The Voice of the WestView News VOLUME 15, NUMBER 1 JANUARY 2019 $1.00 Somebody Just Shot My Neighbor! By George Capsis to time, but the general conclu- sion was it was a drug deal gone I got a call from one of my readers wrong. The odd thing about him who has now become a friend, to is that he rented two apartments say a murder had just taken place connected by a spiral staircase in on Bedford and I had met the same small building at 110 the man who had been murdered. Bedford, although there was only I had been sitting out last sum- he and his wife (I am guessing mer at a small table near the one apartment was for storing the kitchen of a now closed Peruvian drugs and conducting business Restaurant on the corner of Bed- and the other for living). ford and Christopher when I was It seems that the man who shot introduced to him and we chat- our local Village neighbor was ted pleasantly for 20 minutes or seen rushing towards Christopher so and I discovered later he had with a bag of drugs. been in the Israeli army. We called the police press office I can’t remember what we talk- to learn he was taken to Lenox Hill ed about but he was very pleasant Hospital, which is way up on 77th and friendly. One paper reported Street between Lexington and Park VICTIM KNOWN TO WESTVIEW PUBLISHER: Police remove bags of drugs from an apartment at 110 Bedford he was a bail bondsman or at least Avenue, and my guess is that the Street after the slaying in a suspected drug deal. Photo by Dusty Berke. lent money for bail from time continued on page 7 Why Do Google and Hi-Tech Firms Expand in the Lower Westside?

By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP of the post-WW2 era, where nearly Varick, plus all the others in the empty manufacturing loft buildings Meatpacking District. Markets For those who have lived or worked meant dangerous, littered and restaurants are plentiful. in our area, the answer is obvious; and virtually no delis or restaurants , as the neigh- we love the charm, character, mish- or markets, for many years until re- borhood south of mosh of building styles and sizes, vitalized with new uses, businesses but west of SOHO is called, is and the crazy streets, like nowhere and residents. Perhaps too much? attracting businesses that employ else in the city. But are we loving In the West Village, we already an educated, technically savvy, and it to death? Landmarked properties have the Technicolor Labs on Le- generally young workforce. Why? GOOGLE’S NY HEADQUARTERS at 111 8th Avenue, at left above, was and districts help some areas, but roy Street and For developers, the large loft purchased in 2010 for $1.9B for 2.9M square feet, one of ’s leave other areas unprotected. (which did the tech work on the buildings are great for expanding largest buildings, but then had to vacate previous businesses. Across the street on the right, Google’s $2.4 billion purchase of Chelsea Market, would die with- new Mary Poppins Returns movie), businesses, or for new buildings, with plans to add 300,000 square feet to the full-block conglomeration out its businesses, big and small, PayPal at 111 Barrow Street south the as-of-right density and exist- of former Nabisco bakery buildings, will house 7,000 Googlers eventual- and that is historically true for all side (typical Manhattan odd num- ing transportation systems make it ly, but will keep the retail storefronts. In another former Nabisco building cities. We need jobs to support bers are on the north side, but an attractive location, just as it did at 85 10th Avenue, Google has leased 240K square feet of office space. those still living here; we need sup- not on Barrow), Squarespace on for previous developers and busi- We also reported on the 250,000 square feet to be leased at Pier 57, a port services too. Consider SOHO Clarkson near 7th Avenue South/ continued on page 7 landmarked wharf restoration at 15th Street. Credit: Brian J. Pape, AIA.

Bird of the Year Farewell Vivaldi’s Keith Michael presents Another Village staple Four Seasons the “Millie Awards” for goes the way of many 2018’s best bird sight- of its neighbors—closing WestView concerts continue ings in New York. after nearly 50 years. at St. John’s in the Village

Saturday, January 19 at 3 p.m. SEE PAGE 16 SEE PAGE 5 2 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. by and for the residents of the West Village. Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections

Publisher Jerusalem: No Winners I am planning a project to document just far from the Lenox Health Executive Editor Hello George, how often this happens. emergency department. The cost of going to an George Capsis I just want to thank you and WestView for pub- It is out of control and I know I am not the Urgent Care Center is lower than that of a full Managing Editor lishing the article “Jerusalem: No Winners.” only person who feels this way. The profile emergency department. These centers have lower Kim Plosia This article presents a viewpoint that of the perpetrators cuts across class, gender, overhead costs and are appropriate for lower se- Associate Editors age, nationality, you name it. And why is this verity level patients. Our emergency department Andrew Buemi, Justin Matthews, most Americans will not see in the main- Anne Olshansky stream press. And that is one that suggests happening? Because there is ZERO police has board certified emergency medicine physi- enforcement. The 6th Precinct has a couple cians, specialty trained advanced practice provid- Art Director that there is an appalling, ongoing and ille- Kim Plosia gal situation in Gaza of which many Israe- of local stop sign traps where they nab cabbies ers and nurses as well as a variety of other spe- almost exclusively, but they do nothing about cialized staff at all times. We are open 24/7/365, Advertising Manager and Designer lis and most Americans are unaware. Stephanie Phelan The article also mentions Israeli peace illegal biking. I have mulled going to the have advanced life support ambulances on site, monthly meetings they hold for community have advanced diagnostic equipment such as Cat Photo Editor groups which include Israeli soldiers “ashamed Darielle Smolian of what they had to do to Palestinians.” relations. There is zero enforcement down at Scan machines, digital X-Ray units, Ultrasound It is NOT anti-Semitic to criticize Israel the river, as well. Whose jurisdiction is that, units, onsite laboratory and pharmacy and we Traffic Manager anyway? The only time I have ever seen the are a sexual assault forensic examination certified Liza Whiting and its policies towards the Palestinians and yet we who question are made to feel Parks people do anything is when they chase facility. We are currently helping over thirty six Photographers as though we are. a dog owner away from a patch of dirt. thousand patients per year and have saved many Maggie Berkvist On any night, my sidewalk is a hazard lives. We do also see a large number of patients Joel Gordon Thank you again for recognizing this un- tenable situation and educating your read- zone, with bikers going both ways down who do not have an ability to pay. We see every Comptroller ers about it. both sidewalks for hours. When will this patient regardless of their ability to pay. Jolanta Meckauskaite Warm regards, Linda stop? If you say something to them, they When anyone has challenges in paying their Architecture Editor ignore you or, worse, they get belligerent. bill we are always more than happy to help with Brian Pape Bicycle Enforcement The quality of life continues to plummet. our very robust financial assistance plan. Our —Paul Vlachos financial services department works with any Film, Media and Music Editor Lacking Jim Fouratt patient presenting with financial challenges by Thanks for WestView. I remember going to Emergency Room vs. creating a payment arrangement plan. Food Editor We have worked diligently to bring back David Porat a meeting at your apartment about 20 years Urgent Care ago for PAPA, back when I parked at Pier vital healthcare services to Greenwich Vil- Distribution Manager 40. I’m glad you’re still on the front lines of Dear George, lage. Everyone at LHGV loves this community Timothy Jambeck local advocacy. I had a similar experience with billing from and are proud of the work we do each and every day. It is a shame that I have not seen any of Regular Contributors I’m not writing you today about the de- Northwell as described by Steve Hicks in your Barry Benepe, Caroline Benveniste, struction of our city caused by Uber, nor December, 2018, issue. In March of this year the many positive testimonials from patients Charles Caruso, Jim Fouratt, will I rant about one of my narrow minded my young adult son awoke on a Sunday morn- who have been helped or whose lives have been John Gilman, Mark. M. Green, Robert saved published in the WestView newspaper. Heide, Thomas Lamia, Keith Michael, pet peeves—the “tree guards” which have ing with what appeared to be ‘pink eye’ or Michael D. Minichiello, Penny Mintz, sprouted up in our neighborhood that have conjunctivitis. As it was a Sunday we went to —Alex Hellinger Brian J. Pape, Joy Pape, Alec Pruchnicki, made sidewalk navigation treacherous. Nor Lenox Hill Greenwich Village. The place was Executive Director Christina Raccuia, Catherine Revland, Lenox Health Greenwich Village Joseph Salas, Martica Sawin, Donna am I writing to you about the terminal gen- empty and we were soon seen by a physician’s Schaper, Arthur Z. Schwartz, Gary To- trification that has also destroyed the Village. assistant who looked at my son and confirmed mei, Joseph Turco, Esq., Stanley Wlodyka I’m writing today about the bicycles, elec- that it was conjunctivitis. She faxed a prescrip- Curb Appeal We endeavor to publish all letters received, tric bikes, electric scooters and electric skate- tion to our pharmacy. The encounter with the including those with which we disagree. boards which have made life as a pedestrian physician’s assistant took less than five minutes Yesterday afternoon (November 9) I had a re- The opinions put forth by contributors outright dangerous. I have been walking, bik- and there was no treatment provided. The ally interesting conversation with George and to WestView do not necessarily reflect the ing and driving in the Village for 40 years. bill for this service was $2,077.00. After our Dusty concerning a deficient curb. Below I am views of the publisher or editor. In the last 10 years, especially, things have insurance covered their share we were billed submitting all the details. Dusty took some WestView welcomes your correspondence, comments, and corrections: gotten treacherous. Granted, I live on a $1400.00. While the financial aid department photos and suggested that I contact the paper. www.westviewnews.org cobblestone street, so people think it’s okay eventually reduced this amount considerably Nine years ago I took on the job of restor- Contact Us to save their precious butts from the jarring based on my son’s income, it is still unjust that ing McCarthy Square from a shambles to (212) 924-5718 ride over cobbles, never mind that sidewalk such an amount would be charged. the “oasis” it has become. For nine years I [email protected] bicycling is illegal. It’s happening everywhere, —Andrew Cook have attempted to have an unusually high though. Adults are riding on sidewalks, they Dear Andrew, curb made more accessible for the elderly are disobeying all traffic laws when they do I am going to refer back to our explanation to (myself included). I know of three people ride in the streets, and they don’t care. the billing question from last month. who have fallen attempting to climb. I I supported Transportation Alternatives Emergency departments are not largely prof- have called 311, the Parks Department and for many, many years, but they have come itable. We are a not-for-profit organization the whatever you call the department that maintains the streets to no avail. The streets out with blanket support for all e-bikes and, that is mission driven. We treat many many department tells me that it is the respon- worse, they have tried to make it a social people every year that have no ability to pay. sibility of the Parks Department and vice justice issue, claiming that it will cost im- There are certain health insurance plans that versa. Someone from the streets department migrants jobs to regulate e-bikes. I am have high deductibles which determine what the went so far as to tell the Parks Department completely supportive of immigrants—my out of pocket cost would be. So these costs are dic- it “had already been taken care of.” grandparents all came here from another tated by the health insurance plan that is chosen. Please help in any way that you can. The country—but this is not about that. It’s about Please understand that bills for emergency de- location is the southeast corner at Waverly safety, pedestrian safety, dog safety, and the partments are billed at emergency department Place and Charles Street. Anything you safety of little kids. These bikers—as well as rates. Our rates are similar to that of all emer- can do to remedy this dangerous situation the well-heeled residents of the city who also gency departments. With our goal of bringing a will be greatly appreciated. MIA SAYS: Compliment the virtues in ride, blow through lights and signs, they go full range of medical services downtown we have I would pull my hair out at this point but others and they will discover yours. the wrong way, they drive on the sidewalk also opened a number of urgent care centers in at age 83 I don’t have any left to pull. Photo by Dusty Berke. ALL THE TIME. Manhattan and two in not —Frank Crapanzano www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 3 BRIEFLY NOTED plants tulips and a wide variety of flowers I still struggle with. He ’stretches’ not only every spring. It’s a magical world that he me, but everyone associated with the paper. Why Do I Still Do the Paper? created for the community,” said Oberon WestView granted me, a homespun neo- Sinclair, a neighbor and friend. phyte poet with several poetry courses un- We were driving in an Uber to East “Why are you still working?” our After his surgery two years ago, Mr. der my belt, and loaned me a truly enviable Wiliston to my son’s house for Christ- driver quickly offered, and I recalled Boyce was no longer able to climb stairs, platform upon which to practice and build mas dinner when we discovered that that most people when they reach their so he’d lean out the window of his second- my craft/passion. our 33 year-old driver used to work for 60s want to take their foot off the accel- floor apartment and art direct Ralph Glea- (My alma mater, University of Pennsyl- Trader Joe’s and regretted quitting after erator. Indeed, to my recent shock, all of son, another neighbor and friend, to help vania, last week accepted one of my poems he felt he had been downgraded when the children of my two deceased broth- execute his vision. for publication in this spring’s issue of Penn his job function was eliminated, but ers and their spouses have just retired! “He did not consider himself a gardener, Review literary magazine!) now he had a wife and tiny son and he But the thought of walking away from but rather he looked at himself as an artist who I finally want to learn about the process was considering accepting a pal’s advice the paper is unthinkable—it would be worked in the garden,” said Mr. Gleason. of writing. WestView was/is my springboard. to become a police department me- instant mental suicide. “All the residents and neighbors adored Thank you for the spark!!! chanic for the “security and pension,” or “Hi, this is Mitch. After 30 years my him, and we want to make sure that his —Roberta Curley going back to Trader Joe’s (we voted for landlord has filed papers to evict me. Yah memory lives on through his passion for returning to Trader Joe’s). gotta help.” And we do and he gets a the garden,” added Ms. Sinclair. A native of Saratoga, New York, Mr. Mt. Sinai Pulls Back Beth Dusty, as she always does to my money settlement—easy when you are Israel Plans great irritation, announced that I was a newspaper, impossible if you are a Boyce was one of three children. He joined Early last month Mt. Sinai Hospital in- the publisher of a newspaper and 91 91-year-old retired grouch. the U.S. Navy in the early 60’s after high formed the judge in the ongoing lawsuit years old. — George Capsis school. Following that stint, Mr. Boyce moved to New York City where he found to close Beth Israel (Progressive Action of work at Kenneth, an Upper Eastside hair Lower Manhattan v. Mt. Sinai Hospital) salon that catered to customers like Jacque- that Mt. Sinai was revising its plan to build Bruce Boyce, Artist, dig holes, plant trees, and go on flower runs. line Kennedy Onassis, before striking out a 70 bed new hospital at the corner of 14th Gardener, and Neighbor, His enthusiasm was impossible to resist. on his own as a hairdresser. Street and 2nd Avenue. That plan has al- Dies at 76 “Every Easter, Halloween, and Christ- Over the past 50 years, Mr. Boyce created ready been revised several times. The most mas, along with every other important hol- Bruce Wesley Boyce transformed his small a wide array of art pieces working in vari- recent rendering shows a 12 story building iday, Bruce would theme the garden. He’d corner of the West Village into a destina- ous media. A talented and prolific painter, (which is far larger than that needed for a tion for those in the know. Thanks to Mr. he leaves behind an extensive body of work. 70 bed hospital). The litigants have told Mt. Boyce’s efforts, locals and tourists alike Mr. Boyce’s support for the gay rights Sinai that a true community needs study, stop in front of the wrought iron gates at movement was unwavering. “He was here at least 200 beds, a fully operational surgi- 65-67 Jane Street between Hudson and before Stonewall, through the swinging cal unit, and a maternity ward are needed to Greenwich to take photos or steal glimpses 70’s, the AIDS crisis in the 80’s, and every end the lawsuit. Maybe they are listening? of the elaborate garden installations, which other major event in the gay world,” said —Arthur Schwartz incorporate dozens of plants, flowers, light- Mr. Lobenthal. ing displays, statuary, and found objects. Mr. Boyce died on Sunday December Jessica Moves “If you want to get a sense of who Bruce 16th, 2018. He will be missed. Long-time West Village fixture, Jessica was, come and look at the courtyard, be- —Michael Rovner Berk, moved out of 95 cause it is his gardening that made it so ex- at the end of October (part of a 6 figure citing and beautiful,” said Joel Lobenthal, a WestView Provides Spark! deal with her landlord to turn over a rent- friend of Mr. Boyce since 1976. WestView has built my confidence, inspir- controlled 2 bedroom apartment) and has "HE LOOKED AT HIMSELF AS AN ARTIST Mr. Boyce dreamed up new design schemes WHO WORKED IN THE GARDEN": Bruce ing me and my poetic abilities. I know I purchased a new home: a 2-bedroom con- for the community space that changed with Boyce, above, was adored by both resi- would not have had the courage nor in- do in Atlantic City! Her dog is about to the seasons. He sketched them out to the last dents and neighbors. Photo courtesy of clination to ‘compete’ with myself had join her as she launches a new life. detail. He enlisted the help of neighbors to Fay Torresyap. George not suggested I ‘kernalize’, which —Arthur Schwartz 9/11 Tiles for America Memorial Gets Gallery Bus The 9/11 Tiles for America finally has a home. been moved by the messages of love, peace, anyone who takes comfort in the tiles and Understanding, and they are listed on the Now we need your help to secure a permanent hope, patriotism, and sadness and they have their messages, to experience them. National Historic Registry and in hun- parking permit so we can make it official. been very supportive of keeping the charm- We are calling on you, our elected offi- dreds if not thousands of tour books and On 9/10/2018, a white Bluebird Library ing bus full of tiles here on the corner. cials and community leaders to help us ob- websites from around the world. There are bus pulled into a legal metered space on The bus may move from time to time if tain any special permits we may need so the also collections of the original tiles at the 7th Ave and Greenwich to greet the Father it has an invitation to travel, but it is our bus can remain at the original site. 9/11 Memorial, the Constitution Center, Mykal Judge walk and celebrate the return goal to staff the bus with local residents The 9/11 Tiles are currently a special and the Smithsonian that share the history of the 911 Tiles for America to the “Heart and volunteers to welcome visitors, and project under the 501C3 of the Temple of of the tiles and reference the site. of the Village” where they belong. George Capsis, publisher of WestView News “Village Angels” transformed the former along with The West Village Fund is work- library into a mobile gallery so the fragile tiles ing closely with the Temple of Understanding, could safely return and remain on display. and the community, to insure that the tiles re- The bus was designed for public use and is main in the Village where they belong. fully handicapped and wheelchair accessible. We look forward to adding your names 9/11 Tiles for America captures a moment to the esteemed list of “Village Angels” in time when people from all over the world who helped our community preserve the came together to love and comfort each other 911 Tiles for America. despite the fear and uncertainty that abound- Dusty Berke, Guardian/Curator, ed and is an important part of the healing 911TilesforAmerica.org process, and the fabric of our community. FRAGILE TILES GET HOUSED: Father Mychal Judge honor guard passes 9/11 Gallery Bus [email protected] Everyone who has been on board has that houses surviving collection of commemorative hand-painted tiles. Photo by Dusty Berke. 4 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org Integral Yoga Natural Foods Closes Doors After 45 Years New York’s only 100 percent vegetarian health food store. When it opened, 45 years ago, there were few stores sell- ing natural foods, but now those products are widely sold by other retailers, including large chain stores, as a sign on IYNF’s door explained. The sign concluded with the phrase “Mission accomplished.” The closing is not another story of rent gouging in the Village. The food store, a business, rented space in the building owned by Integral Yoga Institute, a nonprofit or- ganization. “The rent that IYNF paid was far below mar- ket rate,” said Chandra/Jo Sgammato, general manager of IYI. “It was having financial problems for a few years, but so many friends, patrons, and staff valued its fair trade, lo- cally sourced, organic foods, and healing supplements, that to close it was a wrenching decision. The products stood THE INEVITABLE FUTURE: Thanks to technology, Michael for the yogic principle of not harming any living being on Usyk attends a Parisian showing of his artwork—via Skype, the planet.” above. Photo credit: Susie Hollands. The store was beloved by many in the Village, and one could get expert advice on the apothecary items from the staff and also from Manu Dawson, C.Y.N.Th., who will still be available for free mini-consultations at IYI on Robot Travel Wednesday afternoons from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. By George Capsis “We want to assure everyone that the yoga institute is not closing,” Chandra said. “Nobody needs to worry. We Michael Usyk had a show of his artwork in Paris which he teach yoga to people of all ages, sizes, fitness levels, and attended via Skype—his image displayed on a laptop on physical conditions. If you don’t think you can do yoga, a table in the middle of the show. Visitors to the exhibit come let us show you that you can,” she said. IYI is open (if they spoke English) could chat with Michael about his seven days a week with competitive pricing. Scholarships work as he sat in his little apartment in the West Village. are available, and there are volunteer exchange programs, Well, this does look like the near future has already ar- as well as discounts for students and seniors. rived. IT WAS NEW YORK'S ONLY 100% VEGETARIAN HEALTH Integral Yoga is dedicated to the practice and teachings At my age I have concluded that I will never make an- FOOD STORE: The sign on their door concluded “Mission of Integral Yoga as taught by Sri Swami Satchidananda, other trip to Paris (with my aches and pains and poor bal- Accomplished,” as organic food is now available every- who came to the United States in 1966 at the invitation ance I would never make it out of the airport, and a stroll where, a contributing factor in IYNF's closing. Photo credit: of the artist Peter Max and who gave the opening address down the Champs-Élysées would be impossible). © Joel Gordon 2018­—All rights reserved. at the Woodstock Festival almost fifty years ago. With a But what if I sat, electronically, in a robot body and By Sarah Dowson mission to facilitate an easeful body, a peaceful mind, and a rolled down the streets of Paris turning to see the sights useful life and to encourage interfaith harmony by respect- and asking for directions with my translation dictionary in Recently hundreds of loyal natural-foods patrons were ing all the world’s faiths, Integral Yoga now has teachers front of me? This will happen because both the technol- shocked and heartbroken to learn that Integral Yoga Natu- and centers throughout the world. ogy and desire for it have arrived. Yes, I could not sit at ral Foods (“IYNF”), at 229 West 13th Street, had closed “The closing is very sad, but now everyone knows what a sidewalk cafe and have a meal but I could roll through because of overwhelming competition in the changing re- brown rice is, and organic food is everywhere. We all can the Louvre directing my robot wheels into the gallery of tail landscape. be proud of IYNF’s success in that respect,” Chandra said. French Impressionists and pause and zoom into a detail IYNF sold organic fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, IYI is seeking a new tenant for the store premises, a I liked and even listen to the lecturer. And all of the roll- freshly juiced vegetables, as well as flour, grains, and spic- business or a nonprofit consistent with its values. Ideas ing robot visitors could attend the Louvre at night after es that one could purchase by the teaspoon or in much from the whole community are welcome. People with sug- the museum has closed. larger quantities in minimally wasteful packaging. It was gestions may email [email protected]. Yes, this is the inevitable future.

