Download - Downtown Express May 29, 2009

Downtown Express photo by Jefferson Siegel

To get a public beach all to yourself, you usually have to travel thousands of miles from New York City, but this Battery Park City family — Eve Mills and her children, Eden, 7, Hudson, 5 and Harrison, 2 — had their run of the sand Saturday at the Seaport, save for a few workers putting the fi nal touches on Water Taxi Beach.

This weekend the summer season begins

all over Lower Manhattan. The annual River to River Festival, with hundreds of free events, kicks off at the World Financial Center May 31 with the Bang on a Can Marathon. Check out our summer preview section with a look at the some of the best bets Downtown, start-ing on Page 24, and fi nd out about the tempo-rary “meadow” in Collect Pond Park.

Also this weekend, Governors Island

reopens to the public with some new twists that will have cyclists going around in circles and Prince Harry chasing a ball. See our island article, page 16.

The Mills got a preview of the Seaport sand last weekend, but the beach’s mini golf course, Ping Pong and other games open in full on May 30.

Let the summer fun start…

Summer Downtown

downtown express®

VOLUME 22, NUMBER 3 THE NEWSPAPER OF LOWER MANHATTAN MAY 29 - JUNE 4, 2009

BY JULIE SHAPIRO One of the city’s oldest no-frills

hotels is getting a facelift — and pos-sibly an expansion.

The owners of the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Tribeca want to modernize the 165-year-old building by adding a roof deck and a new entrance, and they want to enlarge the hotel onto an adjacent lot, adding 25 hotel rooms in a new building.

The white, seven-story Cosmopolitan Hotel is a perennial choice for budget-minded travelers, with mini-loft rooms starting at $169 a night. The small lobby, basic décor and sparse ameni-ties led a Frommer’s reviewer to write, “You must be a low-maintenance guest to be happy here.”

The modest 125-room hotel now appears to be gearing for an upgrade, in the form of a six-story addition next-door. The modern addition at Reade St. and W. Broadway, opposed by Community Board 1, would be red brick with an all-glass storefront. The design for the top fl oor is inspired by the attics of Tribeca’s older buildings, the project’s architect said. The new building would replace the two-story goldenrod stucco structure on that corner that now houses Mary Ann’s Mexican restaurant.

Although the recession has fro-zen construction financing and put most development projects on hold, Cosmopolitan Hotel co-owner Gerald Barad said last week that he had secured money for the expansion.

“It’s a little rough,” he said of getting the fi nancing. When pressed, he said, “We have enough money to build.”

The hotel owners did not return phone calls this week and have not given a total cost estimate for the project or a timeline for when they want it to be complete.

In addition to money, Barad and fellow owner Jay Wartski will also need approval from the city Landmarks Preservation Commission to move forward, since the hotel and adjacent lot are in the Tribeca

EASY FAMILY MEALS, P. 8

Continued on page 5

Budget hotel from 2 centuries ago hopes to expand

May 29 - June 4, 20092 downtown express

CHIN’S CODA WINThe fourth time may be the charm for Margaret Chin,

who’s running for City Council again. Chin, a former executive with Asian Americans for Equality, was not able to secure the endorsement of the Coalition for a District Alternative in her three previous tries for the First District, but she got the CoDA nod last week, win-ning handily. She’s of course running to win, but if she doesn’t, the club endorsement wouldn’t be a bad coda to her political career.

MENIN’S FOOTSTEPSTribeca resident Noel Jefferson is starting to look a lot

like her neighbor Julie Menin. Not only did Jefferson chair this month’s Community

Board 1 meeting (that’s usually Menin’s job), but just like Menin, Jefferson is launching a TV talk show in which she interviews local leaders.

Menin’s show, “Give and Take,” recently started airing in fi ve-minute segments on NBC’s New York Nonstop chan-nel and focuses on women and entertainment and citywide politics.

Jefferson’s show, called “As-of-Right,” will soon debut on Manhattan Neighborhood Network’s community chan-nel. The half-hour interview show will examine hot Lower Manhattan issues, including school overcrowding and World Trade Center rebuilding.

One episode of “As-of-Right” will feature contenders for City Councilmember Alan Gerson’s seat this fall, including Margaret Chin, P.J. Kim and Arthur Gregory. To balance it out, Jefferson will devote a separate episode to Gerson and his accomplishments. (Note to Noel: Pete Gleason, the other candidate, is likely to be in touch.)

Jefferson also has executives from W.T.C. developer Silverstein Properties signed up for an episode, including Janno Lieber, president of Silverstein’s W.T.C. Properties.

Jefferson said Menin doesn’t mind that they’re both doing TV shows — in fact, Menin will make a guest appearance on Jefferson’s show, along with State Sen. Daniel Squadron, Jefferson said.

The 13 episodes of “As-of-Right” will begin June 25 and will run every Thursday night at 7 p.m. on Time Warner channel 34 and RCN channel 82.

SONIA-MANIAIt seems in New York, you can put nominating the fi rst

Hispanic to the Supreme Court right up there with being in favor of mom, apple pie and rent protections. The rush to praise the nomination of New York federal Judge Sonia

Sotomayor by President Obama was so fast Tuesday, we fi gure we’d let you know how the race fi nished in our e-mail inbox. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand won, followed by Sotomayor’s old boss, District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, then Mayor Mike Bloomberg, State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Manhattan Beep Scott Stringer, Gov. David Paterson, Council Speaker Chris Quinn, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, and fi nally late in the day, U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler.

Nadler actually came in after our fi rst draft was written, thus saving Silver from the rear. Maybe one of the perils of being chairperson of the House’s subcommittee on the Constitution is you feel compelled to think several hours before rendering a judgment.

We’ll let Gmail be the judge if any politico wants to appeal our results.

PIANO MAN Curbed picked up our tweet last week that a source

told us that developer Larry Silverstein briefl y played the piano during the amicable World Trade Center “summit” at Gracie Mansion. The blog had a post-concert request: “Please tell us he did a rendition of TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’ but changed the lyrics to ‘No Stumps,’” as in retail stumps instead of offi ce towers. The parties are scheduled to meet again June 11. In the meantime, you can fi nd out what all this Twitter fuss is about by following us at twitter.com/downtownexpress.

TRIBECA NOMINEESThe Tribeca Performing Arts Center and Manhattan

Children’s Theater are among the eight New York City nominees for “best theater or theater group for kids” in Nickelodeon’s Parents Picks’ contest. Go to http://goci-tykids.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/new-york-ny-usa/best-new-york-theatre-group-for-kids to vote early and often for Downtown’s favorite sons.

CALLING ONE CARCar 7468 where were you at 11:15 a.m., Thurs., May 21?

Letting your driver, an N.Y.P.D. Traffi c patrol offi cer, drift into the Washington St. bike lane in the Village. Then he stopped and completely blocked the lane to chat with a fel-low patrol car driver. The second offense theoretically could have been legitimate since perhaps it was an emergency so dire that you did not have time to … we don’t know, maybe see if the radio in the car worked. We hope your supervisors take note. If you don’t want to enforce the traffi c laws, at least don’t break them.

NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19

Mixed Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Transit Sam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

EDITORIAL PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

YOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24-31

Summer Arts Picks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24-28

Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-31

CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31

C.B. 1MEETINGS

Correction

Community Board 1 has not yet released its sched-ule of June committee meetings. For more information, check CB1.org.

In an UnderCover item in our May 15 –21 issue, “Royal Pony” we printed the wrong date for the opening of Governors Island, where Prince Harry will be playing in the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic. The polo match and opening will be Sat., May 30, not the 31st.

Read the Archiveswww.DOWNTOWNEXPRESS.com

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145 SIXTH AVENUE, NYC, NY 10013PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER

FOR CONFIRMATION PURPOSES ONLY

downtown express May 29 - June 4, 2009 3

Deal is sealed for pre-K classes in the VillageBY ALBERT AMATEAU

Village parents who feared there would be no seats in their two zoned schools for their children entering kindergarten in September can breathe easier. The Department of Education reached a lease agreement Fri., May 22, with Greenwich House for space at 27 Barrow St., providing a short-term solution to the over-enrollment at P.S. 41 and P.S. 3.

The agreement calls for space at Greenwich House for three classrooms of pre-kindergarten children, thereby making room in the two Village schools for most of the children on the incoming kindergarten waiting list. It also avoids moving stu-dents to crowded Lower Manhattan schools, which had been under consideration.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who organized the task force of elected offi -cials, D.O.E. staff and parents that searched for space for the overcrowded schools, called the lease agreement a great victory.

“Having reached the agreement, we are

able to guarantee space for 4-year-olds to attend pre-kindergarten in the neighbor-hood next year and provide all those on the kindergarten waiting list with a seat,” Quinn said in a prepared statement. “This doesn’t answer all of our overcrowding problems in Greenwich Village or in New York City. But it is a step in the right direction and a real example of what can be accomplished when the community comes together.”

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Congressmember Jerrold Nadler, City Councilmembers Alan Gerson and Rosie Mendez, state Senator Tom Duane and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, all members of the task force, joined in the statement.

However, Rebecca Daniels, president of the District 2 Community Education Council, said it was not certain that the three classes of pre-K at Greenwich House would free up space for all the children on the P.S. 41/3 kindergarten waiting list.

Three pre-K classes, at an optimum

number of 18 children per class, would account for 54 seats, she noted. The Greenwich Village kindergarten waiting list last week had 79 names, but had been shrinking as parents chose other programs for their children. With the new lease, the Department of Education estimates that the waiting list will disappear when the gifted and talented kindergarten programs in Manhattan offer seats to Village-zoned children.

Daniels, however, said that seats offered at the gifted and talented programs in nearby schools — at P.S. 11 and P.S. 33 in Chelsea — were more likely to attract Village kinder-gartners than programs on the Lower East Side or the Upper West Side.

“It’s a neighborhood issue. Parents want to be able to walk their children to kin-dergarten,” she said. “The jury is still out on whether the wait list will disappear by September.”

Daniels, whose education council dis-trict also covers Lower Manhattan, Chelsea

and the Upper East Side, also noted that overcrowding is an issue throughout the district.

Nevertheless, Daniels said the leasing of the Greenwich House space was a tremen-dous relief for parents of the Greenwich Village school community.

“I have viewed the 27 Barrow St. space and see this as a very good solution,” she said.

John White, a D.O.E. staff member who has been working with the District 2 C.E.C., told task force members last week that the Greenwich House space is elevator acces-sible and offers the use of a gymnasium and a play yard.

“It will be a fi ne space for the children it serves,” White said, adding, “After the 2009-2010 school year, pre-kindergarten service will be returned to P.S. 3 and P.S. 41 where space will have been made available by the relocation of area middle schools.”

[email protected]

BY JULIE SHAPIRO P.S. 130 students fl ooded back into the

building Tuesday morning, a week after the city closed the school because of concerns about swine fl u.

None of the elementary school’s 1,081 students have been diagnosed with swine fl u, but 76 students had fl u-like symptoms in the week before the closure, the city said.

Attendance was still down a bit on Tuesday, with 8 percent of the children absent. Principal Lily Woo said some par-ents may not have heard that the school reopened, or they may be following the school’s advice to keep their children home if they are ill.

Woo said she was surprised to fi nd out last week that her school would be the fi rst in Manhattan to close.

“The best thing is not to panic,” Woo said in a phone interview. “There’s legiti-mate concern because of what’s been going on [but] everyone is suspicious about everything.”

The closure came after the most impor-tant testing was done for the year, and the school was moving into fun activities like field trips and arts performances, some of which have been postponed or cancelled, Woo said.

P.S. 130 was among 20 public schools, mostly in Queens, to reopen Tuesday. Nine public schools remained closed. Four adults with swine fl u have died in New York City, and all had underlying health conditions that the city has not disclosed.

Many of the parents dropping their children off at school Tuesday morning said they were glad the school had closed to give sick children time to recover.

“They did the sensible thing,” said Sulabha Patel, whose 6-year-old daughter goes to P.S. 130.

Patel, a stay-at-home mom who lives on the Upper East Side, said her daughter fell ill just after the school closed last week, but she recovered quickly.

“I’m glad she didn’t miss any school,” Patel said.

P.S. 130 draws mainly from Chinatown, and most parents who brought their chil-dren to school Tuesday morning did not speak English. But those who did said many students were sick with the fl u last week. Some also said teachers were sick, but Woo said no teachers had the fl u.

Several parents who spoke to Downtown Express said the closure sent them scram-bling to fi nd someone to watch their chil-dren during the day.

A woman who gave only her family name, Lee, said it was diffi cult to fi nd a babysitter for her 6-year-old daughter. She said the school was right to close as a precaution, but she was worried about her daughter missing out on class time.

“They lose one day, and they lose one day of education,” Lee said as she gathered her daughter’s hair into a ponytail outside of P.S. 130. “That’s very important.”

Richard Rizzo, another parent, said he noticed more people taking their children to work while the school was closed. The closure came at a good time for Rizzo’s 6-year-old son, who would have had to miss school last week anyway because he got his tonsils out. Rizzo, who lives in the Flatiron District, said his wife stayed home from work to watch their son.

Not everyone was happy that the school closed. Oksana Todorova said the closure created unnecessary paranoia, since the school did not have any confi rmed cases of swine fl u.

“Suddenly everyone got worried,” Todorova said as she dropped off her

6-year-old daughter Sascha Alcoce. Todorova, an artist who lives in Brooklyn

but has a studio near P.S. 130, said she had to rework her schedule to watch her daughter during the week off. Sascha was sick just before the school closed, but Todorova said it never occurred to her that Sascha could have anything more serious

than an ordinary bug. Sascha recovered quickly and expected to return to school, but by then the school was closed.

“I thought it was just like spring break or something,” Sascha said Tuesday morning, grinning. “It was fun.”

[email protected]

Chinatown school reopens after fl u closure

Downtown Express photo by J.B. Nicholas

Students returned to P.S. 130 Tuesday. The school closed last week after 76 students had fl u-like symptoms, but none have been diagnosed as swine fl u.


Wild river chase Police responded to a “robbery in prog-

ress” alert at 5:30 p.m. Fri., May 22 in the Smith Houses on Catherine Slip and Cherry St. and were told that three men armed with guns had tried to rob a victim in an elevator. On the fourth fl oor of the building, a woman told police that one of three men who tried to enter her apartment fi red a shot that went into the door. Three men were then seen fl eeing the complex in different directions and police gave chase. One of the suspects headed to the East River and jumped in. Police scuba divers pulled him from the water, and the victim was taken to Bellevue for water exposure. The incident was still under investigation at press time on May 26 and police declined to release the name of the suspect. Three offi cers were injured when two patrol cars crashed at the scene, according to reports. A .25 caliber handgun was found in a trash bin in the housing com-plex, police said.

