAGAZINE
$250K CONSULTANT
AG
Page 4
RiverWatch
continued from page 3
BOARD
Latitude 40º42’40 ~ Longitude 74º01’02
July 23, Henry Butler & Friends
July 30, Alexis P. Suter & te Ministers of Sound
HAS RETURNED!
Our 24th Year at North Cove
SUMMER
OFFICIALLY
HERE!
OFFERING FRIDAY SUNSET SAILS
JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST
BYO wines and snacks
Private Parties
Friday Sunset Tickets via
smarttix.com
(keyword sailing)
For private sails,
call Captain Pat 212-786-1204
[email protected]
Information on Ventura at
sailnewyork.com
Our 24th consecutive summer
in North Cove
offering private and open to
the public sails!
(And thank you IGY/Brookfield for helping
make this happen in 2015!)