Integral Yoga Natural Foods: Some Memories Having finished my organic red kale the other day, I According to IYNF’s website, “in order to serve our Integral Yoga to control my appetite and my thoughts. ambled over to Integral Yoga Natural Foods (“IYNF”) world well, to have a peaceful mind, and to have a useful Over time, I increased my knowledge of the benefits of at 227 West 13th St. with the intention of buying an- life, we must have an ease-full body. Our stores are direct the foods available at IYNF. other bunch to munch and maybe a few spices too. I felt creations from one of Swami Satchidananda’s teachings: I remember attending a satsang with Swami Satchi- devastated to see a sign on their door announced they Always look for the most natural foods. Natural food dananda. “What is it you want me to do?” he asked us were closing due to “overwhelming competition and is the best food. You can prevent almost all illnesses by with a twinkle in his eyes, looking around at each of challenges” from other natural foods stores. being attentive to your diet.” us sitting in a circle. We laughed nervously. Of course, For decades I have been able to go and get a teaspoon In the late 1970’s, I came down with a thyroid mal- each one of us, not the Swami, had the responsibility of this spice, a cup of that flour or grain, as I wished and function. My appetite raged and my weight went up. of achieving goals through mindful practice. We medi- needed. And, on Wednesday afternoons I could have a By then, Integral Yoga had a studio on the Upper West tated together for about 30 minutes, then did chanting, free consultation there with Manu Dawson, C.Y.N.Th, Side and had purchased the studio and store on West and received a short talk on yoga philosophy. if I wanted natural foods advice for a health situation. 13th Street. I took many yoga and meditation classes at —Sarah Dowson www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 5

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Real estate agents affiliated with The Corcoran Group are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of The Corcoran Group. The Corcoran Group is a WEST VILLAGE LANDMARK CORNELIA STREET CAFE: At the end of a July 4 celebration, licensed real estate broker located at 660 Madison Ave, NY, NY 10065 Anthony Paradiso, right, interviews Robin Hirsch, left. Photo by Roger Paradiso.

By Roger Paradiso Now we jump to late October of this year and The Lost Village is playing at the Cin- I remember the Fourth of July festival on ema Village and we have what I think is a Cornelia Street a few years back. Robin record eight panels in six days after the film Hirsch of the Cornelia Street Café was screens. In the middle of the run, I get a call throwing his annual birthday celebration for from Robin and he asks to come to the show his landmark jazz/comedy/poetry club. (To and speak. I tell him to come by to watch this date as I write this in 2018, he is cel- the film and join the panel. After the lights ebrating his 41st year in business. Number come up, I introduce Robin and he takes 42 would be coming up on July 4th, 2019.) the mike and says, “we celebrated our 41st My son and I came in to film this celebra- birthday last July and I am now in a position tion as well as to film George Capsis of the where I don’t think it’s possible to reach 42.” WestView News. This was and still is part of The crowd is silent, and Robin is emotional. a series George and I wanted to do about the He continued: “On our 10th Anniver- surviving cultural institutions and persons in sary Mayor Koch named us a culinary as Greenwich Village at the second decade of well as a cultural landmark...Young artists the 21st Century. When we finished film- starting out and very distinguished artists ing George, we were heading to see Robin at found a home here.” As he was handing his block party for his Café’s birthday. It was the mike back, he said: “Cornelia Street is a little hot and George said he might meet likely to go the way of all flesh.” Panelists us. We left Charles Street and walked a few tried to cheer him up and give him support. blocks to Cornelia. It was a bit warm but a It is now a few days past Christmas and pleasant Fourth of July day in the Village. As I just got off the phone with Robin who we turned the corner, we heard the great Da- confirmed that as of January 2, 2019 the vid Amram and his band playing. We found Cornelia Street Café will be closed. There Robin and set up an interview with my son as are no miracles on Cornelia Street in this the interviewer. He and Robin set up about digital age where the buck stops with the 30 feet south of the band, so we could hear Landlords. There are no more roses grow- each other and see the whole festival. People ing in Spanish as Ben E. King were coming up to Robin to congratulate sang in a gentler age. Instead we will have him and there was a nice turnout at the Café. a black hole on that charming Village What a beautiful day. The only cloud street. Let us pray for the Cornelia Street in that day was Robin admitting his fear Café and remember all the joy it brought to about his upcoming new lease at year’s end. Cornelia Street in days gone by. In 21st Century America there has been an amendment to the phrase Benjamin On January 15th, The Lost Village will be Franklin made famous about Death and available on DVD at Unoppressive Books, Taxes. “In this world there is nothing more 34 Carmine Street and Mercer Street Books, certain than Death, Taxes and High Rent.” 206 Mercer Street. 6 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org 27 Christopher Street’s Private Makeover By Ananth Sampathkumar, around the periphery with a grand stair and glass elevator charming neighborhood has caught the attention of big Partner NDNY Architecture + Design anchoring the center of the house. The basement will pro- money and they are steadily moving in to set up house vide living and sleeping quarters for staff while the cellar and shop here. Rent stabilized apartments now sit next 27 Christopher Street has been home to some illustrious will house a 50-foot lap pool. Two generous terraces, one to multi-million dollar townhouses, mom and pop shops residents. The beautiful Neo-classical building was built in on the 2nd floor and the other on the roof, will connect the have been slowly taken over by high-end boutique stores. 1911. Designed by Joseph Duke Harrison for the Switzer indoors with abundant access to the private outdoor space. This trend is sure to continue into the New Year. We will Institute and Home, the structure was a Catholic school Manhattan has always been about extremes and no- wait to see if the Village survives the new influx or be- till the New York Foundling took it over and named it where is it more evident than in the West Village. This comes a victim of its own success. the Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection in memory of Dr. Fontana’s work to prevent child abuse. The Foundling began its life in 1869 in a brownstone on East 12 Street, when three Sisters of Charity started a mission to rescue abandoned babies in New York City. Over the last 149 years, the non-profit has evolved to provide a host of community support services to the less fortunate and vulnerable children and families of New York. In a historic sale worth $45 million, the non-profit sold one of its most valuable assets in 2014, to billionaire Steve Baker, managing partner at Baker Brothers Investment. The 60’x70’ corner lot has four floors above grade, two below and a total of 19,000 square feet of interior space. Since the news of the sale of the property went public in 2014, there has been plenty of buzz around the develop- ment of the site. Gerner Kronick & Valcarcel Architects prepared initial conceptual plans for the real estate company that was marketing the site as a mansion. Since then, HS Jessup Architecture has been the Architect of Record and construction has been underway since early 2017. Accord- ing to the drawings available on the Architect’s website, the SINCE NEWS OF THE SALE OF 27 CHRISTOPHER STREET WENT PUBLIC IN 2014, THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF BUZZ new single family home will consist of at least six bedrooms, AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE: Existing and Proposed North Elevation excerpt from LPC Presentation from two kitchens and several living, dining, entertaining areas April 2016. Credit: © H.S. Jessup Architecture.

Celebrating Installation of A Manhattan Moment New Jane Street Garden Fence at the Post Office Our neighborhood post office branch if to a child, that “we were not out of on Hudson Street is the focal point of stamps a few days ago.” community activity. It is the crossroads “Oh, now I understand,” I replied. of our neighborhood, like the Village She offered me some sheets of stamps. well in olden days. It is especially busy In the spirit of seasonal harmony and at Christmas time. love I picked out a sheet of Christ- I went in and approached the coun- mas stamps and Hanukkah stamps ter. The woman looked up and smiled and EID stamps. I paid for them and and asked if she could help me. I re- turned to leave. I went to the door and quested a roll of stamps. The woman pushed. The door would not open. looked at me and said “I’m sorry, I have I turned and looked back at the lady no rolls of stamps.” I asked her if any behind the counter. She noticed my of the other clerks had rolls of stamps problem and said “Oh, that door is bro- in their boxes. She seemed sad and said ken. It does not open from the inside.” that there were no rolls of stamps in There was another pause. I asked how the entire post office. I paused for a I could leave the post office. She said, moment and then I asked her if there “don’t worry the postmaster is on his would be any stamps coming in soon. way.” Showing off, he left the post of- I reminded her that the whole purpose fice by the sliding door and came down of the post office was to send mail and the alley and came around to the front stamps were an essential part of the of the post office. He opened the door process. She said more rolls would be for me and smiled, and I thanked him. Officials joined the Jane Street Block Association (JSBA) and West Village coming in after a day or two, and three He said “all right, there’s no problem.” Committee (WVC) to celebrate the installation of a new garden fence made days at the latest. I asked her when This entire interchange was marked possible by a grant from Speaker Johnson. From left: (in blue jacket) Bill Castro, Manhattan Borough Parks Commissioner; Brad Hoylman; Debra they were ordered. She said they were by extreme friendliness, politeness and Glick; Gale Brewer; Corey Johnson; Susan Sipos of the WVC; behind her ordered yesterday. I paused thought- eagerness to please the public. I’d like with white hair (obscured) is Barry Benepe of the WVC; Paula Feddersen, fully and then asked her why they had to compliment the post office on their chair emeritus of the JSBA; Kate Bostock, current chair of the JSBA; Carter not been ordered a few days earlier. efforts during the holiday season. Booth, new chair of CB2 (obscured), and Michael Talbot, president of the She looked at me and explained, as —Henry Kaminer WVC. Photo credit: Chris Manis. www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 7

Google continued from page 1 nesses. Although parts of Hudson Square have few eateries or markets to choose from now, that will change with new develop- ment, Google or no Google. The recent news of Google’s continued expansion, Disney’s plans to build a new HQ, and many other business develop- ments, could make Amazon’s “HQ2” de- velopment of office towers in Long Island City pale in comparison. Why does Google need so much space in Manhattan? Like all hi-tech companies, they know that dynamic environments at- tract talent, thus city centers are appealing despite their higher costs. Google is no lon- ger just the online search engine that started in Silicon Valley, as it has continued to grow into a multi-faceted enterprise. When this writer attended a “grand open- ing event” at the Google Hardware Store on Greene Street, just north of the Apple store on Prince Street, I asked why Google would expend such efforts to develop outside their OXFORD’S RECONSTRUCTION OF ST. JOHN’S TERMINAL has reportedly attracted Google as a potential tenant, in the manufacturing zon- existing properties? Their spokesperson said ing totaling 1.3 million square feet. 8,500 more Google employees may join their colleagues in Manhattan with a 550 Washington lease. they wanted a distinctive, differentiated lo- This COOKFOX rendering shows the end of St. John’s demolished leaving the block between Clarkson and Houston Streets empty. 160 cation for this type of customer interaction, Leroy Street is shown north of this site. West Street, Pier 40 and HRP are on the left. Credit: COOKFOX Architects. making the investment in a leased space worthwhile. Google combined two rented the best of scenarios, but the zoning is in storefront spaces in the historic district place already. The news doesn’t get into the Shooting continued from page 1 by finding reporters from theDaily News, for commercial showrooms, similar to the demolition of the four buildings now on this Post and The Villager buttonholing tenants Samsung showrooms in the Meatpacking block, but their tenants have already been Northwell Urgent Care center on 13th and as they came out for any morsel of news. District, to demonstrate their Pixel, Nest given notice. The home of City Winery has 7th which always has a standby Lenox Hill I keep disciplining myself that we are a and other “smart” products. The alterations reported its closing at 155 Varick, a two-sto- ambulance got the call, but he may have been small very local newspaper so we should opened up the deep basement and tall first ry taxpayer at the northwest corner of Van- dead when they found him on Bedford Street concentrate on local news, but it is a bit un- floor spaces for customer displays. dam. 304 Hudson is an enormous U-shaped so he did not feel, as I did with a blockage in nerving to discover you know the victim of Consider the news last July about Dis- 8-story loft building from 1898, according to my intestines, the long bumpy ride up Park one bit of the “local news.” ney’s announcement that it will move its owner Trinity Real Estate, fronting Hudson, Avenue to Lenox Hill Hospital—remind- For a long time now it has been my wish New York operations from the Upper West Vandam, and Spring. 137 Varick is a similar ing me again that we have to get one of the that WestView readers give me their e-mail Side to a full-block site, situated diagonally 8-story loft building on the southwest corner new billionaires who are now finishing their address so we can send them a news flash across from The Dominick, formerly the of Spring, built in 1900. swimming pool mansions not too far from when somebody calls to say my neighbor Soho, renamed for the short Finally, 50 Vandam is a two-story paint- the site of the Bedford Street shooting to do- just got shot. street running behind it. Hudson Square, the ed brick 1900 vintage mid-block building. nate a new hospital. Who knows—perhaps Our very capable Kim is working on this downtown neighborhood once known as the None are landmark-protected. we could have saved this victim selling pot as but you can start right now. printing industry district, is now being repur- Trinity already has city approval to build a it becomes legal. YES, I want to receive WestView news flash- posed for media and other ‘creative’ (read Hi- 430-foot-tall, 300,000-square-foot residential Dusty got all excited and hurried over to es and I am sending my name, address, and Tech) companies. Disney has reportedly paid building at Canal, Grand and Varick Streets, the scene of the crime and was rewarded telephone number to [email protected]. $650M for a 99-year landlease of the site. its so-called 2 Hudson Square site, which will “Disney’s operations won’t be moving include a 444-seat public school at its base. soon,” wrote the Journal. “The Trinity’s Hudson Square portfolio is company is still in the early stages of its plan- reportedly worth almost $4 billion. Trin- ning for the new building.” A development ity land holdings extend all the way up to How to Love WestView like this takes several years to complete, in Christopher Street. Preservation groups are concerned about the changing nature of the neighborhoods, and Make Money and are doing what they can to protect the I could not be more pleased with the Christmas Eve concert that Father Graeme of quality of life for all. One strategy to coun- St. John’s Church staged, narrated, and produced—it was near perfect. ter the car culture has been to bar big-box “How do we do this?” I asked before the concert started and he said “I will warehouse-type stores from establishing in introduce you and say a very few words.” I did as he ordered, and then he got up to most parts of Manhattan. In this congested narrate the 500 year history of the Christmas Carol without notes. As the centuries area with multiple ramps and tunnels serv- of music flowed we were startled as one after another virtuoso singer got up to do a ing the Holland Tunnel out to NJ, dealing solo with thrilling voices. At the after-concert reception one after another music loving with increased traffic is just one of many guest came up to me to say something like “I love your paper.” challenges. Life in the big city is meeting It brought a bit of sadness to me because like all newspapers we are struggling to those challenges head-on, not ignoring or stay alive. And $12 for a subscription does not pay the printer but it tells our adver- hoping they will go away by themselves. tisers that people care enough about the paper to pay for it. The next time you are dining with friends at your favorite restaurant realize that a Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP, is an archi- quarter page ad will cost far less than your check and suggest to your friend, the GOOGLE’S NEW HARDWARE STORE opened in October at 131 Greene Street, in this tectural consultant in private practice, serves owner, to take an ad. renovated historic storefront. The showroom on the Community Board 2 in Manhattan, is is meant to demonstrate their Pixel, Nest and Co-chair of the American Institute of Archi- THE FIRST ONE IS FREE. Have them call George at 212-924-5718. other “smart” products to the public.Credit: tects NY Design for Aging Committee, and is (and if you want we will even pay you a commission.) Brian J. Pape, AIA. WestViewNews.org Architectural Editor. 8 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org City Council Supports West Village Original: Single-Payer Health Act Gordon Hughes By Michael D. Minichiello

This month’s West Village Original is pro- ducer Gordon Hughes, born in Los Angeles in 1941. He is a founder of DFB Productions, which manages investments in , West End, and international theatrical pro- ductions. Recent and current Broadway shows include Peter and the Star Catcher, An Amer- ican in Paris, Come From Away, and The Cher Show. Hughes, a contributing writer to WestView, and his wife, Barbara, live on between Perry and Eleventh.

