DOWNTOWN EXPRESS, SEPT. 11, 2014

VOLUME 27, NUMBER 7 SEPTEMBER 11-SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

1 METROTECH • NYC 11201 • COPYRIGHT © 2014 NYC COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC

Editor’s Letter

BY JOSH ROGERS

The funny thing is the inevitable World Trade Center briefi ngs every September didn’t seem much dif-ferent this year.

The optimism was the same, so was the mutual admiration, the con-gratulations, and all of the talk of working well together.

The difference this year is there was much more truth to many of the proclamations.

For the fi rst time since the 2001

attack, part of the 16-acre site is open to the public, thanks to the opening of the 9/11 Museum in May. Yes, the memorial plaza opened three years ago, but the ticketing system denied strolling residents, commuters and the wandering tourist access to the site.

For better or worse — and some nearby residents say things have recently gotten worse — a large part of the site is now open.

“It is no longer a plan for the future, it’s a real place,” architect

Daniel Libeskind, who developed the site plan, said Tuesday at a briefi ng in 4 World Trade Center.

Libeskind, a Downtown resident who defi nitely doesn’t agree with some of his naysaying neighbors, said he walks through the memorial almost every day to get from his home to his offi ce.

But surprisingly, even with the addition of roughly eight acres of

The change is real this year at the World Trade Center

Downtown Express photo by Milo Hess

It continues to get busier around One World Trade Center, which offi cials hope will open this year.

Continued on page 6

THE GENERATIONTHAT BARELY

REMEMBERS 9/11BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC

Sophia Gasparro was in pre-school when the planes hit the Twin Towers 13 years ago.

“I think it is a really inter-esting thing to grow up in the aftermath,” said Gasparro, now a 16-year-old senior at Millennium High School. “I feel it is a real thing around all the time.”

Gasparro lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, but wanted to go to high school in the Financial District. Millennium High School was found-ed in 2002 after 9/11 to bring youth back into the neighborhood, she said in a phone interview, and the school’s mascot is a Phoenix, the mythical creature that rises from the ashes.

Her family spends Sept. 11th with her mother’s good friend, who lost her firefighter husband that day. Gasparro says that even when she goes to college next fall, she will make sure to call her mom’s friend.

She and three of her friends at Millennium spoke to Downtown Express about their views on 9/11 — all said they had vague memories of it in separate phone interviews, even though they were only 3 or 4 at the time.

Gasparro is interested in study-ing international relations and said that the events of 9/11 are pres-ent when they talk about the U.S. Patriot Act or the Iraq war in her history and government classes.

Deena Finegold, 17 and a senior, was also at preschool on 9/11. Her father had dropped her off at school and was going to drive her mother to work in the Financial District — her office building was right across from the Twin Towers. While on the

Continued on page 19

2 September 11-September 24, 2014 DowntownExpress.com

WHAT’S BREWING IN W.T.C. RETAIL?

The old World Trade Center retail area was the most profitable per square foot in the country, and many Downtowners have been waiting for its return for over a decade.

We’re sorry to deliver bad news on that front. Even though part of the transit hub’s retail area is already open to the public, John Genovese, senior vice president of Westfield World Trade Center — the firm recruiting tenants for the mall — told us this week that the company will wait until the entire hub is open, and will not open any sections early.

That means the retail opening is over a year away, but given the well-chronicled delays at the $4 billion station designed by Santiago Calatrava, we conceivably could have a new president before anyone does any shopping there (and yes, we think it’s a safe bet that President Obama will not be impeached and removed from office before 2017).

Meanwhile it’s not just the residents who are anxious for stores. During his presentation to Community Board 1 on progress at 3 and 4 W.T.C., Malcolm Williamsof Silverstein Properties included a slide of a New York Post clipping suggesting that Eataly would be opening at 4. Williams suggested it was much more than an idle rumor.

At the same meeting, Glen Guzi of the Port Authority, which is essentially Westfield’s landlord, claimed to have no inside info, but he also said, “I guarantee you’ll have a couple of options for Starbucks for sure.”

Genovese laughed when we told him of the guarantee, but made no promises there’d be any Venti Lattes at the W.T.C. The only bean

he threw our way was that someone there would be selling coffee.

TRIBECA DRONE REPORT If you live in New York City,

chances are you’re not afraid of a drone strike as much as some-one living in, say, Pakistan. Robert Gluckstadt at least wasn’t until last weekend, when he says he had his own encounter with one of the high-flying vessels that “could have killed him.”

He told us he was reading a book in the park in front of the Citibank building on Greenwich St. near his Independence Plaza apartment last Sunday morning. All of a sudden a drone “fell out of the sky,” he said.

He said the drone sounded like a lawnmower when it hit a near-by tree. “But it was not dead,” he added. “It made a tremendous racket on the ground trying to right itself like a wounded animal” for ten minutes.

Disturbed by the spectacle, he told a security guard for the nearby bank headquarters to call the police, which the guard and his supervisor refused to do even as the two pilots of the drone came running.

With the leverage of a little piece of the drone that he had picked up, Gluckstadt said he then convinced one of the two men to accompany him to the First Precinct, where the officer on duty simply told the drone’s owner to be more careful in the future and didn’t even take his ID.

“I was upset, as I usually am when I talk to the police,” he said. “Apparently the operators of the drone weren’t breaking any laws….

“If it was a Monday morning, somebody may have been hurt.”

It was not clear what the men were doing with the drone.

STREET CLICKING MANPhotographer Scot Surbeck, a

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Do you remember when _____________ happened downtown?...We do. Visit our archives at Downtownexpress.com

I N P R I N T O R O N L I N E

W W W. D O W N T O W N E X P R E S S . C O M

September 11-September 24, 2014 3DowntownExpress.com

Gina Gibney has devoted her-self to the Downtown dance scene since 1991 when she started her first studio at 890 Broadway in Flatiron. She has since expanded. Now, Gibney Dance has taken over the former Dance New Amsterdam space at 280 Broadway near City Hall, and is renovating it. Gibney sat down with Downtown Express on Thurs., Sept 4, to talk communi-ty, choreography and construction.

Interview has been condensed and edited.

—DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC

You’ve expanded from one studio to three to eight. Why take on 280 Broadway?

There are some practical reasons for us and there’s the larger rationale for the [dance] fi eld. There are many things that we were not really able to do at 890 Broadway given the profi le of the building. Within this new confi guration, we’re able to hone 890 Broadway to be a choreographic center. It is not a good place for really large classes, for really large public assemblies, for performances. So this did give us the opportunity to venture into those areas that we’ve always been interested in. I think there was a certain amount of confi -dence in our organization because we had managed to do these expansions [before].

I, for one, and I think that I speak for the field, did not want to see this space lost. So there was a sort of urgency to it, given the time pressures that someone needed to step up.

What are the opportunities and challenges of taking over DNA’s former space?

[We want] to really expand the number of classes that we’re offer-ing. We went from having about three classes a week to now […] probably having 60 classes a week. And that’ll continue to grow.

Another really obvious thing, which is completely new for us, is the whole realm of presenting dance. We didn’t do that before and we’re making our first venture into that very soon. We will not only have one theater here, but we will have two more performing spaces.

Studio C is our newly combined extra large studio. So it will be a class space by day, but at night it will be a really beautiful memorable studio theater.

We’re also making a perfor-mance lab downstairs. It will be ground floor, perfect for instal-lations, immersive performances, film screenings, just all kinds of really novel performances can happen down there for small a u d i e n c e s . Having it on the ground f loor is just unbelievable. Having been in a really beautiful building at 890 that is incredible but kind of sequestered, to have something on the ground f loor is

just like shouting.

Describe the renovations at 280 Broadway.

We’ve taken two thirds of the office space and repurposed it. We’re not going to have a lot of office space. There is going to be a community action hub and that I know is a first. That is, I think, the first time that there has been a designated space for communi-ty action training and community action mobilization within a dance center in New York City. We do a lot of work in shelters with domes-tic violence survivors that will give them a platform and springboard for that work.

The other thing is mining the nooks and crannies of this building. It’s so ripe. This room, sure it could

be a conference room just for our own purposes, but it’s going instead to be programmed as a learning and leadership studio. Some of the nuts and bolts of a having an artistic career will really be covered in this room.

The other thing that we’re really excited about is the back of the

space, there was a kind of lounge area, and we’re

converting that into a digital technology

workroom and recording studio. It’ll be a place

where you can go and have access to

a really great com-puter that is really supped up with all

kinds of great soft-ware.

And then we’re look-

ing at things like could we use the lobby as a sort of PT [physical therapy] area where people can go back and stretch. Can we use a little lobby, could we have com-puter-charging stations, could we have a little high countertop with benches so you could go there and work on your labtop.

Will the Lower Manhattan com-munity be able to utilize some of these resources?

Absolutely. We’re really hoping to draw in — there are a lot social service organizations in Lower Manhattan and in fact our primary partner, Sanctuary for Families, is down here. Also, this is a place for the neighborhood. We are real-ly trying to build offerings: yoga, absolute beginning dance classes,

performing spaces.

Will the renovations be com-plete by October?

Many of them. All the work that has been needed to be done to repurpose office space and studio space is completed on the second floor. The digital media rooms are not complete yet. The downstairs will be completed by the end of September. So, on Oct. 1, all of our spaces should be up and running except the digital technology space. Our grand opening party is Oct. 30th at 6 p.m.

This was a big week for us. Yesterday [Wed., Sept. 3] was the first day of classes in studio C. It was amazing. We had a class at 10 o’clock that had 64 people in it. That’s huge. I think that’s probably one of the biggest dance classes I’ve ever seen. It was pretty moving.

How do you feel the dance scene Downtown has changed?

I think we were at risk for a while. In that whole Flatiron area, there used to be a lot of dance stu-dios and slowly, over the past few decades, they just left. So much of dance has moved out into the other boroughs, which is great.

I think there is a real thirst for being in Manhattan. I am also really excited about being in this neighborhood in a time when the World Trade Center Performing Arts Center is going to be coming up. I am really excited about the growth of Tribeca; the proximity to Chinatown is incredibly exciting to me.

I also love the political activism of this neighborhood. I’ve had more contact with the community board and with the local politicians since January than I’ve had in the entire 20 years in [the Flatiron] neighbor-hood.