Pistol assaultTwo Pace University students were awak-

en by a knock on the door of their apartment on the fourth fl oor of 33 Gold St. between Fulton and John Sts. early in the morning of Thurs., May 7, police said. When one of them opened the door, three men pushed in, one of them wielding a silver handgun. The two victims, one from Connecticut, the other from California and both 19, were pistol-whipped, police said. The robbers then ordered the victims to be silent, pushed them against a wall and bound them with tape. The robbers fl ed with a laptop, a PlayStation 3 and a cell phone, police said.

Restaurant hold-upThree men wearing masks entered

Ristorante Barolo, 398 W. Broadway, through the back door at 2 a.m. Mon., May 11 and held three employees at gunpoint, police said. The robbers bound the employees with tape and threw them to the fl oor. “Where is the money?” one of them demanded. The masked men then broke into the safe,

took an undisclosed sum of money and fl ed, police said.

Canal St. slashingPolice arrested Khoi Duong, 28, on

Friday afternoon May 22 for slashing a man who was grocery shopping at 225 Canal St. at Baxter St. The suspect, a Bronx resident, was charged with assault and criminal pos-session of a weapon. He was released on his own recognizance pending a Sept. 3 court appearance.

Cell phone punchA Brooklyn man, 27, was walking east

on Spring St. near Mercer St. talking on his cell phone on Thursday afternoon May 7 when someone punched him on the back of his head, grabbed his cell phone and ran, police said. The victim chased the thief down Spring St., caught him and got his cell phone back. Police arrested the suspect, a 15-year-old male whose name was withheld because of his age.

Gang assaultA resident of Independence Plaza North

told police that eight or more young men attacked him around 4:35 a.m. Sun., May 10 as he was getting out of a cab in front of 80 N. Moore St. The victim was unable to describe his attackers, police said.

Maiden La. muggingA woman who was walking to her Financial

District home from the Broadway-Nassau subway station at 12:55 a.m. Wed., May 20 was stopped opposite Papa John’s Pizza, 21 Maiden La., by a man who grabbed her hand-bag, police said. The victim held onto the bag and was thrown to the ground in the struggle. The mugger, described as a black man, 5’9” weighing 180 pounds and wearing a dark skull cap and a sweatshirt jacket, opened the bag, took out a digital camera valued at more than $300, then dropped the bag and fl ed on foot, police said.

Assault outside barAn argument that began in the Hook

& Ladder bar on John St. at 1:30 a.m. Fri., May 22 turned violent when a bouncer ejected the two parties, police said. An undetermined number of men who were arguing with the victim and his brother inside the bar assaulted the victim outside the place, according to police.

Burglar fl eesA resident of 150 Sullivan St. between

Prince and W. Houston Sts. woke up at 5:30 a.m. Wed., May 20, went into her living room and saw an intruder who ran out of the apartment and fl ed north on Sullivan St., police said.

Break-in attemptA resident of a fi fth fl oor apartment at

315 Greenwich St. at Reade St. was a couple of blocks from home when she was buzzed by her home security service that her burglar alarm was sounding. She arrived home in fi ve minutes and discovered that a screen on a window at roof level had been cut in three places setting off the alarm. There was no entry, police said.

Cell snatchA man walking on Sixth Ave. and

Charlton St. shortly before 8 p.m., Thurs., May 21 was stopped by a stranger who asked what time it was. When the man pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to check on the time, the stranger grabbed the phone and ran, police said. The victim made the initial complaint but refused later to talk to

First Precinct detectives, according to police reports.

Bad checkAn employee of the Chanel boutique

at 139 Spring St. told police that a well-dressed tall dark man tried to buy $3,000 worth of merchandize at 3:10 p.m. Thurs., May 14 with what she deemed to be a fraudulent check, police said. The employee told police that the suspect came back later to look around but did not try to buy anything.

ShopliftersAn employee of the Polo Ralph Lauren

boutique at 381 W. Broadway between Broome and Spring Sts. told police that a man he described only as white took 14 shirts from a shelf in the shop around 4:20 p.m. Tues., May 19, put them in a red shop-ping bag and left the store without paying the $1,372 total price for them. An employ-ee of the Lucky Jean boutique at 38 Greene St. said that a woman described as white, about 30 and 5’5” took 50 shirts and tank tops from the shelves and made off without paying for them.

Expensive smokesA New Jersey woman, 21, told police

she left her bag on her table at Starbucks, 233 Broadway at Barclay St., for fi ve min-utes while she went out with a friend for a smoke and returned to fi nd the bag gone with her radio, iPod, digital camera and $60 in cash.

— Albert Amateau

POLICE BLOTTER


Graffi ti artist’s last mural?On Saturday, graffi ti artist Antonio “Chico” Garcia (on ladder) was working on East Houston St. near Avenue B on a mural based on the artwork from the cover of an upcoming CD release, “The Last,” by the group Aventura. After announcing three months ago that he would be leaving the Lower East Side to move to Florida, “Chico sightings” in the neighborhood made some wonder if he was going to go. He said he’ll be leaving for Florida next week.


Cosmopolitan Hotel goes for a new look & expansionSouth Historic District.

Architect Matthew Gottsegen said the city is unlikely to oppose the demolition of the Mary Ann’s building, which has little remaining historic fabric. Gottsegen described the squat, bright building as an anomaly among the rest of the well-preserved historic district.

“The Reade St. corner is like a chipped tooth on this beautiful row of teeth,” Gottsegen said as he presented his design for the new building to Community Board 1’s Landmarks Committee last week.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel owners also want to add an elevator bulkhead to the existing hotel and expand the hotel’s W. Broadway entrance, displacing the Cosmopolitan Cafe, which opened in 2007.

At a meeting last Thursday, C.B. 1 members said they support the Cosmopolitan Hotel’s owners, who have been in place for 20 years. However, the board vociferously opposed the hotel’s expansion project, objecting to the new building’s design, the displacement of small businesses and the owners’ unwillingness to return to the board with revi-sions. The community board’s opinion is advisory.

“We’re at the tipping point where if we let this get approved, it’s another example of us just destroy-ing what’s left of the wonderful character of that part of Tribeca,” said Roger Byrom, chairperson of the Landmarks Committee. He objected to the addition’s glassy base and called the design “uninteresting.”

Bruce Ehrmann, co-chairperson of the committee, said the design looked cheap.

“It’s bland infill — let’s call it what it is,” Ehrmann said. “It’s not bad infill, it’s just bland infill. And that being the case, I personally would prefer to leave things alone.”

At those words, Barad, one of the owners, bristled. “It’s not as if we didn’t attempt to build it as beautiful

as we can,” Barad said. “We didn’t tell our architect to make it kind of nice…. I think it looks good.”

Corie Sharples, an architect who recently joined the board, complimented the design’s historic details, which she said were authentic rather than faux historic. Still, she, too, said the all-glass storefront should be toned down.

Other board members objected to the design for the expanded W. Broadway entrance, which they likened to a nursing home or hospital.

The expanded entrance will displace the Cosmopolitan Cafe, a restaurant Craig Bero opened in 2007, inspired by the hotel’s history. The Cosmopolitan Hotel was built in 1844 and the space where the cafe now sits was a ladies waiting room and tearoom going back as far as 1863, Bero said.

Physically, the Cosmopolitan Hotel building has been through many changes since then. It originally had only four-and-a-half stories, but later grew to six and then seven stories. Balconies and window bays appeared and disappeared. Throughout the alterations, the building remained a hotel.

Bero’s cafe represents a return to pieces of that histo-ry. Bero scoured the neighborhood for the antiques that now fill the Cosmopolitan Cafe, which has a European vibe and is featured prominently on the hotel’s Web site. Like the historic objects, the cafe’s location is an impor-tant part of its identity as it represents a tie to the past, Bero said.

The hotel’s owners have promised to keep Bero’s cafe in some form, but Bero said he couldn’t imagine it in another place.

“[The location] is what makes the cafe so special,” Bero said. “To transfer that somewhere else, I don’t know.”


Top, rendering of the Cosmopolitan Hotel’s plans to expand onto the current location for Mary Ann’s Restaurant on W. Broadway, bottom. Middle, Cosmopolitan Cafe owner Craig Bero hopes to be in the same location where he said a cafe was almost 150 years ago.

Continued from page 1

Continued on page 6



Budget hotel hopes to expand Downtown

If the hotel’s plans move forward, the neighborhood would also lose Mary Ann’s, the Tribeca outpost of a Mexican restaurant that started in Chelsea and has since expanded around Manhattan and into the suburbs. Representatives at Mary Ann’s did not respond to requests for comment.

Ehrmann, from the community board, said Tribeca has lost too many neighborhood restaurants recently, whether to the recession or new development.

“All our other such places are disappearing one by one,” Ehrmann said, listing Franklin Station, Socrates Restaurant and others. “It’s something that everyone loves that’s being pushed out.”

Ehrmann and Byrom requested that the hotel owners return to the community board next month with a revised proposal, but lawyer Frederick Becker declined to do so. Instead, the team will present the design to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which has the fi nal say, on June 2. Becker said the L.P.C. likely would not approve the design at the fi rst hearing, and the architect would incorporate the community’s comments along with the L.P.C.’s comments into a revised design next month.

Ehrmann and other board members were not pleased. “We’re saying we want a voice,” Ehrmann said. “I feel

offended by your approach to us.” Ehrmann was also angry that Becker blamed some aspects

of the design — like the institutional new W. Broadway entrance — on L.P.C. staff, who requested that the architect change the design “six times in as many weeks,” Becker said. Ehrmann said it was “preposterous” to fault L.P.C. staff.

Lisi de Bourbon, L.P.C. spokesperson, said the commis-sion’s staff met with the architect, but “the design hadn’t evolved much since our involvement.”

C.B. 1’s Landmarks Committee unanimously passed a resolution opposing the project, which the full board echoed Tuesday night.

After the Landmarks Committee meeting, Gottsegen, the architect, called the community board disrespectful. Becker said the board was being negative and was unwilling to work with them.

“Someone is trying to put money into the economy,” Becker said. “What do they want us to do?”

[email protected]

The Cosmopolitan’s different looks through the years at Chambers St. and W. Broadway (clockwise from top left): Circa 1860s, circa 1910s, circa 1930s and 2009.


A Strong VoiceCELEBRATING 20 YEARS

OF PUBLISHING THE NEWS OF DOWNTOWN.

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they fi nd nowhere else, weekly.


M.T.A. backs down from bus cut after Silver letterBY JULIE SHAPIRO

The M6 bus will continue barreling down Broadway and up Church St., thanks to a last-minute intervention by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority planned to cut the M6 starting Memorial Day because of the mayor’s decision to close off sections of Broadway in Times Square and Herald Square for pedestrian malls. To remove buses from Broadway, New York City Transit, a division of the M.T.A., also modifi ed seven other bus routes.

Four days before the M6 cut was to go into effect, Silver sent a letter to M.T.A. chairperson H. Dale Hemmerdinger slamming the decision to eliminate the service. Hemmerdinger responded the next day, giving Silver even more than he had asked for, saying he would look to see if service could be improved Downtown.

“In light of your request, we will not be eliminating the M6 bus route this weekend,” Hemmerdinger wrote on May 22. In addition, he continued, “M.T.A. New York City Transit will be reviewing all the bus routes in your district as well as the operation of the rerouted M6. Our hope is that this review will result in recommendations as to how, within existing resources, we can best serve those who live in, and travel to, Lower Manhattan.”

Silver announced the reprieve later that day. “I am relieved and gratifi ed that the M.T.A. responded

very quickly to my request,” Silver said in a statement. “Particularly at a time when we are trying to encourage people to utilize mass transit, this decision to maintain the M 6 bus line is great news for Lower Manhattan.”

The M6 cut would have left a stretch of Church St. and Sixth Ave. between Worth and Houston Sts. without Uptown bus service. The M6 has an average of 5,200 riders on weekdays.

After Silver’s intervention, the M6’s operation will be unchanged in Lower Manhattan. In Midtown, the M6 will run down Seventh Ave. rather than Broadway, to avoid the pedestrian malls.

In his letter to Hemmerdinger, Silver said he was particu-larly galled by the M6 cut after leading the efforts to bail out the M.T.A. earlier this year and prevent the so-called doomsday budget from going into effect. The M6 was on the chopping block back then as well and would have been cut if the State Legislature had not passed an M.T.A. rescue plan.

John Brindisi, a Battery Park City resident who frequently takes the M6 to go shopping or to doctors’ appointments, was glad to hear that the M6 cut would not happen.

“It’s absolutely essential, especially on weekends,” Brindisi said of the bus. Had the bus been cut, “We would have been isolated. It would have hurt tourism.”

Brindisi criticized New York City Transit for not suffi -ciently notifying passengers of the planned cut. The M6 bus stops had no notice, and the notice on some buses included

only a small mention, Brindisi said. The M.T.A. also did not list the cut among service changes on its Web site, Brindisi said.

“They tried to slip that through when nobody would notice,” Brindisi said. “Whether by design or by stupidity, they did it in a way so that most people wouldn’t know about it.”

Charles Seaton, N.Y.C.T. spokesperson, said the agency gave plenty of advance notice about the planned M6 cut and other service changes.

“The important thing is that the service was not cut,” Seaton said.

[email protected]

The mayor has proposed a 17 percent cut to Community Board 1’s budget that would mean the elimination of one of the board’s four staff positions.

The cut of about $35,000 out of the board’s budget of just over $200,000 would force the board to dismiss Michael Levine, director of land use and planning. Levine, who previ-ously worked for the Dept. of City Planning, started working part-time for C.B. 1 in 2006.

But C.B. 1 is not about to let Levine go without a fi ght. The board wants to use its privately raised money, rather than city funds, to pay for Levine’s position. Because of confl ict-of-interest rules, the board would have to issue a request for proposals to solicit candidates for the position, who would each list their qualifi cations and name their fee.

“We would want Michael to submit a proposal,” said

Noah Pfefferblit, C.B. 1’s district manager. “We think he’s very qualifi ed.”

Many board members said they want Levine to remain in place. Bruce Ehrmann, a board member, livened the somber discussion by suggesting that the R.F.P. be targeted directly toward Levine, so few other people are eligible to apply. Paul Hovitz, another board member, added that perhaps only candidates with the initials “M.L.” should be allowed.

The board is starting the request for proposals process now, though the members hope the city will restore the com-munity board money in its fi nal budget for the fi scal year that begins July 1.

City Councilmember Alan Gerson told C.B. 1 Tuesday night that restoring funding to community boards is one

of the Council’s top priorities. Gerson said it is “no secret” that the mayor proposed cutting community board budgets because he wants to undermine the boards.