For producer Gordon Hughes, every career he’s had was “a logical progression” to his SPEAKER COREY JOHNSON ADDRESSING THE HEALTH ACT SUPPORTERS AT CITY HALL current one. “I went to Cal State University ON DECEMBER 6, 2018: Johnson spoke about the terror of losing his health care when he where I studied history, poli sci, and then was first diagnosed HIV positive and urged the state to prioritize passage of this legislation. broadcasting,” he says. “When I graduated, Photo credit: Penny Mintz. the local TV station made me associate By Penny Mintz We know why it’s currently a nonstarter producer on a show called Ralph Story’s Los on the federal level. But why don’t we have Angeles. But my goal was to get into TV The changes in store for Beth Israel are tem- single-payer in the state? so I jumped over to sales. That’s where I porarily on hold. Mt. Sinai is deferring its The Health Act has passed in the New learned to write and produce commercials. application to the Department of Health for York State Assembly year after year. It has When I did end up as director of broad- ALL OF GORDON HUGHES' SKILLS AC- a certificate of need, which the state must ap- never come to the floor for a vote in the casting in a TV station, I learned contracts QUIRED OVER A LIFETIME HAVE COME IN prove before the changes can be made. Ac- Republican-controlled state senate. This as well as working with the unions. And HANDY IN THE THEATRE: Hughes, above, cording to Arthur Schwartz, who is pursuing year, the state senate is controlled by Dem- agents! Some were a treat.” especially loves to discover new talent. a lawsuit against Mt. Sinai and the Depart- ocrats, several of whom ran on the issue of Making a switch to print, which brought Photo credit: Vicki Sander. ment of Health (think David v. Goliath), Mt. single-payer health care. Hopes are high him to New York in 1990, Hughes was with Sinai still intends to replace the full-service that things will change. ABP Magazines for sixteen years until he group: I love to discover talent. Just to be 600-bed Beth Israel with a 72-bed facility On December 6, 2018, a broad coalition realized he missed the entertainment in- able to look at actors and directors and say, on East 13th Street, but for now the mega- of supporters of the Health Act met on the dustry. “I was kind of tired and bored with ‘I helped that career!’ is wonderful. And lithic health-care provider is “re-thinking the steps of City Hall and then appeared before what I was doing,” he says. “I had a very another thing, I didn’t go into this busi- massing and design” of the new building. the Committee on Health to speak in support good friend who was the only guy I could ness to thump my chest. I don’t even put While Beth Israel changes are taking a of a resolution sponsored by our own council talk to about theater, television, actors, etc. my name in the playbills anymore. I mean, breather, action on the New York Health member, Speaker Corey Johnson. The resolu- One year we went to the Edinburgh Fringe I like my friends to know what I’m doing Act is heating up. tion calls on the state legislature and governor Festival and saw about four plays a day for but I try to go stealth.” The New York Health Act proposes to to enact the New York Health Act. a week. I thought it was fabulous! So he “This is not necessarily a young man’s provide healthcare coverage for all New York- On December 11, 2018, an overwhelm- and I and two other guys formed Direct game,” he continues. “I’ve been very fortu- ers, including long-term care for seniors. It ing majority of City Council members—44 From Broadway.” nate in life and once you can put the money would be funded in part by federal payments out of 51—voted in favor of the resolution. Their first play wasLa Bête. “I was like a together you get to do something like this, now going to Medicaid and Medicare and in In opposition were Council Members Jo- babe in the woods,” Hughes says. “This was which I love. It’s not a retirement job by part by a progressively graduated income tax seph Borelli (R., Staten Island), Robert a story of Moliere done in couplets. Can any stretch of the imagination, but it’s just imposed on all income, including investment Holden (R., Queens), (D., you imagine such a thing?!” He stayed the not as hard as working at a television net- income. For 98% of us New Yorkers, the new Brooklyn), and Minority Leader Steven course, though, and succeeded. “It’s been a work. You feel more liberated and you don’t tax would be more than offset by health-care Matteo (R., Staten Island). Council Mem- great ride and right now I’m happy to be in- need to suit up. We’re like gypsies.” costs we now incur in the form of insurance bers Chaim Deutsch (D., Brooklyn) and volved with Come From Away, which is still Even though he “always knew about premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and co-in- (D., Queens) abstained. running,” he says. “I didn’t think it was go- Greenwich Village,” Hughes didn’t move surance. Also eliminated would be out-of- If the Health Act is enacted, New York ing to be anything like what’s happening to here until 20 years ago. “I’m vexed by what’s network costs. Nothing, except perhaps an City can expect to save $9.4 billion in its it now. They’ve handled the marketing on happened here since then,” he says. “There elective facelift, would be out of network (too share of Medicaid costs. that so well, but it was word of mouth that were a lot of VW buses with peace signs on bad for me). Hospitals will also benefit. According to drove that show. I also just opened The Cher them and now it’s all Range Rovers. That’s According to Gerald Friedman, chair of State Assembly Member Dick Gottfried, Show and I’m an investor in that, not a pro- why I go to [Panino] Mucho Gusto café on economics at the University of Massachu- who has led a sometimes lonely campaign ducer. I did it for two reasons: I really think Hudson Street. It’s full of old hippies. We setts at Amherst, New Yorkers will save for the Health Act since 1992, hospitals Cher’s story is better than any of the other all know each other, chat together, and it’s over $45 billion by eliminating insurance get most of their revenue from Medicaid, so-called jukebox musicals and to work with really fun.” company profits, eliminating providers’ Medicare, and private payments. Accord- [producer] Jeffrey Seller is amazing.” And yet, it’s the mix of old places and new insurance-related administrative costs, and ing to Gottfried, none of these sources fully So it transpires that all of Hughes’ that make the neighborhood so appealing to capturing savings from negotiated drug cover the cost of care, but “the NY Health skills acquired over a lifetime have come Hughes. “I love hanging out in old places and medical-device prices. Act requires full funding for all hospital in handy in the theatre. Does he have any like the Vanguard, Smalls, and the Bus Stop, In a report released on August 1, 2018, care.” Gottfried says that it will also save words of wisdom? “I always say there are and then doing a change up and having a the Rand Corporation, a conservative billions in hospital administrative costs. three kinds of investors: those that want nice dinner at the Waverly Inn,” he says. think tank, essentially agreed with Fried- So maybe, just maybe, the rush to close to discover talent, those that want to have “I recently had to go to dinner at a very chi man. The Koch brothers-funded Mercatus hospitals will end if the Health Act is passed. their photograph taken with Cher and get chi restaurant on the and I Institute concluded that a single-payer plan If only Beth Israel could hold out, any their names in the program, and the idiots thought, ‘I couldn’t live here any more than on the federal level would reduce health- alleged financial rationale for the closure who actually think they’re going to make I could live on Mars. The men still have hair care spending by $2 trillion over ten years. would evaporate. money,” he says, laughing. “I’m in the first like Cary Grant did!’” www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 9 Notes From Away: War Story By Tom Lamia Quoting Samuel Johnson from the 1700s: “The gallows doth wonderfully concentrate the mind.” An entire gen- I write on the day of the memorial service for George H.W. eration felt the urgency of taking part. School children col- Bush. Today and during the preceding four days, many have lected newspapers, bacon grease, tin cans, tin foil, and any- spoken privately and publicly of the remarkable character of thing that could be brought to school, processed and used Bush 41. A connection between his character and the effect by the troops or sold to raise money needed for war ma- of his service in World War II has been noted as a strong in- teriel. I remember feeling the satisfaction that came from fluence on his lifelong commitment to public service and on participating in the war effort. All those whose volunteer his notable qualities of affability, courage, humility, humor, services dealt with remote threats: air raid wardens who and patriotism over partisanship. roamed neighborhoods to enforce blackouts; ambulance Is it right to attribute these qualities to service in WWII? drivers, like my grandmother, who stood ready to trans- I would like to say yes, but more is involved. Several of our port the killed and injured (yet only drove in parades); and WWII presidents (Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Ken- more (ask your grandparents). nedy, Johnson, Carter, Reagan) seem also to have had these Oh, that the presidential qualities brought forth by the qualities. One may question the eligibility of Eisenhower or crisis of WWII could be universal among our leaders to- Carter on humor, or of Johnson or Reagan on military service, day. They exist, of that I am sure, but I am also sure that but I do not; efforts were made. Only Nixon is seen today as they matter less today than when the country was facing failing the Bush character test and it is not a close call. El- wartime’s existential threat. Today, it seems that the skills evating a president who resigned in disgrace to membership needed to win elections matter more than character, de- in this good character club of presidents would be a mistake. spite the credible existential threats we face from instan- The beneficial effects on character of WWII service are taneous nuclear annihilation and long-term but inexorable seen in all who lived through those years of world war; environmental destruction. These dire threats are consid- including those whose civilian lives were seriously, often ered secondary to the “hot button issues” that change with tragically, affected by war. I think of the women who were every election cycle. the essential home front support as workers, mothers, Members of the WWII generation no longer lead our teachers, and volunteers to allow civilian society to con- WE MIGHT ALL LEARN SOMETHING FROM HAVING political debates, but we would benefit from having their tinue to exist in a recognizable form. I think of the farmers, MEMBERS OF THE WORLD WAR II GENERATION HEARD. participation in the 2020 election cycle. Not as candidates scientists, industrial workers, planners and engineers, who World War II soldiers memorial at West Bristol Cemetery, for office necessarily, but as advocates for the country and in a matter of months transformed a depression-leveled, Maine, showing flag at half-staff in honor of President its democracy. I think of Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Jerry consumer society to massive wartime production, for our George H.W. Bush. Photo credit: Tom Lamia, taken on Brown and Jimmy Carter, but others qualify: Alan Simp- country and our allies. I think of those who transformed December 9, 2018. son, Erskine Bowles, Patrick Leahy, George Mitchell, government and the public sector from peacetime lassitude William Cohen, Richard Shelby and Dianne Feinstein. to bureaucratic triple time, directing national energies and from defeat and possible extinction. Failure was not only I am not advocating that any be candidates in 2020, but capacities to reach goals set by the need to save our country not an option, it was not thinkable. they should be heard. We all might learn something.

garb and our Village’s gestalt. If you have read my columns you know that I wear Dress Code a tie most of the time but do so with a sense of West Village independence, a There really is a distinct difference be- freer attitude if you will, that plays out for tween West Village garb and that of the most of us who live in the Village. Down folks who live north of . here in our community, stuffiness just Recently, I went north to attend a seems to melt away. We, the men and the birthday party for a dear friend and, on women, have a different approach to life, another night, for dinner at a fancy Up- it seems, than our northern neighbors—a per East Side restaurant. That’s when it more bohemian outlook—and our dress hit me—the dress code and hairstyles helps to express that philosophy. So, yes, uptown, for both men and women, are there are men in man buns and ponytails, really different from Village styles. The shaved heads and buzz cuts. Up north people at both the party and the restau- hair is very styled in a Cary Grant look that rant were friendly, interesting and bright. hasn’t changed since the ‘30s. Down here So, there is nothing personal about my there are jeans with every imaginable kind comments. of jacket. There are no Chesterfield coats Let’s stay with the men’s dress code for this and few navy blazers with lots of gold but- column. Men’s wool or flannel slacks or suit tons. Instead, there is a crazy mix of army trousers cut without narrow ankles, sport fatigue styles, puffy ski coats and every- coats and suit jackets with wide lapels, thing in between. Esquire and GQ are not colorful striped shirts with white collars and at the top of West Village residents’ reads. cuff links, bow ties and rep ties—these are Menswear is rarely read down here. The all kind-of uniforms on the Upper East Side. Atlantic Monthly is more likely to be read I guess you could say they are stiff, at the on the laptops at Cafe Panino Mucho VIEWS BY SUZE very least, and all are very different from Gusto, where even WWII Russian-style 50 + years in Greenwich Village what is typically seen below 14th Street. army coats are seen frequently. See Views by Suze Let me say right here that my regular It is clear to me that West Village “na- at Bonsignour Café travels never take me north of 14th tives” live a more relaxed and less socially Street, except for the theatre district restricted or structured lifestyle. I don’t Jane Street where I work. I never go to the Upper know about you, but that’s why I’m down and Eighth Avenue West Side—oh, well, I do go to Lincoln here living a wonderful New York life in a 917-686-6542 Center but that’s it. West Village winter get-up. [email protected] But back to my point about West Village —Gordon Hughes East Village Mural 10 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org Then&Now: That Gay Street! By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP In the 17th Century Wouter van Twiller operated a brewery Compton, in No. 12. Later, puppeteer Frank Parris lived here before this tiny street was laid out in the early 19th Cen- there—where he created his Howdy Doody character. tury. The first documented mention of Gay Street appeared Next door, at No. 14, author Ruth McKenney shared the in the Common Council minutes of April 23, 1827. Gay basement apartment with her sister Eileen in 1935. Details Street was widened in 1833. 1820s period houses on the west of their life on Gay Street were integral to her novel My side were demolished and replaced by working class Greek Sister Eileen. A few days before the subsequent Broadway 70 GREENWICH AVE. • WEST VILLAGE • NYC Revival homes with stables behind them that served some of play of the same name opened in 1940, Eileen and her new • • the wealthy homeowners of Washington Square. Squeezed husband were killed in an automobile accident. The griev- between Christopher Street and , the only lots ing Ruth, who had moved to No. 18 in 1936, never saw her Hourly Handyman Services with a Gay Street address are #12 (three and a half-stories play. In the basement apartment that she had lived in with Professional Painting Projects ca.1925), 14 and 16 (three-stories ca.1910) on the west side, her sister, community activist David Ryan was killed by an Electrical & Carpentry Work and #9, 11, 13, (three-story rowhouses ca.1899), #15 & 17, accidental fire on Christmas Day, 2003. MICHAEL RUSSO, PROPRIETOR (three-story apartment houses ca.1910) on the east. All other The controversial self-described “radical lawyer” Wil- 917.476.4146 • [email protected] buildings along the street have other street addresses. liam Kunstler lived across the street at the 19-foot wide Serving the West Village for 11 Years The little houses sat essentially unnoticed on the ar- No. 13 (his family are still the registered owners). Kunstler cane street. Throughout the 19th century and into the became famous for his defense of the “ Seven” early parts of the 20th, the picturesque street was home, and, later, for such divisive clients as the Black Panther mainly, to black residents. On May 10, 1903 the New York Party, the Weather Underground Organization, Jack Ruby, Times reported that “A couple of colored artists, Messrs. and the 1993 World Trade Center bombers. E. Hawkins and S. O. Collins of 11 Gay Street announce Our well-known friends Robert Heide and John Gil- good design = great sales an exhibition of their work at that address…” man were celebrating the 1995 publication of a Greenwich Yet despite its hidden location and plebian roots, Gay Village guidebook with a TV interview while sitting on Whether you’re selling your product or your services, we can Street became the setting for many New York happenings. 13 Gay Street’s stoop when Mr. Kunstler came out to join help you with stunning logos, ads, collateral and publications In the mid-1920s playboy mayor Jimmy Walker leased an them in singing the Wonderful Town songs by Leonard and a well-designed, easy-to-navigate website. apartment for his mistress, Ziegfeld Follies showgirl Betty Bernstein. View the website at phelandesignworks.com

[email protected] • 212-620-0652

MISSED YOUR COPY OF WESTVIEW? Best to subscribe! Or try these locations: Jefferson Market Library, 425 6th Avenue, 1st Floor Hudson Park Library, 66 Leroy Street Senior Center at Greenwich House, 27 Barrow Street Senior Center on the Square, 20 Washington Sq. North THEN: An 1894 print showing the Jefferson Market Court- NOW: Today, the view looking northeast on this picturesque Senior Center at Our Lady of Pompei Church, house in the background of 15 & 17 Gay Street, looking street shows minor changes to the townhouses—mainly Bleecker & Carmine Streets northeast, over the roofs of 10 Christopher Street. 12, 14 & 16 paint colors and AC units. On the skyline, instead of the Gay Street stoops are seen on the west side. The little house Jefferson Courthouse roof, a seven-story 1940 condo build- MCF Rare Wines, at 12 Gay Street, with Flemish bond brickwork and surviving ing at 10 Christopher Street dominates; a prominent #10 237 West 13th Street Federal entrance details and ironwork, is where a Mrs. Patton under the scaffolding identifies a door on Gay Street for its was brought in August of 1855. She had been knocked down residents. Proceeding down the east side of the street from SeaGrape Wines, after disembarking from an 8th Avenue trolley car with a baby #10, are #17, #15, and a bit of #13 Gay Street. On the west 512 Hudson Street in her arms, and run over by a heavy express wagon, throwing side (left), the stoops of #12, #14 and #16 Gay Street are her baby out of harm’s way. Policeman Carpenter escorted seen. Credit: Brian J. Pape, AIA. Ottomanelli, the woman to her sister’s home at 12 Gay Street. The Times 285 Bleecker Street reported that “During the excitement the driver of the wagon made his escape.” Credit NYPL Collection. www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 11 Seniors in Our City Can Have Scary Choices to Make