How would you describe your choreography?

I think it really is about explor-ing a situation in life, exploring a part of what it is to be human. I love the duet form because I love to see how two bodies and two minds interact. I could spend all of my time just watching two people mov-ing in space.

lations, immersive performances, film screenings, just all kinds of really novel performances can happen down there for small a u d i e n c e s . Having it on the ground f loor is just unbelievable. Having been in a really beautiful building at 890 that is incredible but kind of sequestered, to have something on the ground f loor is

space, there was a kind of lounge area, and we’re

converting that into a digital technology

workroom and recording studio. It’ll be a place

where you can go and have access to

a really great com-puter that is really supped up with all

kinds of great soft-ware.

And then we’re look-

On The Spot Gina Gibney

Downtown Express photo by Dusica Sue Malesevic


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TRIBECA MUGGINGAn 18-year-old Brooklyn man

was with his 17-year-old girlfriend Monday afternoon in Tribeca when two men punched him in the head, causing a bump. Police say the pair then stole his $100 Eddie Bauer book bag, Beats headphones worth $200, and $40 in cash.

The two men fl ed east from the corner of Canal and Varick Sts. after the theft at 4:45 p.m. on Mon., Sept. 8.

PLUNDER OF PERFUME STOPPED

Two women attempted to fi lch over $300 worth of perfume from a Sephora at 150 Broadway in the Financial District last weekend, police say.

A member of the store’s loss pre-vention saw the two suspects take the bottles of perfume from a display rack and stuff them in their purses on Sat., Sept. 6 at around 5 in the after-noon, cops say. When the 34-year-old male Sephora employee approached the two women, they proceeded to

punch him several times in the right arm. Police arrested the two women — one 28, the other 33.

CUFFLINK CAPERA 69-year-old man and his wife dis-

covered that someone had entered their apartment on Franklin St. in Tribeca through an unlocked fi re escape win-dow and ransacked their bedroom.

The thief made off with $38,000 worth of cuffl inks, eight pairs total, sometime between Thurs. afternoon on Aug. 28 through Tues., Sept. 2. Police say there were no signs of forcible entry. The pricey accessories included 3 pairs of Cartier gold cuffl inks and one pair of Bulgari gold enamel cuffl inks.

SNEAKY IN PINK A man wearing a pink shirt

approached a 53-year-old Queens woman this week and claimed that he was an illegal immigrant without a bank account and needed help cashing a $50,000 check.

She agreed to deposit the check. First, though, the suspect convinced the woman to take out $1,600 from

her bank account on Mon., Sept. 8 around noon at 325 Hudson St. in Hudson Square. After the money was withdrawn, he asked the woman to get him a Motrin from a nearby pharmacy. When she returned to the bank, the sus-pect and the money were gone.

CAR BREAK-INA rental vehicle with Quebec

plates was broken into on Greene St. in Soho on Sun., Sept. 7 between 11:30 a.m. and noon.

When the driver returned to his car, the back driver’s side window was smashed and his Canadian pass-port, Dell laptop, iPad, Tumi back-pack, wallet, eyeglasses and cred-it cards were gone — worth over $5,500. The 56-year-old Manhattan resident cancelled his credit cards. Police did not identify the car model.

CITIBIKE STOLENPolice say a 16-year-old male stole

a CitiBike from a docking stand at Pearl St. and Maiden Lane in FiDi at 2 p.m. on Thurs., Aug. 28. A Sixth Precinct offi cer observed the suspect

riding the blue bike on W. 14 St. and arrested the teen after conferring with a CitiBike representative, who said the $1,200 bike was stolen.

The offi cer then found a small amount of marijuana. Police did not say why the teen was originally stopped.

PURSE GRAB IN HUDSON RIVER PARK

While sitting on a bench near Watts St.in Hudson River Park, a 50-year-old Brooklyn woman lost her purse with about $1,000 worth of property when two people came up behind her and grabbed it from her hand at 8:10 p.m. on Wed., Aug. 27, police said.

Inside the leather handbag was her wallet, iPad, Samsung Galaxy phone, gloves, cosmetics, monthly MetroCard and $70 in cash. Her debit cards were cancelled in time and there were no unauthorized charges.

— DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC

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A new World Trade Center

public space, the crowds and congestion have increased.

Some of that is due to the opening of the museum, which has drawn nearly one million people in its first four months.

But much of the crowd problems are because of a tight chokehold on the site’s access points.

The Port Authority, which owns much of the site, promised a little bit of relief Monday night at a Community Board 1 briefing.

Regarding the mass competition for space on Vesey St. between PATH com-muters, subway riders and residents — the “Vesey Squeezey,” as this paper has dubbed it — the Port’s Glen Guzi said there will be a little more room on the side-walk probably in about four weeks or so, when space opens up near the Post Office building across the street.

But the usually affable and accom-modating Guzi did not offer resident Mary Perillo any hope about opening up Greenwich St. to pedestrians soon.

“The quick answer is no,” Guzzi told her at the meeting, saying there is too much nearby construction to allow the street to open soon.

Afterwards, a disappointed Perillo said even though you had to walk up stairs to cross the W.T.C. at Greenwich before 9/11, it was still a well-used walkway.

“We all went up the stairway to get through it,” she told me. “It would be nice if 11.5 million tourists had somewhere to go.”

Scott Rechler, the Port’s vice chair-person, said at the Tuesday briefing that

they always look to open things early, but Greenwich St. would be difficult before the opening of the permanent transporta-tion hub, expected by the end of next year.

At least a few observers were scratch-ing their heads at the resistance to opening the north-south path though the site, and one with knowledge of the area told me it “absolutely” could open very soon.

But elsewhere, the progress at the site is real. Although office workers have not set up shop yet at 4 W.T.C., the build-ing had its own “opening” ceremony almost a year ago, and has staged private events for quite some time, including the W.T.C. briefing on Tues., Sept. 9.

Developer Larry Silverstein, who is building Nos. 4, 3 (estimated 2018 open-ing) and someday perhaps 2 W.T.C., said, “Of course we all wish we had gotten it done a lot faster but that doesn’t diminish the pride we all feel.”

Rechler and other officials were equal-ly happy that One W.T.C., which many still call Freedom Tower, was also expected to open this year.

That was the mood. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver declared that Lower Manhattan “has come roaring back” and Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance, called it “an extraordinary moment of transforma-tion…

“Thirty billion dollars of public and private investment all coming online at relatively the same moment in time [at or near the W.T.C.] and you can see it in our parks, in our buildings and in our trans-portation system.”

For Joe Daniels, president of the memo-rial and museum, it’s the first Sept. 11

where he doesn’t have to talk about how much longer construction is going to take.

“It’s great, it’s nice,” he told me. “It goes from setting deadlines, doing every-thing to meet them — now we can appro-priately focus on what we’re doing, which

is the content of the museum and bringing the story of what happened to millions of people around the world….

“After all the sturm and drang over the years, I really think [the whole site] is real-ly rolling out the way it’s supposed to.”


A visitor to the 9/11 Memorial this week.

The crowds coming out of the “Vesey Squeezey,” the mass of commuters and tourists on Vesey St.

Continued from page 1

Editor’s Letter


BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC

Lower Manhattan residents expressed frustration with the amount of bus traf-fic due to the dropping off and picking up of visitors at the 9/11 Memorial at a Sept. 8 meeting of Community Board 1’s Planning Committee.

The museum, which opened in May, has had over 900,000 visitors and will close in on one million this month. At that time, the memorial ended its tick-eting system, leading to a sharp spike in tour buses visiting the site, community leaders say.

Jim Connors, the executive vice president of operations, gave an update about the museum and said that the majority of museum visitors are arriving on foot or taking mass transit. Visitors are emailed maps and directions of how to get to the museum. Less than one percent of the museum’s visitors come by bus, he said.

“We have a very proactive approach to dealing with tour buses,” said Connors.

When a museum reservation agent speaks with a visitor, the first thing that the visitor is advised is to please not come by bus. The museum does not allow for bus parking and dropping off during commuter hours, only from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There are two slots for

two buses per half-hour time slot, said Connors.

But resident Mary Perillo said the two buses per time slot does not include the hundreds of buses dropping visitors off all day long, every day, seven days a week.

“For every person who comes to the memorial museum in a bus, there’s prob-ably four buses just taking people to the memorial plaza,” said Catherine McVay Hughes, chairperson of Community Board 1. “Currently there’s nothing set up to manage those three or four other buses that are not having to go through your procedure to go to the museum. I think that’s the frustration.”

Tammy Meltzer, committee member, said that the buses loop around after dropping visitors off and park at the M.T.A. stops, next to the schools and any place they can pit stop while people visit the plaza.

“There are hundreds in a week who are like this,” she said. “They block side-walks and bus stops and things, and so it’s not safe for kids.”

Hughes said borough president Gale Brewer has met with commissioners from the N.Y.P.D. and Departments of Transportation and Consumer Affairs to discuss tour buses.

“It’s a serious issue,” said Hughes.

Residents report more tour buses at the memorial


Visitors outside the 9/11 Museum

Reflection and Tribute in Light

Thursday, September 116:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m

Evening of Musical Tributes

Friday, September 126:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

This anniversary, join us at the 9/11 Memorial to honor and remember.

911memorial.org

9/11 Memorial & Museum eventsThursday will be the first Sept. 11th

in 13 years that the public will have access to the World Trade Center. The memorial will still be closed for most of the day for the annual 9/11 commem-oration ceremony honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed on the day, but after 6 p.m. it will be open to anyone wish-ing to pay their respects or get a closer view of the Tribute in Light installation representing the Twin Towers, which is visible after sundown.

Joe Daniels, president of the memo-rial and museum, called it “an import-

ant milestone” in the development of the memorial and museum.

In addition, the memorial and muse-um have recently started several new programs:

Starting on Sept. 10, N.Y.P.D. bag-pipers now perform at the memorial every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

There is free access to the muse-um on Tuesday evenings from 5 p.m. until close. Tickets can be obtained online up to two weeks in advance, and reservations fill up quickly (www.911memorial.org).

File photo

Members of the public will be able to view the Tribute in Light and visit the World Trade Center memorial after 6 p.m. on Sept. 11.


BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVICBattery Park City Committee mem-

bers raised safety concerns about the intersection at Liberty St. and West St. at a Mon., Sept. 2 meeting.

“It is a very, very dangerous cross-ing,” said committee member Ninfa Segarra. “It’s not just dangerous for those of us that are residents that understand the street. But these poor tourists, they have no idea they are on a highway.”

“We’re continuously monitoring and adjusting as appropriate,” said Shilpan Patel, deputy director of the state’s Department of Transportation, who is working with the city’s D.O.T. and various agencies on improving that section of the World Trade Center site. “However, I would like to point out that we are in the construction phase,” Patel added.

He listed all the improvements that have been made at that intersection: the straightening of the alignment of the crosswalk, which was zigzagged; the well-defi ned barriers on both sides; and the countdown signal.

“People are just lost,” said Segarra, who was a deputy mayor in the Giuliani

administration. “They’re trying to get across and trying to fi gure out which way to go.”

Segarra said that something addi-tional needs to be done and suggested more signage.

The high fl ow of pedestrians at the intersection is making it diffi cult for vehicles to turn left from Liberty St. northbound onto West St., also known as Route 9A, and the suggestion of making it a pedestrian-only crossing phase at certain times was fl oated.

The state D.O.T. studied signal tim-ing at the intersection and analysis showed a high volume of vehicles exit-ing from Battery Park City eastbound onto 9A. Changing the timing of the lights and allocating it to pedestrians might create backup, Patel said.

“It is a balancing act here where we try to maximize the green time for the high volume of pedestrians that cross particularly during the peak hours” with the amount of vehicle traffi c, said Conn MacAogain, from the city’s D.O.T. “We’re trying to serve both interests well in terms of safety and effi ciency.”

Taxis dropping people off to go to

the 9/11 Memorial was another issue raised. The cabs are not supposed to stop there, said committee member Tammy Meltzer. Tourists are also trying to hail cabs by the memorial, which adds to the problem.

A pedestrian bridge that will cross West St. and that may alleviate some of the foot traffi c at the crosswalk will not be completed until fall 2015.

The committee also asked the D.O.T. representatives about the bike path,

which has been closed between Albany St. to Vesey St. since 2007. MacAogain, the city offi cial, said it would not be reopened until the beginning of 2016.

The new estimate prompted audible grumbles in the room.

In a Downtown Express article pub-lished two weeks ago, offi cials with both the state D.O.T. and with the Battery Park City Authority said the bike path would reopen at the end of next year.

B.P.C. residents press city & state on Liberty & West St. safety


Pedestrians cross West St. at Liberty.


BY JOSH ROGERSThe World Trade Center’s epic dis-

putes over power and money have for the most part been resolved, but there’s at least one remaining that could pre-vent construction of one of the pro-posed towers.

“We are at a stalemate with them at the moment,” David Emil, president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., told Downtown Express last week, referring to the corporation’s dispute with the Port Authority. “It’ll be years before it’s resolved.”

The L.M.D.C., a federally-fund-ed corporation formed to manage Downtown’s post-9/11 recovery, owns the World Trade Center Tower 5 site, and Emil said the Port wants to take it over without paying any money.

The problem, Emil said, is the site is worth $300 million to $500 mil-lion, and in addition, the L.M.D.C. spent hundreds of millions to get the site ready for development — a fi gure that ballooned because of the plagued and long-delayed demolition of the Deutsche Bank building, where two fi refi ghters were killed battling a 2007 blaze.

Emil said the Port is arguing that it effectively became the owner of the site under a 2006 agreement, and that the development corporation has been acting as the Port’s agent.

“We say, yeah, that may be. If we were your agent, you have to pay us the $300 million that it cost to take this thing down, to which they say no, that was your problem you owned it — you see, you can’t have it both ways guys,” Emil said during an impromptu interview at the site Sept. 2nd, after a ceremony celebrating the opening of a temporary green market and public plaza there.

Last week, the Port Authority did not dispute Emil’s characterization of the situation, and a spokesperson declined to comment for this article.

On Tuesday, Scott Rechler, the Port’s vice chairperson, said the high-er demolition costs were not a reason to revisit the agreement, but he also thought the dispute would not lead to delay.

“We’re going to live by the agree-ments of ‘06, and I think everyone will – to move it forward,” he told Downtown Express Sept. 9.

The 2006 deal, a memorandum of understanding between the Port and the L.M.D.C., involved a land swap of the Tower 5 site and the World Trade Center’s Performing Arts Center site.

The Port had originally planned to

develop the site as an offi ce tower but after a 2007 deal to move JP Morgan Chase headquarters Downtown fell through, it has since said it would wait

45-minute service Sundays at 9:15am

St. Paul’s ChapelBroadway and Fulton Street

This church service is great for families with kids and those new to church. Chat and enjoy coffee and snacks before and after the service.

Come to the first service on Sunday, September 28.

trinitywallstreet.org/stpauls

SUNDAYS AT ST. PAUL’SRelaxed. Participatory. Joyful.

NEW

Downtown Express photo by Josh Rogers.

David Emil, president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., played Ping Pong last Tuesday at the opening of a new temporary plaza and greenmarket at the 5 World Trade Center site. The greenmarket will be open every Tuesday for at least a year on Greenwich St. near Albany St.

The looming World Trade Center ‘stalemate’



Same great programs with new options for preschool and pre-kindergarten classes

Join us 9am-3pm, 9am-12noon, 2pm-5pm or 8am-6pm

NURSERY SCHOOL • PRE-K • SUMMER

Call For A Visit212-945-0088Visit us onlinebpcdaynursery.com

215 South End Ave., Battery Park City(Two blocks south of Brookfield Place)

BY YANNIC RACKIf you get out at Fulton St. subway

station, your view of the Freedom Tower is partly obstructed by all-round scaffolding on St. Paul’s Chapel, but the church still planned to ring its Bell of Hope Thursday to honor the thousands killed on Sept. 11.

Construction work on the church tower’s exterior began in August and the scaffolding will remain in place until the end of the year, a spokes-person for Trinity Church/St. Paul’s Chapel said earlier this week.

There was to be no interference with the Sept. 11 service, however, and the traditional ringing of the bell was expected to take place at 8:46 a.m. on Thursday in the west churchyard.

“The scaffolding is allowing work-ers to complete three projects: replac-ing the lead-coated copper in the

steeple, restoring the existing clock and mechanics, and repairing and restoring the existing masonry,” the spokesperson said.

The oldest surviving church build-ing in Manhattan, St. Paul’s Chapel became a place of refuge for World Trade Center recovery workers in the direct aftermath of the Twin Tower attacks in 2001.

For months, the church, which was miraculously unharmed, provid-ed meals and beds as well as counsel-ing and prayer services, while visitors turned the fence around the church into an impromptu memorial.

The church was partly shielded from falling debris by a 70-year-old sycamore in its churchyard. A bronze sculpture of the felled tree’s roots and stump still serves as a memorial in a Trinity Church court-yard at the head of Wall St.

Downtown Express photo by Yannic Rack

St. Paul’s Chapel, right, with the Freedom Tower, a.k.a. One World Trade Center, left.

A few more months for St. Paul’s scaff olding


05598_CON_8p75x5p5_k_m1a.indd8-20-2014 12:03 PM Charlie Katz / Timothy Cozzi

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Y O U T H O U G H T T H E Y R E P O R T E DT H E G A S L E A K . T H E Y T H O U G H T Y O U D I D .

“Smell gas. Act fast.” Those

are the words we want you to

remember. Don’t assume that

a neighbor will call 911 or

1-800-75-CONED. Just leave

the area immediately and make

the call yourself. If you prefer,

you can report a gas-related

emergency anonymously. You

don’t even need to be there when

help arrives. Visit conEd.com for

more gas safety information and

take safety into your own hands.

BY YANNIC RACK Scientific research, robotics and cod-

ing – that doesn’t necessarily sound like every kid’s dream of the perfect summer. But 16 high school students from all over New York City, New Jersey and as far away as Yonkers, chose to spend two weeks of their vacation doing exactly that at Pace University’s annual STEM Collaboratory Camp.

The program took place at the univer-sity’s Downtown campus for the second time this summer where the students, including two from Downtown schools, developed and designed mobile applica-tions, or apps, based around this year’s theme of cyber security.

If that sounds impressive, then so were the finished apps that the teens present-ed to family, faculty and newly made friends at a reception last month at Pace’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

Using software ranging from CSS and HTML to JavaScript, one of the groups, consisting of four students each, developed a trivia game to teach users the basics of cyber security. Another put together a sur-vey that informs honest participants about

their online behavior and how they can improve their safety on the web.

Learning to code is no piece of cake, said Laureen Chan, a senior at Stuyvesant High School and first-time participant. “In sophomore year, my school implemented a mandatory year-long course on computer science and we learned Netlogo, Java, Python, HTML – all that stuff,” she said. “I actually didn’t think I would like comp sci, it was a lot of work.”

Nonetheless, Chan and her team ambitiously called themselves F.O.C.S., short for “Future of Cyber Security,” and came up with an app that lets users manage their wifi hotspot and allow or block other devices from connecting to it. Chan said that working with facul-ty from Pace and college-level mentors made coding and STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, much more accessible.

Jeremy Eng, a 15-year-old sophomore at Millenium High School in Lower Manhattan, was last to present his group’s app. The aptly titled “Phisher” lets you scan your social media accounts for con-tent you once uploaded, but might not want someone in particular to see – say a

college board or a possible employer.Eng became interested in coding when

a friend started making apps on iOS, Apple’s operating system, and said he would even consider a career in the field. During the presentation, Eng said that everybody likes their privacy, even if they have nothing to hide. “I love to lock my door when I go to the bathroom, for exam-ple,” he joked.

The program was jointly sponsored by Pace and AT&T, which organized a tour of its facilities as part of the camp, as did Google. Jonathan Hill, associate dean at the Seidenberg School and co-director of the STEM Collaboratory, thinks the program has the potential to teach the stu-dents much more than just the technical skills of coding.

“These kids, some of them live in areas where there’s no broadband Internet access. They can’t afford to have a com-puter at home, but by and large they have smart phones, and the smart phones are their connection to the world. So we want them to use that connecting tool in a good, smart, safe way.”

