Information that may be of interest...October 8, 2018

The information in this eblast is provided by The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association. We are sharing the information as a service to our members. If this notice does not interest you, please disregard it.

You can also find these eblasts online in PDF (printable) format at www.murrayhillnyc.org in the News section, look for Weekly Eblasts 2018.

The MHNA Discount Program Please be prepared to show proof of membership when you ask for a discount. Changed

Madison Avenue Dental Associates, Dr. Van Madison Brown, DDS, 20 East 35 Street, 212-685-4217, 25% discount for cleaning & checkup and on basic procedures.

Full list of discounts offered to MHNA members: Restaurant and Food Discounts General Discounts

Visit the Resources pages on the MHNA website it you need information on government resources, substance abuse programs, heat season rules, contact information for local elected officials, and more. For Murray Hill road closures for public projects and street fair information, visit Traffic Updates on www.murrayhillnyc.org.

If you would like to join a committee, please send an email to [email protected]. Information about the MHNA committees can be found on www.murrayhillnyc.org. Click About > Committees.

Link to our Privacy Statement

Murray Hill Photo Album Photos from the Annual Meeting on October 4 at the Church of the Incarnation

David Frank, Chief Engineer for the Infrastructure Council Member Carlina Rivera (District 2) Council Member Keith Powers (District 4) Replacement Project on 2nd Avenue and surrounding areas

Marilyn Noa, Neighborhood Coordination Officer, 17th Precinct Sector A, and Matt Stein Berre, Co-Chair of the Greening & Cleaning Lilli Seidman Davis, Co-Chair of the Business Roberts, MHNA Chair of the Quality of Life Committee Committee Committee

Attendees at the MHNA annual meeting. Enid Klass, Attendees at the annual meeting speaking with Susan recipient of the MHNA Community Award is shown in Terry Katz, Executive Director of the Society of Demmet, Co-Chair of the Preservation & Design the second row from bottom on right, and Elaine Jewish Science / Center for Applied Judaism, Committee (second from left) and Police Officer Ryan Silber, Co-Chair of the Preservation & Design recipient of the MHNA Community Award who helps behind the scenes with our Neighborhood Committee, next to Enid Klass. Ellen Imbimbo, Active Policing. Past Trustee in front row second from right.

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Upcoming events (that missed our last eblast) Tuesday, October 9 7pm Who Decides? The History and Future of Monument Creation in NYC New monuments are coming to NYC. But how will they be selected? The Mayor’s office has left this question unanswered, despite the controversies which led to establishment of a Monuments Commission last fall, and two, seemingly distinct announcements by the government, pledging $10 million for statues or public art honoring neglected groups, and the same amount for monuments recognizing women. Panelists: Michele Bogart, author of the new Sculpture in Gotham, and the leading expert on the history of monument construction in , Mary Anne Trasciatti, President, Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition, Jack Tchen, co-founder of the Museum of Chinese in America and member of the NYC Mayor's Commission on Monuments. Moderator: Todd Fine, President, Washington Street Historical Society, advocate of the monument for "Little Syria." Co-presenters The Gotham Center for New York City History with the American Social History Project and the Public History Collective at The Graduate Center. at The Graduate Center (CUNY) 365 Fifth Avenue (between 34th & 35th Street) Martin E. Segal Theatre

Thursday, October 11 6pm Reception, 6:30pm Program The English Speaking Union Players perform Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa FREE. The play takes place one summer in 1930 Ireland on the farm of the five Mundy sisters. It is a nostalgic memory play in which the son of one of the sisters looks back on the events which happen that summer. The production featuers a 1930 radio, costumes and kites. Please RSVP: email Louise Muse at [email protected]. Save the dates for the next plays: Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward on Thursday, November 1 and The Man Who Came to Dinner on Thursday, December 13. at The English Speaking Union 144 East 39th Street (between Lexington & 3rd Avenue)

Thursdays through October 25 7pm - 8pm Cardio Sweat Party Cardio Sweat Party combines kickboxing, dance, and athletic drills with energizing music that challenge your whole body. Recognized as one of NYC’s best classes, the workout is comprised of three groups of choreography alternating with strength and power drills. The sessions are led by Michele Gordon, an AFAA, ACE, and NASM-Certified Fitness Leader also known as Miss Motivational, who is on a mission to empower everyone to make things happen. on the Fifth Avenue Terrace, in front of the New York Public Library

Friday, October 12 9am - 9pm Last day to register to vote for the November 6, 2018 General Election Each of the Borough Offices of the Board of Elections in the City of New York will be open from 9am to 9pm to accept in-person Voter Registration Applications. In addition, the Executive Office of the Board of Elections in the City of New York, located at 32 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10004, will be open from 9am to 5pm to accept In-person Voter Registration Applications. The Office of the Board of Elections is located at 200 Varick Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10014, Telephone: 212- 886-2100. If you have a valid ID from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, you can register online at http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/html/voters/register.shtml. Note, in New York State, if you want to vote in the Primary Elections you must register with a party.