By Arthur Z. Schwartz Besides the unsupervised “deep cleaning,” one of the problems with APS protection is In mid-December I got a worried phone that it usually means an application by APS, call from George Capsis. An older woman to a court, to have a guardian appointed. (who I will call Fran for purposes of this When someone has no money, that guardian article) had found her way to George’s is usually a social services agency, which acts apartment, holding a clipping from West- as a guardian for hundreds of people. Those View about another older woman who agencies then gain total control of some- George had referred to me with a land- one’s life. They control all of your money. lord problem. She was an immigrant from They control where you live. They have the Dina Andriotis, Chris Tsiamis, and Nikitas Andriotis (from left to right). Korea, but had lived in her current apart- power to place a person in a nursing home, ment for 17 years. Her English was not which is their preferred solution. Once at 77 Christopher Street good, though she understands everything. the nursing home they are required to visit Between Seventh Avenue and Bleecker Street She was only 75 years old. George told only once every quarter. I learned about all me: “she needs your help right away. Her of this when I got involved in the Ruth Berk Pharmacy Hours: landlord has been suing her for the last saga. Ruth was in the bed next to an inca- Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM seven years and she is afraid that she is on pacitated neighbor of mine, in a now closed Saturday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM the verge of getting evicted.” I agreed to nursing home in a fancy setting on the Up- Sunday 11:00 AM- 5:00 PM see her a few days later. per East Side. The nursing home had three Fran arrived with someone from a Ko- women in a room, 30 on a floor, attended to Telephone: 212-255-2525 • Fax: 212-255-2524 rean-American social services agency, and by three nurse’s aides. Many people there email: [email protected] bags full of Korean pastries and pistachios. were non-ambulatory, and would have to www.newyorkchemists.com She had neatly arranged scores of pages of lay in their waste for hours before getting documents to help me understand her case. attended to. To shut people up the home She was neat, looked healthy, and seemed would pump them full of valium and other to have a pretty good grasp of the legal is- tranquilizers. After those tranquilizers killed sues she had been fighting with the landlord my neighbor, I swore that I would get Ruth about for seven years. Those issues involved out. She had no reason to be there. She was a rent increase, and the failure of SCRIE (a ambulatory, she was cogent, she could sing, benefit which helps rent control and rent and she wanted to go home. It took me over stabilized tenants over 65 avoid rent in- two months and four legal submissions (in- creases, i.e., the City pays the rent increase) cluding a Federal Habeas Corpus petition) COPPELIA to keep up with the increase. The landlord to get her out. I succeeded only by becoming 207 West 14th Street • NY, NY 10011 said she owed money, accumulating at a rate her guardian. I then made sure she lived at 212-858-5001 • coppelianyc.com of $200 per month, a total now exceeding home for most of the rest of her life. Where Downtown New York $5500. The landlord brought a non-pay- So when Fran came to my office, she was ment eviction action, which had dragged on less fearful of the landlord than of APS Celebrates Latin Cuisine 24/7 for years. Fran had a Legal Services lawyer; and what they would do to her. She was West Village … Chelsea … Meatpacking District actually she had been through several. Then terrified that someone would come in the one day in November someone from Adult middle of the night, cart her off to a nurs- Protective Services (APS), a City Agency, ing home, take all of her money, and basi- knocked on her door. Someone (probably cally end her life as a free person. The New the landlord) had said she needed to be York Times recently had a long investiga- under APS “protection.” The APS person, tive piece about people this has happened and a social worker, questioned her, and her to. In a city like New York, with landlords sister, who was present, for an hour, and pro- clamoring to get rid of old people, and a duced a report saying that Fran was mildly lack of serious support systems for older schizophrenic, unclean, lived in a cluttered residents, this is a growing problem. While apartment, slept in the hallway, etc. Fran I have agreed to be there for Fran, there took the report to a Korean agency, who had are hundreds if not thousands of Frans out a Korean speaking social worker examine there, older residents with no immediate her. This social worker came up with a dif- family, and friends who are equally as old ferent conclusion. Fran filed an appeal, had and infirm and in no position to help. It is a hearing before a “designee” of the State a serious human rights issue which needs Department of Health, and was told that to be addressed. she was now under APS protection. She was Corey Johnson, Brad Hoylman, Debra told that she would be evaluated for possible Glick. Your help is needed. placement in a nursing home and/or a “deep MEET ME AT COPPELIA cleaning” of her apartment. “Deep cleaning” Arthur Z. Schwartz is the Male Democratic The Latin Diner with the Old Fashioned Flavor means that some contractor comes in and District Leader in Greenwich Village, and throws away 90% of your possessions. President of Advocates for Justice. 12 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org

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512 HUDSON STREET • NYC 10014 By Susan Elrich, MD Most of my patients receiving Botox injections have WWW.SEAGRAPEWINES.COM • 212-463-7688 positive outcomes. There is now immune-modulatory Many, many New Yorkers suffer from headaches at one infusion therapy that has had encouraging results in re- point in their lives, and do not know how to approach ducing migraine frequency. managing them. There are different kinds of headaches Tension headaches present as a pressure/squeezing and different causes for them, so treatments vary. sensation. Migraine features, such as light sensitivity, Headache types discussed here include migraine and may also be seen in tension headaches. Very often ten- INCOME TAX tension-type headaches. Cluster and other headaches sion headaches may occur after sitting at a computer for PREPARATION are beyond the scope of this article. hours, or during a period of stress (emotional, or lack of in the privacy of your own home... Migraines generally present as one sided, severe and food or sleep, as examples). Medical management in- very reasonable rates pulsatile headaches, sometimes felt behind the eye, fron- cludes non-steroidal medication, such as Naprosyn or Call Peter White tally or at the temple, and may radiate to the neck, back ibuprofen, and muscle relaxants, if necessary. Reducing and shoulders. Patients with migraine with aura will ex- triggers to these headaches is important in their man- 212.924.0389 perience visual phenomena, such as temporary, partial vi- agement. sual loss, or a fragmented rainbow-like effect. Other fea- I frequently send my patients to physical therapy for tures that may occur include light and sound sensitivity, myofascial release, massage, traction, range of motion and nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Pain worsens with head strengthening exercises, along with heat therapy, which movement. Patients want to lie down and be left alone. you can also do at home. Biofeedback has helped many Acute treatments for migraines include the triptan patients with both migraine and tension type headaches. class of medications, which include Imitrex, Maxalt, Acupuncture is an option. Psychotherapy and cognitive Zomig and others. These are not to be taken by patients behavioral therapy may also be useful. with heart disease, not including well-managed high Start keeping a log, regarding frequency, intensity and blood pressure. duration of your headaches, as well as the medications There are other medications that either help provide and therapies you are using, so that the next time you migraine relief or reduce or prevent them from happen- see your neurologist you will be able to give him/her this ing. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibupro- information. You should see your neurologist for treat- fen or Naprosyn may help some patients. Medications ment if your headaches are impairing your ability to MULLIGAN for nausea and anxiety are sometimes given to patients function. Seek immediate medical attention if you have PLUMBING & HEATING in the emergency room, and help reduce symptoms. a headache that has neurological features such as weak- Since 1920—Three Generations of Mulligans Botox injections are used in patients who have a poor ness, numbness, or loss of speech or vision. We Get Better and Better! response to medications or have medication side effects. To your health and well being.

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Basil Weathers Plumbing 52 (at West ) (845) 866-2329 www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 13 How the Berks Were Able to Live in Their Apartment for 20 Years and Collect $500k Upon Leaving—An Update By Paul Dalnoky noky unprecedented praise from the Second Circuit Court to swing the Vegas betting line in favor the Berks. What of Appeals along with a whopping $5,000 fee. he did manage to accomplish was to carry this relatively- Long before the guardianship of Ruth Berk and the can- Weisser’s middle-aged partner was integral to his fan- simple holdover case through four long days of trial. On onization of her attorney, Arthur Schwartz, there was a tasy defense: that he was merely role-playing, was attracted the fifth day, the landlord’s Chappaqua-based attorney, newbie East Village lawyer named Paul Dalnoky who to adults and not children, and, without the able assistance “Little” Lawrence Wolf, was late in arriving to court. His worked, mostly, out of his rent-stabilized apartment. of the feds, would never have acted out his fantasies. How- associate Eric Baum, the only lawyer smaller in physique Dalnoky long ago gave up on the practice of law and ever the partner could not afford the week’s stay at a hotel. than he was, blamed the late-running train. discovering intelligent life (save a precious few) on the So Dalnoky cleared out a room in his apartment, put down No dice, said Hon. Hahn. You’re out of court. New York bench. Presently, he writes and teaches in At- a mattress, and allowed him to stay with him. Hahn, it turned out, was also hell on defaulting parties. lantic City. He lives in a tiny, beachfront condo. There’s Berk 1, as it came to be called, was a nuisance case. It Dalnoky defended a motion to restore which was denied. a comfortable Murphy bed and a pullout couch. But the was tried before Hon. Arlene Hahn (Atilla the Hahn), a The landlord took no appeal of the denial, and the Berks apartment is so small that the couch may only be folded woman so evil to tenants that the pro-landlord New York lived at 95 Christopher Street for 20 more years. As we all out when the bed is in the raised position. However, the Post named this “one-woman eviction machine” one of New know, in Berk 2 they were given 18 months to move out in apartment does give Dalnoky, a former New York City York’s ten worst judges. Dalnoky would later learn that she a dignified manner and received a tidy sum upon leaving. bike messenger, the ability to ride on the boardwalk at was particularly bad with tenants charged with nuisance. Jessica had planned to live with her fancy show business any time, day or night. This he lustily does. Even tonight. In trials of nuisance cases it is expected that the landlord friends in Los Angeles. She would live on their couches Two years after representing Ruth Berk, he repped John and its agents will testify against the tenant, however in until she figured out what was next on the agenda. In an Weisser, a San Franciscan man who was entrapped and ar- Berk 1 three tenants testified against the Berks, and no odd coincidence, when she made her entreaties to them, rested in an internet sting prosecution as he was planning tenants were slated to testify on their behalf. none of them owned a couch. his company’s holiday party. This tri-agency (FBI, Secret That’s 3-0, landlord, if you’re keeping score at home. Where could Jessica live? Who owned a couch? Service, and NYPD) prosecution was a disgrace: Weisser Dalnoky made some headway impeaching the landlord’s As of this writing, Jessica Berk is living in and loving the posed no threat to the community. The case earned Dal- tenant-witnesses; but he was not nearly effective enough salt air of Atlantic City, New Jersey. New York Doormen and Me By Janet Capron the second section of . Turns out he image. Doormen are living emblems of prestige. In F.R. was a prolific author with more than a few unpublished Murnau’s German silent-era classic, “The Last Laugh”, Growing up at 1185 , a big drive-in building manuscripts sitting in boxes in his walkup further east. the head doorman at a fancy Berlin hotel (Emil Jannings) with six sections, I rarely encountered any working-class What made it newsworthy I guess was the fact that Bernie is forced to finally retire. After giving up his position along people. Plumbers, electricians and other union guys were had been running the same elevator in the same building with its imposing uniform, he falls into self-loathing and like apparitions, riding the back elevator, slinking in and for going on three decades while he wrote all those books. eventual disgrace. But the hegemony that is the tenant/ out the back door. They were minor players in my cos- Human-interest stories about elevator men and doormen doorman relationship belongs especially to Manhattan, seted young life—with the sole exception of doormen and, abound. Shades of Downtown Abbey. this tiny island of the one percent. It seems so benign—the back then, elevator men, who loomed large. After I came In my New York memoir, Blue Money, I write about man with the kindly smile tipping his cap while he leaps home from school, my elevator man, Harold, and I would doormen, the small but pivotal role they sometimes played to open the car door—an enduring, harmless folie à deux. convene in the mostly empty lobby of the I-J section. Har- in my life and how much a part of the landscape they were, I’m not so sure about that. When you get conditioned as a old was a tall, lanky fellow who used to do this wonderful lining the avenues of the Upper East Side. I expected to child to being bowed to, it’s a custom that stays with you. I thing I couldn’t get enough of. Standing straight, he’d lean find a similar array of doormen when I went to London don’t think I will ever feel entirely estranged from it. A nod way forward so you’d think he was going to fall flat on his and Paris; they do exist in those cities, but more discreetly from a stranger in a grey uniform still prompts an oddly face, but of course he never did. and in smaller numbers. Here in New York they are on familiar sense of wellbeing—all’s right with the world. I already understood that Harold was just the eleva- display, and it’s the same faces year after year, decade af- Thanks to Harold, Bernie and their ilk, kind and con- tor man, not a person of consequence like my grandpa’s ter decade in fact. I’m told the job is coveted, backed by a stant guardians, my lifelong romance with working peo- friends. Nevertheless, I loved hanging out with him. His strong union, 32BJ SEIU—good benefits, including health ple is no mystery. Early on, I left the Upper East Side in presence was reliable, and he paid attention to me. insurance and even a pension. And the work, while physi- search of broader experience, but of course you always Years later, there was Bernie, my mother’s elevator man cally tiring (standing all day), is probably not very stressful. bring yourself with you wherever you go—in this case it’s at her new address, 20 East . Someone even- Hispanic and black men have managed to don the the little girl, the only child, who turned to servants for tually wrote a big piece about Bernie, which appeared in uniform, but no women yet. So much of the job is about companionship.

Don’t put off taking off those extra pounds – and keeping them off! Please allow me to help you on your weight management journey Joy Pape, Family Nurse Practitioner [email protected] 917-806-1945 14 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org Tech Tips & Tricks Don’t Just Sit There, Resist—Part VIII: tips on how you can protect yourself: By Hank Kee Microsoft does not send unsolicited email messages or make unsolicited phone The Trump Effect Topic of the Month: calls to request personal or financial infor- Why All the Robocalls? For each action in nature there is an equal and after the recent election of officers to the mation or to provide technical support to Because they’re cheap! You can now call opposite reaction. Village Independent Democratic (VID) fix your computer. anywhere in the 50 states 24/7. If you’re —Newton’s third law. club, to which I belong. David Siffert was Any communication with Microsoft has getting more robocalls now you’re not elected president and the three new vice to be initiated by you. If a notification ap- alone. The reason for the proliferation is presidents were Eric Bottcher, Sara Kim- pears with a phone number, don’t call the By Alec Pruchnicki that technology has made it cheap. The bell, and Allison Stowell. Eric Bottcher number. Error and warning messages from sheer number of people that scammers can After the Electoral College put President has been involved in politics for years and Microsoft never include a phone number. reach makes it cost effective. Trump in the White House, it appeared is Speaker Cory Johnson’s chief of staff, but Download software only from official You can go to a website, upload an audio that he had invigorated the Republican the others are all relatively new to club pol- Microsoft partner websites or the Micro- file, put in a range of phone numbers, and Party. Mainline Republicans were cowed itics. In their autobiographical statements soft Store. Be wary of downloading soft- use a prepaid debit card to make robocalls. by his political followers into being spine- during the election, each of the three said ware from third-party sites as some of When it is that easy to commit a crime, less enablers of his policies at the same that they were driven to get involved right them might have been modified, without criminals will commit it. time that he brought new groups such as after the election of Trump. They joined the author’s knowledge, to bundle support- Even if a robocall is only successful with the Alt-right and white supremacists into the VID, became extremely active, and scam malware and other threats. one out of every 500 calls, that can still make prominence. But, it soon became clear that were elected to significant positions by the Don’t bother to report your telephone the misdeed profitable. Of those who’d an- he had also invigorated the Democratic club’s membership. number to the Do Not Call Registry. It swered a robocall, 21 percent admitted to ei- Party. The Trump effect spurred both par- This effect isn’t limited to the VID. Be- doesn’t work. Politicians and nonprofit or- ther accidentally or intentionally disclosing ties to action and, with due deference to sides the national House races, locally the ganizations are exempt from the restriction personal information. About 25 percent of Sir Isaac Newton, the reaction against him 19th district of the Hudson Valley was won of robocalls. robocalls are about health topics. might actually be greater, not equal, to the by a newcomer to electoral politics, Demo- If the robocaller doesn’t give you the op- Microsoft has been working with police initial reaction of his election. crat Antonio Delgado. The 11th district, tion to select Do Not Call, press 1 to in- in India to shut down fake tech-support In a way, he even became my muse. My including Staten Island, was also won by dicate you are interested. Then, ask them centers there that are scamming victims in anger at his election caused me to write my a newcomer, Democrat Max Rose. Staten politely to cease and desist. If they persist, the United States and Canada. Raids be- first book ever, A Really Huge Christmas Island! Both defeated incumbent Republi- tell them politely that you are so glad they gan a month after Microsoft published a Carol, Believe Me, which replaced Scrooge cans who were endorsed by Trump. Trump called as this gives you the opportunity to survey which found that more than three with Trump and used satire to attack his has managed to recruit an entire new gener- waste their time. At that point, just hang in five consumers have encountered tech- politics. Satire can be a weapon, and that’s ation of political activists, all arrayed against up. They only get paid if they can get you support scams. In addition to pop-up what I was aiming for. him and his Republican allies. to buy their pitch. Most, but not all, will warnings, the fraudsters have been using I wasn’t alone. Youtube is filled with video Will this last? When Trump leaves of- stop calling. If you just hang up on them, phone calls, emails, and website redirects satires of Trump, and Alec Baldwin’s imper- fice, by impeachment, resignation, election they will keep calling. to trick users into thinking their computers sonation of him on Saturday Night Live is so or cheeseburger induced illness, will these are infected with viruses or spyware. Vic- annoying that Trump is even contemplating activists become passive and tolerant of tims were fooled into buying repair services This article is part of a monthly column legal action. The recent election results with Pence or whoever comes next? This isn’t to fix the phony issue. According to Micro- by the New York Amateur Computer Club the Democrats taking control of the House too likely. I can tell from my own experi- soft’s survey, one in five consumers has lost (NYACC), one of the oldest computer clubs in of Representatives, along with various state ence, that once you get involved in politics, money in tech-support scams. the world, and is intended to help you turn legislatures and governors mansions, shows even at a grass roots club level, it is hard to The recent raids are a good reminder to your computer into a friend. See more and that these victories are not just in the field of go back to apathy or acceptance. Once you be vigilant. Microsoft offers the following contact NYACC directly at www.nyacc.org. entertainment. learn to fight back, you keep doing so. So, But, the real depth of Democratic re- President Trump, thanks for energizing the sponse to Trump was made clear to me Democratic Party. NEED MONEY THIS Caruso’s Quips AFTERNOON? By Charles Caruso We will give you a check TODAY for Sex is undignified. giving away a free ad. Often the people in our fondest memories don’t even remember the event. Booze tastes good and it makes us feel good. What more do you want? Ask the owner of a new restaurant or shop if they When we’re children the priests tell us we have souls. When we’re students the profes- want a free ad and 3 ads at 10% off. sors tell us we have intellects.When we’re old, the doctors tell us . . . Oh, never mind. If he or she accepts Was it originally ice’d cream? (with an apostrophe) you get an immediate 10% commission. December lights oblique but bright. If a woman looked at a man the way models look at a camera, he’d turn and run. Write to Stephanie Phelan As brief and intense as a hospital friendship. to obtain an ad agreement You hear about womanizers, but never manizers. and instructions. Nothing ever gets put back the same way. [email protected] When time and distance are involved, nobody shows up on schedule. It’s bad enough when a wailing fire engine stops outside outside your apartment house, but it’s a lot worse when the firemen point up toward your floor. www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 15