At the end of their presentations, the teens promised to keep in touch with each

other, something Hill thinks is potentially the greatest achievement of the program. “Some of them are from badly under-served public schools, and some of them are from very good private schools,” Hill said.

“They wouldn’t know each other in the course of their daily lives, but here they get to know each other, and they’re the future of our city. Twenty years from now they’ll be on the same subway getting off here at Fulton Center to go to work in one of these towers, and if we start those relationships now, think of the cool things they’re going to do together. That’s what it’s about.”

Downtown Express photo by Yannic Rack.

Millennium High School’s Jeremy Eng with Pace’s Jonathan Hill. Downtown

Coding apps made easy at high school summer camp


All Are WelcomeAll events are free, unless noted. 212.602.0800trinitywallstreet.org

worshipSUNDAY, 8am & 10amSt. Paul’s Chapel · Holy Eucharist8pm · Compline by CandlelightComing Sept. 28-Services at 8am and 9:15am, followed by Sunday School

SUNDAY, 9am & 11:15am

Trinity Church · Preaching, music, and Eucharist · Child care available

MONDAY—FRIDAY, 12:05pm

Trinity Church · Holy Eucharist

MONDAY—FRIDAY, 5:15pmAll Saints’ Chapel, in Trinity ChurchEvening Prayer; Evensong begins Thursday, Sept. 18

Watch online webcast

worshipTHURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11Observances in remembrance of those killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Ringing of the Bell of Hope, 8:46amPrayers for Peace will be said and the Bell of Hope will be rung.St. Paul’s Chapel Churchyard

Votive Eucharist for Peace, 12:05pmA noonday Eucharist Trinity Church

Mass for Peace, 12:30pmA Eucharist for PeaceSt. Paul’s Chapel

music THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1pmConcerts at OneWest Point Band and the West Point Glee Club celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner.Trinity Church

education SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 10amSunday School Open HouseCome learn more about this year’s Sunday School at a new location–across from St. Paul’s Chapel. Meet and greet teachers, pre-register, and see the new space. Regular Sunday School begins September 28. Information: Kathy Bozzuti-Jones at [email protected] or 212.602.9622.14 Vesey Street

TRINITY CHURCH Broadway at Wall Street

74 TRINITY PLACE is the office building behind Trinity Church

ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL Broadway and Fulton Street

CHARLOTTE’S PLACE 107 Greenwich Street btwn Rector & Carlisle Streets

The Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper, Rector The Rev. Dr. William Lupfer, Rector-Elect

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 & 21, 10amThe Gospel, Times, Journal, and YouA discussion group that reads the editorial pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the assigned Gospel for the day. Led by the Rev. Mark Bozzuti-Jones.74 Trinity Pl, 2nd Fl, Seminar Room

communityFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 6pmFamily Friday Pizza and Movie NightRelax with your kids and meet other downtown families for free pizza, children’s movies, and community. All families with young children are welcome.Charlotte’s Place

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2–4pm Symposium on the Elaine Race MassacreFeaturing: Robert Whitaker, author of On the Laps of Gods; J. Chester Johnson, author of article, “Evanescence: The Elaine Race Massacre”; Sheila Walker, relative of Albert Giles, one of the Elaine 12; David Solomon, who is working toward the creation of a memorial for the massacre. Sponsored by Task Force Against Racism.St. Paul’s Chapel

Leah

Red

dy

Downtown Express photos by Milo Hess

Vietnamese celebrationLast Sunday, in Thomas Paine Park near Worth St., the fi rst ever Vietnamese Moon Festival in New York City had moms, dads and children enjoying arts and crafts, games and moon cakes. The little ones enjoyed the summer sun during sack and egg balancing races, while balloon animals and a lantern-making station offered the chance to get creative. The fi ve-pointed, star-shaped lanterns are a traditional part of the event, which is also known as Children’s Festival because of its emphasis on young ones. Called Tet Trung Thu in Vietnamese, the festival even saw a traditional lantern procession, or ruoc den, led by a giant star lantern. The origin of the festival can be traced to the time when the Vietnamese believed that children, being innocent and pure, had the closest connection to the sacred and natural world and where therefore seen as a way to connect with animist spirits and deities. About 400 people fl ocked to the event, which was organized by the Vietnam Heritage Center.


BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC It takes two hands to hold a

Whopper, but only one to hold a beer.A Burger King at 106 Liberty St. is

planning to sell beer alongside its fast food fare. First it had to petition the Financial District Committee for a beer license though.

The application process started with a topic other than alcohol at the Wed., Sept. 3 meeting: trash.

“I have complained numerous times about the garbage,” said committee member Pat Moore, whose building faces Liberty. “The garage is disgust-ing— it’s on the ground, it’s leaking, it’s running.”

Moore said she has called the Dept. of Sanitation several times about the problem.

“One thing shouldn’t have to do with the other,” she said. “But I don’t need to have now, on top of that, people beer drinking outside and hanging out.”

At the meeting, one of the owners of the Burger King franchise, Rob Powell, said he was not aware of this and would try to resolve it. He also suggested that perhaps the rubbish should be attributed to another establishment on the street.

“I’m blaming you for your garbage,” Moore retorted.

After promises of resolving the gar-bage problem, the committee had other concerns of when and who would serve the beer. With two high schools near and fast food workers including teenag-ers, the committee wanted to make sure that the alcohol would not end up in minors’ hands.

“There’ll be no minors dealing with the alcohol,” said Powell, who then explained that his Burger King had table service upstairs with waiters. “We’re becoming more of a traditional restau-rant.”

The committee recommended approving the license. The matter goes to the full board Sept. 23, before the advisory resolution goes to the State Liquor Authority, which is likely to grant the license since there is no com-munity board opposition.

The beer would not be available for take out and will be served in a clear cup. The restaurant will use identifi-cation scanners that are used at clubs to ensure an ID is valid. Powell also assured the committee that he is hiring an adult staff to wait tables.

“I’m not here to be a burden on the community,” he said. “[The beer is] to help me enhance the average check. Costs are going up — between wages and electricity, I can’t keep up.”

Powell later told the Downtown Express in a phone interview that he

had received overwhelming requests from tourists to offer beer on the menu. “It’s going to be a game changer for us,” he said.

After setting the hours the beer can be served, the committee approved the license.

NYP1394_LMH_DowntownExpress_Amazing_FINAL.indd Downtown Express

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Jessica x209SteveJessie C x202derek x230 Meredith x239

MATERIALS PREPARED BY SEIDEN

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Notes

NewYork-Presbyterian is now in lower Manhattan.

Amazing things are happening at 170 William Street.

I N P R O U D C O L L A B O R A T I O N W I T H

Where over a million people live, work and play. The only hospital below 14th Street brings access to advanced specialties and a 24-hour adult and children’s emergency department. Learn more at nyp.org/lowermanhattan

T:8.75”

T:5.69”

Downtown Express Photo By Dusica Sue Malesevic.

The Burger King across from the World Trade Center is expecting to get a beer license.

Have it your way – with beer?




CLOTHING & TEXTILESat GR E ENM ARKET

GrowNYC’s Office of Recycling Outreach and Education is a NYC Department of Sanitation funded program

www.GrowNYC.org/clothing 212.788.7964

Tompkins Square Greenmarket Sundays, 8am–4pm, E 7th St & Ave A

St. Mark’s Church Greenmarket Tuesdays, 8am–4pm, E 10th St & 2nd Ave

We accept clean and dry textiles like clothing, paired shoes, coats, linens, scarves, hats, bags and belts. Materials will be sorted for reuse or recycling.

Learn to

Sail!

MANHATTAN SAILING SCHOOLAdult courses begin at $390. Summer camps for juniors.

ǁǁǁƐĂŝůŵĂŶŚĂƩĂŶĐŽŵ;ϮϭϮͿϳϴϲ-0400

Thurs., Sept. 11 – Wed., Sept. 17 ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE IN EFFECT ALL

WEEK

Special Alert for Lower Manhattan on Thursday! In obser-vance of the 13th remembrance of the September 11th attacks, all streets in the area bounded by Barclay St., Thames/Albany Sts., Trinity Pl./Church St., and West St. will close 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. While West and Church Sts. will remain open I strongly advise tak-ing alternate routes (F.D.R. Drive) if driving or taking a taxi.

In the Lincoln Tunnel, the New York-bound tube will close 11 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday. This will

send inbound traffic to the Holland Tunnel, where one lane will close in each direction during the same hours. Avoid a late-night return if you can.

In their first home game of the season, the Giants take on the Cardinals 1 p.m. Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Expect extra traffic at the Holland as drivers jam the Lincoln.

Fashion Week is wrapping up on Thursday. Calvin Klein’s 2 p.m. show at Spring Studios on Varick St. between Laight and Beach Sts. will spell slow exits from the Holland Tunnel.

The Manhattan-bound Brooklyn Bridge will close 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Thursday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights, mid-

night Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, and midnight Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday. Drivers headed into the city will take the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges and the Battery Tunnel instead, making for extra traffic on Canal, Delancey, and West Sts., respectively.

The San Gennaro Festival officially starts Thurs., Sept. 11, and continues through Sunday, September 21. It will close Mulberry St. between Canal and East Houston Sts., and Grand and Hester Sts. between Mott and Centre Sts. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.

No Brooklyn-bound F ser-v ice at Broadway-Lafayette, 2nd Ave., Delancey St., or East Broadway 11:45 p.m. Thurs. to 5

a.m. Fri., and 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Wednesday nights. F trains will run via the A line from W. 4th St. to Jay St-MetroTech.

No D trains at Broadway-Lafayette or Grand St 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Shuttle trains will run every 20 minutes between W. 4th St. and Grand St, stopping at Broadway-Lafayette.

Have a question about a parking ticket, traffi c rules, public transpor-tation, or street cleaning rules? If so, send me an e-mail [email protected] or write to Transit Sam, 322 Eighth Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

TRANSIT SAM


Visit our all-new website: www.classicqualityhomes.com

Or text: cqh to 411669 to get text updates about our Home Buying Incentive programs

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16 September 11-September 24, 2014 DowntownExpress.com16 August 28-September 10, 2014 DowntownExpress.com

Assemblyman Shelly SilverIf you need assistance, please contact my office at (212) 312-1420 or email [email protected].