Saturday, October 13 12-1pm Ralley for our Neighborhoods Human-scale NYC is organizing a ralley to protest over-development and the real estate lobby's control over our city. Visit www.humanscale.nyc for more information. If you would like to support this cause, join them and 50 organizations, including the 29th Street Neighborhood Association. Bring your own sign! on the steps of City Hall City Hall Park

Saturday, October 13 6pm – 11pm Movies Under the Stars: Hotel Transylvania 3 FREE. Count Dracula and company participate in a cruise for sea-loving monsters, unaware that their boat is being commandeered by the monster-hating Van Helsing family. Rated PG. Bring your own blanket. Spaces are first come first seated. No glass bottles. at Robert Moses Playground 1st Avenue between 41st & 42nd Street (This is an Accessible location)

Sunday, October 14 (rain date October 20) It's My Park Day VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY. Join members of the Alliance for Kips Bay for planting, weeding and cleaning. Gloves and tools will be provided. Bring a friend and dress for getting a little dirty. RSVP at [email protected] (so they can bring enough supplies). Meet at the south entrance to the temporarily closed Glick Park at 36th Street and the (just north of the Ferry Terminal)

Kudos!

Murray Hill author publishes first novel, Five Ferries Five Ferries, by MHNA member William Michael Ried, tells the story of recent college graduate Stephen Kylemore, who yearns to escape a country and a family torn apart by the Vietnam War. Buoyed by his love of literature and a dream of living an odyssey of his own, he buys a one-way ticket for the journey he will come to call “Europe on No Dollars a Day.” Readers of a certain age will recognize a world that seems archaic in this day of debit cards and instant communication. But time and technology don’t diminish the universal human experience of survival and redemption, love, loss and liberty that await any traveler breaking trail. MHNA member William Michael Ried has practiced law in New York City for thirty-nine years, almost as long as he spent writing his first novel, Five Ferries. He lives with his wife in Murray Hill. Five Ferries was published in October and can be purchased on Amazon.com. Read more.

Changes in our neighborhood (including in progress)

Façade Closing Up, Sales Underway For Solow’s 685 First Avenue In Murray Hill October 5, 2018, newyorkyimby.com, by Andrew Nelson In just under two years, the tower and façade have topped out, sales have launched, and completion is expected by the end of the year. Sheldon Solow’s Company is developing the 42-story minimalist Murray Hill skyscraper...The 460-foot tall structure yields 800,000 square feet for residential use, and 10,000 square foot for two separate ground-floor retail shops. The building’s 556 residences will be divded between rentals and condominiums, with 408 rentals on floors three through 27, and 148 condominiums on floors 28 through 43...The distinctive horizontal cutout in the center of the façade will allow for private balconies on the duplex condominiums occupying floors 28 and 29. The views, however, are not expected to last for long. Development of the adjacent Con Ed lot is expected to largely obscure 685 1st Avenue from the water...The tower officially launched sales this May. Units will start at $1,495,000.

JPMorgan files for air-rights transfer to boost new Midtown East tower September 24, 2018, crainsnewyork.com, by Joe Anuta JPMorgan Chase filed plans this month to apply development rights from the landmarked Grand Central Terminal to the company's new tower planned for . The transfer of around 668,000 square feet of air rights indicates progress on the project, which was announced earlier this year. The bank filed the transfer application with the Department of City Planning Sept. 6. The agency will mull over the request before likely approving the measure and paving the way for the transaction. In February JPMorgan announced that it would demolish its current headquarters at 270 Park Ave. and construct a tower in its place...The plans call for a building big enough to house the bank's entire city workforce, which numbers 15,000 and is currently spread out over several locations. To get to the building's planned size of 2.5 million square feet, JPMorgan is purchasing development rights from the landmarked Grand Central Terminal, which is owned by TF Cornerstone and MSD Capital, an investment firm controlled by Michael Dell. Those air rights are reportedly worth $240 million. The city would take a cut of the cash and put it toward a public-realm improvement fund created as part of a rezoning of Midtown East last year.

Waldorf Astoria Reopening Pushed Back September 27, 2018, cooperator.com, by Mike Odenthal Last April, The Cooperator published an update on the conversion-to-condo project currently underway at Manhattan's famed Waldorf Astoria hotel. The precarious financial situation of Anbang Insurance Group, the Chinese company that had purchased the property, raised some questions as to the project's status...In the latest development, New York Business Journal reported last month that the Waldorf's reopening has been postponed until sometime in 2021 instead of next year as previously planned...