Shanghai). It’s quite different from other : it is hopefully the restaurant would be re-opening in the spring much larger, the pastries are from an Italian bakery called nearby, also on 7th Avenue South, with new management Princi, and the coffee bars offer coffee flights and different and ownership. Dell’Anima, at 38 Eighth Avenue (at Jane brewing methods. I tried the siphon method, where water Street) closed at the end of December, with the owners IN in a glass globe, heated by a UV light, is forced up a tube citing the increasing rent as the reason for the closure. into a glass bowl where coffee grounds are added, and once They later announced that they would be re-opening in and the brewing is finished, the coffee flows back down into Gotham West Market, taking over the counter formerly OUT the globe. There are roasting machines in the store, and occupied by El Comado, the tapas spot, from the former by Caroline Benveniste the beans get carried along in tubes on the ceiling. The Tertulia team. On their website, they explained: “This de- pastries were expensive but quite lovely, and around lunch- cision represents our ongoing commitment to delivering time focaccias with different toppings and sandwiches are great food, drink and service, while adapting to the city’s This month was a busy one for both openings and closings. offered. On a balcony, an attractive bar serves coffee-based ever-changing restaurant economy.” It is hard to imagine There were a couple of high profile openings, and three of the cocktails. how the Italian restaurant and wine bar will look in its new closing restaurants will relocate to other neighborhoods. incarnation. I had heard a couple of years ago from the Also Open owner of Rafelle that Doma Na Rohu, the small restaurant Open Paris Baguette has opened a branch at 44 West 14th across the street at 27 ½ Morton Street (at 7th Avenue TOP OPENINGS: Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues) where they sell South) that served typical Austrian, German and Czech their French-style bakery products as well as sandwich- food such as spaetzle and sausages was struggling and es and salads. The company was started 20 years ago in would likely be closing, but it wasn’t until last month that Korea and now has over 3000 stores world-wide. Kilona it finally disappeared.Whole Green at 35 Seventh Avenue Hand to Soul (378 Bleecker Street between Charles and between 12th and 13th Streets was a juice and smoothie Perry) sells hand-crafted products with a twist: instead spot before they were as widespread and popular as they are of selling the same traditional products that have been now, but in early December they closed abruptly. Back in made for generations, this company has hired designers the 1990’s I enjoyed going to Dok Suni, a Korean restau- who design updated products that are made using tradi- rant in the East Village, and later, in 2000, the mother and tional methods, making it more likely that the items will daughter owners, Myung Ja Kwak and Jenny Kwak opened be desirable to millennials. As they explain, they have Do Hwa at 55 Carmine Street (near Bedford Street). It switched their model from “ ‘selling what we produce’ was a traditional Korean restaurant that had tables where to ‘producing what customers demand’ ”. Vietnamese you could grill your own meat. The lease has now come up restaurant The Pho 3 (152 7th Avenue South between for renewal, and the Kwaks have decided to close Do Hwa Charles and Perry) has opened in the location where and instead open a restaurant in Park Slope. Akira, a longstanding Japanese restaurant used to be. This is the third of the Pho mini-chain, with the original Coming Soon ENCORE on East 23rd, and Pho 2 on West 23rd. In addition to the La Fabrique (348 West 14th Street between 8th and 9th 1 Little West 12th Street (between Gansevoort Street eponymous Pho, there is vermicelli, banh mi sandwiches Avenues) is a bakery from Stockholm, Sweden, where the and ) and tacos with Asian fillings. TheKGB Spy Museum has bread and pastries are baked in a stone oven. There are also When I spoke to Harold Moore a few months ago about opened at 245 West 14th Street (between 7th and 8th a number of locations in London. I am anticipating that his just-opened French spot Bistro Pierre Lapin, he ex- Avenues) and is focused on espionage operations carried they will also offer delicious kardemummabullars (carda- plained that French food had fallen from favor in New out by the KGB, and apparently includes a collection of mom buns), since in 2015 tested York but that recently it was making a comeback, follow- items used by KGB agents. a number of these pastries in Stockholm and found the ing the neo bistro trend in Paris. Last month Intersect by ones at Fabrique to be the best. Ardyn (33 West 8th Street Lexus opened on West 14th, and the first guest chef there Closed/Closing near Macdougal Street) will open in the space that briefly is from the famous Paris restaurant Frenchie. Now, En- Cornelia Street Café (29 Cornelia Street near Bleecker housed the downtown branch of the Burger Joint. The core has opened in the Meatpacking District with Jean Street) will be closing in January 2019, according to a name is an alternative spelling of a forest in Shakespeare’s Imbert as the chef. Imbert has run a restaurant in Paris press release from the restaurant. It opened in 1977, and As You Like It, and according to their website, it will be “a called L’Acajou (Mahogany) for the last fifteen years, and the basement has been used as a performance space since new American Restaurant where fresh ingredients are at in 2012 his popularity rose as he won the third season of the early 1980’s. The owner, Robin Hirsch, was quoted in the forefront of modern techniques.” Top Chef France. At Encore the menu has a number of a DNA Info article last year as saying “We’re sort of the last bistro classics like “My Grandma’s Veal Blanquette” and left standing of the Village’s Bohemian past.” According Moved/Other a seafood platter, but like more modern bistros in France, to Hirsch, his monthly rent was $450 a month back in We received an email from a customer of Andy’s Deli there are updated versions of the classics and many of the 1977, but is now $33,000 a month. The Cornelia Street (106 7th Avenue South between Christopher and Grove dishes include Asian ingredients. Café, along with other restaurants on Cornelia Street won Streets) who was concerned that the deli would be clos- a Village Award from The Greenwich Village Society for ing because of rising rents. We spoke to an employee at Historic Preservation (GVSHP) in 1998. Pasta Flyer the deli who said that the store had negotiated a new but (510 6th Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets), the fast expensive lease, and therefore would remain in business. food restaurant by Mark Ladner of Del Posto fame, was I made several attempts to speak to Andy, the owner, but barely open a year, but will be closing at the end of De- he was not at the store the times I tried. Barraca (81 cember. The dishes were mostly under $10, and the pasta Greenwich Ave at Bank Street), the tapas, sangria and pa- tasted like something you’d eat at a much more expensive ella spot from restaurateur Hector Sanz, which opened in place. Two items recently added to the menu were among 2012, and Macondo next door (2 Bank Street at Green- my favorites: a chicken parmigiana sandwich, and fettu- wich Avenue) which was also owned by Sanz, have signs cine with shaved white truffles. The latter was $19, but in their respective windows saying they are temporarily well worth it. According to the staff, the lease is up, and closed for renovations, however, “For Rent” signs also in rather than renew, the owner is looking to move farther the windows suggest that the closings may not be tempo- north. Last month we reported that Two Boots (201 West rary. A sister restaurant, Macondo East on East Houston 10th Street at 7th Avenue South) was seized by the Mar- Street closed about a year ago, and in 2015 Macondo and shal for non-payment of taxes. A sign on the door prom- Barraca were seized for non-payment of taxes, however, ised that it would re-open soon, and it did! I was delighted they both eventually re-opened. and went in and spoke with the manager who gave me a STARBUCKS RESERVE ROASTERY cookie to welcome me back. A week later I headed over With the colder weather we are less inclined to walk around 61 9th Avenue (between 14th and 15th Streets) to grab a slice for lunch, and even from a distance I could looking for openings and closings, so we are relying more than The Reserve Roastery in New York is the company’s see that the restaurant name was gone. A sign on the door ever on your help! Please let us know what you see by emailing fourth location (the other three are in , Milan, and thanked customers for their patronage and said that the us at [email protected]. Photos by Darielle Smolian. 16 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org Birdof the Year 2018 By Keith Michael

As the National Audubon Society wraps up this Year of the Bird 2018—bringing international attention to the plight of countless bird species and the effects of climate change for us all—it is time, once again, here in the West Village, to celebrate our local ecosystem with the 13th An- nual Bird of the Year Awards: The Millies! As a reminder, the ground rules for The Millies are as follows: birds must be seen in, above, or from the five boroughs of New York; voting is weighted toward those birds observed during Millie’s daily corgi-walks around her blocks in the West Village; and additional points may be lauded to those candidates actually seen by the Award’s namesake. Miss Millie’s patronage includes the privilege of casting the tie-breaking vote if needed (or even the privi- lege of disregarding these ground rules completely). On to the Awards Ceremony:

Thanks for Brightening Up the Neighborhood. There are so many contenders for this prize. Personally, I’ve seen 105 species of birds within the geographical boundaries of GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. the West Village, and, of course, thousands of individu- als. With only a few degrees of separation with friends, we Year of the Owl. This is going to be another award for Comic Relief. If one can elbow one’s way past the kalei- could get the species count well over 120 (if any neighbor- which Millie or I can’t pick just one as a winner. January doscope of people on our NYC beaches in the summer, hood birder has a higher count, I’d love to hear about it!). began with sightings of Snowy Owls at Jamaica Bay Wild- it’s the American Oystercatcher who provides the free Every walk to the deli, every step on the way to the sub- life Refuge in Queens (snowbirds from the Arctic Circle), entertainment with the sand and the waves as its stage. way, each outing to a corner restaurant, oh, and of course, then there were Screech Owls in Manhattan’s Inwood Hill Their carrot orange bills and crisp attire seem honed for a each walk around the block with Millie, is enlightened by Park, and produced Barn Owl, Barred Owl, slap-stick routine, and they generate their own laugh track the sights and sounds of our avian residents and migratory Great Horned Owl, and the diminutive Saw-whet Owl. with their constant raucous squabbling. However, it’s no visitors. I’ll narrow down the contenders to some of our Other possible NYC species turned up as well (which I comedy when it comes to being devoted parents. Most of splashier neighbors: Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Ameri- haven’t seen personally this year—yet): Long-eared Owl their beach-side altercations are territorial wars, and that can Kestral, and Red-tailed Hawk. The envelope please. in Fort Tryon Park, and a Short-eared Owl was spotted orange beak is a formidable weapon that can pry open a Sorry, I’m a marshmallow. How could I pick just one? I’m on Randall’s Island. Owls always bring a mystique along pesky oyster or clam shell to feed their demanding chicks. grateful to them all for coloring my days. with them. I think that part of their allure is that they have Super Extralimital. binocular vision like ours. We like to attribute vision to Millie has completely withheld her wisdom. Whooooo is the wiser? support for this new category for distant birds or, perhaps, she is still withholding her support of me for having de- serted her for a family wedding this summer (or perhaps Just Because They’re Red. This is an arbitrary category. In the past, The Millies have featured the “Blue Bird of she’s just napping). My niece was getting married in Santa Happiness” and the “It’s Not Easy Being Green” accolades. Fe, New Mexico, and I was, luckily, able to go and share This year’s “In the Red” nominees are: Red-tailed Hawk, in the festivities as well as add more than 25 western birds Northern Cardinal, and Red-headed Duck. Since two of to my Life List! The heavenly host of hummingbirds ev- these redbirds have already been cited in another category, erywhere was certainly exciting, the new varieties of LBJs the winners of this honor are the Red-headed Duck winter (Little Brown Jobs) were challenging to identify, and I regulars on Baisley Pond in Queens. confess that I was disappointed not to witness a (beep, beep) Roadrunner. Easily, my favorite new bird was the GREAT HORNED OWL. sartorial splendor of the Steller’s Jay, with its nifty black Too Cute for Words. The Piping Plovers of Fort Tilden, Queens and this year’s visiting flock of Snow Buntings crested cap and royal blue tailcoat. A stunner. on the rocks at Fort Schuyler in The Bronx are fluff-to- Super Local Hero. Bald Eagle. There I’ve said it—without fluff competitors for this cuddly prize. Wait! Millie has even looking in the envelope! Millie always manages to find just charged across the apartment with a somewhat tat- a reason to award the Bald Eagles of Staten Island. After tered envelope in her mouth. Could this be a tie-breaking dozens of outings, I still find it super-cool to be able to take vote from the coast? My fingers are shaking as I pull out the super-free Staten Island Ferry to that distant isle, and the soggy contents. Uh, Millie has cast her paw print for... be watched by a super-local Bald Eagle family while I eat a Millie. This is an unconventional winner and will need to sandwich on the beach. Any time you’d like to go see them, be taken back to the ethics committee for discussion. In just let me know, and we’ll plan an Eagle Fest outing. the meantime, these avian cuties will be left for you to de- cide who is the cutest of them all. “Millie, wake up, we’re getting to the ‘good’ awards!”

Locavore and Paleo. Many urban birds have learned to Best “Not a Bird” of the Year. This is an unconventional adapt their diets to the seeds, fruits, flora, and fauna that category to champion during this ceremony. One might our contemporary concrete environment yields, but that even consider it a commercial break. I am more than happy doesn’t mean that birds don’t still need to live by their an- to get on any kind of a boat that travels the New York cient wits to plunder the food that is available. I give kudos waterways: a canoe down the Bronx River, a kayak in the to a Great Black-backed Gull I watched pluck a crab out Gowanus Canal (still on my To Do list), any of the mul- BARN OWL. of the brine at Dead Horse Bay in Brooklyn. titude of ferries crossing the Hudson and East Rivers, the www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 17

Circle Line Cruise, Working Har- bor Tours, Open House New York boat outings, or the aforementioned Staten Island Ferry. But my favorite maritime excursion is the American Princess Dolphin and Whale Watch- ing Cruise out of Riis Landing, Queens. Within sight of the Manhattan skyline, one can see dolphins cavorting through the wake of the boat, and the highlight of this CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: summer was a Humpbacked Whale who, Piping Plover, Snow Buntings, after breaching, enthralled us with at least American Oystercatchers, 50 consecutive percussive tail slaps, tele- Bald Eagle, Mandarin Duck graphing, “How’s it goin’?” to his cetaceous and Kirtlands Warbler. buddies near and far. All photos: Keith Michael.

New Bird of the Year. The two candidates for these two final prestigious awards are BOTH deserving of BOTH accolades: a Kirtland’s Warbler that appeared for a brief weekend in May right inside the 91st Street and Central Park West entrance to the park, and the famous Mandarin Duck, also of Central Park, which I obliquely champi- oned in my December article for WestView: “Not ‘The Duck.’” The Kirtland’s is a small yellow and gray tail-bobbing bird famous fans, and media-savvy photo ops. (You for having been on the brink of extinction can still make a pilgrimage to The Pond only a few decades ago. But after having its at and to see it!) limited Michigan habitat and population Let’s give it up for the Bird of the Year: the carefully monitored, the species has recov- flashy drake Mandarin Duck of Central ered enough that one individual could make Park. Stand up and cheer! it to Central Park for the first time ever! Even though I saw it for only a few minutes, This concludes the 2018 Millie Awards! the Kirtland’s Warbler became my North May you see many birds in 2019! American Bird Species #337 and I herald it as my New Bird of the Year for 2018! Please visit westviewnews.org for more photographs of this year’s avian celebrities Bird of the Year. Like that other ambas- after the ceremony; visit keithmichaelnyc. sador bird, the technicolor Painted Bun- com for the latest schedule of New York City ting of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park in 2015, WILD! urban-adventures-in-nature out- this year’s unanimous winner of the Bird ings throughout the five boroughs; and visit of the Year Award has it all: beauty, cha- his Instagram @newyorkcitywild for oodles risma, mystery, faithfulness to location and of photos from around NYC. t

music• at St. John’s in the Village WestView Concert Saturday January 19, 3:00 pm

Jack Kulowitsch and The Strathmere Ensemble Performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Other Gems of the European Baroque

The Concert will be followed by a Reception in Revelation Gallery Tickets $20 Free to Seniors and Children Booking is essential at: stjvny.org or (212) 243-6192

St. John’s in the Village at the Corner of West 11th and Waverly Place

St John’s in the Village is fully heated and ASA accessible. www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 19 10 Ways Village Seniors Cope with Winter Blues VILLAGE