Fighting to make Lower Manhattan the greatest place to live, work, and raise a family.

Beginner Group Classes and Individual or Partner Lessons. Free Trial Lessons.

OPEN HOUSE!Sunday, September 14noon - 5 p.m.

Weekly music and dance instruction, for all ages and levels, after school

and on Saturdays.

Third Street Preschool full and half-day programs. Daytime Toddler/Early Childhood, Dance and Movement classes.

THIRD STREET MUSIC SCHOOL SETTLEMENT235 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003 • www.thirdstreetmusicschool.org

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Come explore with us! We are your community music school.

Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. | Sat, 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. | (212) 777-3240

B R I N G I N G T H E A R T S T O L I F E S I N C E 1 8 9 4

Katz’s will stay but air rights may be gone

BY GERARD FLYNN Recent news reports and rumors that

a developer will be hoisting luxury con-dominiums atop Katz’s on the corner of Houston and Ludlow Sts. aren’t true, Jake Dell, the famed deli’s owner, told The Villager this week.

“The look, the feel” of Katz’s, now in its 126th year, will stay the same, Dell said.

He did confi rm, however, that he had made a deal to sell “air rights,” also known as development rights, to a devel-oper, whom he declined to identify. But an agent from a nearby real estate com-pany, ambivalent about being named, said he was “99 percent sure” it is Benjamin Shaoul, head of Magnum Real Estate Group. Strong rumors to that effect have been circulating for weeks in the neighborhood.

Shaoul, also known as the “Sledgehammer,” didn’t return a call from The Villager for comment.

Now more likely to be feted in real estate trade magazines and snapped by celebrity photographers, Shaoul has been the focus of many news articles about his removing rent-stabilized residents from

their apartments, before putting the units back online at market rate.

“The bottom line is Katz’s storefront is going to stay as is,” Dell said. “We are staying. I am fi fth generation and I am going to make sure Katz’s lasts at least another 50 years.”

Having witnessed so many changes in the area over the years, Dell said he’s fi ne with new construction on the block. But for another beloved restau-rant on the other corner of Houston St., the prospect of more luxury condos brought closure after nearly 20 years in business.

Bereket, a Turkish and Middle Eastern kebab shop, shuttered at the end of June. Its departure marked the beginning of the end for other stores along the strip.

A small deli a few storefronts down doesn’t look like it does a lot of busi-ness, but it has been here for even longer, its owner Abdul said.

His lease expired in May, but he has been given two reprieves and is looking at November as a termination date. He estimated that Bereket had been forking over $20,000 a month for around 1,000

square feet of space. When Abdul started out at the loca-

tion, he said he would pay $2,500 a month in rent.

And today? “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe

me,” he said, adding that he works hard seven days a week just to earn a salary.

The realtor speculated that with cur-rent zoning imposing a height cap of 120 feet, the unused space above Katz’s Delicatessen might be “transferred” to allow increased density and thus more apartments at adjacent sites along Orchard and E. Houston Sts.

Bowery Boogie reported on Aug. 29 that Katz’s had sold its development rights, and the Web site speculated that perhaps a new development would “can-tilever” over Katz’s.

The unnamed realtor who spoke to The Villager praised the arrival of more luxury development and the tow-

ering hotels under construction nearby because, he said, retail stores need a lot more foot traffi c.

Boutiques on side streets below Houston St. on Labor Day were strug-gling, with some shuttered and others selling merchandise for half price.

But not everyone is happy with the upmarket changes the Lower East Side has seen in recent years.

No sooner then she had plopped herself down on a stoop around the corner on Ludlow St., a dismayed Susan Scutti asked, “What ever happened to Max Fish?”

Max Fish was a popular haven for artists. The bar opened in 1989, when the neighborhood was still ragtag and drew celebrity names like Johnny Depp.

“Oh, my God,” she said in dismay, as she surveyed what was left of that scene. “This is not the Lower East Side, after all.”

Downtown Express photo by Gerard Flynn

Katz’s Deli, at Houston and Orchard Sts., has reportedly sold its unused

development rights.


BY ZACH WILLIAMS A plan to improve the safety, traf-

fic and appearance of Orchard St. received support from a Community Board 3 committee on Sept. 4.

Presented by the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, the proposed changes to the streetscape would increase consistency among curbside amenities, such as trees, bike racks and benches, among other proposals.

However, the C.B. 3 Transportation Committee urged the BID to protect the historic street’s character.

Additionally, the committee made its support for the plan conditional upon further study of the traffic implications of a proposed pedes-trian plaza on Broome St. meant to prevent drivers from bypassing Allen St. via Orchard St. on their way to

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Keep Orchard St.’s gritty charm, BID is told

A concept drawing showing the “grove concept” in place on Orchard St.


YOUR FOOD SCRAPSat Greenmarket

CYOUR C

Drop off household fruit and vegetable scraps at

Tompkins Square GreenmarketSundays, 8am–1pm, E 7th St & Ave A

St. Mark’s Church GreenmarketTuesdays, 8am–2pm, E 10th St & 2nd Ave

GrowNYC and DSNY Food Scrap Compost ProgramA program partnership between the City of New York,

the NYC Department of Sanitation, GrowNYC, and community partners.

www.GrowNYC.org/compost | 212.788.7964


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© 2012 Community Media, LLC

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NYC COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC515 CANAL ST, UNIT 1C NEW YORK, NY 10013PHONE: (212) 229-1890 FAX: (212) [email protected] Express is published every week by Community Media LLC, 515 Canal St., Unit 1C, 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 - © 2012 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 publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

PUBLISHER Jennifer Goodstein

EDITORJosh Rogers

REPORTERDusica Sue Malesevic

ARTS EDITORScott Stiffler SR. V.P. OF SALES & MARKETINGFrancesco Regini

RETAIL AD MANAGERColin Gregory

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESJack AgliataBill FinkAllison GreakerJulio Tumbaco

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTORTroy Masters

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GRAPHIC DESIGNERAndrew Gooss

PHOTOGRAPHERSMilo Hess Jefferson Siegel

PUBLISHER EMERITUSJohn W. Sutter

SPINNING WHEELSTo The Editor:

Re “Officials say wait yet another year to reopen bike path” (News arti-cle, Aug 28 – Sept 10):

We have been cycling in the city for over 30 years and live in the Financial District. We were very dis-tressed to read your article, “Officials say wait another year to reopen bike path.” This is yet another example of cyclists not being taken seriously by city agencies.

How is it that after 7 years and more (since the bike lane was also closed for a long while after 9/11/01) there is still no safe passage for cyclists near the W.T.C. site?

We ride the streets of the city on a daily basis and find it difficult and hazardous to take the detours provided by city agencies. Every day we see cyclists riding up the West Side Highway with fast moving cars, trucks and buses, because they know of no alternative, and frankly, the alternative is just as bad.

The crowded plaza in back of the

Winter Garden is filled with blissfully oblivious walkers listening to MP3’s, determinedly oblivious skateboarders practicing their latest jump, little chil-dren breaking free from their parents so that they can try out their new tricycles, not to mention mothers with baby carriages who are attempting to get from Point A to Point B.

This is certainly not the place to redirect fast-paced bikers who have just been bumped off their bike path. It is unconscionable that this has been going on now for seven years.

We anticipated back in 2006 that the redirection would only take “a year or two” and now, we learn, it must continue for yet another year. It’s simply not fair and it’s not safe.

Esther Regelson and Jack Cadwallader

TOO MUCH ON SOUTHBRIDGE BALLOT

To The Editor:As a long-time resident of

Southbridge Towers, I am disturbed by the choice we are being forced to make in our vote on privatization this month.

The measure includes changes to the by-laws that would: eliminate term limits that were voted in by cooperators; reduce the board from 15 to 9 members assuring concentra-tion of power in the hands of fewer and fewer people; allow directors to attend board meetings via conference telephone or similar communication equipment, thus allowing a board member to spend months at his/her vacation home and still make deci-sions that affect the lives of those of us who actually live here; allow direc-tors to vote on contracts in which they have substantial financial interest.

These changes are significant. They should be dealt with in a sep-arate vote. Allow cooperators to vote once on the issue of reconstitution and again on each of the issues listed above.

Barbara M. Lerner


A flag to rememberWorkers were putting up a large flag mural on Church St. across from the World Trade Center on Wednesday, the day before the Sept. 11 ceremonies at the 9/11 Memorial.

Letters


West Side Highway, her parents saw the first tower fall and turned right back. She remembers watching the news on T.V. at home, although it is hard for her to know where her parents’ memories begin and hers end.

“I see it as a very big turning point in our society,” said Finegold, who lives on the Upper West Side.

The events of that day changed securi-ty here and throughout the world, she said.

Afterwards, a family member grappled with a fear of planes and Finegold’s family did not get on an aircraft for seven years.

Finegold, who is considering study-ing either public relations or pre-med in college, is not afraid of planes. “I was too young to comprehend what happened to its full complexity that it has now,” she said.

“What I remember is very vague,” said Summer Wrobel, 17 and a senior at Millennium. Wroebel, who might dou-ble major in anthropology and econom-ics, said her mom told her she was at a preschool day camp when it happened.

Wrobel lived in the Financial District at one point and now lives in Chelsea. But on 9/11, her grandparents lived in the Financial District and she remembers confusion and chaos.

“I feel like it’s such a defining moment for our country,” she said. “We kind of made it part of our identi-ty to get rid of terrorists.”

This in turn, gives us a different interest and investment in international events that happen today, she says, such as ISIS in Iraq and the Russia-Ukraine issue.

Anna London remembers that she and her neighbors “watched the build-

ings go down from our roofs and the fire escapes.”

The 17-year-old senior, who may major in journalism or psychology, was at a pre-K program a block away from where she grew up in the East Village and went home when the attack began.

For her, it felt as if the city grew quiet in the days and weeks after 9/11.

“It’s horrible,” said London. “I can still see it – the impact it left here.”

For London and her generation, every school year has included a moment of silence on 9/11.

Four Millennium High students reflect on 9/11


From left to right, Deena Finegold, Sophia Gasparro and Anna London, all seniors at Millennium High School.


for the market to dictate the best use of the site.

Emil said the Port is still looking to develop the site commercially, but the L.M.D.C. feels the quickest and most lucrative way to proceed is to build a residential tower.