Public service announcements Source: medicare.gov For seniors: Your new Medicare card should have arrived in the mail by now If you didn’t get it, here’s what to do. Remember that your new Medicare card will come in a plain white envelope from the Department of Health and Human Services. If the card didn’t arrive, call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE. Their call center representatives can check the status and help you get your new card. In the meantime, use your current Medicare card to get health care services. Guard your Medicare card like a credit card. Give your Medicare Number only to people you know should have it. Medicare, or someone representing Medicare, will never contact you for your Medicare Number or other personal information unless you’ve given them permission in advance. Learn more about the limited situations in which Medicare can call you.

Source: Council Member Carlina Rivera's September 2018 Newsletter If you have experienced sexual assault You can call the free confidential National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or visit 24-7 help online at hotline.rainn.org.

Source: United States Postal Inspection Service - New York Can YOU SEE your house numbers/address on your building? Police Officers, EMS, and Fire that may be responding to your house in the event of an emergency, look for your building address numbers. Are they visible on your building? Check if: All of the numbers are still there They are large enough to be seen easily from the street Landscape vegetation has grown over them, limiting their visibility [Editor's note: If the building address number is not visible on your building, please ask the building owner or manager to make sure that it is!]

Source: Federal Trade Commission Managing someone else’s money: New protection from ID theft and fraud by Lois Greisman, Federal Trade Commission, Elder Justice Coordinator & Stacy Canan, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, Assistant Director, Office of Financial Protection for Older Americans If you manage someone else’s money, protecting them from financial exploitation and scams is among your important responsibilities. Starting September 21, 2018, a new federal law lets some financial caregivers request a security freeze, also called a credit freeze, on their loved one’s behalf. Taking this step can help protect them from identity theft and fraud.

October 7-13 National Fire Prevention Week FDNY is making NYC safer with events throughout all five boroughs. For online tips to help keep you and your family safe, visit www.fdnysmart.org.

Public service announcement for businesses October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month The Small Business Administration will be sharing tips and resources to help keep your small business safe. Protect your business today by creating a cybersecurity preparedness plan. Prepare for emergencies. Launch SBA's free online course for an overview of cybersecurity tips for your business. You will learn how to identify the types of cyber threats and best practices to protect your business. Launch the course

Preservation Mayor de Blasio Appoints Sarah Carroll as New Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission City Hall Office of the Mayor Press Release, September 26, 2018 The City Council confirmed Mayor de Blasio's nominee, Sarah Carroll, as the new Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. As Chair, Carroll will lead the Commission as it continues to preserve and protect New York City's architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings and sites...Carroll, a preservationist by training and profession, has dedicated her career to public service at LPC. She has deep institutional knowledge about the agency’s work and its operational strengths. Over the past 24 years, she has served in various capacities at LPC, including Landmarks Preservationist, Deputy Director of Preservation, and Director of Preservation. In 2014, she became Executive Director. The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association sent a welcome letter to Sarah Carroll.

Submit your ideas to improve the neighborhood Source: Council Member Keith Powers email of October 5, 2018 The Participatory Budgeting program allows residents in my district to submit ideas on what they want to see in the neighborhood, with $1 million to allocate toward community projects, and ultimately vote on the ones that will most improve the community. A panel of volunteers, called delegates, will review each submission and make recommendations to make these ideas a reality. Voting will take place in March.

Traffic, congestion, and parking

Post Office Trucks and Garbage Trucks, oh my! Department of Sanitation has been parking its garbage trucks along 10th Street due to loss of its garage space. In a letter sent earlier this week to DSNY Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, Council Member Carlina Rivera called for the agency to work with her office, Community Board 3, and 10th Street residents on an alternative site that does not place an undue burden on our vulnerable constituents, restaurants and mom-and-pop stores. [Editor's note: This reminds us of our issue with the Post Office trucks. Now that the Queens Midtown Tunnel work is substantially completed, it appears that many of the P.O. trucks are now being parked near the tunnel, but not all. The DSNY garbage trucks are being placed in 3 locations, one location is in our neighborhood behind Bellevue Hospital.]

Parking fines rising for businesses in controversial incentive program However, the city's "stipulated fine" program still gives Fedex and UPS trucks a discount on their tickets October 4, 2018, crainsnewyork.com, by Matthew Flamm

New Staten Island Amazon facility could exacerbate truck traffic September 28, 2018, cityandstateny.com, by Max Parrott A white monolithic warehouse the size of 26 football fields has sprung up in Staten Island’s Matrix Global Logistics Park over the last year. The 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center, Amazon’s first in New York City, was scheduled to open this week with a soft launch on Sept. 27. With the opening comes the whirring of the tech giant’s patented high-tech technology, warehouse associates picking and packing up products, and a flow of trucks to and from the facility. A mix of FedEx, the U.S. Postal Service, UPS and Amazon trucks will start traveling regularly up the Staten Island Expressway on their way into the city. Though this influx of truck traffic coincides with new jobs, it creates a point of tension between the economic incentives at the city and state levels. While Empire State Development, New York’s economic development arm, has promised large tax incentives to attract Amazon to the site, its presence undercuts the vision of Freight NYC, an initiative that New York City’s Economic Development Corporation released in July. The plan proposed investing up to $100 million in freight rail and waterway infrastructure in order to relieve some of New York’s over-dependence on trucking. The city argues that truck congestion could cost the local economy $27 billion over the next 30 years, hurting local businesses and impeding commerce.

