Brookfield should buy the Gateway Plaza parking garage and replace it

Gateway South End strip

Opinion June 20, 2013- By Steven E. Greer

When the LeFrak-owned Gateway Plaza went off the Mitchell-Lama rent stabilization program several years ago, it made it possible for LeFrak to sell the property. It has been rumored that neighboring Brookfield Properties was interested in purchasing it. We believe that Brookfield should purchase the parking garage on South End Avenue, demolish it, and build a better commercial real estate and parking structure complex.

Very soon, the renovations Continue reading →

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FIKA coffee, wine, pastries, and chocolate

Fika counterCardamom at FIKA(From the Fika website)

Meet Håkan Mårtensson – our master in the art of chocolatering!

Born and raised in the heart of the Swedish south, Håkan knew from an early age that he would devote much of himself to tickeling people’s taste buds with the wonderful world of chocolate. Blessed with a very vivid imagination and a unique dedication to his art of choice, Håkan established himself at a very young age as one of Europe’s most respected and admired chocolatiers, and went on to  enjoy a long and acclaimed career at Sweden’s top chocolate house.

Often drawing Continue reading →

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Two thumbs up for Citi Bikes

June 8, 2013- We tried the Citi Bikes today, and have rave reviews. They will allow people to go to work on a bike rather than use unsafe and nasty yellow cabs, or inconvenient subways. Transportation hassles are the #1 Quality of Life issue in New York City. Mayor Bloomberg (more…)
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Dog owners ignoring “Dog Free” signs

May 29, 2013- At the most recent meeting of the BPC division of CB1, board member Dennis Gault raised the topic of dog owners allowing their pets to go to the bathroom in the dog free Teardrop Park. Likewise, in the West Thames grass field, dog owners in FiDi often (more…)
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Daily throw-away papers plague South End Avenue

Update May 24, 2013- An Upper East Side group working to clean up that area has extensively investigated the free newspaper box plague. A law was passed in 2002 to curtail this problem, but the city is not enforcing it. The City DOT page dealing with newsracks is found here. (more…)
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Is this the moment Jon Corzine committed the felony of perjury?

On March 23, the news sources reported that Jon Corzine did indeed make direct orders to transfer client funds to JP Morgan to pay off a margin call. This conflicts with his sworn testimony. (more…)
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Minimalist Financial District Skyscraper Wins Landmark Status

June 27, 2013- DNAinfo is reporting, “FINANCIAL DISTRICT — The 51-story glass and aluminum skyscraper at 140 Broadway — perhaps best known as the soaring, black Financial District tower with the massive red cube sculpture at its base — is now a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (more…)
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NID-tax in zombie status

June 25, 2013- With the passage in the state legislature of the amendment to the Hudson River Park Trust Act that allows revenue to be raised via the sale of air rights, the fate of the alternative revenue raising plan, the NID-tax, seemed uncertain at best. Recall, one camp wanted to sell air rights over Pier 40 to raise funds to maintain the facility and the other camp wanted to levy a new NID-tax.

During the monthly Community Board 1 meeting tonight, Continue reading →

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Paul Hovitz doubles down on Sheldon Silver

June 25, 2013- At the CB1 meeting tonight, Paul Hovitz made a public comment profusely praising Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and begged the community to remember all the positives he has done for the community. This was in response to the numerous bad press articles about Mr. Silver relating to (more…)
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What happened to the Colgate clock in Jersey City?

June 22, 2013- By Steven E. Greer A reader/viewer asked what happen to the Colgate clock landmark visible from Manhattan over in Jersey City. It was taken down for repair and will be replaced.   (more…)
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Durst botches the name of WTC Tower 1

June 24, 2013- If you have trouble saying the name of the most important skyscraper in the world, you are not alone. What once was called The Freedom Tower is undergoing a branding change before it opens. The Durst corporation now prefers the bland sterile name of One World Trade (more…)
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Juice of the day

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The Goldman Alley Summer Solstice shindig

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A new place for sunbathing and Frisbee Downtown

Sunbathers 6-9-2013Grass field 2May 25, 2013- The West Thames grass field opened today, after repairs were made to install a drainage system. The public can now use it for sunbathing and light recreational activities (see photos below). Continue reading →

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Circus Arts at Asphalt Green

CA 1June 17, 2013- By Christina Klapper of Asphalt Green

InShape Circus offers classes for the whole family using traditional circus arts like static trapeze, silks, tumbling, acrobatics and more. InShape Circus helps create a personalized and unique environment that allows students to surpass their physical and mental expectations in a non-competitive environment, building self-confidence and personal growth. Continue reading →

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The NID-tax seems dead with passage of bill to allow sale of HRPT air rights

June 21, 2013- The NID-tax seems dead with passage of bill to allow sale of HRPT air rights to fund the park. This is a defeat for CB1’s Katherine McVay Hughes, Peter Braus, and Bob Townley. Real estate mogul Douglas Durst also supported the NID-tax. Hedge fund tycoon Michael Novogratz (more…)
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Photos 6-21-2013

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BPCA shows no enthusiasm for West Thames bridge

Bridge A on June 4 CB1

Update June 18, 2013- By Steven Greer

The BPCA met today. The West Thames bridge was downplayed once again by the BPCA, with Chairman Mehiel only saying, “Nothing new to report….we’ll see how that goes”

May 24, 2013– By Steven E. Greer

At the May 23rd meeting the BPCA board, Chairman Dennis Mehiel seemed to indicate that the West Thames pedestrian bridge (AKA Speaker Sheldon Silver’s Bridge), was not advancing in development. He said, “The project has been downgraded to a design project, (with the BPCA) giving $2 Million…it is going a bit slowly now…sorting through the details of (financial) risk.”

Recall, in a previous BPCA meeting, representatives from the Mayor’s office gave very sketchy architectural plans, which were based in guesswork more than actual planning. The city also wanted the BPCA to be responsible for the inevitable cost overruns.

The primary champion of using untapped LMDC money to build Continue reading →

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A deep dive into State Assembly Bill A8031 amending the HRPT act of 1998

Pier 26 patch of park

November 14, 2013- Governor Cuomo finally signed A8031. The Villager reports, “On the same day that around 200 Lower West Side residents gathered to discuss their fears about a bill that would allow the transfer and sale of Hudson River Park’s air rights, Governor Andrew Cuomo finally signed the bill into law. Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, had just finished his introductory speech at Wednesday’s meeting, around 7 p.m., when word came that Cuomo had signed the bill. (It was The Villager that alerted Berman by e-mail after having been informed by a spokesperson for the Hudson River Park Trust that the governor had approved the bill. Assemblymember Richard Gottfried also confirmed to The Villager that the governor had O.K.’d the bill.)”

June 21, 2013- By Steven E. Greer, MD

We previously reported that the state assembly (an d likely the senate) passed a bill this week that now allows the Hudson River Park Trust to sell unused air rights to adjacent properties to the east. This will provide the much needed funding to repair Pier 40 and run the entire HRPT. We obtained the bill and read it, looking for other changes that will be coming to the Hudson River stretch of Manhattan.

First, regarding the new ability to sell air rights, the bill states Continue reading →

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Photos of the Week 6-17-2013

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