To fund Levine’s position, the board will draw on its reserve fund of nearly $170,000, which was privately raised. The board also makes money from street fairs each year, and this year expects to take in about $25,000, Pfefferblit said.

In the past, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer had opposed the use of privately raised funds to support board staff positions. Stringer’s offi ce did not comment on the community board’s proposal.

Stringer is holding a rally to protest the community board cuts on June 10.

— Julie Shapiro

Community board faces budget cuts


Stopping to smell the tomatoesThe South Street Seaport’s farmers’ market opened this weekend to good-sized crowds in the stalls where fi shmongers used to hawk their wares. . Diane Miller, above, made sure the tomatoes were fresh. The Fulton Stall Market will be open on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer.


Local dad’s tips for family dinners from soup to nutsBY JULIE SHAPIRO

David Leach is no stranger to the kitchen, but the Tribeca father of two is still often daunted by the question of what to cook for dinner.

“It’s really hard to think of stuff,” said Leach, who prepares dinner every night for his wife and teenaged sons.

To help other parents make meals for their family, Leach recently launched notakeout.com, a Web site that features a complete menu for every weekday, including a grocery list and step-by-step instructions. Working with his friend Kurt Holm in New Jersey and cookbook author Susan Loomis in France, Leach’s goal is to get more families to eat healthy dinners together, even in Tribeca’s time-crunched culture.

The recipes focus on seasonal, local foods and are geared toward recently laid-off fathers who are now charged with preparing meals. The instructions are unusually detailed — they’ll explain how to zest a lemon and tell aspiring chefs not to worry when the chicken sticks to the pan. The instructions also inte-grate several recipes at once, so all the dishes will be ready at the same time.

“We work from the assumption that you don’t need to have amazing kitchen skills to do this,” Leach said. “If you can read, you can cook.”

The tone of the recipes is lighthearted and fun, with instructions telling when the children should be told to set the table, or

suggesting that the chef open and taste the wine, just “to make sure it’s okay.”

Subscribers to the free recipe service receive an e-mail every day with that eve-ning’s recipes, all of which should be doable in under an hour, Leach said. Recent meals included teriyaki steak with lemon spinach and ginger rice, and braised Sicilian chicken with cannellini beans and Swiss chard.

Leach declined to name the number of subscribers he and his partners have signed up so far, but he said the site received more than 5,000 page views when it fi rst went live at the end of April. The site is not yet bringing in much money from its Google ads, but Leach hopes to sign an agreement with companies like Fresh Direct to deliver the groceries matching each day’s recipe to subscribers who would pay a fee.

While Leach wants to simplify the experi-ence of cooking, the recipes do not include shortcuts like bottled dressing or canned soup. They also avoid ingredients that have a large carbon footprint.

“We’re never going to call for asparagus in December, because we don’t want some-one buying it from Peru,” Leach said.

Leach’s philosophy puts him in line with Alice Waters, a chef who advocates using local ingredients and formed the Edible Schoolyard program. Waters, who inspired Michelle Obama’s White House garden, will contribute a week of recipes to Leach’s site starting June 15.

Leach frequently tests the recipes on his own family. As an artist and commercial photographer, Leach has a fl exible schedule, which means he is responsible for dinner. His 16 and 17-year-old sons, who go to LaGuardia High School, know they have to be home to eat as a family, and his younger son often helps Leach cook.

The recipes are designed for families, but Leach admitted that they could push the boundaries of “a 7-year-old who’s used

to eating chicken fi ngers with French fries.” One evening’s menu, for example, was beet soup with scallion bread pudding. Still, Leach said most of the food is accessible, and the meals include traditionally kid-friendly items like pizza, fajitas and maca-roni and cheese.

“We’re not melting gorgonzola over everything,” Leach said.

[email protected]

at PS 89 201 Warren Street, Battery Park City

a celebration of the past ten years

music and dance performances by our students

student art exhibition

food, activities and games

past faculty, alumni and families

visit www.ps89.org for more information

May 30th 200911:00am - 2:00pm

PS89 Liberty School10th Anniversary

CELEBRATION

ANCHORING THE COMMUNITY

Please join us for a spectacular day!

New Downtown Community Center and P.S. 234 home locations.Private pool. Outdoor ball fi elds.Field sports, karate, computers, arts, crafts, movement, more!Experienced administrators, teachers and childcare professionals.Transportation below 23rd Street with many pick-up locations. Generous counselor-to-camper ratio.K through 6 program.Nature Camp option for grades 5 to 8.

Why send your child on a long, hot bus ride when all you need is right here?

Downtown Day Camp

212-766-1104 x250 www.DowntownDayCamp.comCamp is fi lling up fast —call today!

Available sessionsJune 29 through August 14June 29 through July 24July 27 through August 14August 17 through August 21*

Open house: 6 pm April 7 and 28120 Warren St.

* special add-on week, see registration form for details


David Leach preparing dinner at home in Tribeca while his son David, 16, and wife Mary watch. Leach and two partners have started a free Web site with daily step-by-step instructions for quick family meals.


Advocates renew call to block Chatham Sq. plan BY JULIE SHAPIRO

Politicians and activists opposed to the city’s plan for Chatham Square rallied Wednesday afternoon to prevent the proj-ect from getting funding.

City Comptroller William Thompson, City Councilmember Alan Gerson and others want the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. to withhold the $31 million the city plans to use for the $50 million project.

“Everyone has stood up and said this is a bad idea,” Thompson said at a press conference outside of the L.M.D.C.’s office. “I urge the L.M.D.C. to hear the voices of the community, because the city is ignoring those voices.”

The community has many objections to the content of the city’s plans, but on Wednesday, Gerson focused on the process instead. He said the city has not put the project through enough public review, so the L.M.D.C. should withhold its contribution, which is earmarked for city transportation projects. Specifically, Gerson said the city failed to make the Chatham Square plan available in pub-lic libraries and hold a public comment period on the plan, as is required.

“The city has a lot of leeway [on how to spend the L.M.D.C. money], but not total leeway,” Gerson said. “The input that was required has not been fulfilled.”

The city Dept. of Transportation declined to comment on Gerson’s charges.

Mike Murphy, L.M.D.C. spokesperson, said that so far, the city is in compliance with the terms of its agreement with the L.M.D.C. on the money. But that process is not complete, and the city has not received any money yet, Murphy said. Work on Chatham Square has been scheduled to start sometime this summer with the installation of a water main. City officials have said previously that some adjustments to the plan could be made after the work begins.

The Chatham Square reconstruc-tion is widely reviled in Chinatown, and Community Boards 1 and 3 both opposed it. The city wants to realign the seven-way intersection to connect E. Broadway to Worth St. and the Bowery to St. James Pl., essentially cutting off Park Row, which has been closed to traffic since 9/11.

The community objects to the project because it makes the Park Row closure more permanent. Local residents are also concerned about how small businesses in Chatham Square will fare during the three years of construction, and they are uncon-vinced that the plan will bring about the traffic and pedestrian improvements the city has promised.

Gerson also called on the L.M.D.C. to hear a presentation on the commu-nity’s alternative Chatham Square plan at an upcoming board meeting. The city presented its plan to the L.M.D.C. board earlier this year.

Murphy declined to comment on Gerson’s request.

The community plan for Chatham Square would leave the intersection more or less unchanged, except for a new one-lane road directly connecting St. James Pl. to E. Broadway. Norman Siegel, a civil liberties lawyer and candidate for public advocate, said the community plan would improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety while minimizing the impact on the sur-rounding neighborhood.

Scott Gastel, spokesperson for city D.O.T., said in an e-mail that the com-munity plan would not work.

“Chatham Square is in need of signifi-cant changes that will mitigate traffic con-gestion and improve safety,” Gastel said. “The [community’s] proposed changes will not accomplish that.”

At the rally, Siegel, the lawyer, had sharp words for the L.M.D.C., which he said had a history of ignoring the commu-nity. But Gerson and the others struck a more positive tone, focusing criticism on the city and saying the L.M.D.C. now has a chance to serve as the check and bal-ance on what they say is the city’s largely unilateral policy.

During the press conference, Gerson stood alongside two of four people chal-lenging him for his Council District One seat in next fall’s primary. Margaret Chin and P.J. Kim, the candidates, did not speak during the press conference, though Chin briefly took the mic afterward.

Gerson acknowledged Chin and Kim during his speech, and he kept it friendly.

“This is about a community united,” Gerson said.

[email protected]

An alternative plan to redesign Chatham Square developed by the Civic Center Residents Coalition, above, would make fewer changes to the area than the city’s proposed plan, bottom.


Water main project will hit North TribecaWater main work will tear up North Tribeca streets

starting in early spring 2010. The purpose of the project, run by the city Dept. of

Design and Construction, is to replace water mains and connect them to the Third Water Tunnel, which will fun-nel water into the city starting in 2012 so the existing water tunnel can be repaired.

The water main work will occur on Hudson St. between Laight and Worth Sts. and on four cross streets: Hubert St. and N. Moore St. between Hudson and West Sts., and Beach St. and Franklin St. between Hudson and Greenwich Sts.

The project is still in the design phase, so the city has not determined the cost or schedule, said Craig Chin, spokesperson for D.D.C. Chin did not know if the streets would have to be closed from curb to curb during the work or if they could remain partially open.

The new mains will connect to Shaft 29B of the new water tunnel, which is near the Holland Tunnel entrance. The work there is nearly done, though a distribution chamber still has to be installed next winter, the city Dept. of Environmental Protection said.

— Julie Shapiro

BREAK OUT IN SONG A COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG

St. Paul’s Chapel, Broadway and Fulton Street

Are you looking for a place to sing other than the car, kitchen, or shower? Historic St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan is hosting an old-fashioned community sing-a-long that’s open to all: no singing experience required. Songs will be easy and range from folk and campfire songs to chants, pop tunes, and world

music. Come sing to your heart’s content.

All ages welcome. Light refreshments will be served after.Free, with a $5 suggested donation.

trinitywallstreet.org212.602.0800

These Tribeca streets are expected to close next spring for water main work. The city is developing the schedule for the work now.

MiniMasters, an early childhood arts cen-ter in Tribeca, closed its doors for good on May 1, another victim of the recession.

Founded in 2006, miniMasters offered language and arts classes to young children, along with a Suzuki instrument program, and focused on building community among parents and caretakers. The Suzuki classes cost just over $2,000 for a 16-week session.

“The economy hit us like a ton of bricks,” said co-founder Anh Steininger. “People just stopped signing up and the company went insolvent.”

Steininger said she had hoped another company would buy miniMasters, but she and

her partners settled for a different offer from Kidville, which hosts children’s classes at sev-eral locations in the city, including in Tribeca. Kidville agreed to offer all miniMasters patrons a series of credits on Kidville classes valued at over $500 to make up for the remaining mini-Masters classes that were not held.

Steininger said she’s been spending more time at home with her children since mini-Masters closed.

“It’s been very heartbreaking,” she said of the business closing. “It was a labor of love more than anything else.”

— Julie Shapiro

Hard times hit luxury kids center

The Chinatown Working Group, a coali-tion of community organizations, is hold-ing a town hall meeting on Monday night about the future of Chinatown. The forum will highlight many of the neighborhood’s

top issues, including rents, traffi c, parking, schools and parks. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 1, at P.S. 124, 40 Division St. Translators will be available.

Chinatown forum

www.DOWNTOWNEXPRESS.com

Read the Archiveswww.DOWNTOWNEXPRESS.com


Items from the life of John Lennon went on display last week at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex in Soho, at 76 Mercer St., in a new exhibit, “John Lennon: The New York City Years.” Co-curated by Yoko Ono, the exhibit includes Lennon’s green card from 1976, below, and letters of support from former Mayor John Lindsay and others, documenting the musician’s fi ght against deportation for his antiwar views. His iconic, sleeveless New York City T-shirt from 1973, right, is also on display. Original song lyric sheets from such hits as “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” are on view, as are

Lennon’s never-before-seen, handwritten production notes on track listing and arrangements for songs on the “Double Fantasy” album, below right. Also included in the exhibit is the Fender Telecaster custom guitar, below left, the former Beatle used in a performance with Elton John at Madison Square

Garden on Nov. 28, 1974, when Lennon played “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night,” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “I Saw Her Standing There.” During the exhibit, there will be extended hours, from Sunday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to midnight, with last admission one hour prior to closing.

For tickets, call 866-9-ROCKNY or 866-976-2569, go to www.rockan-nex.com or visit the box offi ce at 76 Mercer St., between Spring and

Broome Sts. For more information, call 646-786-6680.

Hall rocks Lennon show

arrangements for songs on the Double Fantasy albbum, below rright. Also included in the exhibit is the Fender Telecaster cusstom guitar, bbelow left, the former Beatle used in a performance with Elton JJohn at Madisoon Square

Garden on Nov. 28, 1974, when Lennon played “WWhatever Gets YYou Thru the Night,” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” annd “I Saw Her SStanding There.” During the exhibit, there will be extended hours, from SSunday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday through Satuturday, from 11 a.m. to midnight, with last admission onne hour prior to clososing.

For tickets, call 866-9-ROCKNY or 866-976-2569, go to www.rockkan-nex.com or visit the box offi ce at 76 Mercer SSt., between Spring anand

Broome Sts. For more information, call 646-7786-6680.


Dining with Taste Of TriBeca

Downtown Express is Proud to be a sponsor of Taste of Tribeca 2009

Founded in 1994 by restaurateurs, local merchants and par-ents from two Tribeca public schools PS234 and PS150, This culinary festival brings together Tribeca’s best restaurants in one unforgettable, delicious experience. This year on May 16th the Taste of TriBeca will be celebrating their 15th anniversa-ry. Join us in this celebration by patronizing the participating restaurants that donate their culinary delights to support the music and arts programs of these amazing schools. Visit their website www.tasteoftribeca.org to purchase tickets and for a complete list of participating restaurants. Bon Appetit!

Cafe 92YTribeca200 Hudson Street, New York, NY 212-601-1000 / www.92y.org

Relax on an overstuffed sofa by our sun-drenched windows or enjoy a signature cocktail along with a free evening of entertainment at one of our informal cafe stage nights. The Cafe Celebrates New York’s freshest and finest food to surprise and delight your palate, while serving up the comforts of traditional favorites. From gourmet grilled cheese with sweet onion and fig to refreshing blueberry lemonade, our tasty treats span the spectrum. But the color we’re most proud of is green: We only use made-to-order, locally sourced, kosher dairy ingredi-ents so you can feel good about what you are putting on your plate and into your body. And with portions designed to share, you can bring your friends or make some new ones!

