Do Not Take Diller's Thirty Bucks
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Voice of the West Village WestView News VOLUME 11, NUMBER 7 JULY 2015 $1.00 Do Not Take Diller’s Thirty Bucks By George Capsis will disturb the breeding ground of the Striped Bass, but because it is gratuitously I was taking a vacation from my morn- expensively and ugly—which is what hap- ing Times while at Bridgehampton, when pens when a pretentious designer caters to MaggieB. emailed me a June 11th article the taste of a rich and pretentious client. byveteran Times writer Charles Bagli (he Filing the action against Diller Island writes a lot about real estate), with a title is the City Club of New York, a group of that gave me a quick shot of joy—“Civic independently minded citizens who act Group Sues to Halt Hudson River Park when the city process fails (they stopped Backed by Barry Diller”—oh wow! the destruction of Grand Central Station). As we fought to save St. Vincent’s an oc- Their volunteer attorney, Michael Gruen, casional wave of deep sadness would over- spent days working his way through a come me—we were a lone, very small voice lengthy “signed” lease between Diller and that nobody was listening to. Now, here is a the Hudson River Park to uncover some noted and powerful voice, The City Club of surprises. New York, filing a court action to halt con- According to the lease, the city and state struction of Diller Island “until it undergoes have to contribute an embankment and a new environmental review and is approved two bridges to the island which will cost by the State Legislature”—wow again. $35 million. The city will maintain those Of course, my distress with Diller Island bridges and the Diller Island Park after HISTORIC PIER TO DILLER ISLAND: Pier 54 at 14th Street at which the Titanic survivors is not that driving hundreds of reinforced Diller does the planting (more mainte- landed was secretly slated for removal to make way for Diller Island. Photo by Brian J.Pape. concrete, mushroom-shaped piles some nance costs even though the Park has just two-hundred feet down into the bedrock Continued on page 7 Help Fight Learning Loss This Lawsuit Will Sink Pier 55 By Arthur Z. Schwartz had only complied with SEQRA’s require- ments in a cursory manner, and the courts Nineteen years ago I stood with a group of had held that the law’s requirements were youth soccer and little league dads (including to be “liberally construed” and that com- current CB2 Chairman Tobi Bergman) in the pliance was to be “substantial.” HRPC lobby of the Governor’s office, talking about had literally done a “back of the envelope” how we could stop a lease from going forward Environmental Assessment in conclud- at Pier 40. It was a big step for the park, which ing that there were no impacts triggering hadn’t been built, because two businessmen the need for a full Environmental Impact were going to lease the Pier for $4.5 million a Statement. This cursory compliance with year and turn it into an improved parking fa- the law was fatal to the project, Judge Solo- cility with a film studio and other small busi- mon said, and she struck down the lease. ness projects. It was the night before the lease During the litigation we were joined by was to take effect, and I volunteered to try to the Environmental Defense Fund and its get an injunction as the lawyer for the youth counsel, Michael Gruen. The President of leagues and for local block associations. HRPC at the time was Tom Fox. That night, in her apartment, Judge Al- Before the judge entered her order, Gov- ice Schlesinger granted a TRO and the lease ernor Pataki came riding to the rescue. We was blocked. Months later, after full briefing, met in his chambers over several months and Judge Jane Solomon issued an opinion that ac- came up with a plan to save the $4.5 million- tions on Pier 40 were subject to the State En- per-year lease—there would be ballfields on vironmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), the roof and the State would pick up the $2.5 JUMPING FOR A + The shared exhilaration of summer group activities emerges in bet- and that the manner in which the lease had million construction tab. Hence the birth of ter academic performance during the school year. Greenwich Houses’s Fund for Fun been negotiated and signed violated SEQRA. today’s Pier 40, a mix of parking and ball- attempts to bring summer fun to children who might not otherwise experience it. See The Hudson River Park Conservancy fields, batting cages, human-powered boat- article on page 22. (HRPC), which entered into the