“The [L.M.D.C.] board’s very strong feeling is we should mone-tize it and use the money for Lower Manhattan,” he said.

The corporation is only allowed to spend money in Manhattan south of Houston St., whereas the Port’s revenue benefits both New Jersey and New York State.

The L.M.D.C.’s board is made up

of appointees of the governor and mayor, but its current members were mostly appointed by previous admin-istrations during periods when the corporation had a much larger staff and was more involved in Downtown plans.

Former Gov. George Pataki created the agency at the end of 2001 with a Congressional grant of $2.783 billion. Rumors of the development corporation’s immi-nent demise began surfacing a few years later, and by 2006, Pataki’s last year in office, he said it was time for the agency to close since it had done most of what it set out to do, including managing the World Trade Center redevelopment and

memorial plans.Pataki’s successor, Eliot Spitzer,

apparently agreed during his cam-paign, calling the agency an “abject failure” in 2006, but he had a change of heart after taking office the next year, naming his top eco-nomic development adviser, Avi Schick, as chairperson, and Emil as president.

There have been two new gover-nors since and one new mayor, but Schick and Emil remain the leaders of the corporation. Emil no longer draws a salary for his position and works part-time as president. He said there are now 15 staff members remaining, who focus on making sure invoices on L.M.D.C. projects

are legitimate before writing checks. He said their combined salaries were something less than $750,000 a year.

Over the years, there have been many calls to close the corporation down. Most observers agree that, legally, the organization can’t shut down fully until all of the money is spent, but some have suggested it has become a paper organization, with the city taking over its remaining responsibilities.

All of the corporation’s remaining funds are designated for specific uses, but there is still hundreds of millions of dollars that has not yet been spent. Much of it is for projects that have not been completed, such as enhance-ments to the East River waterfront.

The next dispute at the W.T.C.Continued from page 9

20 September 11-September 24, 2014 DowntownExpress.com20 August 28-September 10, 2014 DowntownExpress.com

ActivitiesTHURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCY212-267-9700, bpcparks.orgPreschool Art: Come learn art with paper, clay, wood, and paint. Ages 4 and under | Free, drop in | Nelson A. Rockefeller Park | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. EVERY THURSDAY UNTIL 10/30

Art & GamesAge 5+ | Free, drop in | Nelson A. Rockefeller Park | 3:30-5:30 p.m. EVERY THURSDAY UNTIL 10/30

SEE/CHANGESouth Street Seaport, 19 Fulton Street, southstreetseaport.com/eventsSeaport Youthmarket: Youthmarket is a network of urban farm stands operated by neighborhood youth, sup-plied by local farmers, and designed to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to communities throughout New York City. All ages | 12 p.m.-5 p.m. until November 20th

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCH175 North End Ave, 212-790-3499, nypl.org/locations/battery-park-cityBaby Laptime for Pre-Walkers: Enjoy simple stories, lively songs and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. Limited to 25 babies and their caregivers; first-come first-served. Ages 0-18 months | Free | 11:30 a.m. EVERY THURSDAY AT 11:30

Intellectual kids club workshop: Join the first ever literature work-shop for kids at Battery Park City Library. Explore transformations in literature and drama including Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Greek and Roman myths from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Ages 4-8 | Free | 4 p.m. Teen Advisory Group: Have fun, hang out with old friends and new, and learn about books and media for teens. Refreshments will be served. Ages 12-18 | Free | 4 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

FRESHMADE NYC636 Broadway, 5th Floor, Suite 516, New York NY 10012freshmadenyc.comTrial Class: Palette Palate – A new frontier in Mommy & Me (or care-giver) Art Classes! Use your imag-ination, what can you create with items you find in your fridge and pantry? Explore all the arts from painting to pottery, tie dye and so much more. Registration is required, space is limited. Please contact us at 212.475.0500 or email [email protected] 18 months-3 years | 10:45 a.m.

THE 88th ANNUAL FEAST OF SAN GENNARObetween Canal and Houston Sts., san-gennaro.org/index.htmAlthough this is an annual celebration of faith, the Feast of San Gennaro is known the world over for its festive atmosphere, an 11-day event featur-ing religious processions and colorful parades, free musical entertainment every day, a wide variety of ethnic food delicacies, charming restaurants and cafes and even a world-famous cannoli-eating competition! All ages | Free | 9/11 THROUGH 9/21

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

THE SCHOLASTIC STORE557 Broadway (Between Prince & Spring Streets, scholastic.com/sohostore/Screening: Feel like you are swim-ming with dolphins during a FREE screening of “Dolphin Tale 2. “Afterward, splash in the store with a signing by Craig Hatkoff, author of “Hope for Winter” — the story behind the movie. Seating is limited, Scholastic.com/RSVP Ages 5+ years | Free | 11 a.m.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

HUDSON RIVER PARKPier 25,hudsonriverpark.org/events/series/big-city-fishing Big City Fishing: The rods, reels,

bait and instruction will be pro-vided. Beyond teaching fishing, the program also provides participants with a first-hand opportunity to learn about river ecology and the many fish species that can be found in the river.5+ | Free | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. EVERY SUNDAY THROUGH 9/28

THE 88th ANNUAL FEAST OF SAN GENNAROSee 9/12

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCH175 North End Ave, 212-790-3499, nypl.org/locations/battery-park-city Baby Laptime for Pre-Walkers: Enjoy simple stories, lively songs and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. Limited to 25 babies and their caregivers; first-come first-served. Ages 0-18 months | Free | 9:30 a.m. EVERY MONDAY AT 9:30 A.M.

Toddler Story Time: A librarian will share lively picture books, fin-ger plays, and action songs with toddlers and their caregivers. Ages 18-36 months | Free | 4 p.m. EVERY MONDAY AT 4:00 P.M.

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCY212-267-9700, bpcparks.orgPreschool Play: Interactive play on the lawn. Toys, books, and play equipment provided. Ages 4 and under | Free | Drop in | Wagner Park | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.EVERY MONDAY

Children’s Basketball: Adjustable height hoops and fun drills to improve skills. Close-toed shoes required. Ages 5 – 6 | Free | Drop in | Rockefeller Park |3:30 to 4:30 p.m., 5-6 year olds,4:30 to 5:30 p.m. 7 & older EVERY MONDAY UNTIL 10/27

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCH175 North End Ave, 212-790-3499, nypl.org/locations/battery-park-city Baby Laptime for Pre-Walkers: Enjoy simple stories, lively songs and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. Limited to 25 babies and their caregivers; first-

come first-served. Ages 0-18 months | Free |11:30 a.m. EVERY TUESDAY AT 11:30 A.M.

Picture Book Time: A librarian will read classic stories and new picture books. All ages. | Free | 4 p.m. EVERY TUESDAY AT 4 P.M.

Book Buddies: Teens Read to Kids: Teen Book Buddies will pair up with kids 11 and under for 15-30 minute one-on-one reading sessions on Tuesday afternoons following story time. Ages 13-18 years| Free | 4 p.m.

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCY212-267-9700, bpcparks.orgPreschool Play: Interactive play on the lawn. Toys, books, and play equipment provided. Ages 4 and under | Free | Drop in | Wagner Park | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Soccer for Preschoolers and Elementary Schoolers: Have fun passing, shooting & dribbling! Parks programming leaders facil-itate the fun. Everybody plays! Closed-toe shoes required. Free | Drop in | Nelson A. Rockefeller Park2:30 – 3:15 p.m., 3-4 year olds3:30 – 4:15 p.m., 5 to 7 year olds4:30 – 5:30 p.m., 8 to 11 year oldsEVERY TUESDAY THROUGH 10/28

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCH175 North End Ave, 212-790-3499, nypl.org/locations/battery-park-cityToddler Story Time: A librarian will share lively picture books, finger plays, and action songs with tod-dlers and their caregivers. Ages 18-36 months | Free | 10:30 a.m. EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 10:30 A.M.

Animal Habitats: Learn about dif-ferent environments such as the rainforest, desert, solar system and mountains and explore what kinds of animals and insects live there. Presented by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Ages 4-7 | Free | 4 p.m.

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCYWagner Park, 212-267-9700, bpcparks.org

September 11-September 24, 2014 21DowntownExpress.com August 28-September 10, 2014 21DowntownExpress.com

Preschool Play: Interactive play on the lawn. Toys, books, and play equipment provided. Ages 4 and under | Free | Drop in | Wagner Park | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Wednesdays at Teardrop: Come enjoy lawn games and art projects. Art supplies provided. Ages 5 and up. | Free | Drop in | Teardrop Park | 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. EVERY WEDNESDAY UNTIL 10/29

Drop-in Chess: Play chess and get pointers from an expert. Ages 5 – 15 | Free | Drop in | Rockefeller Park | 3:30 – 5 p.m. EVERY WEDNESDAY UNTIL 10/24

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCYPreschool Art and Art & Games: See 9/11

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCHBaby Laptime for Pre-Walkers and Teen Advisory Group: See 9/11Bilingual Storytime: Enjoy clas-sic stories, songs, and rhymes in English and French! All ages | Free | Drop in | 4 p.m.

SEE/CHANGESouth Street Seaport, 19 Fulton Street, southstreetseaport.com/events/ Seaport Youthmarket: See 9/11

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF THE ARTS103 Charlton St., cmany.org/events/drawn-to- lan-guage/Drawn to Language: Drawn to Language is an exhibition that brings together emerging and mid-career artists whose work relates to the material qualities of language.In Drawn to Language, words are given visual form. While the works in the exhibition vary conceptually – from amusing to political to phil-osophical – each work is defined by its use of words to create an image, a deeper meaning, or both. All ages | Free with paid admission | 10:00 a.m.

NY KIDS CLUB: PJ PARTY88 Leonard Street, nykidsclub.com/Open-Play-Space-For-Kids-

Single-Day-Signup/667/TribecaHeld every Friday NY Kids Club pajama parties are a one-of-a-kind thematic “after hours” celebration for children 2.5 - 8 years featuring gym exploration, art, story, cook-ing, games, relays, and more. All parties culminate in a disco dance party, and dinner is provided. “Mad About Science” theme on 9/19. 5-8 years | $48 for the first child, $24 for each additional sibling | 6-9 p.m.