Lilly O’Brien’s67 Murray StreetNew York,NY 10007(between W.Bway/Greenwich) 212-732-1592 / www.lillyobriensbar.com

Enjoy a mixture of contemporary Irish Dining, fine ales, lagers and stouts at this wonderful new addition to the downtown bar and restaurant scene. With a menu full of fine Irish fare and American cuisine, this warm and inviting Irish Pub is quickly becoming one of the most popular establish-ments in the neighborhood. Showing all English Premier League games, rugby, UFC fights and much more on the 14 flat screen TV’s, its a sports fans’ dream. Kitchen open until 2am every night, so come by and make Lilly’s your local!

Max181 Duane StreetNew York,NY 10013(between Hudson/Greenwich)212-966-5939www.max-ny.com

In the heart of TriBeca is a family run Italian restaurante that serves delicious Southern Italian home cooking. Family recipes that have been passed down from generation to gen-eration to Luigi, the owner of this charming trattoria. Eating here is like eating in Nonna’s (Grandma’s) kitchen with slow cooked tra-ditional sauces that take all day to simmer. Come in for some home cooked warmth and food. Mangia!

“Rated #4 Best NYC Italian Restaurant”– The Village Voice

please contact Francesco Regini at 646-452-2496 for advertising information

Edward’s 136 W. B’way btw Thomas and Duane 212-233-6436 www.edwardsnyc.com

Edward’s Restaurant has been in Tribeca since 2001 serving American Bistro food at reasonable prices. Our outdoor cafe is always open. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Weekend Brunch. from 9 am everyday until Midnight (later on weekends). The menu features roast chicken, grilled tuna, salads, burgers, sandwiches and pasta with specials for all menus. The bar offers classic drinks and cocktails with a top rated wine list! A great place for group events! Kids are always welcome.

Pepolino281 West Broadway / NY,NY 10013(between Canal/Lispenard)212-966-9983 / www.pepolino.com

In the north of TriBeca you can transport yourself to Tuscany via this charming Italian trattoria with outdoor seating and an enthusi-astic staff. You are sure to delight in signature dishes from fettucine with clams, cannellini and rosemary to ending with a sumptuous pear and ricotta tart for dessert. Chef and owners Patrizio and Enzo were born, raised and trained in Tuscany and Naples, Italia. Their warmth and charm sets the mood for your dining experience. Open since August 1999 this quiet, romantic gem, at budget conscious prices, is busy on the weekends so make sure you call for a reservation.


TASTE of TRIBECA© is a 501( c ) 3 non-profit corporation for the benefit of local schools PS234 and PS150.

www.tasteoftribeca.org

T-shirt sale: 17th of June (rain date on 18th)

A tasty selection of t-shirts and bags

TASTE OF TRIBECA WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OUR SUPPORTERS An event as big as Taste of Tribeca doesn’t happen without a lot of help! As they say, “Many hands make light work!” The following folks have helped lighten our load and we cannot thank them enough! Numerous contributors listed below donated their time, others gave us deep discounts, some provided valuable services, and many gave us items for no payment other than a smile. Please forgive us if we forgot to say thanks to you directly or left you off this list in our rush to get everything done by May 16th. The kids at PS150 and PS 234 are lucky to have so many people who care!

INDIVIDUALS and FAMILIES (Go People-Power!!!): Abby Goldstein; Alyce Russo; Anna Vilarrasa; Anne Colbourne; Anne Lawrence; Andrea Pederson; Angie Mui; Annemarie Bradly; Anthony Dellasalla; Barbara Tomasulo; Baltz & Company; Barnes & Nobel; Battery Park Broadsheet; Cassandra Saulter; Chuck Samar; Church Street School; Crowley Family; Cynthia Savino; Dave Sasscer; David Feiner; Don Zinzell of Zinzell Design; Dudley’s Paw; Ed Levine & Serious Eats; Electra and Rocco Damato of A.L. Bazzini; Elizabeth Clemants; Francesca McBride; Friends of Duane Park; Gearhart Family; Gee Whiz; Herb Scannell; Isabelle Leyo; J. Grubman Rothenberg; Jacob Tugendrajch; Jane Shapiro; Jessica Friday; Josh Levine; Joshen Paper and Packaging; Karen Haycox; Karen Gastiaburo; Karin Mulder; Katherine Hill & Marco Moretti of FDTdesign; Kerianne Flynn; Kerry Farrell; King’s Pharmacy; Ladder 8 Firehouse; Lauren Kenner; Lesley McBride of Museum Editions; Liz Reitman of Reit Design; Liz Young Tours; Lori DeBlois at Tribeca Grand Hotel; Luis Lopez; Mac Makeup; Makeup Forever; Manhattan Youth; Milton Gittens; Mimi Buchness; Mohamed Hizam; Nicole Lawrence; No Mersey; Neal Kilbane, CPA-Raich, Ewde, Malter & Co. LLP; Nelson Hume; Nicole Douillet; Peter Downing and team at the Tribeca Film Festival; Peter Family; Precinct 1 Police Department; PTG Event Services; Rachel Moscowitz; Roanne Adams; Robert Goldstein; Rob Gross; Robert A. Ripps; Robyn Parker; Ronnie Baker; Sammy Chipkin, Sandy van der Zwan; Sherry Hsiung; Shin Murakaki; Steve Olson; Stribling & Associates; Strickman-Ripps; Stokes Farm; Stuyvesant High School Volunteers; Susan Hayes; Tania Ribalow; The Jam NYC; Tim Lynch; Tim McCarthy; Tribeca Green Market; Tribeca Partnership; The Tribeca Trib; UNICEF; Vinny Mongeluzo; Vinny’s Staging; Viveck Garipalli; Wall Street Rising; Warburg Realty; and every committee head, board member, volunteer and supporter!

Finally, we would like to thank the wonderful Tribeca community particularly those shop owners and residences immediately surrounding our event. THANK YOU ALL!

Sincerely, Jimmy Carbone, Wendy Chapman, Sarah Reetz, & Sean Turner2009 Taste of Tribeca Co-Chairs

OUR PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS: 2 rivers, 35 Thai, 92Y Tribeca, A.L. Bazzini & Co., Acappella, Amish Market, Arua/Petrarca, Amanzi Tea, Baluchi’s, Bar Artisanal, Billy’s Bakery, Blaue Gans, Bouley, Bouley Bakery, Brick NYC, The Bubble Lounge, Bubby’s Pie Co., Capsouto Freres, Centrico, Cercle Rouge, Chanterelle, Church Lounge at Tribeca Grand, City Hall, Cornerstone Grill, Cosmopolitan Café, Duane Park, Duane Park Patisserie, Ecco Restaurant, Edward’s, Farinella's Bakery, FDNY, Flor de Sol, Gigino Trattoria, Grandaisy Bakery, The Harrison, The Hideaway, Il Mattone, Jerry’s Cafe, Kori, La Colombe Torrefaction, Landmarc, Le Pain Quotidien, Lilly O’Brien’s, M1-5, Macao Trading Co., Marc Forione, Max, Mocca Espresso Lounge, The Odeon, The Palm Tribeca, Petitte Abeille, Pepolino, Roc, Rosanjin, Salaam Bombay, Scalini Fedeli, Secession, Takahachi, Thalassa, Tokyo Bay, Trattoria Cinque, Tribeca Grill, Tribeca Treats, Turks & Frogs Tribeca, Walker’s, Yaffa’s Tea Room, Zucker’s Bagels & Smoked Fish

OUR SPONSORS: Corporate Sponsors: American Lamb, ConEd, Gucci, Goldman Sachs, HSBC Bank, NY Sports Clubs, Related Rentals, Stribling/Sean Murphy Turner, TD Bank Media Sponsors: Downtown Express, Edible Manhattan, MVP/NY, Zagat SurveyBeverage Sponsors: Coca Cola Co., Fizzy Lizzy, Gus Soda, La Colombe Coffee, New York Spring Water, POM, Wat-aah!, YWater

OUR WINE CONTRIBUTORS: Chambers Street Wines, Frankly Wines, New York Vintners, Tribeca Green Market/ NY State Wines, Tribeca Wine Merchants, Vestry Wines, Vino Vino

9am - 4pm — at PS150 / 334 Greenwich StreetMore good stuff at:

www.cafepress.com/tasteoftribeca


BY ALBERT AMATEAUThe Landmarks Preservation

Commission on May 12 looked at the resi-dential side of the St. Vincent’s Hospital redevelopment project and found it better than it was a year ago. But commission-ers still said the proposed Seventh Ave. apartment tower was too tall.

At the end of the May 12 hearing, Robert Tierney, commission chairperson, said the Rudin residential plan that is intended to replace the current hospital complex on the east side of Seventh Ave. was vastly better than the original plan.

“I’m close to finding the project to be totally appropriate for the Greenwich Village Historic District, and I look for-ward to another meeting with St. Vincent’s in the near future,” Tierney said.

But he did not specify a date for the next hearing on the project that has been before the commission for a year.

The Rudin Organization, the hospital’s development partner, originally planned to demolish all eight hospital buildings on the east side of the avenue and replace them with new development, including a 265-foot-tall apartment tower extending between 11th and 12th Sts. The residen-tial development is intended to pay for a new 21st-century, 299-foot-tall hospital to replace the O’Toole building on the west side of the avenue.

After a cool reception by the L.P.C. last year, the design was changed to preserve and adapt four of the eight buildings — the Nurses Residence and the Smith and Raskob buildings on 12th St. and the Spellman building on 11th St. The pro-posed apartment tower was reduced in height to 233 feet and in width from 265 feet to 142 feet.

Although the commission did not vote on the project on May 12, commissioners made statements. All wanted a shorter apartment tower. Several commissioners said the four buildings proposed for adap-tive residential use should have fewer changes than the architect, Dan Kaplan of F.X. Fowle, has proposed. Commissioners said the original bronze door on the Nurses Residence, which the architect said was “too monumental” for an apart-ment building, was worth preserving.

Some commissioners were not happy with the plans for five townhouses pro-posed for 11th St. Instead of lining up with each other, the five-story buildings step back at an angle from each other, which allows each to have corner win-dows. But several commissioners said they couldn’t make sense of the design.

The commission also gave its final approval on May 12 for the demolition of the O’Toole building — designed by Albert Ledner and built in 1964 for the

National Maritime Union and acquired by St. Vincent’s 10 years later.

In October, the commission had voted 6 to 4 to approve St. Vincent’s application for a hardship waiver of historic district rules to demolish the quirky building. The matter was revisited on May 12 to confirm that alternatives to the O’Toole demolition had been adequately exam-ined. The board voted 8 to 3 that alterna-tive sites were adequately considered and found unsuitable.

The dissenters, Roberta Brandes Gratz, Stephen Byrns and Margery Perlmutter, insisted that other options, including pos-sible eminent domain acquisition of other property, were ignored.

“The Landmarks Law and the commis-

sion have been snookered,” said Byrns, regarding the hardship application.

However, despite the May 12 vote, the issue is not yet resolved. In March, a group of preservation advocates, Protect the Village Historic District, filed a law-suit challenging the L.P.C. action granting the hospital’s hardship application.

Tierney took issue with the “snook-ered” remark.

“The last 11 months have not been snookering,” he said, referring to the series of hearings and votes on St. Vincent’s. “In any case, we’ll be in court. I believe our case is strong and we’ll win,” Tierney said regarding the pending lawsuit.

[email protected]

Landmarks to Rudin: Hospital tower is too tall

Speaker Sheldon Silver Improving our Mass Transit System

A safe and reliable mass transit system is vital to the future of Lower Manhattan

and NYC. That is why I fought hard to:

• Craft an MTA funding package in Albany that will both prevent massive

increases in bus and subway fares and eliminate devastating service cuts

• Insure that federal stimulus funds were provided to the Fulton Transit

Center that will enable this important project to be completed as originally

designed

• Save the M 6 bus route that the MTA planned to eliminate

I will continue to lead the fight to restore our mass transit system and rebuild our

Lower Manhattan community. For more information,

please call SSpeaker Sheldon Silver’s Office at 212-312-1420

Eva Delgado, 64, died after a seizure at the Grand St. Settlement’s Senior Center at 80 Pitt St. on Thursday morning, according to staff members who said it took three 911 calls and 20 minutes before help arrived from a nearby fi rehouse.

Delgado, recently retired from the staff at DeWitt Church on Rivington St., began feeling ill sometime before 11 a.m. and passed out at 11:06, when a Grand St. staff member who was attending her phoned 911 and gave what she thought was suf-fi cient information before returning to the ailing woman.

Two more 911 calls were made before the victim began foaming at the mouth, according to Jessica Williamson, Grand St. communications director.

“Finally, a staff member, Wally Ruiz, ran to the fi re station a block and a half away on Pitt St. to get help,” Williamson said. “They sent two trucks — two ambulances came, but I think they were from another fi re sta-tion,” she said.

Delgado was taken to Beth Israel Hospital and arrived at 11:55 a.m. She was declared dead soon after, Williamson said.

Williamson spoke to a Fire Department information offi cer to fi nd out about the delay.

“He thought the fi rst caller hung up before giving all the information necessary. But she said she told the 911 operator every-thing before she hung up and went back to Eva,” Williamson said.

Grand St. Settlement’s executive direc-tor, Margarita Rosa, said, “It’s disturbing when someone is in serious medical distress and there is no response from a fi re station and a police station that are only a block and a half away. We have as much right to get effective response as anybody else in the community.”

Spokespersons for the Police and Fire Departments did not respond to a request for comment.

— Albert Amateau

Slow response to seizure charged

www.DOWNTOWNEXPRESS

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We Know Our Community Like No One Else

We Have Downtown Covered

BY WILL MCKINLEYIt was a Friday night at the Bowery Poetry

Club, and a group of ethnically diverse young women in their late teens and early twenties were preparing to take the stage. But these girls weren’t performers. They were sur-vivors of New York City’s commercial sex industry. And they were about to share their pain in spoken word and song.

“Traffi cking is something that people think isn’t happening in our city, or is only happening in certain neighborhoods,” said Rachel Lloyd, founder and executive direc-tor of Girls Educational and Mentoring Services, or GEMS. “But that’s not the real-ity. Girls as young as 13 are being sold on Craigslist every night, and then that same girl is often criminalized by law enforce-ment.”

Lloyd, 33, a U.K. native and herself a survivor of sexual exploitation during her teen years, started GEMS in 1999 as a one-woman advocacy campaign. In the decade since, the program has become one of the largest providers of services to youth subject to commercial sexual exploitation and sexual traffi cking within the United States. GEMS staffers engage in outreach on the streets and in residential and detention facilities. GEMS offers transitional housing, health-care, educational incentives, career training and Criminal Court advocacy.