lease, Continued on page 11 A Special Time for Gay Rights — See Page 16 2 WestView News July 2015 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections by and for the residents of the West Village. Four Strong Arms Voice was full of rambling commentators The $100,000 Knee Publisher Dear Editor, who wouldn’t be caught dead publishing in Executive Editor I read an article recently by your writer the New Yorker. In its own way, our paper Dear Mr. Capsis: George Capsis Associate Editors Stanley Fine called “Courageous or Cra- has always been truly anti-establishment. First of all, I very much enjoy your news- Christy Ross, Katie Keith zy? Two Men Crossing The Atlantic In a I got to report on such vital topics as the paper, look forward to reading it every Design Consultant Rowboat” (March 2015 Issue). anti-fracking movement and the protests month. I have lived in the Village for Stephanie Phelan I am from Farsund, Norway, the home to free Lynn Stewart. These were both im- 57 years and almost every article inter- Photo Editor town of Frank Samuelsen and would like portant issues that were all but neglected by ests me. Your writers are great and your Darielle Smolian to thank you for rightfully bringing your the New York Times. For the most part, my layout and editing are impeccable. I was Traffic Manager readers attention to these two Norwegian submissions have not been essays, but the especially struck by your piece about Liza Whiting adventurers and their accomplishments. reportage has frequently gone beyond the your recent hospital experience. Be Photographer Maggie Berkvist WestView News has fittingly revealed the confines of the West Village. grateful that you have Medicare! I had Comptroller amazing story of their incredible 3000- The WestView News stood in opposition my knee replaced at Hospital for Special Jolanta Meckauskaite mile voyage from Manhattan to Le Havre, to special interests then, and I know we still Surgery by the same surgeon, Geoffrey Architecture Editor powered by nothing but four strong arms! do—but I believe the personal essays and Westrich, in 2011! Like you, I thought Brian Pape Harbo and Samuelsen are finally being other quirky articles that seemed to wander both Westrich and the hospital were su- Film, Media and Music Editor celebrated with deserved recognition with off the reservation frequently represented perb, and my knee today is as good as Jim Fouratt the unveiling by me of a seven foot bronze some of the best critical thinking around— the one I was born with eighty-one years Distribution Manager Timothy Jambeck monumental statue in Farsund on July as well as a colorful bouquet of West Vil- ago. But I don’t have Medicare, since Regular Contributors 11th, 2015. It is my hope and plan that I lage experience. Columbia University, where I taught for John Barrera will find a place for a second cast of the George is our main commentator, the pa- many years, never deducted SS from my Barry Benepe same monument to be placed in New York per’s official editorialist; however, I would like paycheck. I was young then and didn’t Maggie Berkvist City’s downtown Manhattan area. to suggest an Op Ed page that would make know or care about such details! After Janet Capron If any of your readers would be able to room for the likes of me—individuals who re- my retirement I used Blue Cross/Shield George Capsis Barbara Chacour assist me with this project, it would be very flect the general slant of the paper but do not for medical expenses and by 2011 my Philip Desiere welcomed. pretend to speak for it. OK, just a thought. annual premiums had reached $18,000. Ron Elve Thank you. In the meantime, I am working on materials Outrageous. Yet Blue Cross would not Stan Fine — Victor Samuelsen that, once produced, will be used to introduce pay for HSS, even though HSS ac- Jim Fouratt to doctors a new brand of drug for gout. That cepted both Medicare and Medicaid. Mark M. Green Truly is my primary occupation right now! When So to use Westrich I had to go “out of Robert Heide Keith Michael Anti-Establishment I come up for air, I will sleuth around and network” and pay all expenses myself. Michael D. Minichiello maybe hit on something newsworthy. After the operation Westrich sent me a Clive Morrick Dear Christy, Congratulations on the great job you’re bill for $25,200. Since I am not Medi- Brian Pape Thank you so much for the considered and doing. care I did not have the option— which Joy Pape comprehensive reply! I appreciate that you — Best, you note—of paying what I wanted, so Bruce Poli David Porat took the time—truly I am impressed.