By Jane Heil Usyk 3. Libraries and reading. What wonderful places libraries are! You can dip into magazines, newspapers, and APOTHECARY I really hate winter. It’s so cold! And be- sides that, it’s often slippery, and slushy, books of all kinds. The librarians are re- and wet. I could stay in all winter, except I ally pleasant, the place is warm, and has THE COMMUNITY PHARMACY THAT CARES need my walking exercise, and I have to get comfortable chairs. Plus, you might come groceries, and go to the library, and watch across an absorbing book. movies, mail bills, and do a number of oth- 4. Games: Scrabble, Mahjong, puzzles, er things that require going out. card games. Come in Recently, I saw an article on the Danish My only game is Scrabble, and I can tell for your fREE idea of “hygge,” or cozy cold-weather things you it is completely and totally absorbing. that make winter bearable. What a great Anyone wants to play, please contact me. idea! Apparently, the Danish have a whole 5. Volunteer work. arsenal of things they depend on for feel- If you have spare time, you can find some- WELCOmE ing good in winter: candles, lights, warm thing interesting to help with. You might throws, lit fireplaces, hot drinks, curling even make a few new friends. Gods Love We up on the sofa with a hot drink and a good Deliver? Gilda’s Club? Animal Lighthouse book, cafes. Of course, there are other fea- Rescue? Sage? Visiting Neighbors? City KIT! tures of Danish life—free health care, free Harvest? The GLBT Project? The education, cheap child care, no fear of losing Mission? Food Bank? your job or being homeless—that help a lot, 6. Coffee shops and bars where there BRInG THIs CARd In And RECEIVE $10 off too. Nevertheless, it’s those immediately- is a certain amount of fellowship and O n A n Y P u RCHAs E O f $25 OR m ORE available small changes and additions I am warmth. focusing on, ones that don’t require a total Teas and coffees, with little snacks, can change of mind set by the government. warm you up, as can, say, Irish coffees and Store HourS: Mon - Fri 8aM - 8pM • Sat 9aM - 6pM • Sun 10aM - 5pM If you’re happy in Denmark, you’re consid- other hot alcoholic drinks. It’s a place to ered a success. They think about what consti- meet neighbors and friends and celebrate. 346 Bleecker St • Greenwich VillaGe, nY 10014 • VillaGeapothecarY.com tutes a balanced life. More life, fewer things. 7. Occasional celebrations at senior Having given you an idea of the Danish centers and other groups you may 212.807.7566 principle of “hygge,” here is a list of activi- belong to. ties older Villagers might consider to get Celebrations really help in December, Janu- through that most troublesome of seasons ary, and February. They remind us that there in the northeast. are other, cheerful people in the world and they want to hoist a drink with us. 1. Get waterproof boots. 8. Movies. I mean, really waterproof, not water-resis- There are numerous movies going on at all tant. Then you can walk anywhere and not times, the kind you pay for and free ones, have damp feet. It will help your long walks and it is useful to gather schedules of all and will make you unafraid of going out in the movies within about a half mile. We are snow and rain. lucky; the movies around us include Film 2. Walking. Forum, IFC, Angelika, libraries and senior Long walks can clear your mind and im- centers. Anthony Cilione has great movies prove your outlook on life, and you can every Monday and Wednesday afternoon visit some interesting places. For instance, at Greenwich House on Barrow Street, and the stores around 19th street and 6th Av- most Thursdays and Fridays are good for enue. Or 14th Street. Or . Or movies at Greenwich House on Washing- the East Village. Or even just Trader Joe’s. ton Square North. And the libraries have One of my bosses used to tell me, “It is good free movies: Thursday and Saturday at the to have un but” (she had spent twenty years Hudson Park Library, and usually Monday in France). A goal; ours used to be Sutter’s evening at Jefferson Market Library. Bakery. That tells you it was a long time ago. 9. Special projects. No time like bad weather to start work on special projects, such as improving your knitting skills, looking for a job, or learn- ing more about some aspect of computers. GET PAID TO EXERCISE... There is a place at 127 West 25th Street Leisurely deliver WestView! that is devoted to teaching seniors about computers. It is called Senior Planet, and Tim and Steve, our veteran the phone number is (646) 590-0615. distributors of WestView, 10. Snuggling up to your honey. are complaining of muscle aches— I am indebted for this idea to my husband. so we need to find help for them. What could be better than generating your own heat? Especially under lots of blankets. $10 dollars an hour. Have a good winter, and keep thinking of Call 212 924 5718 the blossoms on the trees in early Spring! March, April, May will come eventually. 20 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org City Council Proposes 18 Tenant Protection Regulations By Carol Yost account (with HPD as escrowee) equal to 10% of the rent for panded to include the professional’s place of employment. five years to fund temporary housing for displaced tenants be- At long last, with a new Democratic majority in Albany, fore a vacate order has been issued. Sometimes tenants have Intro 1242-2018: Adding DOB Violations to HPD’s chances are better than ever to break the stranglehold the been forced to vacate due to deteriorating conditions caused Public Database greedy landlords have held on our city. By hook AND by by landlord neglect, as a way to get the tenants out. This would include different kinds of DOB construction crook, saying they’re only trying to make an honest buck, violations designated as forms of harassment, committed they’ve managed to get laws that allow them to eliminate Intro 0059-2018: Understanding the Impact of Buyouts by owners. Also, HPD would have to get from DHCR all rent-regulated housing in our buildings, and harass wid- HPD would be required to report median market rate rents records of rent overcharges. ows, orphans, struggling young families, veterans, sick by community district and number of bedrooms. Persons people and other persons of every description out of their making buyout offers would also be required to report such Intro 1247-2018: Informing Tenants about Violations homes so that they can jack up the rents. The number of median market rents and calculate the number of months DOB would have to inform tenants as well as property own- rent-regulated homes in New York City has plummeted of such rent such buyout offers would cover. ers or managing agents. It would also have to inform tenants by 150,000 since the landlord-friendly laws were passed Buyouts can be used to get tenants out of rent-regulated of how they can participate in the adjudication process, as under then-Governor George Pataki, although one mil- apartments so that those rent regs can be knocked out by well as confirming the date and time for the adjudication. lion remain. Meanwhile, landlords like to think they’ll find a judiciously obtained rent increase (with 20% vacancy in- people who will pay their awful rent increases, and they creases, renovation costs added to the rent, etc.) before the Intro 1257-2018: Access Required often do because people say, “That’s New York City.” next people can move into these apartments. A holder of a DOB permit must provide access to the A home can feel like part of your identity. It’s a part of Under current laws and calculated rates, once the rent agency in order to retain the permit. you. Even some homeless people have corners or doorways goes over $2,733.75, that’s it—no more rent stabilization they see as theirs. As a person who was nearly homeless at for that apartment. It’s called vacancy decontrol. In 2015, Intro 1258-2018: Auditing Process Servers least twice since I came to New York City, I know the fear, my landlord’s son and heir stated clearly that he wanted to The Commissioner of Consumer Affairs would have to the feeling of helplessness, the looking around at all your get me out so that he could increase the rent from $602.76, audit 20% of process servers who have served in housing possessions, thinking, “Where on earth can I go?” the rent I was paying then, to $3,000.00—almost five court. Litigants must also be informed of process servers or The , being duly observant of times as much. His lawyer called it “the going rate.” serving agencies who have failed their audits. landlord maneuvers, has crafted these 18 new bills to try to prevent landlord shenanigans. At www.citylimits.org, you’ll Intro 0551-2018: Filing Buyout Agreements Intro 1274-2018: Rent Histories find a link for each bill so that you can track its progress. Related to the previous one. Any owner offering a buyout Owners of rent-stabilized units must provide new tenants Unfortunately, the City Council does not have the power would be required to file a report of such a buyout to HPD with the previous four years of rent history, obtained from to pass actual New York City rent laws. Only Albany can, within 45 days of execution of that buyout. Failure to do DHCR.This is aimed to prevent overcharging, or the il- and that means practices called vacancy decontrol, 20% va- so will result in a fine of $100/day for each day past the legal removal of units from rent stabilization. cancy bonuses, capital renovation increases and preferential deadline. HPD would be required to file an annual report rents will have to be taken up there, and the new Democratic to the Mayor and Council on all buyout agreements. Intro 1275-2018: False Statements and Permits control in Albany is eager to get going on it, though we are Owners of buildings would be denied permits for one year if warned it will take dithering and time. We all hope they keep Intro 0975-2018: Linking Permits to Violations they falsely report the number of occupied units in a build- their promise to improve the stakes for tenants and get rid of The Dept. of Buildings would be required to deny construc- ing. Property owners performing construction without a those laws allowing large rent increases, because the landlords tion permits for buildings with a certain number of serious permit would be denied permits for one year from the date are fighting to keep things as they are. What the City Council code violations, based on the number of units in a building. the violation is discovered. The only exception would be for is doing is trying to prevent harassment of tenants as a part of emergency repair or to correct a violation. landlords’ plans to get all those vacancy-related rent increases Intro 0977-2018: Cracking Down on Application Errors that current State legislation allows them to get. These can be It would expand the number of sanctions that could be Intro 1277-2018: Inspecting Allegedly Vacant Buildings called anti-harassment tenant protections. levied against people making incorrect applications for The DOB would have to inspect 15% of buildings where I can see why HPD and DOB may be upset, because construction that resulted in stop work orders within the owners allege they are unoccupied when previously they a lot more work will be required of them for oversight. previous 12 months. DOB would be required to submit an had been occupied. This should help the City catch owners They’ll probably have to hire more people, and demand annual report on registered design professionals who have who give false information. budget increases for it. been sanctioned in some way. Intro 1278-2018: Strengthening Tenant Protection Plans Intro 0030-2018: Intro 1107-2018: Making Contractors Responsible for The DOB would have to review tenant protection plans Landlords Fund Temporary Housing Tenant Protection Plans to ensure they meet requirements for dust mitigation and A property owner would have to deposit money in an escrow Contractors applying for permits to perform construction debris removal—also requirements of Fire Codes, etc. In- would have to file and submit for approval tenant protec- spections would be conducted on 20% of sites within seven tion plans. Previously, architects or engineers submitted days of work commencing, and every 120 days thereaf- such plans. ter—and also in response to complaints. What is your favorite Intro 1171-2018: False Documentation Crackdown Intro 1279-2018: Checking that Violations Were Actu- restaurant? First, the DOB would have to catch the false documenta- ally Corrected tion. Then the DOB would have to audit the owner’s whole The DOB and HPD must check 25% of certifications of portfolio of buildings that failed to get permits or for which corrections to make sure they were really done. Coming. false documentation had been submitted, and to audit 25% of buildings on HPD’s speculation watch list, and the portfolios Intro 1280-2018: Transparency and Accuracy in Permits of owners with an unusually high number of amended permits. Owners must correctly state the number of occupied and Finally, DOB would be required to notify many specific unoccupied units on construction permit applications, Your City authorities of the false documentation for possible with penalties for false information. criminal prosecution. It would also have to report any pu- Landlords have alleged that units were vacant when they recommendations nitive actions it took in response to false applications filed. were not, so that tenants were not protected from all the in print. This arose from the brouhaha caused by the Kushner disturbance caused by construction. These same tenants Companies’ many false documentations. were thereby pressured—harassed—into moving. Again, the object of the game for the bad landlord is to get rid of email [email protected] Intro 1241-2018:Expanding Penalties for False as many rent-stabilized tenants as possible, and then use Certification the means allowed by current laws to jack up the rent and Penalties for false professional certification would be ex- possibly even get the apartments off regulation. www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 21 If Only God Had Money By George Capsis tax if they make some apartments “afford- Ancient Solutions able” but I understand that after a tenant Carol Yost, who scans the news with a moves out of the “affordable” apartment it for Modern Problems mesh grid, sent me a Daily News article of somehow reverts to market price. November 26 that offered that tenants and The nice man from whom Dusty bought developers “stand together” to push for her 9-11 bus now facing the wrong way on changes in the rent law that will protect 7th Avenue turned out to be an apartment Michael Kahn the safeguards in the original law of some builder in Astoria and when we asked M.S., L. Ac. 80 years ago. “how’s business” he frowned and said “the Hmm. Well, I do not believe that develop- land is too high”—so we see it starts with 20 Year Practice ers want rent control and reading on I realize the land. Back Pain • Insomnia • Digestion • Cardiac Pain that the 3 female authors of this article seem New York’s solution to housing perma- Headache • Immune Disorders to have entertained more wish than fact. nently poor people is public housing and Addictions • Weight loss Rent control came on at the end of the it has been since La Guardia in the 1930s. Smoking Cessation war to keep rents stable as the GI’s re- Google offers that we have over 400,000 Depression • Anxiety turned from overseas and started families. I people in NYCHA and last night I saw Addictions mean, think of it—there were absolutely on the news a group of African Ameri- no apartment buildings in New York from can NYCHA dwellers in the Bronx pro- 1929 till the war ended and we got those testing that their heat was out (institutional big red brick boxes on 6th Avenue built as housing has bureaucratic funding kinks and cheaply as humanly possible. it takes a year to replace a heating plant). The hot style in the 20s was English Tu- Oh, but wow, here is what Carol pays dor and you see it in the apartment houses for her studio: on the west side of and the building across the street “To be exact, I currently pay $610.29. from the Chase Bank on 7th Avenue. Under the previous lease, I paid $602.76, The architectural history of New York which remained for more than a year be- can be seen in the waves of building with cause of that lovely rent freeze. It’ll go up to each financial tsunami (we have one going $619.44 with my renewal lease March 1st. on now with a bunch of Lego towers pop- —Carol FREE Village area house calls ping up on every empty parking lot). The article tells us that we still have My guess—her studio apartment with 212-633-2317 150,000 buildings under some kind of rent a coat of paint and a new stove would get regulation and a third of New York’s 2.5 mil- $3000. lion rent stabilized tenants pay more than OK. OK, where are we going with this? half their income for rent (should be a third). When you read that Carol is paying Our 3 authors then go on to catalog the $600 for her studio and you are paying like newish regulations that allow for rent in- $4000 for a similar space you are intensely creases—like deregulation when the rent jealous and you hate Carol. hits a certain number—deregulation when Yes, bureaucracy makes for injustice... a tenant moves out—rent increases when So we return to the good intentions of the landlord puts in a new sink and fridge. our three authors who project and pre- Just as I was writing this a friend of dict a fused common will between beati- Dusty’s arrived who is a professor in Ver- fied developers and enlightened legislators mont College in Burlington and he rattled to build “affordable” housing. off a mirror image to the rising rent story I don’t think so. in Vermont with students paying crazy But former mayor Bloomberg just gave rents and people losing their apartments or $1.8 billion to his old school, Johns Hop- homes and having to move in with relatives. kins, bang—just like that. The plea, (no) the suggestion that devel- So we have a new force in the world— opers were getting together with legisla- billionaires—and we are told they are tors to restore rent control is explained by growing in numbers as the world’s econo- the job titles of the 3 authors, “President of my slides faster and faster into their hands. the New York Association for Affordable So, we must wait for those billionaires Housing” and “Civil Reform for the Legal to emerge—a very few—perhaps only one Aid Society,” and finally “Vice President, super super billionaire who has, with an Enterprise Community Partners.” unassailable algorithm, inherited nearly all Well no, I don’t think the businessmen of the earth’s wealth to turn and look into who build apartments for profit spend too the TV camera and announce he will give much time thinking about how they can unending trillions to rehouse the world make them affordable. The city does give and demonstrate what could have been them years of not paying any real estate done if only God had money.