“These aren’t kids who get an Amber Alert when they go missing,” said Lloyd,

author of the upcoming book “Acceptable Victims.” “Last year we served 280 girls from all over the fi ve boroughs. They all need support and love and a family.”

In addition to Lloyd and her staff, the extended GEMS family also includes Janice Erlbaum, author of the award-winning “Girlbomb: A Halfway Homeless Memoir.” The 39-year-old longtime Downtown resi-dent teaches a weekly writing workshop for GEMS members at the organization’s Harlem headquarters.

“Writing changed my life for the bet-ter, and that is what I want for these young women,” said Erlbaum, whose fi rst book spun the harrowing tale of her own toxic adolescence on the streets of Lower Manhattan.

In the moments before the GEMS anni-versary benefi t began, a handful of current members sat next to the poetry club’s small stage, snacking on pizza and cupcakes and bouncing in their chairs to the reggaeton beats of D.J. Jools Palmer.

Erlbaum, a former comedian and East Village art star, welcomed the audience with her succinct assessment of GEMS: “It works.” She introduced the opening act, singer Imani Uzuri, who entranced the crowd with a stirring a cappella per-formance. Uzuri dedicated her fi nal song, a cover of “I’m on a Long Journey Home,” to “strong women everywhere, including all of us” and led the crowd in an emotional singalong.

“There’s an African proverb that says, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ ” Uzuri said later. “The community is very important, and the GEMS organization is a loving, empow-ering community.”

Next, with some playful prodding from emcee Erlbaum, the fi rst GEMS girl was coaxed to the stage by enthusiastic cheers. Her hands lightly trembling, she read two poems from a dog-eared sheet of paper. Her second piece, called “Reality,” ended with

the words, “What’s the point of my fi ght? What’s the point of life?”

“’Cuz we love you, Jen!” came the imme-diate and full-throated response from a sis-ter GEMS member, followed by squeals of approval from the others. The young woman lifted her head proudly, smiled and made her way back to her seat, as if carried.

The fi nal performer, a self-possessed 21-year-old GEMS graduate who joined the program at 14, sang the hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” She concluded with the lyric “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free.”

After the show, dragging on a cigarette in front of the club, Lloyd’s eyes were moist with pride.

“Some women get to have one or two kids,” she said, on the cusp of Mother’s Day weekend. “But there are hundreds of girls that I’ve gotten to see fi nish high school, to start their fi rst job, their fi rst day at college, to grow up. I get to share in their lives. These are my babies. I love them.

“There are no longer open-air sex mar-kets on 13th St. or Chrystie St.,” she said, gesturing north, then south. “But it’s just as pervasive. It’s gone underground, indoors, online. It’s anywhere there’s a computer. It’s in these little second-fl oor nail salons on 14th St. It is happening on our blocks, near our homes. The work that GEMS is doing is vital and, with my big mouth, I want to talk about it with anybody who will listen.”

Photo by Andrew Marks

Janice Erlbaum hosting the recent GEMS benefi t at Bowery Poetry Club.

Helping sex-traffi cking victims learn to shine


Island’s princely activities at a pauper’s priceAs Leslie Koch described the packed

calendar for Governors Island starting this weekend, there was one word that she kept using over and over again: free.

“The boat is free, the programs are free, the green grass is free and on Friday the bikes are free,” said Koch, president of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp. “It’s a vacation without leaving the city.”

Governors Island, a seven-minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan, could be espe-cially attractive to budget-minded New Yorkers when it reopens for the season this Saturday with expanded programs and new park space. Opening day events include the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic, featuring Prince Harry, and a family festival with arts and crafts and theater perfor-mances.

Everything on the island is getting bigger this year, from the amount of space open to the public to the number of holes in the free artist-designed miniature golf course.

Cyclists and strollers will also have more room to stretch their legs this year, with the full perimeter of the island open for the fi rst time, and a total of 5 miles of car-free paths.

The new path will take visitors around to the previously closed south side of the island, where a new fi eld called Picnic Point will open this weekend. Dotted with pic-

nic benches — hammocks and swings are coming later this summer — Picnic Point is the closest place on land to the Statue of Liberty.

A week before the island reopened, Picnic Point was a vast sandy stretch with barely a blade of grass in sight. Workers were busy installing an irrigation system, and sod was slated to arrive in a few days, just in time for the opening.

Much of the work ended up happening last minute because of a dispute over fund-ing for the island that left its future in limbo for months earlier this year. Koch did not know until the beginning of April that the island would have enough money to open this summer, and she said it was a challenge to get the island ready in time.

More new public space is coming to the island later in the summer. Starting July 4 weekend, Water Taxi Beach is scheduled to open on what is now a vast, empty parking lot, bringing mountains of sand along with concerts, beer and views of the sun setting over the Lower Manhattan skyline.

Other events this summer include the three-day Figment art festival in June and City of Water day in July. The newly reno-vated Yankee Pier will also be open this summer, allowing historic vessels to dock on the island.

Ferries to Governors Island leave from the Battery Maritime Building at South and

Whitehall Sts. every half hour on Sat., May 30 and every hour on Sun., May 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. After that, the island will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

through Oct. 11. For more information, visit govisland.com.

— Julie Shapiro

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Leslie Koch, president of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp., hops on a bike. Starting this Saturday, the entire 2-mile perimeter of the island will be open to cyclists and walkers for the fi rst time, and free bike rentals will return on Fridays.


MIKE BLOOMBERG: STRONG, INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP TO KEEP NYC WORKING.

www.mikebloomberg.com

From Tottenville to Tremont, Mike Bloomberg is working hard to protect every neighborhood in all five boroughs — and that means fighting every day to keep the quality of life high for all of us.

Today, New York is the safest big city in America. Our streets are the cleanest they have been in more than 30 years. And with 3-1-1, help from the City is one phone call away. Paid for by Bloomberg for Mayor 2009


Go to www.DowntownExpress.com

BY PATRICK HEDLUND

STAYING STURDY?A handful of Downtown homes have

managed to buck the city’s ailing real estate market by posting impressive gains over the past two years, according to a recent rental market report.

In The Real Estate Group New York’s Manhattan Rental Market Report for May, the Financial District and the Lower East Side both showed increases over 2007 despite the market’s recent wavering.

In the Financial District, average rents for both doorman and non-doorman units went up by 2 percent over the two-year period, including a 13.23 percent uptick in prices for non-doorman studio apartments.

On the Lower East Side, average rents increased a total 4.57 percent since 2007, including a 21.53 spike in doorman two-bedroom rents and a 15.33 jump in doorman studio rents.

Tribeca saw its rental average slip slightly over the past two years, by 0.6 percent, despite a 22.42 percent gain for non-doorman studios and a 12.11 percent increase for non-doorman two-bedrooms. (All doorman units in the loft-heavy neighborhood dropped an

average of 13.17 percent since 2007.)Soho suffered the most — posting losses

in all categories — with a 5.77 percent falloff from 2007. Battery Park City also showed an average decrease of 6.89 across all unit types.

Average overall rents in all the neighbor-hoods dropped by 1.34 percent over the two-year period.

However, Soho and Tribeca both still have the most expensive average rents for doorman and non-doorman units across Manhattan.

STILL DROPPING?How low can it go? That’s the question buyers and sellers

have been asking themselves about the ever-unraveling Manhattan real estate market, which forced a formerly $40-million Nolita listing down to $26 million in less than nine months.

Industry insiders have predicted that drops of as much as 30 percent will need to occur before buyers start acting again, and it appears that sellers of the city’s ultra-luxe properties have taken that thinking to heart.

Take the $14 million discount at the afore-mentioned Candle Building at 11 Spring St., which represents a nearly 35 percent slash from its listing price last September.

The property — purchased from media scion Lachlan Murdoch in 2006 for $12 mil-lion before undergoing extensive renovations — was originally given a $39.8 million price tag when it hit the market last September,

according to the New York Observer. One global economic meltdown later,

and the 12,000-square-foot building’s three units are available for a bargain at $26 mil-lion total. (As a stand-alone, the building’s ground-fl oor triplex saw its asking price plummet by more than half, from $15.15 million to $7.5 million.)

Similar price reductions have occurred at other luxury Downtown buildings, including artist Julian Schnabel’s Palazzo Chupi in the West Village, which recently went rental after Schnabel cut prices for its triplex and duplex units from $32 million to $22 million and $19 million, respectively.

LEGAL ON WALL ST.A pair of law fi rms recently inked deals

to take over nearly 30,000 square feet on Wall St.

Gibson & Behman, P.C. signed a fi ve-year lease for 7,000 square feet, and Newman Fitch Altheim Myers P.C. signed a three-year lease for 22,100 square feet at 14 Wall St. in the Financial District.

The 37-story building, owned by Capstone Equities and The Carlyle Group, is located between Broadway and Broad St. across from the New York Stock Exchange.

“Given the strategic location of this land-mark property and its close proximity to the fi nancial and insurance industries, both of these distinguished law fi rms will ben-efi t from the synergy of the FiDi neighbor-hood,” Joshua Zamir, managing principal of Capstone Equities, said in a statement. “These are prime examples that 14 Wall St. has broadened its tenant base from predomi-nately fi nancial services fi rms.”

LE SOUK REPRIEVEThe saga of East Village nightclub Le

Souk took yet another turn last week when a court ruled to reinstate the much-maligned hookah bar’s hooch license following a revo-cation last year.

According to May 21 a decision by the

State Supreme Court Appellate Division, evidence of overcrowding at the embattled Avenue B nightspot was based on a “‘guess-timate’ that cannot constitute legal evidence” to support the license’s cancellation.

Le Souk has long proved a sore spot for residents living near the popular North African-themed bar, with a seemingly never-ending stream of noise complaints coming from its Alphabet City neighbors.

After Le Souk was cited for multiple violations in a January 2007 enforcement sweep, the club had its liquor license can-celled in March 2008 for an “extensive adverse history.” However, the bar’s owners appealed the decision, a challenge that was upheld in court due to the inaccurate inspec-tion of the space in 2007.

“We fi nd that testimony that patrons were standing ‘shoulder to shoulder,’ the only evidence proffered by the State Liquor Authority that the premises were overcrowd-ed, is insuffi cient to support the fi ndings that the petitioner violated” the rules, the court decision stated.

Additionally, the ruling cited inspectors’ failure to perform an adequate head count the night of the investigation, stating that “substantial evidence of a violation of occu-pancy limits cannot be based on testimony that cavalierly assesses groups of people on a ‘give or take’ ” basis.

Community Board 3 district manager Susan Stetzer, whose board has dealt with Le Souk for years, said she believed the club would reopen because they had reached out to a local block association to discuss the matter.

The club’s owners recently negotiated for a three-level space in the South Village on LaGuardia Place that formerly housed an Egyptian-themed bar, fueling speculation that Le Souk would be reopening there this summer.

News of the reinstatement originally appeared on the nightlife blog Down By The Hipster.

[email protected]

MIXED USE

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BY SAM SCHWARTZ

Dear Transit Sam,I saw your letter on EasyPayXpress, and I found it very

informative. I think it’s about time the M.T.A. let transit riders automatically replenish their MetroCards like drivers have been doing with E-ZPass for a decade or more. Now I’m considering enrolling in the program for my monthly MetroCard. However, I have a question. My employer offers Transit Checks, where we can get up to $230 in pre-tax benefi ts deducted from our paychecks per month. My question is; how would it work for automatic replenishment? Is there a way to tie that in with my paycheck so I can still get my pre-tax benefi ts?

Rob, Chambers St.

Dear Rob, Great question! Transit Check is a terrifi c way to save money

but I’m afraid it won’t work for most people who have their paychecks reduced by the cost of the MetroCard (thus saving on taxes). However, a few employers offer a Transit Check Quick Pay debit card, a prepaid Visa card that allows you to pay your rail or subway fares and cover commuter parking expenses. Any amount of money you have taken out of your pay, before taxes, each month, is credited to this account. If your employer doesn’t offer the QuickPay debit card, ask him or her to consider it. I’m going to check it out myself for my staff.

Transit Sam

Dear Transit Sam,I’m an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund,

and I just read your response on the idling question from last week. I am happy to tell you that traffi c enforcement agents recently received authority to issue tickets back in April (it was done by rulemaking by the Dept. of Finance, though it wasn’t really publicized like it probably should have been). To my knowledge, the T.E.A.’s have already undergone training on idling enforcement and can now give tickets for idling vio-lations. Also, the general police force and crossing guards will be trained on idling awareness and enforcement next week with E.D.F.’s help. Only consistent enforcement will send the

message to New York City drivers that curbside idling is no longer tolerated in our city. The three-minute law has been on the books for 38 years and has been virtually unenforced (as you pointed out). As a result, people have been unaware of the anti-idling law. In February, E.D.F. published a report on NYC idling effects (see www.edf.org/stopidling) showing that unnecessary curbside idling annually spews out as much smog-forming pollution as 9 million trucks driving from the Bronx to Staten Island. E.D.F.’s message to drivers is simple: When you are waiting at the curb — even if it’s only for a short period of time — turn your engine off!

Isabelle, Environmental Defense Fund

Dear Isabelle,Thanks for a great and informative letter. I think it’s ter-

rifi c traffi c agents can now write these summonses, although my informal poll of a few found that most professed to not know anything about it. I know lots of N.Y.P.D. offi cers and agents read Transit Sam. He’s hoping they get educated!

Transit Sam

Sam Schwartz, a former fi rst deputy commissioner of city transportation, is president and C.E.O. of Sam Schwartz Engineering, a traffi c engineering consulting fi rm to private and public entities including the Port Authority at the World Trade Center site. Email your questions to [email protected]

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EDITORIALPUBLISHER & EDITOR

John W. Sutter

ASSOCIATE EDITORJosh Rogers

ARTS EDITORScott Stiffl er

REPORTERSAlbert Amateau

Lincoln AndersonPatrick HedlundJulie Shapiro

SR. V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING

Francesco Regini

SR. MARKETING CONSULTANTJason Sherwood

ADVERTISING SALESAllison GreakerJeremy MarksJason Sparks

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OFFICE MANAGERDavid Jaffe

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTORTroy Masters

ART DIRECTORMark Hasselberger

GRAPHIC DESIGNERJamie Paakkonen

DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATIONCheryl Williamson

CONTRIBUTORSFrank R. Angelino Wickham Boyle

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PHOTOGRAPHERSLorenzo Ciniglio

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Downtown Express is published every week by Community Media LLC, 145 Sixth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10013 (212) 229-1890. The entire contents of the newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2009 Community Media LLC.

PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERRORThe Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The pub-lisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

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Too often, the current debate about continuing the mayor’s control of schools is talked about as if it were a ref-erendum on two men: Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. Both have been in charge of educat-ing more than 1 million public school children since 2002, when Albany gave the mayor real but temporary authority of the system.

