The Voice of the West Village WestView News VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2018 $1.00

years ago, under LaGuardia and Roosevelt, ancient tenements came down through slum clearance, and the first, nice, clean, God at the Drafting Board airy public housing units were built. How- By George Capsis ever, the bureaucratic solution of one era becomes the bane of the next, so we now If God sat down at the drafting board to have one million residents and three gen- design a perfect solution for seniors now erations living in NYCHA Land, all with a living alone in a five-story walk-up, with an vested interest in maintaining poverty. ancient dog that has to go four times a day, So, right now if you offer a West Village what would He come up with? He would senior an apartment off in some foreign have a nice, fresh-faced youngster offer a neighborhood like Chelsea or SoHo, he strong arm to help our ancient walk to the will hesitate and demur, “Uh, it’s not the doctor and take Fido to happily meet his West Village. This is my home,” and fight target hydrant for even a fifth visit. to keep his mouse-central apartment. Unfortunately, God does not work in So, okay, God sits down at the drafting City Planning. So, we hear a moaning cho- board for the many seniors facing eviction rus of West Village seniors once happy for and/or a heart attack to design the ideal the fifth floor view and now working up apartment and the ideal companion. What the courage to make just one more climb. does He come up with? SENIOR SHARE APARTMENTS: For seniors trapped in walk-up, rent-stabilized apartments, It is only when a government utterly fails WestView proposes connecting apartments which offer affordable rents to the young oc- Well, He would start with restoring lost that we can get one that actually works. cupants in return for support services to the seniors. Shown above is a proposed building functions by giving our West Village an- Take the Great Depression. Eighty-five on Houston Street and 6th Avenue. Rendering by Marcus Wilford. continued on page 28 Music I Grew Up With… Preparing for Parish Closures and Mergers in New York City and Starting A-Fresh: A Primer for the February Concert at St. Veronica What is remarkable about the following By Jamie L. Manson article, written by Jamie L. Manson in Edited by WestView News By Michael Feldman most admired—Bruno Walter. He was a the National Catholic Reporter (NCR), regular at the New York Philharmonic and “Preparing for Parish Closures and Mergers When I was a young lad, just getting my Metropolitan Opera and the epitome of in New York City,” is the publication date— feet wet in the enormous repertoire of Viennese grace and sensibility (quite the January 29, 2014—because the article could classical music, I recall my first expedition opposite of Toscanini). have been written this morning. to the Sam Goody record shop. (Was it What was so special about that record- Manson’s article is about the closing of on 49th Street?) To this day, I remember ing was the inclusion of an additional Catholic churches in New York and the the recordings I picked out. There was 10-inch disc of Walter rehearsing the efforts by parishioners to stop them. A wow no possibility of an informed choice. All (so-called) Columbia Symphony for that moment in the article is a quote by Sister was equally unfamiliar, like going into a recorded performance. And with a bud- Christine Schenk, when discussing the FROM CHURCH TO RESIDENCE: The former elegant, Federal style of the Village wine store with no knowledge of grapes, ding interest in conducting already bub- shortage of priests: “We don’t have a shortage Presbyterian Church at 143 West 13th vineyards, or vintages…just grab and go. I bling up, I listened to that rehearsal dozens of vocations but a shortage of vision.” She Street was sold and converted into condo- chose Mozart keyboard works, Beethoven (probably hundreds) of times to glean any also asserts that the church should be open to miniums in 1982. Photo by Darielle Smolian. quartets, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 7; it possible hints into the mystery of how a ordaining married men and women. must have been 1954. Not a bad choice, masterful performance is created. (You can I recently met with three very intense former Even though Cardinal Timothy Dolan n’est-ce pas? listen too, on YouTube: It’s Symphony No. parishioners who talked about canon lawyers does not plan to announce which parishes Later (a few months) and more sophis- 36 in C, the “Linz Symphony.”) and re-opening the Church of St. Veronica. I in the archdiocese of New York will be ticated, I purchased a Mozart symphony Fast forward to 2018 and performance feel that neither wish will be fulfilled. closed or merged until September, mem- recording as recorded by the conductor I continued on page 4 —George Capsis continued on page 20

Westminster Women’s March Retail Crisis

Join your favorite breeds Thousands voiced anger This month, Andrew as they compete for and resolve at the Second Berman outlines strate- top honors at the West- Women’s March on gies to address dwindling minster Kennel Club. retail in the West Village. January 20th.