IF THIS PAPER MAKES YOU THINK We will print your thoughts in the next issue [email protected] • 69 Charles Street • New York NY 10014 22 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org Paving the West Village: A Historical Primer By Tom Lamia sirable detritus that was difficult to clear away. The smooth stones inhibited traction Something odd is happening in the West Vil- for horses and were risky and uncomfort- lage and other long-neglected areas of our city. able for pedestrians. Although cobblestones New life is coming into throwback street pav- could bear more weight than dirt or gravel, ing and its importance to economic develop- their uneven, irregular surface did not even- ment. After decades of neglect for the old tech- ly distribute the weight of heavy loads. nologies, urban street paving is becoming a hot The high cost of road construction and topic among politicians and urban planners. the need for a durable weight-bearing pav- ing surface to support heavy horse-drawn Historic New York is popular among sev- loads was an incentive for imaginative eral communities that are important to the engineers. A patent was issued in 1854 future economic and cultural life of the to Samuel Nicolson for a system of wood city. International tourism, Internet tech- blocks, cut against the grain, regular in size, nology companies, popular entertainment easily manufactured and pleasant to look products, and their millennial personnel at. There was a market for this “Nicolson” are drawn to new commercial and residen- surface in many urban areas, but wood was tial development that incorporates the best slippery when wet and porous to the point of Old New York. The Historic Districts that it reeked of horse urine on warm days. movement is finding that urban preserva- When the patent expired, the product was tion and urban renovation go hand in hand out of production. to refresh the appeal of historic areas for NEW LIFE IS COMING INTO THROWBACK STREET PAVING: Street renovation is underway Flagstone was popular for crosswalks to in some historic districts, such as the Meat Packing District, above. Photo credit: Chris prime commercial and residential uses. get pedestrians over dirt roadways choked Manis. The streetscape of renovated historic areas, with traffic, dust or mud. Flagstone did streets, sidewalks, plazas and other paved still paved with this generic “cobblestone.” docks along the Hudson and East Riv- that job well, but being smooth and brittle areas are a critical element in the appeal. In most cases these old surfaces are not ers to the central areas of commercial and it was not suitable for sustained vehicular Starting just a few years ago, 2014 is a true cobblestone. residential activity that justified cobblestone traffic. There were other paving choices convenient date for a renewed interest True cobblestone was used in the pav- paving. Dirt roads were the norm in Man- suitable for rural or less well-traveled in the streetscape of historic areas under ing of a few New York City streets prior hattan in the 19th Century and were just streets, but in densely populated urban ar- renovation. The streetscape is essential to to 1850, but that practice ended for a va- fine for most travel. Horses provided the eas, such as New York and other east coast recovering the feel of Old New York when riety of good reasons. Cobblestones were motive power for the carriage of all types port cities, Belgian block was the preferred historic areas are renovated. Preservation- the first paving material because they were and dirt was a good surface for horses. Be- paving choice. ists want the original stone blocks used or readily at hand and, being so, were cheap. ing porous, dirt served well for the man- Asphalt was used as a road surfacing reused. Developers want the look of the These cobblestones were stones cobbled agement of horse droppings and urine. But material even before the Pennsylvania oil original stone, but are open to using substi- from rivers and streams where they had dirt could not support the heavy loads and discoveries of the late 19th Century. There tute materials where there are cost savings been smoothed and rounded by water flow- traffic volume at the docks, where freight were natural deposits of asphalt in the Ca- or improved performance with little or no ing over them. They could be loaded onto was handled and transported; a hard, strong ribbean that were exploited for paving ma- sacrifice in appearance. carts and brought to the job site where they surface was needed. The earliest answer was terial by a few American cities. Of course, The reader is, of course, familiar with were sorted for size and fit and embedded cobblestones. Some of those dockside cob- this choice came at a high cost. This early the term “cobblestone” as a general refer- in sand or dirt to a depth that promised to blestone streets still exist today. imported asphalt proved its advantages ence to pebbly street surfaces from long keep them in place under heavy loads. The initial “aha” moment is lost to histo- over stone, brick and wood surfaces. The ago. The West Village has several streets It was the need to move freight from the ry but at some critical point in the process oil discoveries close at hand allowed for of getting freight off ships, onto wagons the manufacture of lower cost asphalt, after and on its way to those who would use it, a which it became the most popular choice serendipitous event occurred. Ships bound for urban street paving. Within a few years, for the port of New York would arrive with asphalt was the only material being used, many tons of stone ballast in their holds, not only for new construction but also to ballast that kept the ship on an even keel as cover existing cobblestone and Belgian it sailed without cargo. block streets. While horse-drawn transport These ballast stones were known as was the norm, however, asphalt did have “Belgian” blocks. They were rectangular for a noticeable drawback: it was porous and stability when performing their function in absorbed horse urine. a ship’s hold. Early examples were granite, roughly a foot square and four to six inches THE CONTRIBUTION OF MAINE’S GRANITE deep. Whether they originated in Belgium New sources of street paving material in or not isn’t known for certain, but it seems the 19th Century coincided with an even a safe assumption. They had flat sides and greater need for granite construction ma- could be laid to form a flat surface. Being terials in New York City. Granite was the granite, they were hard, dense and heavy, first choice among architects to convey capable of supporting loads of 35,000 strength, durability and permanence to pounds per square inch—10 times as much their creations. Financial institutions, ma- as iron. They were also rough-hewn, pro- jor commercial buildings, governmental viding surfaces that horse hooves could institutions, cathedrals and monuments in grip securely in any weather. New York City were being built of granite Belgian blocks were not alone among shipped to the city from the islands and late 19th Century paving choices, but they coastal harbors of Maine, where in 1901, "BELGIAN" BLOCKS HAVE ADVANTAGES OVER COBBLESTONES: Made of granite, Bel- did have clear advantages over most others. 152 quarries employing 3,500 men were gian blocks—widely assumed to originate from Belgium—have flat sides and can be laid Cobblestone surfaces were uneven because active. Maine was then the leading pro- to form a flat surface. They can also withstand heavy loads, distributing weight evenly. the stones were not of uniform size. The ducer of granite in the country. Photo credit: Susan Lamia. spaces between the stones collected unde- continued on page 24 www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 23 City Planning Rolls Out Information Sites Called ZAP and POP population profiles showing critical demo- can generate a unique sense of place. graphic, social, economic, and housing sta- Equity in the city is applied by using policy tistics, and how these statistics have changed and zoning tools to improve access to afford- over time, using data from decennial census- able housing, fresh healthy food, open space, es and the American Community Survey. and other essential neighborhood services. Along with count statistics (like total For instance, reconsideration of the priority Spanish-speaking population), NYCPFF us- of cars over pedestrians and bicyclists could ers are provided with percent values (like per- improve access to quality open spaces. cent of the population with a bachelor’s de- Detail attention must be paid to multiple gree or higher), arithmetic means (like mean scales during the planning and design pro- travel time to get to work), rates (like rental cess. Good urban design is more effective housing vacancy rate), and medians (like me- when existing resources are explored for dian household income). Advanced mapping improvements with paving types, benches, functions are also available, allowing you to planters, shade trees, signage and color— overlay features so you can now map things all proceeding from big picture policies and like the subway network over population large-scale plans. density, or the location of a particular school Comfort must be considered to make peo- in relation to community district boundar- ple feel good about their city. Just as the 1916 ies. Once a study area has been defined and a zoning laws were passed to ensure universal profile selected, users can share and save links access to light and air, today’s planners ad- to their research. Population FactFinder was dress public health, sunshine and shadows, built using free and open source software by and vital street life by promoting diverse and NYC Planning Labs. active ground floor uses. A successful space These new tools help put power into the must promote a sense of security and inclu- hands of citizens. Since the stated DCP Ur- sivity within the context of our diverse ways NEW TOOLS HELP PUT POWER INTO THE HANDS OF CITIZENS: This screenshot of a Depart- ban Design Principles for planning New York of living in our city. ment of City Planning webpage may be a good place to start exploring the resources avail- City are Place, Equity, Detail, and Comfort, able to the public. Credit: NYC DCP. we can encourage what makes this city great. Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP, is an archi- Place refers to the principle of incorporat- tectural consultant in private practice, serves By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP To this array of resources the DCP has ing and celebrating a neighborhood’s his- on Community Board 2 in Manhattan, is Attending a training seminar in December added a beta project called ZAP (Zoning tory, identity, culture, and natural systems co-chair of the American Institute of Archi- at the relocated and remodeled Depart- Application Portal), accessible at https:// that underlie and surround it. Iconic build- tects NY Design for Aging Committee, and ment of City Planning (DCP) offices at 120 zap.planning.nyc.gov, to provide the pub- ings, vibrant spaces, and natural resources is WestViewNews.org Architectural Editor. Broadway, the infamous Equitable Insur- lic with current and historic information ance Building, one gets a sense of history about land use applications and their status. and how the city has changed over the years. As soon as any application is filed, it gets The DCP is the source for much infor- entered on this database. For example, the mation about the city. There are ten cat- Department of Housing Preservation and egories: 1. General Trends; 2. Housing; 3. Development (HPD) has recently entered Land Use; 4. Transportation; 5. Parks and Haven Green for project approval and dis- Open Space; 6. Public Facilities; 7. Public position of city-owned property to facili- Safety; 8. Water, Sewage and Sanitation; tate a 123-unit affordable senior housing 9. Economic Development; 10. Resiliency development in Preservation Area A of the and Sustainability. Special Little Italy District. It is currently The DCP website (https://www1.nyc. in public review before it even gets to the gov/site/planning/index.page) includes ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Pro- community district data on demograph- cedure) process. Find it on ZAP. ics, housing and community facilities, and New York City Population FactFinder downloadable base maps. You can access (NYCPFF), at https://popfactfinder.plan- this information through the Census Fact ning.nyc.gov/about, is another beta project Finder, Community Portal, NYC City that allows you to easily define study areas Map, and ZoLa online map applications. within New York City and examine detailed

MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY | COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY MOHS SURGERY | LASER SURGERY

Bay Ridge West Village 7901 4th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11209 67 Perry Street, NY NY 10014 718-491-5800 (t) 212-675-5847 (t) 718748-2151 (f) 212-675-7976 (f)

Ronald R. Brancaccio, M.D | Peter Saitta, D.O. Sherry H. Hsiung, M.D. | Lisa Gruson,M.D. | Anna Karp, D.O. HAVEN GREEN is a 123-unit affordable senior housing development, proposed by the Depart- ment of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), which will include approximately 6,700 square feet of publicly accessible open space and approximately 12,885 GSF (Gross Square Feet) of community facility space. Image: courtesy of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, LLP. 24 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org

Washington Square Park Tree Lighting

Photos by John Eng.

Paving continued from page 22 Museum). buildings, utilities and streetscape. These paved with Belgian block, but today only Maine stonecutters, many of them emi- historic districts (and other historic areas) 15 miles remain, primarily in historic dis- Maine’s greatest advantage over other grants from northern Europe, provided could be templates for redevelopment. The tricts. Belgian block is a growing choice sources of granite was that its most im- the skills needed to accomplish all of this. streetscape is of central importance to such for historic pavement where new devel- portant quarries were readily accessible by Cutting, shaping and shipping large vol- redevelopment. opment is underway, in both historic and navigable rivers, bays and inlets, reducing umes of decorative granite for buildings The Historic Districts Council (HDC) non-historic areas. transportation costs to a minimum. Often, and monuments was the work of a highly is the central advocacy organization for Are modern versions of Belgian block, the finished granite could be loaded on a skilled work force in combination with the the city’s historic districts. It works to en- produced with state-of-the-art manufac- coastal steamer directly from the quarry natural resource of high quality granite sure the preservation of significant historic turing techniques and modern materials and brought to New York harbor. ideally situated to New York City. neighborhoods, buildings, and public spac- available? Yes, they are and they can be sup- In addition to low transportation costs, So, this was the successful state of the es. Last year HDC commissioned a study plied to order and in adequate quantities to Maine granite had desirable qualities that Maine granite industry in the early part (Toward Accessible Historic Streetscapes—A meet the expected new demand. Moreover, gave it an advantage. It was available in a of the last century. A Maine Geological Study of New York City’s Belgian Block Heri- such new versions have desirable qualities wide range of colors, densities and strengths. Survey report compiled in the late 1950’s tage) done by a landscape architecture and not available in the original Belgian block. For the construction of the Cathedral of St. identified 170 granite quarries, their lo- environmental firm with contributions However, efforts to incorporate such new John the Divine, eight monolithic columns cations, their customers and the uses to from a range of experts. The study is the products approved by the New York City of coarse-textured biotite granite of over 50 which their granite products were put. At last and best word on New York’s historic Public Design Commission into historic feet in length were ordered from the Palmer the time of the report, however, many of street paving and includes essential analysis district projects in New York City have not Quarry on Vinalhaven Island. Maine gran- these quarries were no longer active; hav- of the application of the Americans With gone well. ite was used in New York for everything ing been hard hit over the years by com- Disabilities Act (ADA) to the challenge of In the DUMBO restoration project, exist- from buildings to bridge supports and from petition from substitute materials and by re-creating historic streets that must com- ing Belgian block was removed from sections piers to tombstones. financial crises. The Great Depression of ply with the ADA. of Water, Washington, and Front Streets and The importance of the Maine granite the 1930’s and other financial crises had The HDC-sponsored study notes that replaced with new flat-topped granite blocks industry to Old New York is seen in the made them unprofitable. historic districts will not be successful as treated with a thermal finish to provide slip more than 50 major buildings, bridges and It is noteworthy, however, that of the 170 magnets for developers and anchor users resistance. This effort to improve historic monuments built in whole or in part with listed quarries in the 1950’s report, 20 to 30 unless their streetscape is faithful to the paving was controversial and ultimately un- granite from 27 individual Maine quarries. supplied paving granite to New York City. historic character of the area. Achieving successful essentially because preservation In addition to the eight columns for the Although no separate types are mentioned, this authenticity while complying with advocates said the color and shape of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, these in- one can be sure that much of this produc- the accessibility standards of the ADA is a replacement product adversely affected the cluded bridges and tunnels, durable build- tion was Belgian block. A renewed demand challenge. It will increase costs and require historic character of the streetscape. ings for banks and insurance companies, from New York for granite paving products artisanal skills no longer widely available. But, what about Belgian block from those signature buildings for corporate head- would give those Maine quarries an oppor- Still, it can be done. many Maine granite quarries? It would quarters, modern landmark buildings for tunity to restart production. Belgian block replaced cobblestone, certainly be authentic. It must continue to newspapers, hospitals, and universities, and Is there evidence of such a future? The wood block, and other early forms of have its shipping cost advantage. But two purposeful structures for hotels, post offic- current and impending renovation of his- street pavement because it was superior in or more generations have passed since those es and other government buildings. Many toric areas in Manhattan and Brooklyn several functional and aesthetic respects. quarries supplied their granite to a large of these are significant architecturally (Sea- (DUMBO, Meat Packing, , the Asphalt and cement, in turn, replaced New York market. I need to do some further gram), historically (Grant’s Tomb, the New West Village) have been designated histor- Belgian block. Yet, a lot of Belgian block basic, hands-on research among the remain- York Stock Exchange) or culturally (Mu- ic districts and are looking to preserve their remains, some covered by asphalt. In ing granite quarries near me to answer these seum of Natural History, Metropolitan Art authentic character while upgrading their 1949, Manhattan had 140 miles of streets questions. Vinalhaven will be my first stop. www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 25

Maggie B’s Quick Clicks TO ALL MY FELLOW ‘CREATURES OF HABIT’:

Photos by John Eng.

To the mystery runner whose appearance every To the industrious young woman who, every Monday eve- And Sam Mercado, D’Agostino’s Deli Manager and tal- weeknight on the stroke of 6.53 p.m. (no kidding!) first ning, gathers mountains of cans at the corner of Perry and ented artist, whose colorful murals greet customers before prompted these ‘creatures of habit’ thoughts; Greenwich Streets before hauling them off to be recycled; each and every high day and holiday throughout the year;

And to the conscientious folk who drive many Not to mention all the dog owners who rush home from Entertaining me as I watch them from my daily cocktail miles each Saturday, satisfying my need for weekly work every evening to walk their pets and exchange hour perch at Left Bank, where, on my birthday, they’d treats from the Farmers’ Market in Abingdon Square; greetings with their dog-loving neighbors... planned a surprise celebration—never dreaming that I would not be there that night! ...they gave me my piece of cake when I returned, the following evening.

MAY YOU, AND ALL THE READERS OF WVN, HAVE A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR—maggie b. All photos by Maggie Berkvist, with the exception of photo bottom right credit: Laurence Edelman. 26 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org

Mickey: The True Original WEST VILLAGE IMAGES BY JOEL GORDON Exhibition—An Immersive Experience Mickey Mouse: The True Original The 16,000 square-foot interactive pop-up art exhibition celebrating the 90th By Robert Heide the center of it all playing Mickey Mouse Anniversary of Mickey Mouse will run from November 2018 to February 10, 2019. As you approach the building at 60 Tenth songs. Other fun exhibition highlights in- Avenue between West 14th and 15th Streets clude a Keith Haring room dominated by a in the Northwest corner of Greenwich Vil- gigantic black and white Pop Art image of lage you see a series of old style 1930s super Mickey by Haring covering one wall and huge painted Mickey’s in his red shorts and part of the floor. The world renowned Pop- big yellow shoes in a variety of poses and fa- artist stated “Mickey is a symbol of Amer- cial expressions, wearing sometimes his win- ica!” The ‘finale’ is a great high-ceilinged ning fun time grin and at other times gnash- room featuring sculptures by contemporary ing and showing his teeth in a fit of comical artists like a huge piece made from recycled childlike rage. In another outdoor portrait on Mickey T-shirts and around the perimeter the building, one Mickey image is projecting large Plexiglas display cases housing all sorts a sense of wonderment and joy at simply be- of Mickey ephemera and rarities primar- ing in the world and having a good time of it. ily from the 1930s, the 1940s war years, as The entrance for this Mickey Mouse 90th well as the 1950s Television Mickey Mouse birthday celebration/art exhibit is on the cor- Club merchandise centering on the ubiqui- ner of 10th Avenue and 15th Street. Since tous mouse-ears. Special vintage Mickey toys there is no box-office, you must obtain tickets are on display including a litho-on-metal online in advance simply by connecting to: play stove, a Mickey Mouse telephone, a http://www.disney.com/mickeytrueoriginal. snow sled, school supplies like Dixon pencil This ‘museum’, or ‘mouseum’ as someone boxes, writing and drawing tablets, paint sets, called it, is open from Tuesday to Sunday from and coloring books, remarkable 1930s hand- 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Online a specific time is as- painted Japanese bisque figurines, a sirocco signed to the buyer such as say 4 p.m. because wood Mickey Mouse table-top Emerson ra- this is a guided walk-through of a series of dio, two famous Charlotte Clark baby-sized rooms and galleries each of which covers cer- Mickey and Minnie dolls, one dressed up as tain themes related to artworks, collectibles a cowboy, and the first Mickey Mouse Big and cartoons all centered on the great Ameri- Little Books. Wherever you went: be it to a can icon—Mickey Mouse. Small groups grocery store that sold Mickey Bread, cook- come together in a cohesive manner moving ies, and milk, the dime-store or department from room to room, the groups regulated in stores which sold Mickey sweaters, under- size by the advance ticket reservations. Young wear, socks, ties, jackets, and sneakers, there friendly Disney guides wearing specially de- he was— a merchandise superstar. Recently signed Mickey patterned shirts point the way; at the supermarket, a friend picked up a can but at the same time you may wander about of Campbell’s Tomato Soup featuring a smil- freely back and forth from room to room. ing Mickey Mouse on the paper label on the Many regard Mickey Mouse and his market for Mickey’s 90th birthday and sure gal-mouse pal Minnie to be the most fa- to become a future collectible. I wondered mous and artful characters at the very top what Andy Warhol would make of all this. of American Pop culture. His well-known How delighted he would have been to see entourage includes Pluto the Pup, Donald Mickey on his favorite soup can. and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Horace Horsecol- At the exit point of this tour, you wind up lar, Clarabelle Cow, the Three Little Pigs in the Disney/Mickey Retail Shop (which is and the Big Bad Wolf and many others who open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a separate all join in this magical Disney parade. Once entrance on 14th Street) where you will find inside the 16,000 square foot space you see T-shirts featuring the Mouse, books and a giant photo of the great man Walt Disney, other great stuff to take home. And even a just behind one of his many Academy Award free exhibit, a special ‘cosmic cavern’ created Oscars, spotlighted in a Plexiglas display box. by artist Kenny Scharf which features hid- From here you enter a long darkened corridor den Mickey Mouse watches in a dizzying featuring dozens of glowing bright red and day-glo psychedelic art experience. Like a blue life-size neon Mickey sculptures, fol- trip to Disneyland or Disney World, even lowed by displays of marquee movie posters Mickey himself might say in his childlike such as Steamboat Willie which was released falsetto voice (it was the actual voice of Walt in New York on November 18,1928. The himself in the early cartoons) “This show is first animated black and white talking short the real thing—and it’s a lot of fun too.” It in history opened at the Colony Theater on runs until the end of February, 2019. that date and is regarded as Mickey’s official birthday. A host of Disney-Mickey cartoons Robert Heide’s latest book Robert Heide followed one after another, including Plane 25 Plays is available at the bookshop at the Crazy and The Gallopin’ Gaucho, even up to Whitney Museum, the Drama Bookshop, Three the present day with Flushed! in 2018. Lives in the Village, other select bookstores, and As you walk on and turn a corner you sud- on Amazon. He is the co-author with John denly enter an old-style ice-cream parlor; and Gilman of three books published by Disney: the ice-cream served in Mickey movie paper Disneyana—Classic Collectibles 1928-1958, cups is delicious and free of charge. This is The Mickey Mouse Watch—From the Begin- Other examples can be found on my website www.joelgordon.com. a kind of Mouse-keteer 1950s style room ning of Time, and Mickey Mouse—the Evolu- Photo credit © Joel Gordon 2018—All rights reserved. with a brightly lit vintage-style juke-box at tion, the Legend, The Phenomenon! St. John’s in the Village Enjoy these arts events in the fully-heated and ADA accessible St John’s (corner of W 11th St and Waverly Place) All concerts have an allocation of tickets free to seniors, but booking is essential ([email protected] or 212 243 6192) All bookings through stjvny.org

Monday January 7, 8 pm Friday January 18, 7:30 pm Kevin Hays: Jazz Piano DaCapo Salon One of NYC’s premier jazz performers brings St John’s majestic concert Chantal Balestri (piano), Katty Mayorga (guitar), and Ti Chung (flute) grand piano to life with the strains of traditional jazz, blues, folk, and soul. present European chamber music in collaboration with guest artists. Tickets $15 - $30. More information on the parish website.