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

SECOND ANNUAL SIDEWALK CHALK FESTIVALTorly Kid, 51 Hudson Streettorlykid.com/pages/happenings Discover the artist in you at Torly Kid’s 2nd Annual Sidewalk Chalk Contest! Each child will be given a sidewalk frame to draw their inter-pretation of various famous works of art or create their very own. Drawings will be photographed and judged. Prizes will be awarded. All ages | Free | 10:30a.m.-1p.m.


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

HUDSON RIVER PARKBig City Fishing: See 9/14


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCHBaby Laptime for Pre-Walkers and Toddler Story Time: See 9/15

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCYPreschool Play and Children’s Basketball: See 9/15

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCHBaby Laptime for Pre-Walkers, Picture Book Time and Book Buddies: Teens Read to Kids: See 9/16

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCYPreschool Play and Soccer for Preschoolers and Elementary Schoolers: See 9/16

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

BATTERY PARK CITY BRANCHToddler Story Time and Animal Habitats: See 9/17

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCYPreschool Play, Wednesdays at Teardrop and Drop-in Chess: See 9/17

How a child learns to learn will impact his or her life forever.Progressive Education for Two-Year-Olds – 8th Grade

Please visit www.cityandcountry.org for informationand application materials.146 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011 Tel: 212.242.7802

Open House | City and CountryWednesday, November 13, from 6-8pm

How a child learns to learn will impact his or her life forever.Progressive Education for Two-Year-Olds – 8th Grade


Open House | City and CountryWednesday, November 13, from 6-8pmHow a child learns to learn will impact his or her life forever.Progressive Education for Two-Year-Olds – 8th Grade


Open House | City and CountryWednesday, November 13, from 6-8pmW e d n e s d a y , N o v e m b e r 1 9 , 6 - 8 p m

Photo courtesy of Torly Kid

A sidewalk artist at work during last year’s Sidewalk Chalk Contest organized by Torly Kid, 51 Hudson St. The second annual contest outside the Tribeca store will be Sat., Sept. 20, 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.


Orchard St. plans

the Williamsburg Bridge. “I would caution you against san-

itizing Orchard St. too much. It’s part of its charm,” Karen Blatt, the committee’s chairperson, told Tim Laughlin, the BID’s executive direc-tor, who presented the plan.

Laughlin said that some improve-ments were underway, such as instal-lation of new trees. However, imple-menting much of the project depends on acquiring further funding, as well as additional design and cooperation with city agencies. The proposed plaza on Broome St. would require an additional design process, he added.

The project’s overarching theme is “celebrating the past and looking to the future in a way that stays true to

the Lower East Side,” he added. Inviting local artists to participate

is one way that the street could bet-ter reflect the surrounding neighbor-hood, suggested committee member Morris Faitelewicz, who specifically mentioned Jim “Mosaic Man” Power as a candidate for such outreach.

Chad Marlow, another committee member, said the loss of commu-nity-oriented businesses along the street has diminished some of its uniqueness in recent years. However, the street must remain relevant in the coming years, he added.

“And this may be it if it’s done in the right way,” he said during the meeting.

According to the 47-page “Orchard Streetscape Manual,” developed in cooperation with the Pilot Projects Design collective, the “grove con-

cept” guided the design process. By placing street furniture and bike facilities together in various com-binations, traffic is calmed and pedestrians and cyclists can enjoy additional space within a grove. Under the plan, groves would be placed at every corner of Orchard St. between Canal and E. Houston Sts.

“It is a variant of what a slow zone does,” Laughlin explained.

According to the study, the project aims to “build consensus” on the street’s future among res-idents, building owners and mer-chants. After a meticulous survey of the street, planners erected a 16-foot-long model of Orchard St. last winter as the centerpiece of a community design meeting host-ed by the BID. About 55 residents

and Borough President Gale Brewer attended.

“Using this approach,” the study notes, “the goals and many of the details, of the improvement plan were defined by the community itself.”

The “historic neighborhood fabric” of Orchard St. is increas-ingly weaving itself into the sur-rounding neighborhood where real estate development has dramatically increased in recent years, according to the study. Pedestrian, bike and car traffic are also all on the rise, requir-ing greater synergy among them and the businesses lining the street.

“Orchard St. has become a fron-tier for the artists and artisans that distinguish the Lower East Side from the towering business dis-tricts of Midtown and Downtown Manhattan,” the study notes.


Photos by Rebecca Lepkoff

When the streets were their playgroundRebecca Lepkoff, the photographer who died Aug. 17 at 98, famously captured the street life of her native Lower East Side in the 1940s and ’50s. At left, in a game of kick the can, “prisoners” who were tagged and in “jail” are liberated as a boy kicks the can. The wall is covered with “Vote Yes — Rabin — Supreme Court” posters, perhaps referring to then-Assemblymember Samuel Rabin, who was elected to the bench in 1954 and served as a judge until 1981. At right, children scale and play around in a snow mound.


A high volume of poetic greatness‘Best American’ anthology has brilliance, innovation, surprises

BY PUMA PERLLast November, while on a West Coast poetry

reading tour, I stayed for a few days at my friend Beverly’s San Francisco home. Beverly loves books more than anyone I know. Floor to ceiling shelves line every inch of available wall space, and there are additional cartons in the garage and in stor-age. Serendipitously, the guest room doubles as the Poetry Room, everything alphabetized and divided into categories and sub-categories. It was there that I discovered the Best American Poetry series in its entirety. I had come across a volume or two and was already an admirer of the work of the Senior Editor, David Lehman, but never before had I had access to all twenty-five volumes.

Jet lagged and bleary eyed, I stayed up as long as possible, devouring volume after volume. The next afternoon I was still at it, vaguely annoyed when I had to stop and attend my own reading. As a poet, my knee-jerk reaction to anything labeled “best” is “How do you know?” or “By whose standards?” David Lehman’s 2011 introduction provided some insight into the editorial methods by exploring the concept of poetic greatness and the standards we use, and the ways in which an editor must suspend his own “natural resistance” to new forms and new ideas.

This year’s Guest Editor, National Book Award-winning poet Terrance Hayes, admits in his intro-duction to finding himself obsessing over the

concept of “best” and concluding that there are all kinds of “bests,” representing a “unity of con-tradictions.” What I will attest to, in all of these volumes, including the current one, is that there is brilliance, there is innovation, there are surprises, and there are no poems that I would unequivocally state are unworthy of inclusion.

The series began in 1988, and employs a different poet as Guest Editor each year, who is responsible for the final selection. For the most part, the poems were published during the pre-vious year. The first Guest Editor, John Ashbery, included a poem of his own, and appears in the current volume. David Lehman’s early practice of writing forewords has evolved into a “state of the art ” statement. In the current volume, he consid-ers the ways in which the digital age has changed our language and thinking. Poetry may continue to be celebrated “if you can write in units of 140 keystrokes,” as a character from “Mad Men” states in the opening paragraph. Lehman points out two things that you can count on. First, that “people will keep writing as they adjust from one medium

to another,” and second, that articles will appear at regular intervals declaring that poetry is dead.

The selected poems vary in form and are diverse in the choice of poets. They are arranged alphabetically, yet, magically, create links and form natural arrangements, probably because of the vision of the editor. Many anthologists spend countless hours creating order among their selec-tions; I’ve found it to be one of the biggest chal-lenges in my own solo collections. In this case the poems line up like children in size place, some of them rowdy, some quiet, some refusing to stand quietly in place.

A poem by Ray Gonzalez, “One El Paso, Two El Paso” ends with the words five centuries praying in the beautiful dust as a young woman’s body is dragged from the river. The following entry, by Kathleen Graber, is titled “The River Twice,” which takes its title from a pre-Socratic philos-opher, and concludes, A hymn with the chorus Every moment you shall be judged is followed by in which the choir shouts Praise! Stand up and be forgiven. To me, some of the gifts of the volume are these coincidences, cultural diversity connect-ing on artistic soil.

Another aspect that distinguishes this series is a lengthy section (42 pages) of contributors’ notes and comments. Rather than the usual array of accomplishments and/or cute one-liners, an opportunity is provided for the poets to write about the published pieces. Olena Kalytiak Davis, whose entry, “It is to Have or Nothing” was one of my favorites, admits, “I don’t really like this poem.” She goes on to explain that the most interesting thing about it is all of the other poems that happened around it — “that they are part of the dirt!” Jon Sands, a thirty-one-year-old Brooklyn resident, created a new form in his poem, “Decoded,” in which he tried to “produce an effect similar to what you get when you exam-ine a photograph beside its negative.” He adds that “without the work and personhood of Eboni Hogan” this poem could not have been written.” I’ve known Jon Sands for several years and his innovation and generosity of spirit are what you would expect from him. The kid is a mensch of the highest order and his work stands up equally on page and stage. He has built a community both with other poets and in the human service arena,

ANTHOLOGYTHE BEST AMERICAN

POETRY 2014

Guest Editor, Terrance Hayes

Series Editor, David Lehman

240 pages

Scribner

Hardcover: $35.00

Paperback: $18.99

E-book: $11.99

Visit thebestamericanpoetry.typepad.com

Courtesy of Scribner



Buhmann on Art

BY Stephanie Buhmann (stephaniebuhmann.com)

ERNEST COLE: PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in 1940, Ernest Cole was one of South Africa’s first black photojournalists. In 1958, when working as a darkroom assistant at DRUM magazine in Johannesburg, he began to acquaint other young black journalists, photographers, jazz musicians and political leaders in the burgeoning anti-apartheid movement. After becoming increas-ingly radicalized in his political views, he started working on a book that would communicate to the rest of the world the corrosive effects of South Africa’s apartheid system.

In 1966, a year before said book with the title “House of Bondage” was published, Cole was forced out of South Africa for good. The images he captured before his exile — many of which will be on display — compassionately depict the lives of black people as they negotiated apartheid’s racist laws and oppres-sion. Migrant mineworkers waiting to be discharged from labor, parks and benches for “Europeans Only,” young men arrested and handcuffed for entering cities without their passes, and crowds crammed into claustrophobic commuter trains are just some of the scenes that Cole focused on. While the cruel reali-ties of segregation, destitution and violence weave through many of these moving images, others depict lighter, intimate moments between mothers and chil-dren, couples and friends.