SEE PAGE 17 SEE PAGE 29 SEE PAGE 6 2 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. by and for the residents of the West Village. Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections Publisher Supporting Music at I’ve Seen the Light and It It’s Easier to Make Ugly Executive Editor George Capsis St. Veronica Ain’t Pretty Response to Walter Boxer Managing Editor Dear Editors: Dear Editors: When they began to build the West Village Andreea Ioana Pantor The initiation of Music at St. Veronica My apartment faces the towering buildings in the early 1800s, the architectural style Associate Editor Andrew Buemi is a glorious idea, and a critically needed across the river in Jersey City. While I can was Federal. You can see an example of that series. There was a time when our musical mostly see only their higher floors and not style in the 1834 St. Joseph’s Church on 6th Design Manager Kim Plosia superstars included the likes of Horowitz, the river itself, the views of the open sky and Avenue, just opposite the now-defunct Sta- Toscanini, Heifetz, or Menuhin—names sunsets are important to us West Siders. ples. It offers a row of white, Doric columns Advertising Manager Stephanie Phelan that have long since faded. Some, such as I was shocked, stunned, and appalled a right from the Parthenon, but the Industrial Bernstein, still resonate with an ever-di- few months ago to look out my window Revolution made it easier for an architect Photo Editor Darielle Smolian minishing circle of admirers. or builder to easily indulge in architectural The great composers continue to capti- detailing. He could, if he wanted, flip open Traffic Manager vate, but again, their audiences are rapidly a catalog and pick a Medusa head for a tene- Liza Whiting dwindling. Either through parental indif- ment window cornice. Making things ugly Photographers ference or educational neglect, our chil- had gotten very easy indeed. Maggie Berkvist dren’s interests have generally gravitated So, now, all around the squat, land- © Joel Gordon toward current popular culture and sports. marked West Village are the sprouting Comptroller Although our great orchestras, chamber condo asparagus towers. Their architects Jolanta Meckauskaite groups, and soloists continue to perform, have their own tools for ugliness: Steel Architecture Editor almost all are under unremitting financial frames let them play with shapes, with al- Brian Pape stress. ternate floors headed off in different direc- When attending any recital, one sees tions like a gargantuan rasp. Film, Media and Music Editor Jim Fouratt immediately the huge elderly majority in —George Capsis attendance. And this is why supporting Food Editor Music at St. Veronica is so important. By David Porat Grateful to WestView affordably offering the classics not only to and Northwell Distribution Manager seniors, but to the younger set, it may serve Timothy Jambeck to rekindle that old flame. Thank you, Dear George Capsis, George Capsis. Warmest wishes to you for a bright and suc- Regular Contributors Barry Benepe, Caroline Benveniste, —Elliott Gilbert cessful 2018! With the New Year, the Vil- Charles Caruso, Jim Fouratt, lage will have a Caregiver Support Program John Gilman, Mark. M. Green, Robert “Bird of the Year” at Northwell Health. This is thanks to you! Heide, Thomas Lamia, Keith Michael, I wrote to you before the holidays about Michael D. Minichiello, Brian J. Pape, Brings Back Fond Joy Pape, Alec Pruchnicki, Christina needing a community meeting place for Raccuia, Catherine Revland, Joseph Salas, Memories, and More our Caregivers to the Elderly Support Martica Sawin, Donna Schaper, Arthur Z. Schwartz, Gary Tomei, Joseph Turco, Dear Mr. Capsis, Group. You told me that Northwell had Esq., Stanley Wlodyka While reading the January 2018 issue meeting rooms, and then referred me to of WestView, with smiles and frowns, I Alex Hellinger at Northwell. I spoke to We endeavor to publish all letters received, including those with which we disagree. committed to sending the edition to my Alex and then to Wayne Kawadler, North- The opinions put forth by contributors 92-year-old father in Florida, who was well’s Director of Community Relations. to WestView do not necessarily reflect the brought up on the Lower East Side and Now, Wayne has generously scheduled a views of the publisher or editor. the Bronx, and a best friend, over on 7th meeting room for us twice a month, begin- WestView welcomes your correspondence, comments, and corrections: Avenue and 13th Street. ning in February. We will meet on the first www.westviewnews.org Then I had to stop reading to voice my and third Wednesdays of each month from Contact Us delight upon absorbing Keith Michael’s 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm. All meetings are