Ferry rides are costing taxpayers $8.96 apiece City spent $44 million running boats, a 50% jump from the previous fiscal year October 5, 2018, crainsnewyork.com, by Joe Anuta

NY City Charter revision commissions and ballot proposals

NYC Charter revision ballot proposals Several organizations are asking New Yorkers to vote "No" on two of the proposed revisions to the New York City Charter on the November ballot. The items below are from the New York Landmarks Conservancy's email of September 28. VOTE NO! PROPOSAL: Establish a Civic Engagement Commission whose mission includes expanding language access at polling sites, developing a citywide participatory budgeting program and supporting and partnering with community organizations in their civic engagement efforts. The New York Landmarks Conservancy wants a forum for civic engagement that is not under mayoral control. VOTE NO! PROPOSAL: Establish term limits on Community Board members and standardize the appointment process to make the Boards more representative of their communities. Boards would also receive additional resources, particularly in urban planning The New York Landmarks Conservancy wants Community Boards to retain their institutional memory of promises made and whether they were kept, instead of forcing out experienced members. Community Boards should have resources to retain independent consultants, not rely on the Mayor’s Commission.

Law Department Issues Warning as Community Boards Consider Charter Commission's Term Limits Proposal September 27, 2018, gothamgazette.com, by Samar Khurshid In a September 13 memo sent to the director of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, Marco Carrion (who was also a commissioner on the charter revision commission), and circulated to the city’s 59 community boards a week later, officials from de Blasio's Law Department emphasized that boards may be tempted to speak out for or against the ballot question but must maintain neutrality. “It is unlawful and inappropriate for a community board, acting as a community board, to take a position in favor of or against a Charter Revision Commission proposal,” reads the memo, signed by Stephen Louis, chief of the Division of Legal Counsel, and Stephen Goulden, senior counsel in the division.

Affordability and homelessness The Gap is Still Growing: New York City’s Continuing Housing Affordability Challenge September 25, 2018 (Revised 9/26/2018), Office of New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer Between 2005 and 2017, rising rents led to the disappearance of over 425,000 apartments renting for $900 or less (in 2017 dollars) from the City’s housing inventory...One factor that may have contributed to the rising cost of housing is that the supply of housing has failed to keep up with the continuing growth in the City’s population. Between 2005 and 2016, the City added an estimated 576,000 residents – but a mere 76,211 net new units of occupied rental housing...[T]he number of unavailable units rose by 51%, from 164,467 in 2011 to 247,977 in 2017. The most common reasons apartments were considered not available was that they were awaiting or undergoing renovation (32 percent of unavailable units) or were held for occasional, seasonal, or recreational use (30.5 percent of unavailable units)...Contributing to this broad shift toward higher cost housing over this period was a continued erosion in the inventory of rent-regulated housing...[T]he City lost 88,518 units of rent-regulated housing between 2005 and 2017.

Department of Homeless Services launching new financial training for shelter workers to help clients September 26, 2018, nydailynews.com, by Jillian Jorgensen Residents of the city’s homeless shelters will soon be able to get financial counseling directly from their case workers to help them transition into better housing. [Social Services Commissioner Steven] Banks [noted that] many in shelter work but cannot afford rents on their own. “Homelessness now is really driven by that gap between rents and income.”

Checking in on NYC’s ambitious homeless shelter overhaul, 18 months later The mayor promised to “turn the tide” on homelessness—but how successful has the initiative been? Sep 26, 2018, ny.curbed.com, by Rachel Holliday Smith

Legislation (including pending)

Local school board group wants limits on de Blasio's control of public schools September 24, 2018, nydailynews.com, by Ben Chapman A group representing the city’s influential local school boards has come out against Mayor de Blasio’s control of the public schools, which expires in June, unless significant limits are placed on his power... De Blasio spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg said a wide variety of lawmakers, education advocates, and business and labor leaders support mayoral control of the public schools. “Mayoral control is the reason why we have record high grad rates and college enrollment, record low dropout rates and a Pre-K seat for every four year old in New York City,” Rothenberg said.

Issues we are following U.S. sues after California governor signs 'net neutrality' law September 30, 2018, reuters.com, by David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department late on Sunday filed suit after California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to restore open internet protections known as net neutrality in the state after the Trump administration repealed the rules in December 2017.

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