That authority is set to expire on June 30, and Albany legislators are discussing ways to adjust or dismantle the current system.

Some parents, education advocates and Community Board 1 have a litany of criticisms of the current system and say the problems justify taking away Bloomberg’s power. While we share some, but not all of those criticisms of the mayor and Klein, taking away their clear lines of authority would be a mistake. Giving parents a more meaningful voice and adding transparency to the system are the only changes that are needed.

Measuring school improvement is far from a science, but reading and math scores are up and the schools do seem better.

Parents of high schoolers should remember when Mayor Giuliani and the Board of Education frequently quarreled over schools chancellors and education policy. These City Hall fi ghts began long before Giuliani. Each side always had an easy excuse: “It’s not my fault.”

The idea that you can separate politics or politicians from schools in New York is a fantasy. The difference is the public can now hold someone accountable.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has sug-gested some good ways to improve mayoral control. He would take the current Community Education Councils — free from the corruption that riddled many of the old school boards — and give them independence from the city Department of Education. Like the community boards, the councils would be trained and selected by the borough presidents and would have a formal role in commenting on proposed new policies and school zones. This role, in some ways similar to the “ULURP” land-use process, should help prevent the sudden education policy shifts we have seen too many times in recent years. Forcing D.O.E. offi cials to lis-ten to knowledgeable parents and answer questions should go a long way toward improvement.

We are not convinced that fi ve different borough presi-dents are the best people to oversee the community councils — the citywide-elected public advocate might be better — but regardless, giving the C.E.C.’s independence and more power makes sense.

State Senator Daniel Squadron, one of the sponsors of Stringer’s proposal, favors making D.O.E. more like a city agency. The intent is to leave school policy in the hands of the mayor and chancellor, but give the City Council inde-pendent review and more say over contracting procedures.

We hope Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver resists the calls in the Assembly to make the chancellor answer to a board with fi xed terms, because we have already had decades to see the problems that can create.

Silver, who has never hesitated to oppose Bloomberg, also wants to continue mayoral school control while empowering parents more and adding transparency. These ideas are on the right track and the Bloomberg administra-tion is quietly signaling it can support these adjustments.

City offi cials have drawn the line in the right place. They appear ready to accept independent reviews and more transparency, but they’re saying no to anything that shifts accountability. If we can’t hold the mayor accountable when there are problems, we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves.

Historic district is a gouda idea

To The Editor:Re “Fearing a rush to demo proposed

historic buildings” (news article, April 24 - 30):

As a boy growing up in small-town New Jersey, I dreamed of Bleecker St. and the music scene I never got to experience way back then.

So when, 20 years later, I found a little old cheese shop I could purchase and move to the corner of Cornelia and Bleecker, I did, and never regretted the fact that I would make my living as a cheesemonger, rather than a musician.

But if you had told me that I would someday not only own a business, but a commercial property and a condominium in this same South Village neighborhood, I would have laughed and said, “From your mouth to God’s ears.” But that’s what happened.

I may not like having any restric-tions on what I’m able to do with my property, nor would I seek to encumber others. Nevertheless, I would be very shortsighted indeed were I to claim that a good deal of my success came not only from hard work and good luck, but from the fact that our neighborhood is one of the world’s finest places to live and work, and attracts people from all over the world. And yet, it is not difficult to imagine it ruined through our col-lective failure to protect it now that we have the chance.

Rob KaufeltOwner, Murray’s Cheese

Communication breakdown

To The Editor:Re “Have hookah, will travel” (Mixed

Use, May 8 -14):Thank you for your Mixed Use men-

tion of State Liquor Authority/New York City licensing enforcement. To clarify: The community board does not investi-gate or enforce; we work with enforce-ment agencies.

The S.L.A. cannot enforce at loca-tions that do not have a license, and therefore cannot enforce after a license has been cancelled or revoked. The problem is communication breakdown between the S.L.A. and New York Police Department.

After a meeting following the incident described in Mixed Use, this communi-cation problem seemed to be rectified in Community Board 3. However, since then, we have lost our cabaret units at the Ninth Precinct, so the future of this communication is in danger.

For instance, in the Seventh Precinct, we recently lost both the commanding officer and the special operations lieuten-ant. Is there an officer in charge of local S.L.A. matters? Has anyone updated con-tact information with the S.L.A.?

With the loss of our cabaret units, we need to be even more concerned about this problem, the burden on the com-munity boards and the impact on the community.

Susan Stetzer District manager, Community Board 3

Don’t forget composting

To The Editor: Re “Ecology center recycles its message”

(news article, April 24 - 30):In your article on the Lower East Side

Ecology Center, you did not mention the very important fact that the L.E.S. Ecology Center recycles vegetable waste at its com-post collection site at the Union Square Greenmarket every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have been doing this for years. We always bring our compostable material here. It’s a good program but not publicized enough.

June Abrams

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Budget cuts threaten our libraries.

IRA BLUTREICH

Keep mayoral control, but with modifi cations


ARTS +GAMES art project was designed by an art specialist including clay, painting and jewelry design. School-age children; Free. Every Thursday through October 29th. 3.30-5.30 P.M. Nel-son A. Rockefeller Park, Battery Park City (access: Chambers) 212-267-9700 bpcparks.org

BABY LAPSIT PROGRAM Thursdays June 4 and 11, 10:30 a. m. Pre-registration needed. The New Amsterdam Branch Library, 9 Murray St. 212-732-8186

B.Y.O.K.-BRING YOUR OWN KID Bring your kids along for a concert of their own- great family fun and child-friendly music. $15. Randy Kaplan – May 31, 11 A.M. Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke – June 7, 11 A.M. 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson Street 212.601.1000 92ytribeca.org

CHILDREN’S BASKETBALL Play with adjustable height hoops for kids of all sizes, plus fun drills to improve your skills. Free. Mondays and Fridays through October 30. (except holiday week-ends) 3.30-4.30 P.M. for 5-6 year olds, 4.30-5.30 P.M. for 7&older. Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, Battery Park City, Lower Manhattan (access: Chambers Street) 212-267-9700 bpcparks.org

CONSTRUCTION DAY A fun, hands-on opportunity to learn a bit about the building process. Children are provided with a hard-hat, and working side-by-side with carpenters and builders, mea-sure, saw, hammer and mix cement, using real tools and safety

equipment. Ages 4 and older with an accompanying adult. Please wear sturdy shoes. No open toes. Free. May 31, 10.30 A.M. to 12.30 P.M. Pre-registration required. The Sandlot, Teardrop Park Battery Park City, Lower Manhattan (access: Warren or Murray Street) 212.267.9700. bpcparks.org,

DOWNTOWN SUMMER DAY CAMP Your child can enjoy the same enriching activities that country day camps offer with-out the stress of traveling out of the city every day on the bus. Camp combines a daily program with special events to give your child an exciting and varied camp experience. Kids K-6th grade. To register and for rates go to downtowndaycamp.com or call 212-766-1104 x250

FREE KIDS TENNIS CLINICS One-hour clinics with profes-sional tennis coaches from Bumble Bee Tennis. Four to six chil-dren per group. To sign up email [email protected]. Include child’s name, age and contact information. You will receive an email confirmation. Free. June 6th ( raindate June 13th) 9am: 4-5 year olds, 10am: 5-7 year olds - 2 groups, 11am: 8-10 year olds - 2 groups, 12 noon: 10-14 year olds. Washington Market Park - Park Tennis Courts located on Chambers Street between Greenwich and West Streets.washingtonmarketpark.org

KIDS PROGRAMS Fun ways to put children’s energy to good use. Kids are exposed to art, basketball, chess, cycling, explora-

tion, gardening, and music among other activities. Days, materi-als fees, and park locations vary. Battery Park City Parks Conser-vancy, Two South End Ave. 212-262-9700, bcparks.org

TEEN PROGRAMS Save teenagers from the boredom blues through classes on art, babysitter training, CPR, and environmen-tal activism. Days, materials fees, and park locations vary. Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, Two South End Ave. 212-262-9700, bcparks.org

PRESCHOOL PLAY AND ART Join other toddlers, parents and caregivers for interactive play on a grassy lawn. Toys, books and equipment provided. Free. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, through October 27 (except September 7 and October 12) 10 A.M- 12 P.M. Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park.212-267-9700 bpcparks.org

SUMMER ART COLONIES The Children’s Museum of the Arts announced that it will run a Summer Art Colony on Gover-nors Island and the at the CMA facility at 182 Lafayette Street in Soho for children ages 6 to 14. The two-week day camp sessions, led by professional artists, will begin on June 15 and run though September 4. CMA’s Summer Art Colonies allow children to spend their summers exploring nearly every art form in the fine, performing and media arts. The classes are structured to allow full immersion into art. For more information call 212-627-5766 or visit cmany.org

TODDLER PLAY GROUP Story time, play time and fun educational activities are all part of the Community Toddler Play Group for parents with their children. Foster your tod-dler’s imagination through history, science and maritime-themed activities using interactive materials and engag-ing book readings.$7 per child, free to family members, Every Wed. 1-2:30 P.M., South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St, 212.748.8786, southstreetseaportmuseum.orgTODDLER STORY TIME Babies from 18 months old to 3 years old and their parents/caregivers can enjoy great books, lively songs, and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. June 18 and 25, 10.30 A.M. Pre-registration needed. The New Amsterdam Branch Library, 9 Murray St. 212-732-8186

TEEN ENTREPRENEUR BOOT CAMP A program that gives teens the exciting learning experience that they need to succeed later in life. For more information, please go to teenentrepreneur-bootcamp.org

TEEN VOLLEYBALL All teens are welcome and no previous

experience necessary. Referee/Scorekeeper and Ball Provided. Presented by the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy. Saturdays, 4:30-6:30 pm. Community Center at Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers St., 646-210-4292

SUMMER CAMPS AT THE EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCE ART SCHOOL Top-Quality, Affordable Choices for Summer Fun. For dates and rates go to edalliance.org

WEEKLY FAMILY TOUR Every Sunday at 2 P.M., families will be able to explore the National Historic Landmark Eldridge Street Synagogue through a hands-on tour, guided play on our interac-tive history tables, and an art activity. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 children Museum of Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge St. 212-219-0888, eldridgestreet.org.

INTRODUCTORY ART WORKSHOPS Are you thinking about taking an art class, but not sure what you want to take? Come to the art workshops to try out a class before committing to a full course. And make an artwork to take home. Pottery, Cartooning, Drawing and Photo-grams $15 per workshop The Educational Alliance Art School 197 East Broadway 212-780-2300 x 428 edal-liance.org/artschool

MANHATTAN YOUTH’S DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY CEN-TER First spring catalog is now online at manhattanyouth.org. Join Manhattan Youth’s community center and take part in activi-ties such as swimming, ceramics, to toddler tumbling. Convenient hours and friendly staff120 Warren St. 212 766 1104,

YOUNG SPROUTS GARDENING Gardening program for children 3-5 years old. Simple gardening projects appropriate for preschoolers. Free. Tuesdays through October 27th. 3.15-3.45 P.M. Space limited-first come, first served. The Children’s Garden, Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, Battery Park City (access: Chambers Street) 212-267-9700 ext 348. bpcparks.org

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR EVENT IN THE DOWN-TOWN EXPRESS KIDS LISTINGS? Listings requests may be e-mailed to [email protected]. Please provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Information may also be mailed to 145 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-1548. Requests must be received two weeks before the event is to be published. Questions? Call 646-452-2507.

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Recreational Soccer for Fall 2009 Age appropriate skills training, FIFA recommended formats, supervision by licensed coaches – FUN club experience. Registration begins May 23rd. Tryouts for Travel Soccer Teams 2009 – 10 Competitive teams U10 – 18. Play in local leagues and regional tournaments. Tryouts take place in May: see websites for details. Academy Training U6 – 9 Serious skills training without the pressure of league play. Summer Camp: June 8 – August 21 Half- and Full- day options available: register by the week. Summer programs for Travel level players 2009 Weeknight training + weekend games. ALL PLAYERS welcome. DUSC Fratelsa Camp, July 20 – 24, players U10 – U14. DUSC Markovic Summer Academy, June 29 – July 2, for HS players. NEW! DUSC NORTH at Randalls Island Summer camp, Fall Travel and Academy teams.

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ZEHPYR Seaport Liberty CruiseRide in style, on a 1-hour cruise.SHARK Speedboat Thrill RideAn exhilarating 30-minute ride. Happy Hour on the HarborThurs—live DJ, drink specials, & giveaways. DJ & Dance CruiseThurs, Fri, Sat—some of today’s hottest DJs spin. Sat. Night Dance CruiseDance the night with rotating music nights.


BY SCOTT STIFFLER Who in their right mind would ever want

to escape the city for overhyped, overplayed, undeserving destinations like the Hamptons? If it’s a pleasant diversion you want, why go anywhere else? There’s a reason the world fl ocks to NYC (and it’s not that new pedes-trian mall in Times Square). No, it’s the culturally enriching, good times to be had by all — much of it happening within walking distance of the place you call home.

Whether you’re a restless resident on the prowl for something to occupy your already overstimulated urban mind — or charged with the daunting task of showing your out-of-town guests the best our city has to offer — Downtown summertime arts activities are sure bets in the quest to be enlightened and entertained.

To that end, here’s our totally biased, not nearly comprehensive (but still worth your while) compilation of area activities and events happening from now through the middle of the summer. They’re not arranged according to genre or date — and a select few aren’t even happening in what any reasonable person would consider part of Downtown. Drives you nuts, doesn’t it? Well, stop nitpicking and focus on something palpable to complain about — like NYC’s relentlessly oppressive July heat. Then remind yourself that, all things considered, you live in the greatest city in the world — and resolve to enjoy that rare privilege to its fullest.

Some of your favorite artists, activities or venues may be conspicuously absent — that’s why we’re encouraging our readers to submit their suggestions for worthy arts events to be featured in our mid-summer

through Labor Day “Summer in the City” arts edition (coming to you around mid-July). Email [email protected]. In the meantime, though, consider these art-ful offerings; and stay cool.

WALKS/READINGS: POET’S HOUSE On June 10th, Poet’s House presents

“Poetic City,” an evening of free outdoor readings and musical performances celebrat-ing the organization (whose 50,000-volume poetry library and literary center is moving to Ten River Terrace in Battery Park City later this year). In anticipation of their new loca-tion, they invite you to pack a picnic lunch and gather (at 7:00p.m.) at the pavilion in Nelson A. Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City, one block south of Chambers Street and River Terrace. Come early (6:00p.m.) to take a free Poetic Walking Tour of Battery Park City. Then, enjoy readings from Jane Hirshfi eld, Major Jackson, Ed Sanders, and Brenda Shaughnessy — as well as Joy Askew performing the music of groundbreaking vocalist and composer Meredith Monk.