free. “Bird of the Year” column. Breathless with I am beyond grateful to you and North- (212) 924-5718 verification, now I am sure the fluttering well. We hope to reach out and help the [email protected] LED LIGHTS ARE RUINING THE VIEW: shadow that darkened my desk in early Village community through our program. Light pollution from Jersey City’s Ellipse January was THE raven. This experience high-rise produces a nightly eyesore. With many thanks again, was close to one of a kind, only matched by Top photo by Zoe Pappis. Bottom photo Natalie Levinson the tiny, fledged hawk that graced our win- by Darielle Smolian. Chair, Caregiver Support Program dowsill—downy feathers lifted in the breeze while expressing penetrating squeaks—in one night and see glaring LED lights High-Priced Condos Drive the late 1990s in Hell’s Kitchen. Now, strung up and down the newest luxury Up the Cost of Everything thankfully, of Westbeth, THE raven clung high-rise in Jersey City—The Ellipse— to the newly pointed façade, flapping, then built by the LeFrak Organization. It is a Dear Mr. Capsis, flying away, showing off a wingspan that serious eyesore to anyone looking across I met you at the November 23rd inaugural stretched forever—toward the river. the river from the Village or Chelsea. I concert at St. Veronica’s Church. I do love Mr. Michael’s column, and have written to Corey Johnson (and re- I was truly sorry to read in WestView cherish the “Month of the Sparrow” article ceived only a form response), left messages News of your loss. It sounds like you and in the November 2012 issue of WestView, at LeFrak, and even filed a complaint with your cousin John had much in common. my doorway pin-up. There are personal as- the Jersey City Building Department. I am I write to you concerning two articles sociations with that story, but that will have sure I am not the only one disturbed by this that appeared in the December 2017 issue to wait until a someday encounter with the light pollution so I am hoping that some- of WestView. First, I concur: The concert MIA SAYS: I lick many hands but only love author and his corgi in Abingdon Square? one can do something about it. at St. Veronica’s was a joy, and more im- my master. Photo by Dusty Berke. —Leni Schwendinger Yours, Walter Boxer continued on page 3 www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 3

ages—and strangers become friends more of- continued from page 2 Letters ten than you’d think possible. In addition to portantly, a hit. And Lord knows we could a roster of wood-roasted coffee from Maine, use a lot of joy this year. The other article, she serves homemade snacks and sandwich- by Karen Rempel on 160 Leroy welcomes, es, many of which are named after regulars. with “shimmering excitement,” the new, People (many of whom trek in from the Up- 15-story building where two penthouse per East Side, Brooklyn, and Queens) say apartments are selling for a mere $51 mil- this place is like their living rooms, but bet- lion and $31.5 million. A 1,096-square- ter. You can find this cozy, downstairs spot at foot abode goes for a cool $3.2 million. Are 13 Christopher Street (between Greenwich you kidding?! Avenue and Waverly Place), below Fairlight. On one hand, you bemoan the fact that Respectfully, Joe Elliott seniors have nowhere to go for afford- P.S. The owner of Ad Hoc has no idea I am able classical music. On the other hand, writing this. I just believe it is important to you have Karen Rempel. Who is she wel- introduce the readers of WestView to a coffee coming into the Village? Nobody I know. shop that brings back what we love best about These newcomers will drive up not only the West Village—true community. the cost of apartment sales and rentals, but A REQUEST TO KEEP THE PARK OPEN: James J. Walker Park, pictured above, has re- also the cost of dining out, whether it be opened after being chained shut for some time. Photo by Darielle Smolian. Mr. Capsis, diner or gourmet food. Classical music? massive public park. I checked the entrances enough, the entire field of snow was covered As a fervent patron of the West Village’s Forget about it! In the future, seniors won’t and, sure enough, they were all chained shut. in new footprints and not one, but five, neighborhood restaurants and cafes, I even be able to go to the nearest diner (if I sent an email to NYC Parks inquiring snowmen had been built or were in prog- follow WestView News and its reviews. there even is one) for a cup of coffee! about why this public space has been locked; ress. Maybe this coincides with the warm However, I am dismayed with Gordon T. The two articles express the divide evident in the past I’ve seen families frolicking in the weather and the park will be locked again Hughes, Jr.’s January 2018 article entitled all over the city—a