Wednesday January 9, 7:30 pm Sunday January 20, 3 pm A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten Maryam Kheirbeck plays Beethoven and Chopin Internationally recognized pianist Kheirbeck presents romantic piano repertoire on St John’s notable concert grand.Tickets $10 - $20.

Friday January 25, 7:30 pm Refugee Relief Charity Gala Concert On the night before Australia Day, some of NYC’s finest young Australian musicians team up to present a musical variety show to warm hearts and To the magical accompaniment of the harp Benjamin Britten’s charming raise funds for Ads-Up, the charity through which Australians and others settings of early English and Scots carol texts for upper voices warm the support refugees newly-settled in the USA from Australian camps. heart on a cold winter’s night. Concert followed by a seasonal hot drink See website for more details. reception.Tickets $20 ($10 seniors).

Mondays January 7 and 21, 7:30 pm Saturday January 16, 3 pm Gregorian Chant Workshops The Music of Now Learn to sing the music of the Middle Ages. No previous experience of Composer and conductor Leonard Bopp brings together an exciting ensemble of young musicians presenting young music. plainsong notation necessary. Ideal for choir directors, singers, and music students. Free, but booking ([email protected]) is helpful. Saturday January 26, 7:30 pm Tuesday January 8, 7-9 pm Australia Day with Amber & Friends Opening Night of La Vie en Rose NYC Nightlife through the Join Amber Evans, extraordinary Australian soprano, along with other Lens of Rose Hartman Australian NYC musicians in a concert to celebrate Australia Day 2019. Iconic Village photographer Rose Hartman displays photographs of New Music by Australian and other composers. Yorkers from the 1970s to the present. Revelation Gallery: enter at 224 Waverly Place. Exhibition runs through January. Free. Booking essential for attendance of Opening Night. Artwork $750 - $2000. Sunday January 27, 3 pm Schubert’s Winterreise Friday January 11, 8 pm Frank Matthis (baritone) with Jonathan DePeri (piano) present this Opera Highlights: Il Trovatore Romantic song-cycle through our winter’s landscape. Tickets $10 - $20 The greatest arias and duets from Verdi’s darkest opera, set in Spain’s gypsy underworld. Anna Viemeister (mezzo-soprano), Spinto Lindell Carter (Dramatic Tenor), Katrin Bulke (soprano), and Hyung Monday January 28, 6:30 pm Joo Eom (baritone).Tickets $15 - $30. Greenwich Village Historic District Golden Jubilee Join the Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation and friends Sunday January13, 3 pm at a colloquium and drinks reception marking 50 years since the Village began to be landmarked. Free, but booking is essential. An Afternoon of Classical Guitar: Tali Roth Roth, one of Israel’s and the USA’s “extraordinary solo and chamber musician[s]”, presents music by Barrios, Bach, Albeniz, and others. Wednesday January 30, 6:15 pm Tickets $10 - $20. Mass & Dinner of Charles I, King & Martyr Charles I of Scotland, in whose honor both North Carolina and South Thursday January 17, 7:30 pm Carolina are named, was unjustly executed by the English Parliament on A Medieval Miscellany 30 January 1649. Americans, who experienced our own form of English David Yardley and Talisman Medieval present music oppression prior to our Revolution, mark his martyrdom with a special of the 12th and 13th centuries for voices and instruments. service and candlelit dinner. Service free and open to all, See parish website for more details and tickets. but booking is essential for the dinner. 28 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org Visions of Vija: A Villager’s Journey By Stanley Wlodyka wetness of so sad a so-long, but also with the hope and excitement that comes from Almost 90 years ago, Vija Vetra peeked embarking on a life-long journey. Little did through a hole in of a dance stu- she know that Hitler and Nazi Germany dio where ballet classes were taught. Who would erase the innocence from the land- knows which adolescent boy had carved scape of her childhood. When the world out the peephole, looking to stoke the fire went to war, it marked Vetra as a refugee, a kindled by adolescent hormones, watching title she would carry for over half a century, the girls plié and rond de jambe their way over half her lifetime. into his profane imagination. Vetra, on the Having survived the war and completed other hand, was indulging a different kind her studies, the prospect of returning home of lust altogether. From a family of little was not an option when the Soviet Union means, she could not afford to take a ballet engulfed Latvia. “We lost thousands and class herself, so she watched as the balleri- thousands of innocent people [who] were nas got into first position and followed suit sent to gulags in Siberia, starved and on the other side of the wall, splaying her worked to death, then thrown into mass feet outward “and walked like a duck”. Her graves,” laments Vetra. She found that her friend, who was in the class, helped her options for emigration were limited after A DANCER LIVING IN WESTBETH ARTISTS HOUSING, Vija Vetra is unstoppable at 95 years dress the part by giving Vetra her first pair trying for the United States and Canada, old. She recently gave a multicultural performance for the 100-year anniversary of her native of ballet slippers, ones which she had worn and was told that she needed a sponsor. Latvia’s independence. Photo courtesy of the archive of Vija Vetra. already and would have thrown out. “She She wound up in Australia, which at the threw them my way.” time had a largely homogenous culture. granted amnesty on the condition that she from whom she received her first lessons She had no formal training when, at 16, Uniformly, Australians emulated their work for two years in a menial job, as a nurse’s all those years ago. He asked her to join she auditioned to study dance in Vienna, British cousins and had a cuisine that aid in a hospital. Vija had to turn down an his dance company and she jumped at the the famed City of Music which Mozart amounted to not much more than “steak opportunity to go on tour with a dance com- chance. “In my life,” smiles Vija, “I have ex- called his playground. Her enthusiasm and salad”, with little room for variation. pany to South Africa because of this. “That perienced many closing circles.” and innate ability was her ticket out of her “We the DP’s [displaced persons] brought was the hardest time—I was a dancer!” Dance would eventually be Vetra’s ticket home country of Latvia. She kissed her culture to Australia,” asserts Vetra. Her time would come, and, as is com- to the United States, as she built a bridge father, mother and sister goodbye, waved Still, it wasn’t always roses for Vija, because mon wisdom, a little hunger makes the between the East and the West by combin- to them as the train pulled from the plat- she was made to wait for the bouquets that food taste better. Once the two years were ing styles and modes from different tradi- form, eyes glimmering with, not only the customarily follow a dance recital. She was through, she was contracted to tour for two tions. In 1960’s New York, she introduced and a half years as an Indian Princess in the concept of sacred dance in churches, the musical Kismet. However, she wasn’t considered something strange and almost trained in Indian dance, an intricate and sacrilegious in the States, but an integral millennia old form that demands intensely part of worship from time immemorial in specific articulation of the hands, feet and India. Vija explains, “My prayer is through even facial features. She overcame this ob- dance. It is offering my whole self—with- stacle by mimicking photos in a book on out any reserve—to the deity.” Indian dance performed by a man whom At 95 years old, spirituality remains an Do You Need Home Care? Vetra would call her “Guru in Absentia”— important part of her life. For more than 40 such were the times before Youtube videos! years, she has traveled annually to an island She perfected the poses, intuitively found in Greece, visiting an ancient temple where Continuity Home Health Care ways of transitioning between them, and she swears she served as a temple dancer in was so convincing that Indians in the audi- a past life. She believes that life’s greatest ence would come up to her after the per- tragedies, from murder to war, stem from formance and speak Hindi. forgetting that humans are mostly spiritual Where Healing Continues... There may be a simple explanation for beings, rather than physical ones. A licensed home care agency providing her natural affinity for such a foreign form This comes as a surprise, considering health care services, both professional of expression. The name “Vija” in Latvian that her profession is an intensely physical and paraprofessional, for individuals means “garland” (thought to have evolved one, and that after living for nine and a half living at home since 1996. from “garland of victory”), while “Vetra” decades she exhibits remarkable physical means “storm cloud”; in the Indian San- strength and flexibility, as well as a mind skrit, the similar “Vijaya” is translated as that is almost impossibly sharp and quick- “victory”, and “Vritra” refers to a figure in witted. Inevitably, she is bombarded by the Hinduism whom the god Indra defeats and question, “What’s the secret?”, and after Call Tim Ferguson at (212) 625-2547 who is personified as a storm cloud. Both ruminating on it innumerable times, she’s in Latvian and Sanskrit, her name tells a boiled it down to a twofold answer. First: or drop in to 121 West 11th Street opposite PS 41 story, predicting a life of triumph over the Always be as a child. Never lose that sense dark clouds of misfortune, whether it be of curiosity and wonder and appreciation We accept most private those created by the Nazis, the Soviets, or for the small, daily glories. Second: Dance, those that hang over distant shores, when dance and dance. With music, or without, insurances one is called to live the life of a refugee. it doesn’t matter. Just dance. and private pay. Eventually, Vetra would make a pilgrim- age to India to undergo proper training Vija Vitra is an original tenant of Westbeth and soon would travel the world. After a Artists Housing and travels every year to [email protected] performance in London, a very special Latvia for a command performance. She is member of the audience approached her. the subject of two books and three documenta- It was her “Guru in Absentia”, the noted ries, one of which, “The World of Vija Vetra”, dancer Ram Gopal, the man in the photos is available for streaming on Amazon Prime. www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 29 Jim Fouratt’s REEL DEAL: Movies That Matter BEST IN FILM 2018 #3 AND BREATHE NORMALLY By Paul Schrader, award-winning director Negro, Jenkins chose to have a voiceover I spent a lot of time watching movies this Director: Isold Uggadóttir and screenwriter, as well as Professor at Co- storyteller as a cinematic device to move the year, just as I did in the streets protesting! Trailer: https://www.netflix.com/ti- lumbia University, First Reformed is a story story forward. It would be Tish, the young I see my role as a critic as sharing with you tle/80998427 about a priest played by Ethan Hawke. He black woman, one of the two featured lovers those creative works which made me feel Winner at Sundance, this poignant story experiences a moral and ethical crisis after his in the film.Beal Street is about a family held human, helped me identify with the feel- of migration has stayed with me all year. advice to a parishioner blows up in his face. together. Survival as a family unit dealing ings of others and inspired me to have hope. Debuts January 4th on Netflix. In a larger context, Schrader appears to be with all the secular concerns both within the (Yes you can pass the popcorn now.) Print speaking through this priest about how a citi- nuclear family and the extended family was space restraints require much of what I zen deals with the political crisis that America foreground as a crisis hit. Tish’s strong sister want to share will have to go to WestView is going through right now after the 1% coup was Black Panther influenced. She always online. Find my Best in Documentaries/ of the Congress and the Presidency. David has Tish’s back, and would whisper into Performances and Honor Roll. Please, if Poland interviews Schrader about First Re- her ear the voice of rejection of traditional you choose to stream at home, invite a few formed and its values. Schrader considers this roles women in the black community were friends over! Do discuss. The works here film his career culmination. (Paul Schrader expected to play. If Beale Street Could Talk is are neither fluff nor cotton candy. They are speaks https://youtu.be/7yOZB2MJOL) a love story that confronts the stereotype of made to stimulate you head-to-toe! For Ethan Hawke, it is a career peak perfor- a young black man and the woman who fall mance. First Reformed also challenges how in love. How their families react. It is not some organized religions put rhetoric above a romance film based on romantic fantasy. Let’s Go to the Movies: AND BREATHE NORMALLY: Babetida Sadjo sensitive, personal practice and compassion. The reality of a couple, even in Harlem, of stars as an immigrant trying to get to Chi- Schrader always rattles the moral skeletons falling in love and dealing with racism in a BEST IN NARRATIVE: cago from Guinea-Bissau caught with fake that Hollywood tries to keep in the closet. very personal way is what makes Beal Street credentials in Iceland. Credit: Sundance Here he rattles the bones as if he were St. so deeply moving. #1 EL SÉPTIMO DÍA Institute. John the Baptist who suddenly popped up Jenkins told Indiewire critic Tambay (ON THE SEVENTH DAY) on a golf course, where the rich are playing, Obenson how he struggled being a man, Director: Jim McKay #4 BEN IS BACK holding his cultural weapon of choice—his writing from a woman’s point of view Trailer: (https://youtu.be/gYg3mAJTWSE) Director Peter Hedges vision and his camera in hand. (https://www.indiewire.com/2018/11/ “Bicycle delivery guys, construction work- Trailer: https://youtu.be/bkkgG_jhYQk if-beale-street-could-talk-barry-jenkins- ers, dishwashers, deli workers and cotton What would you do if you saw your child #6 SORRY TO BOTHER YOU james-baldwin-1202023517/): “He was candy vendors, they work long hours six dying in front of you? Addiction has Director: Boots Riley concerned about being a man writing a days a week and then savor their day of rest crossed over from minority communities Trailer: https://youtu.be/PQKiRpiVRQM story from the point of view of a young on Sundays on the soccer fields of Sunset into the white middle class. Hence films Boots Riley jumps from politically charged woman. Baldwin had been aware of the Park. José, a bicycle delivery worker, is the like Ben is Back and Beautiful Boy that fo- rap music (The Coup). He took his home- potential minefield he was stepping into team’s captain—young, talented, hard- cus on what black families have suffered town, Oakland, and wrote songs about re- and sought the opinions of women writer working and responsible. When José's team for decades. In Ben is Back, Peter Hedges ality rather than fantasy. In this, his debut friends, notably the equally esteemed Toni makes it to the finals, he and his teammates with his excellent actors Julia Roberts (ca- directorial feature film, Riley makes his tran- Morrison. He was super nervous about are thrilled. But his millennial boss throws reer performance peak) and Lucas Hedges sition to film by lacing his political agenda what the response to the book would a wrench into the celebration when he tells (yes, son) brilliantly universalize the dev- with pastel sheen as a trop. With subtlety, be, and he did face some criticism,” Jen- José he has to work on Sunday, the day of astation, helplessness and fierce fight to discipline, and humor, he warns black youth kins said, who had similar concerns while the finals. If he doesn’t work, his job and save a child that transcends class and race. not to be seduced by capitalism (I told you adapting the novel. his future will be on the line.” This is the Ben is Back carries an underlining message he is political). Riley, never didactic, fuses “It was terrifying,” he said, adding that conflict. McKay has humanized these un- warning that recovery is a fragile thing and compassion for black youth with a teach- he was warned by women filmmaker documented workers seeking a better life. needs to be tended to on a daily basis de- ing lesson that feels like being at a jumping friends about certain problematic ‘male Like those I see enroute to the subway, spite the length of sobriety. party until the police break it up. He focuses gaze’ scenes. “I’m glad they felt comfort- heads down, at 11 p.m. when the restau- Peter Hedges spoke to Gary Thomas of on how a group of young women and men able to tell me because there were changes rants close. It tops my list and was probably the Philadelphia Inquirer about Ben is Back: facing a future of economic survival make we made to rectify them,” he said. made for the cost of the Vice trailers. Hedges said “...it’s a substantial role for his time to flirt and enjoy life. Riley constructs Taking Baldwin's storytelling and cin- son, but the movie really looks at the prob- a film that is a JOY to watch. One of the ematically retelling it, Jenkins makes the lem of a child’s addiction through Roberts’ funniest scenes in any film this year is here story as contemporary today as it was when character, and from the standpoint of a when Danny Glover tries to teach Lakeith first written. Set in the reality of being confused and terrified mother.” Stanfield how to be a successful telemar- black today. Of being a black man in love “We parents are always second-guessing keter. He challenges him to find “his white (eg Moonlight), a black man and woman ourselves. Was there too much tough love? voice” and demonstrates how! Hilarious and and their families confronted with how Was there too much smothering? We never serious at the same time. racism has depersonalized each of them feel like we did it right. But the truth is, and explores the solution each member the disease is so massive and unmanageable #7 IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK makes to feel whole... Wow! that it brings us all to our knees.” Director: Barry Jenkins EN EL SEPTIMO DIA/ON THE SEVENTH DAY “I was moved to write and direct the Trailer: https://youtu.be/hGCvdlaWUF0) #8 THE HATE YOU GIVE Fernando Cardona rides through the rain as movie after seeing so many relatives and How do you follow up the award-winning Director: George Tillman, Jr. a delivery boy. Credit: The Cinema Guild. friends (including Philip Seymour Hoff- Moonlight was the challenge director Barry Trailer: https://youtu.be/3MM8OkVT0hw man) succumb to addiction.” He knew that Jenkins was facing. Projects were offered to Hoffman had been in recovery for many him. But he waited until he could feel the #9 CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? #2 VICE years, and had worked hard on it, which is same kind of human connection that made Director: Marielle Heller Director: Adam McKay part of what made the relapse devastating. him want to make Moonlight. He resisted Trailer: https://youtu.be/ytgSksC5wWA Trailer: https://youtu.be/g09a9laLh0 until he read a novel by James Baldwin pub- Finally, Lynne and Dick Cheney get credit #5 FIRST REFORMED lished in 1974: If Beale Street Could Talk is #10 PRIVATE LIFE for the harm they have done to the Consti- Director: Paul Schrader a love story set in Harlem. Jenkins had his Director: Tamara Jenkins tution and our Democracy. Trailer: https://youtu.be/7wiAWmknElU next film. Like Raoul Peck inI Am Not Your Trailer: https://youtu.be/h_OXEJ70EFc 30 WestView News January 2019 www.westviewnews.org www.westviewnews.org January 2019 WestView News 31 Modernism lives in Tribeca.

A collaboration of design visionaries. KPF. David Rockwell. David Mann. Edmund Hollander.