Want to become a beloved supporter of Poet’s House? Their 14th annual “Poetry Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge” rewards deep-pocketed donors with the opportu-nity to witness readings in rare settings by distinguished poets and actors. The event starts in the park in front of the Municipal Building at One Centre Street (at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge). Along the way, poets Hettie Jones, Thomas Lux, Natasha Tretheway and Kevin Young pause to share famous poems inspired by the bridge. Upon arrival in Brooklyn, Pulitzer Prize-winning

Are you ready for the summer? Are you ready for the summer? Best bets for Downtown arts eventsBest bets for Downtown arts events

Continued on page 26

Photo by Adam Cantor

Proudly fl ying the Poet’s House fl ag



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26 downtown express

THE DOWNTOWN EXPRESS SUMMER 2009 ART PICKSMay 29 - June 4, 2009

poet Galway Kinnell will recite Whitman’s “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.” The proceedings conclude with a festive dinner at Bubby’s in Brooklyn (featuring a poetry reading by Bill Murray). June 8, 6:30p.m. to 9:30p.m; tickets begin at $250 (reservations required) and can be purchased by calling (212) 431-7920, x2211. Visit www.poetshouse.org.

THEATER: HEREWhat are the chances of encountering

two separate puppet works exploring the works of a famous American poet? Very, very good — at least if you show up at HERE for “A Night with Walt Whitman.” Bart Buch’s “Ode to Walt Whitman” fi nds two lonely puppets meeting in an online gay chatroom where their poetic dialogue contrasts with Whitman’s America (lov-ers and comrades) and Garcia Lorca’s America (machines and tears). Then, in Brian Selznick’s “Live Oak, With Moss,” the action takes place within a single suitcase — with puppets interpreting a sequence of Whitman love poems amidst fi re, fl oods and snow. Tickets are $20; 7:00p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, June 3rd through June 7th.

Also at HERE, two paranoid xeno-phobes try hard to keep the world at bay,

but only end up becoming objects of sus-picion in their own right. That’s the absurd premise of “machines machines machines machines machines machines machines.” Central to the curiously repetitive title are the extraordinarily complex machines onstage, which exercise maximum effort for minimum gain. Tickets are $20; June 2 through 27. For times and days or to pur-chase tickets, visit www.here.org. HERE is located at 145 Sixth Avenue.

ART: COURTROOM ARTISTS SALUTE NYPD

Three award-winning courtroom illus-trators who’ve made careers drawing the likes of Madoff, Manson and Gotti have turned their considerable talents towards the behind-the-scenes men and women who bring these offenders to justice. “The Police in Our Community” depicts mem-bers of the NYPD on routine patrol in the subway and on horseback— as well as images of rescue boats, police divers and offi cers securing USAir fl ight 1549 upon its spectacular landing in the Hudson. Artists Elizabeth Williams, Bill Robles and Aggie Kenny are the contributors. Once the exhibit closes, their drawings will be up for sale at a gala fundraiser to benefi t The New York City Police Museum (100 Old Slip, between Water St.; and South St.); Opens June 16th, runs through the

fall. For more information, visit www.nycpolicemuseum.org.

GALA: LEAP OF FAITHAs the 21st century dawned, a group

of artists and intellectuals took a bold leap of faith by gathering together to cre-ate “a new kind of Jewish community in Greenwich Village.” Ten years later, The New Shul is celebrating its fi rst decade. On June 3rd, their “Leap of Faith Gala Event” honors co-founders Holly Gewandter and Ellen Gould. Show up to help The New Shul move boldly into the future, as you cheer on Gould (not content to rest on her laurels, she’ll entertain with a performance from her Emmy Award-winning one-wom-an show). Wednesday, June 3rd, 7:00p.m. at The Museum of Jewish Heritage; 36 Battery Place. After the gala, continue the celebration with cocktails, dinner, a raffl e and a fair amount of spirited revelry at

Battery Gardens Restaurant (opposite 17 State Street). For more information, visit www.newshul.org.

OUTDOOR EVENT: THE BIG DRAWThe Drawing Center, inspired by the

wildly popular United Kingdom program “The Big Draw,” brings an Americanized version of the much-loved event to our shores. This fun, free, day-long celebra-tion of drawing encourages people of all ages to participate in artist-led projects which promise to change the way we think about creativity and self-expression. The three site-specific venues are all the mental motivation you need — provid-ing ample subject matter for your newly stimulated imagination. Pick up a free sketchbook and become inspired by The Bosque at Battery Park, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, or the World Financial Center Winter Garden. Visit www.drawingcenter.org or the website of the co-sponsoring organi-zation: www.RivertoRiverNYC.com and find all the information you need regard-ing location and logistics. As for the when, it happens 11:00a.m to 4:00p.m. on June 18th.

BENEFIT: ABOVE AND BEYOND DANCE

If you’ve ever dreamed of running away and joining the circus — or becom-ing a dancer — Above and Beyond Dance is for you. Their spring benefit party delivers drinks, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. The entertainment (equally appropriate for children and adults), will include “Rise ”— choreographed for two dancers on stilts and three dancers on the ground. The company will also present a sneak peek at a new work currently in

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Photo by Abbey Braden

Drawing in the great outdoors

Image supplied by the artist

“Transit” by Aggie Kenny; watercolor, 2008


downtown express 27

THE DOWNTOWN EXPRESS SUMMER 2009 ART PICKSMay 29 - 24, 2009

development, which explores the nature of personal strength through a power struggle between two dancer/gymnasts. As you may have guessed, Above and Beyond fuses dance and circus arts work. The proceeds of this benefit will support the company’s Fall season at The Flea Theater. May 31st, 6:00p.m.,at Murray Street Studio (19 Murray Street, btw. Church & Broadway). Tickets are $35. For reservations, call (917) 974-7216 or visit www.AboveAndBeyondDance.com.

ART: AMERICA’S CHINATOWN VOICES

Through August 8th, this outdoor event uses the fence encircling the Columbus Park as its canvas. Artists Nathalie Pham & Avani Patel will perpetually install and maintain dozens of panels where commu-nity people, children, artists and other New Yorkers can express themselves in writing and painted images. Presented by the Asian American Arts Centre, “America’s Chinatown Voices” gives those who call this corner of NYC home the chance to speak their mind, or just express their joy. Those expressions will be constantly updated — as each weekend, artists and volunteers will arrive to repaint the panels with comments from new participants.

For more information visit, www.nyc.gov/parks/art. Look for updates on www.artspiral.org. The Asian American Arts Centre is located at 26 Bowery, 3rd fl oor. For information on AAAC, call (212) 233-2154.

PUBLIC ART: A CLEARING IN THE STREETS

Amidst downtown Manhattan’s con-crete and asphalt, a fl owering meadow has begun to grow. It has nothing to do with opportunistic grass pushing through a cracked sidewalk—and everything to do with what was once a 60-foot deep fresh-water pond. Set in Collect Pond Park, “A Clearing in the Street” allows nature to reclaim a patch of the public plaza through the installation of a temporary landscape commissioned by the Public Art Fund. A ten-sided plywood structure houses a self-contained meadow, offset by a panoramic interior mural of a vast blue sky. From now through October, seeds and seedlings within that structure will evolve and fl ow-er. Visit and witness its progress through-out the summer; and know the materials used in its construction will eventually be recycled by neighborhood community gardens. For more information, visit www.publicartfund.org. Collect Pond Park is located on Leonard Street between Centre and Lafayette Streets.

ART: DIXIE FUN DANCE THEATREProving that the first step to hav-

ing a good time is to not take yourself (or your art) too seriously, Dixie Fun Dance Theatre presents “The Lonely, Post-Modern, Artsy-Fartsy Peep Show.”

They invite you to walk the red carpet in front of the Tribeca Cinemas and become part of a party that seems normal at first glance (food, drink, DJs). Then, walk a bit further and discover two inflated stages surrounded by booths. When prompted, enter a booth and see a short private

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Photo by Seong Kwon, courtesy of Public Art Fund

On view at Collect Pond Park


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Artsy-Fartsy dancer Katy Orthwein


28 downtown express

THE DOWNTOWN EXPRESS SUMMER 2009 ART PICKSMay 29 - June 4, 2009

performance by a solo artist. It may seem like you’re watching TV, but promises to be much more entertaining (thanks to the choreographers, singers and miscel-laneous funky entertainers pulling booth duty). From 8:00p.m. to 11:00p.m., June 24th through June 26th, at Tribeca Cinemas. (13 Laight Street). Tickets are $25, available in advance at www.dix-iefundance.com.

EVENTS: 2009 RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL

Summertime in Downtown Manhattan is defined by the definitive destina-tion event know as the “River to River Festival.” As culturally comprehensive and geographically expansive as its name implies, the Festival delivers a seriously stacked menu of free music, dance and cultural events beginning May 31st. and occurring at, among other places, the World Financial Center, South Street Seaport, Rockefeller Park, Battery Park, and Castle Clinton National Monument.

For a complete, incredibly dense and detailed programming schedule (plus all the details on events listed below), visit www.RiverToRiverNYC.com.

That might be a good idea, since some of the events require tickets (although all events are free). Meantime, though, here are some highly worthwhile highlights:

New York City Opera brings opera downtown with three distinct varied pro-grams for the opera novice and expert alike – in three different River To River venues from June 25 to 27.

The “Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre” series includes screenings of “The Seven Year Itch” (July 6) and “West Side Story” (July 20).

On June 13th,“Children’s Day at the Seaport” sees the return of this much-anticipated annual event. This year’s schedule includes Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine, The Seaport Express Train Ride and do-it-yourself creations at the Arts & Crafts Pavillion

Brasil Guitar Duo delivers a seamless blend of traditional and Brazilian works, making it one of the preeminent guitar duos of its generation. June 29th at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts.

Pay homage to the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock with Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra. They’ll play the music of Sly & The Family Stone on July 16 at Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park at State Street. Their special guests include legendary Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell, and an array of vocalists including Sandra Saint Victor and Shilpa Ray. Tickets will be distributed 2 per person, outside Castle Clinton on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 5:00PM on the day of the show.

Didn’t quite make it to Woodstock? Didn’t get your fill of Woodstock talent

on July 16? Richie Havens (July 23rd) and Arlo Guthrie (July 30) perform at Castle Clinton in Battery Park.

Famed Indian composer Karsh Kale and Timeline perform with GamelaTron, “The world’s first and only robotic Gamelan orchestra,” 9:00p.m., at the World Financial Center Winter Garden on July 21st.

In celebration of Merce Cunningham’s 90th birthday, The Joyce Theater is co-producing a Merce Cunningham Dance Company’s site-specific event — which celebrates the work of the legendary cho-reographer. August 1st at 6:00p.m, and August 2nd at 2:00p.m. and 6:00p.m., at Rockefeller Park.

In “Songs for a Shiny Hot Night,” John Kelly sings The Joni Mitchell Songbook at Castle Clinton in Battery Park at 7:00p.m. on August 6th.

Like your music loud and percussive? Get your fill of it, and more, with the 12-hour torrent that is the “Bang on a Can Marathon.” Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Bill Frisell, Tortoise, and “many others” will per-form works composed by Gavin Bryars, Michael Gordon, David Lang, Julia Wolfe and Evan Ziporyn. The marathon begins at 12:00p.m., May 31st, at the World Financial Center Winter Garden.

At the “American Ballroom Theater Colors of the Rainbow Team Match,” talented dancers from New York City public schools compete as they Fox Trot, Merengue, Rumba, Swing and Tango their way to the coveted Grand Prize. June 20, 1:00p.m and 4:00p.m., 220 Vesey Street - World Financial Center, Winter Garden

New York City Opera performs a one-hour version of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” featuring New York City Opera soloists and orchestra. This truncated version, sung in English (and packed with comedy and colorful costumes), is a great way to introduce opera to skeptical kids who may emerge from the experience as lifelong fans. June 25th, 7:00.pm., at Rockefeller Park; River Terrace and Warren Street.

ART: NIGHT PAINTINGSFor nearly twenty years, NYC resident

Tom Keough has focused on painting urban and country landscapes set in the hours after sundown. “Tom Keough: Night Paintings” is an exhibition of his recent works. Focusing on quiet NYC settings, Keough’s ominous yet melancholy vision of urban alienation will seem both familiar and strange to anyone who calls this dense-ly populated city home. Mysteriously empty streets, dark alleys and overlooked corners are transformed by the effects of man-made light and heaven-sent snow. Frozen in time and devoid of activity, they convey a sense of solitude normally achieved only in empty movie backlot visions of Gotham. Through July 31, at Hal Bromm Gallery; 90 West Broadway (at Chambers Street); 212-732-6196.


Downtown Express fi le photo by Milo Hess

Dancing at the South Street Seaport, 2008, River to River Festival

Photo by Steve Bates

Night Paintings, “16th St. and 6th Ave.,” 2001 (oil on canvas)

Photo by Bruce Silcox

From “Ode to Walt Whitman,” see THEATER: HERE, page 27


CLASSESADULT ART CLASSES Collage, Draw-ing, Painting, Photography, Pottery, Sculp-ture. Dozens of evening weekend and daytime classes. Ongoing, Educational Alliance Art School East Broadway 212-780-2300, ext. 378, 197 edalliance.org/artschool.

ADULT FITNESS PROGRAM Yoga at 9:15 A.M. on Mondays, Zumba at 7 P.M. on Mondays and Thursdays and Total Body Workout on Tuesdays at 9 A.M. Free trial classes, Downtown Community Center, 120 Warren St., manhattanyouth.org.

DANCE AND PILATES Ballet, jazz, tango, hip-hop, and modern dance classes offered for all levels. $16/class, discounts for multiples. Ongoing, Dance New Amsterdam, 280 Broadway (entrance at 53 Chambers St.) 2nd Floor. 212-279-4200, dnadance.org.

DOWNTOWN BOATHOUSE Offers a number of kayaking classes and trips for a variety of levels. Go to the Park office and get an identification card (cost $9), which is needed for any class in the park. Ongo-ing. 241 W. Broadway, 646-613-0740, downtownboathouse.org

N E W B E G I N N I N G S C H A I R YOGA Trinity Church’s seniors group meets for one hour of gentle yoga while seated 10-11 a.m. Ongoing. Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall St. 212-602-0747, trin-itywallstreet.org.