This exhibition will feature more than 100 rare black-and-white gelatin silver prints, accompanied

by captions from “House of Bondage.” Organized by the Hasselblad Foundation in Gothenburg, Sweden, which holds Cole’s stunning archive, this marks the first major solo museum show of Cole’s work. It is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue.

Through Dec. 6. At Grey Art Gallery (100 Washington Square East, btw. Waverly & Washington Places). Hours: Tues./Thurs. Fri. from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. | Wed., 11 a.m.–8 p.m. | Sat., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Call 212-998-6780 or visit nuy.edu/greyart.

© The Ernest Cole Family Trust/ Courtesy the Hasselblad Foundation

Township mother fights losing battle to keep son, age nine, from running off to live life on the streets. She tries to assert authority with threats: “What’s your future going to be like without an education?” But it is too late. The boy — called Papa — is out of control. From “House of Bondage” | 1967 | Gelatin silver print | 7 7/8 x 11 3/8 in. (20 x 29 cm).


There were no “blacks only” benches in Johannesburg — blacks sat on the curbstones. Gelatin silver print | 8 5/8 x 12 5/8 in. (22 x 32 cm).


According to Struan Robertson, a photojournalist and a friend of Ernest Cole’s, tsotsis (thugs or street criminals) used the extreme crowding on black trains to rob passengers, especially on payday. From “House of Bondage” | 1967 | Gelatin silver print | 8 5/8 x 12 5/8 in. (22 x 32 cm).


What the great ones groove to, and whyThe One LP Project pairs famous fans with favorite recordings

BY SCOTT STIFFLERFrom Graham Nash

beaming with pride at the “Sgt. Pepper’s” album to Al Jarreau giving Les Double Six a thumbs up, to Johnny Marr paying Iggy and the Stooges’ “Raw Power” some

somber respect: The One LP Project reminds us that those we have on heavy rotation started out as humble, rav-enous fans. Determined to provide “a compelling insight into how this music often sets out the course of their lives,” British photographer William Ellis spoke with 50 musicians about the deep connection they felt with a particular recording. This exhibit (the very fi rst for its host venue) will have QR code links to the interviews, alongside its equally candid and revealing portraits. The opening night event, at which Ellis will take photos of those in attendance cradling their own favor-ite recording, is sold out. Another session has been

added: Sat., Sept. 20, 2–4 p.m. The $100 fee benefi ts the ARChive of Contemporary Music — a noble non-profi t music library and industry research center that knows how to throw a party (contact them to attend, or become a member and snag an invite to their impending Holiday Record + CD Sale opening night shingdig).

“The One LP Project” is a free exhibit, at the ARChive of Contemporary Music (54 White St., 3 blocks south of Canal St., btw. Broadway & Church Sts.). Sept. 19–Oct. 3. Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. For info, call 212-226-6967 or visit arcmusic.org. Also visit onelp.com.

© William Ellis

Ron Carter, with his copy of Leonard Bernstein & The NY Philharmonic’s recording of Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.”

© William Ellis

Annie Ross, with Billie Holiday’s “The Lady in Satin.”

SUMMER SAILING CAMPS&ŽƌũƵŶŝŽƌƐΘƚĞĞŶƐ^ƚĂƌƟŶŐĂƚΨϯϵϬƉĞƌǁĞĞŬ

All info at www.nyharborsailing.com


BY SCOTT STIFFLER

NICO: UNDERGROUNDPersonapalooza! It’s yesterday

once more, when Theater for the New City hosts 1960s Warhol super-star and Velvet Underground cen-terpiece Nico. Born Christa Päffgen in pre-war Cologne, Germany, she’d grow up to assume the guise of a Teutonic chanteuse who captivat-ed Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Jim Morrison — while making her mark as a distinctive artist whose glum monotone was (and is!) ripe for parody. Something much more than that is offered by gifted satirist Tammy Lang. A longtime NYC per-formance scene presence as country/gospel crooner Tammy Faye Starlite, Lang as Starlite channels the sing-er/songwriter’s genuine greatness and undeniable goofiness, in “Nico: Underground.”

Anchored by Starlite’s dead-on vocal performance, the show func-

tions as a jukebox musical (a “cav-alcade of non-hits”) as well as a recreation of actual encounters Nico had with journalists (via Jeff Ward’s portrayal of The Interviewer). While Nico’s dour worldview is played for laughs, this production has genuine artistic merit. Starlite does a fasci-nating job of coaxing emotion from that iconic monotone, and the classic songs (including “Femme Fatale” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror”) benefit from the top-notch musicianship of Keith Hartel (bass, guitar), Richard Feridun (guitar), Ron Miracle Metz (drums), Dave Dunton (keyboard) and Craig Hoek (sax, flute).

Sept. 11–28. Thurs.–Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 3 p.m. In the Cabaret Theater, at Theater for the New City (155 First Ave., btw. 9th & 10th Sts.). Tickets: $15. For res-ervations, visit theaterforthenewcity.net. For info on the artist: facebook.com/tammyfayestarlite. Twitter: @tammyfayenyc.

3CHRISTSPeculiar Works Project continues

their tradition of site-specifi c pro-ductions, by setting “3Christs” in the sanctuary of Judson Memorial Church. Co-playwrights SM Dale and Barry Rowell based their script on a psychological study that took place in Michigan’s Ypsilanti State Hospital from 1959-61. Betting that he can cure three paranoid schizophrenics with one harsh dose of reality, Dr. Milton forces them to live together. Eventually, he reasons, all will have to admit that they can’t possibly be the one true Jesus Christ. Good inten-tions, bad idea. The overconfi dent doctor soon fi nds himself playing

God — to varying degrees of success.As the delusional patients are

manipulated by a series of indis-putable truths and convenient lies, the nurse charged with overseeing their day-to-day existence begins to question both the ethics and effec-tiveness of destroying one’s core belief system. “Perhaps,” she rea-sons, “psychosis represents the best terms some people can come to with their lives.”

Through Sept. 28. Thurs.–Sun. at 7 p.m. In the sanctuary of Judson Memorial Church (55 Washington Square South, at Thompson St.). For tickets ($18), call 866-811-4111 or visit peculiarworks.org.

Starting June 23rd n Programs for students of ALL AGES! n Music & Art Campsn Private & Group Instrumentaln Birthday Parties & Space Rentals

212-571-7290 74 Warren Street www.churchstreetschool.org

music & artsummer

Photo by Peculiar Works Project

Three men and a doctor all play God, in the sanctuary of Judson Memorial Church. See “3Christs.”

Photo by Bob Gruen

She’ll be your mirror: “Nico: Underground” reconsiders the artistic legacy of a woman who was much more than a Warhol muse.

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providing well received work-shops in harm reduction settings. I decided to have a conversation with him about his inclusion in the series and his view of the state of the art.

I was curious about how the selec-tion process played out for him. “I received a fairly nondescript email about possible inclusion in ‘an anthol-ogy,’ and I’m really glad I wrote back,” he explained. He later learned that the Guest Editor reads as much published work as possible for a year, and curates from there. It is tell-ing that Sands’ piece was originally appeared in “Rattle,” which publishes in several forms, including online, and whose mission is solely “to promote the practice of poetry.” I noted that despite the complexity of his piece, a sly humor also emerged. “I believe that ninety-nine percent of the discov-eries in my life that I have been most proud of would not have been possible without a sense of play. My hope is that the sense of play, dark humor, and the undeniable pain (and growth) that can accompany not looking away are all-present in the poem.”

Sands had just returned from a residency at the Blue Mountain Center in Upstate New York when we spoke, and I asked him about the experience. “The residency was transformative and productive,” he responded. “The true benefit for me has come in its wake. But, like most profoundly transformative spac-es, you’re not meant to stay there. You’re meant to take it with you on your journey into the difficult and

beautiful world.”The description of the world as

“diffi cult and beautiful” is what I have come to expect from him. Sands’ fi rst solo collection, “The New Clean,” was published in 2011 and I attended the book release party. Some moments stay with you. I was greatly moved by the sense of community and the love present among the participants and the audience. I specifi cally recall Sands’ friend, Jeanann Verlee, who is also a favorite poet of mine, describing their friendship, hours spent on the fl oor of

Barnes & Noble, in love with poems, words and each others’ spirits, and I remembered when that was me. On the fl oor in the Eighth Street Bookstore, or the back of the Fillmore, or going through records in Free Being, in love with the moment of discovery. For many people, it’s only new once, but artists get to continually transform. The torch has not only passed, it returns to light the fi res under those who thought hope was lost.

And that is why I like this series so much. It brings hope. As Lehman

points out, Whitman wrote an essay in 1888 forecasting the demise of poetry in fi fty years “owing to the special tendency to science and to its all-devouring force.” Hayes ends his introductory interview with these words: “The poems are here as proof. They are a gift to you whom I was thinking of all along the way. How you might, on an overcast day, criticize my choices. How you might, on a well-lit day, salute what I salute, and be trans-formed as I have been transformed.”

How, maybe, you might even write a poem.

Learn more about Jon Sands at jonsands.com. His collection, “The New Clean,” is available at book-stores or online, at powells.com/biblio/61-9781935904267-0. His favorite show of the year is com-ing up Sat., Sept. 13, 7-9 p.m., at The Firehouse Space (246 Frost St., Brooklyn), hosted by Sands and Adam Falkner, with special guests a cappella trio Saheli. Tickets are $12, $8 for students and veterans.

Puma Perl and Friends will appear at Moscow 57 (168 Delancey St.) on Thurs., Sept. 18, 9:00. The next Puma Perl Pandemonium is Friday, Sept. 26, 7-9:30, at the Bowery Electric Map Room (327 Bowery), and includes featured guests Michael Anthony Alago, Annie Sauter and Jim Petrie, Alison Gordy, Johnny Young and a cast of regulars: Puma Perl and Friends, Joff Wilson, Walter Steding, Danny Ray, Angello Olivieri, Joe Sztabnik, Jeff Ward and Rick Eckerle. Admission to both events are free.

The Best American Poetry 2014Continued from page 23

Courtesy of the artist

2014 Best American Poetry contributor Jon Sands made his solo collection debut in 2011, with “The New Clean.”






Documents

DOWNTOWN EXPRESS, SEPT. 11, 2014