OPEN HOUSE FOR ADULT ART CLASSES Free demonstrations of art techniques. Learn about courses by talk-ing with teachers and seeing the stu-dios. June 10, 5:30 – 8 P.M. Summer art courses for adults begin June 22.Over 50 courses to choose from. From $145 to $295 for 6 to 8 week courses Educational Alliance Art School, 197 East Broadway 646-395-4236 edalliance.org/artschool

S U M M E R D E T O X & W E I G H T LOSS Free health talk from Dr. Lou Gregory about the right and healthy way to lose weight and keep it off just in time for summer. June 16, 7 P.M. Tribeca Chi-ropractic PLLC, 249 W Broadway 2B 212-226-6320

SUPPORT GROUP FOR FIRST-TIME MOTHERS Join parenting experts, Drs. Ann Chanler and Nancy Carroll-Freeman, and other new mothers to voice your thoughts and feelings and find support and encouragement. $25 per group. Thursdays 10-11 A.M. Tribeca Pediatrics, 46 Warren Street. 212-219-9984

WEIGHTWATCHERS Weekly meet-ings to help motivate you and keep you focused. Stop dieting and start living! Come and meet our friendly group and

new leader. From $9 per week. Tuesday afternoons at 3.30pm. Doors open from 3.00pm for weigh in. Caring Community Room, Level 2, 310 Greenwich St. Entry at side of building next to Washington Mar-ket Park.646-673-5096.

DANCE DANCEWAVE SPRING CELEBRATION Dancewave’s Kids Company, under the artistic direction of Diane Jacobowitz showcase their latest repertory work. $25 adults / $12 kids and teens 18 and under 2 P.M. June 7. Acclaimed modern dance choreographers, emerging artists, and special guests perform for the Fundraiser Concert to follow at 7 P.M. $75, $55, $40 / $20 kids and teens 18 and under. Tribeca Performance Arts Center 199 Chambers Street718.522.4696, www.dancewave.org

ZVIDANCE Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Launches the summer and the River to River Festival with the first of the series of site-specific performanc-es- “White” by ZviDance at the annual opening weekend of Governors Island. “White”, performed on Fort Jay, high-lights its historical significance and eerie sense of abandonment in a provocative and unexpected way. Free. May 31, June 6, 7, 13. 3.30 and 4.30 P.M. Fort Jay, Gov-ernors Island. Governors Island Ferry-Bat-tery Maritime Building at 4 South Street. 212-219-9401 ext 118 lmcc.net/sidelines

EVENTS FREE HEARING SCREENINGS AT THE LEAGUE FOR THE HARD OF HEAR-ING Every Wed. from 12-2 P.M. and every Thurs. from 4-6 P.M.. Call or email to schedule an appointment. LEAGUE FOR THE HARD OF HEARING, 50 Broadway, 6th Fl. 917-305-7766, [email protected].

VOLLEYBALL AFTER WORK Leave your workday behind and join other adults for good-natured, fun and cooperative pick-up games of volleyball on the beau-tiful outdoor Esplanade Plaza. Everyone gets to play! No experience necessary! Free. Esplanade Plaza (access: Liberty Street) Wednesdays, June 3 through September 30. 6 P.M. to 7.30 P.M. 212.267.9700 bpcparks.org

SOUTHBRIDGE TOWERS COMMUNI-TY YARD SALE will take place 10 A.M –5 P.M.on June 4, 5 and 6 in the courtyard off Fulton & Pearl streets.

EXHIBITS BLACK & WHITE WORKS The group exhibition will highlight a diverse range of black & white artworks in varying media. Opening Reception: June 6, 6-8 P.M. Ron-

ald Feldman Fine Arts, 31 Mercer Street, 212.226.3232 feldmangallery.com

BEAUTY SURROUNDS US Featuring an elaborate Quechua girl’s dance outfit, a Northwest Coast chief’s staff with carved animal figures and crests, Seminole turtle shell dance leggings, a conch shell trum-pet from pre-Columbian Mexico, and an Inupiak (Eskimo) ivory cribbage board. Two interactive media stations show visi-tors in-depth descriptions of each object. Ongoing through March 2010. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, One Bowling Green, 212-514-3700, nmai.si.edu

BITTER SWEET BY ARLENE GOT-TFRIED This collection of Gottfried's work, which reflects the intricacies of the street photography genre today, blurs the lines of conceptual and documentary pho-tography in her mix of personal and public musings of New York City and its people. June 2 through July 4, opening reception June 2, 6-8 P.M. Gallery Hours: Wednes-day thru Sunday, 1-6 P.M., and by appoint-ment. 15 White Street. 212.662.5532 Sohophoto.com

J O H N K E L LY - T H E M I R R O R STAGES:SELF PORTRAITS 1979-2009 An unknown area of artistic expression of an enigmatic performance artist is presented in the from of self- por-traits-drawings, paintings, photographs and video. Through June 26. Alexander Gray Associates.526 W 26th Street. 212-399-2636. alexandergray.com

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK As Manhattan’s oldest surviving building, 54 Pearl Street has witnessed nearly 300 years of the city’s history. Ongoing. $4, $3 seniors and children under 18, and free to children under six. Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl St. 212-425-1776, frauncestavernmuseum.com.

SOUTH STREET: PHOTOGRAPHS BY BARBARA MENSCH After 180 years in the area, the Fulton Fish Market relo-cated to the Bronx in 2005, in some ways signaling the area’s complete transforma-tion. Mensch brilliantly photographed the area and its inhabitants, particularly the longshoremen, many of whom she came to know and whose trust she gained. Free through August 2009 South Street Seaport Museum 12 Fulton St (bet Front & South Sts). 212-748-8786, southstsea-port.org.

RE:CONSTRUCTION Bridges the efforts of public partners and the creative community to improve the quality of life in Lower Manhattan through the creation of places of attraction. The three-pilot proj-ects are “Best Pedestrian Route” (John St, east of Bway), “Fulton Fence” (Fulton St east of Bway), and “Concrete Jungle” (Bway, bet. John & Ann Sts). Ongoing, see reconstructionnyc.org

PEACE AND LOVE GROUP EXHIBI-TION Jennifer Jo Contini: Downtown Girl. Contemporary Expressionist Painter leads Group Art Exhibition in TriBeCa. Pro-ceeds of the art sold benefit the Gilda’s Club NY – a cancer charity. June 4. 5-7 P.M. Peace & Love Café in TriBeCa, 378 Greenwich St. 917.952.0708

T O M K E O U G H N I G H T PA I N T-INGS The works invite viewers to experience the urban community and the landscapes beyond it with a vision that is both familiar and strange. Free Admission through July 31 Meet the artist on June 6 and 13.Hal Bromm Gallery, 90 West Broadway 212-732-6196

TREASURES OF A PRESIDENT: FDR AND THE SEA This exhibition—a joint effort of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and the South Street Seaport Museum—presents treasures from FDR’s naval and maritime collection and explores what they tell us about Roosevelt’s connections to ships and the sea. $10, $8 Seniors/Students, $5 Children ages 5-12 Ongoing, South Street Seaport Museum 12 Fulton St. 212-748-8786 southstreetseaportmuseum.org

UNICA ZÜRN: DARK SPRING The first major museum exhibition in North America devoted to the work of the late German

artist and author. The exhibition will fore-ground the role of drawing in Zürn’s artistic career and will bring together for the first time nearly 40 ink and watercolor works on paper spanning from the early 1950s to the artist’s tragic suicide in 1970. Free through July 23, The Drawing Center, 35 Wooster St. 212-966-2976, drawingcenter.org

WOMEN OF WALL STREET An exhi-bition showcasing notable women in the world of finance and Wall Street, both historically and in modern times. Opening reception June 9, 5.30- 7 P.M. Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall Street, 212.908.4110 financialhistory.org

MUSIC COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG An old-fashioned community sing-a-long open to all: no singing experience required. Songs will range from folk and campfire songs to chants, pop tunes, and world music. Free, with a $5 suggested donation. June 1, 6 P.M. St. Paul’s Chapel, Broadway door at Broadway and Fulton. 212-602-0800 trin-itywallstreeet.org

SUNSET SINGING CIRCLE An oppor-tunity for people to get together and sing in a casual and welcoming atmosphere. Free Every Friday in May and June 5, 12

and 26, 7 – 8:30 P.M Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, 2 South End Ave. 212-267-9700, bpcparks.org

WASHINGTON SQUARE MUSIC FES-TIVAL Free outdoor classical and Music of the Americas concert series, celebrates its 51st season by presenting Stravinsky Plus: two exciting evenings of great music per-formed by musicians who regularly play in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Metropol-itan Opera & New York City Ballet orches-tras and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Free. June 5 and 19, 8.30 P.M. St. Joseph ‘s Roman Catholic Church, 371 Sixth Avenue at Washington Place. 212-252-3621 wash-ingtonsquaremusicfestival.org

THEATERHOSPITAL 2009 Axis Company's epi-sodic play HOSPITAL examines the inte-rior life of a man in a terminal coma. The audience travels with him as he lives out his last few days roaming dark interiors of his own brain. Although HOSPITAL is a serial play, each evening is a self-contained, short play. $12 for Adults $6 for Seniors/Students June 11 – July 25, Thursday – Saturday 8 P.M. (Each episode

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The Museum is closed Saturdays

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 10 | 7 P.M.Freedom SongsMuseum favorites Joshua Nelson, NeshamaCarlebach, and the Green Pastures Baptist Choir join forces for the first time for an uplifting concert of music inspired by Jewish and African-American traditions.

$20, $15 students/seniors, $10 members

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 24 | 7 P.M.We Remember with Reverence &Love: American Jews & the Myth of Silence After the Holocaust, 1945-1962 (NYU Press, 2009)

Hasia Diner, Professor, American Jewish History,New York University

$5, free for members

WEDNESDAYJUNE 17 | 7 P.M.Fourth AnnualNew York’s Best EmergingJewish Artists

Hosted by comedian Johnny Lampert

Featuring indie rock bands DeLeon and Girls inTrouble, comedian Ray Ellin, storytellers SarahSaltzberg and Boris Timanovsky, and a short film by DJ Lubel.

Come see a new line-up of the best local Jewish talent, followed by an after-party on the terraceoverlooking New York Harbor.

$25, $20 members Ticket price includes open bar at after-party

Co-sponsored by the Young Friends of the MuseumRefreshments are courtesy of Manhattan Beer Distributors

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runs for two weeks, except the final epi-sode, which runs for only one weekend.)Axis Theatre. One Sheridan Square (just off 7th Avenue, accessible from the 1/9 train at Sheridan Square) 212-352-3101 AxisCompany.org.

SUMMERWORKS FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS Obie-Award winning Clubbed Thumb proudly presents Sum-merworks 2009, their 14th annual fes-tival of new plays. The festival’s three shows will run Sundays-Saturdays 8 P.M.(except Wednesdays). Punkplay written by Gregory Moss and directed by Davis McCallum, plays June 7 - 13, Precious Little, written by Madeleine George and directed by Hal Brooks, plays June 14 – 20 and Telethon, writ-ten by Kristin Newbom and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll, plays June 21 – 27. $18 (adult), $15 (student) theaterMa-nia.com, 212-352-3101 for tickets.

June 3 to 27, Ohio Theatre, 66 Wooster Street (between Spring & Broome) 212-802-8007 clubbedthumb.org.

S H A K E S P E A R E ’ S T W E L F T H NIGHT Queens Shakespeare makes its Manhattan debut with an encore engagement of it acclaimed produc-tion of William Shakespeare’s roman-tic comedy classic. $15. June 17-27, Wednesday-Saturday 7 P.M., Saturday matinees 3 P.M. The Flea Theater- 41 White Street (between Broadway & Church) 212-352-3101 theflea.org

TOMANDO CAFE theatrical scrap-book of a black Puerto Rican woman’s family in the 1950s, told through magical realism, storytelling, myth, poetry and music, with a liberal dose of strongly brewed coffee. Written, composed and performed by Subway Diva Rosateresa Castro-Vargas. Gen-eral admission $12. June 11-28 Thurs.-Sat. 8 P.M Suns 3 P.M. Theater for the New City 155 First Avenue (between

9th and 10th Streets) 212.254.1109 theaterforthenewcity.net.

READINGS AND TALKS

WE REMEMBER WITH REVERENCE AND LOVE:AMERICAN JEWS AND THE MYTH OF SILENCE AFTER THE HOLO-CAUST Author Hasia R. Diner will discuss her compelling book, bringing new insight to the topic of the indifference of American Jews to the atrocities of the Holocaust. $5, free for members. Get tickets online or call 646.437.4202. June 24, 7 P.M. Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place 646-437-4339 mjhnyc.org

TOURS CLASSROOM WITHOUT WALLS - WALKING TOURS by Rick Landman,

law and urban planning professor, who gives individualized tours to suit your group’s needs. Sample Tours at: infotrue.com or contact: [email protected]

GOURMET WALKING TOUR OF TRIBECA Visit Tribeca’s most delight-ful gastronomic destinations. Stop at gourmet stores, wine and cheese shops, bakeries and more. Taste samples and get an inside look at new products. Fran-cine Segan, noted food historian and guides the tour. $25. June 19, 11 A.M.- 1 P.M. Meet at 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson Street at Canal Street. 212.601.1000 92ytribeca.org

PUBLIC ART WALKING TOURS LMCC offers a series of three self-guided audio tours exploring public art downtown. Titled “Art and Security,” “Art and the Body,” and “Monuments and Memory,” the 45-minute tours are narrated by Perry Garvin and William Smith. Download the free tours to your iPod or other MP3 player and start walking. lmcc.net

TRIBUTE WTC 9/11 Walking tours of Ground Zero. Daily. VISITORS CENTER, 120 Liberty St. For hours and info, visit tributewtc.org.

WALL STREET WALKING TOUR Free 90-minute guided walking tour weaving together the history, events, architec-ture and people of downtown. Thurs. and Sat. at noon. Meet at the steps of the National Museum of the American Indian. One Bowling Green, Alliance for Downtown NY, 212-606-4064, down-townny.com

M U S E U M A T E L D R I D G E STREET Guided tours led by historian-trained docents tell the story of the 1887 landmark synagogue, and illuminate the experience of the East European Jew-ish immigrants who settled on the LES in the late 19th century. Sun.-Thurs., 10 A.M.-4 P.M. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 chi ldren Museum Of E ldr idge Street, 12 Eldridge St. 212-219-0888, eldridgestreet.org

LAST CHANCE

EDWIN SCHLOSSBERG: AT THE MOMENT The exhibition features paint ings that combine text and abstract images on aluminum panels and investigates the boundaries of per-ception and interaction. Free. Through May 30, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, 31 Mercer St. 212-226-3232 feldmangal-lery.com

LISTINGS REQUESTS for the Down-town Express may be mailed to Listings Editor at 145 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-1548 or e-mailed to [email protected]. Please include listings in the subject line of the e-mail and provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Information must be received two weeks before the event is to be published. Questions? Call 646-452-2507.

THE LISTINGSListings

continued from page 29


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