city of haves and have- snow there. Ralph Musolino, the Deputy tomorrow, or perhaps my note hit the mark. “West Village Coffee Joints.” nots, of those who have and those who have Chief of Operations, wrote back: Best, John Brozena Asserting that Village patrons all seem to less. It’s so sad that we have come to this, but “Thank you for your email in regards to the be writing the Great American Novel, he I thought you should know that the Village field at JJ Walker Park. We keep the field closed More Insight on cites only four “joints” in the entire story. is no longer affordable for the likes of myself, because dog walkers use it as a dog run and Coffee Joints This seems to refute significant other neigh- my longtime neighbors, or their children. I students from the neighboring school have borhood cafes, some better in quality and hope you are successful in preserving St. Ve- been seen using it improperly. It is a public Dear Mr. Capsis: atmosphere than the ones Hughes profiles. ronica’s, but I’m not sure for whom. field and if you want to use it you can ask the First, I am sorry to learn of the loss of John Perhaps this reflects an inability to actu- Sincerely, Siggy Raible recreation center to open it for you. The center Capsis. My condolences to you and your family. ally research the neighborhood he claims to is located on the corner of Clarkson [Street] My reason for writing is this: Gordon T. know. In fact, just Googling “West Village An Email Brings Snowmen and 7th Avenue South.” Hughes, Jr., in his January 2018 WestView Coffee” brings up, among others, The Elk This doesn’t sit well with me. We’ve got a article “West Village Coffee Joints,” missed at 128 Charles Street and the chef-driven to James J. Walker Park childhood obesity epidemic in America, not an exquisite newcomer to the neighborhood. 11th Street Cafe at 327 West 11th Street— Hi George, to mention a growing addiction to all elec- Ad Hoc Collective Coffee + Shoppe—part certainly one of the more significant “joints” What do you think about the fact that the tronic devices. Should we really be chaining cafe, part antique shop—is all about main- serving the West Village for over 10 years. NYC Department of Parks & Recreation shut the one field available in the West Vil- taining and expanding upon genuine com- So, rather than poke fun at would-be (NYC Parks) has kept the James J. Walker lage? I’ve followed up with Ralph to learn munity in the Village. Mariquit Ingalla, writers or creatives having coffee, perhaps Park (at Hudson and Leroy Streets) locked what sort of deviant behavior could have owner and West Village neighbor, knows Hughes, as a writer, might consider better up for a week or more after the last snow caused a public asset like this to be shut down. every single customer by name. quality research and some walking around storm? I noticed while walking by that the Update: I walked by the park today ( Jan- Ingalla hosts music nights and poetry the neighborhood. snow was completely untouched in this uary 19th) and found it to be unlocked. Sure readings. Her shop is filled with people of all —Michael­ Soluri BRIEFLY NOTED

Donations Welcomed at ing 63,000 meals per month. Simultane- the Church of the Village ously, through donations, she ha A RE- For several years, on a weekly basis, I have QUEST TO KEEP THE PARK OPEN: been dropping off extra food to the Church James J. Walker Park, pictured above, has of the Village. This began when I passed a re-opened after being chained shut for long line of hungry New Yorkers awaiting some time. Photo by Darielle Smolian. s meals at Daisy’s Food Pantry, which is of- decreased the cost per person from $4.65 fered by the church. to $2.00. Teresa encourages those in our Located at 201 West 13th Street, be- West Village community, as well as all tween 7th and 8th Avenues, Daisy’s Food New Yorkers, to please donate food. Pantry is open on Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m. Just ring the bell and all sealed food will to 2:30 p.m. All those in need receive a be welcomed! Teresa also invites clothing bag of groceries. On Saturdays, from 12:00 donations (slightly used and new). p.m. through 1:30 p.m., the church offers —Jill Lynne ‘Hope for Our Neighbors in Need’—a hot meal to whomever visits. The church as- Correction sists neighbors short-term through these hunger relief programs, and longer-term Within the January 2018 issue of WestView, COREY JOHNSON SOLICITS THE OPINION OF WESTVIEW PUBLISHER GEORGE by providing strategic information about the dollar amounts referenced in the article CAPSIS: Despite his modest stature, Corey Johnson was a high school football star. He gave it his all and now, as Speaker for the City Council, his give-it-your-all spirit has available social services. entitled “West Village: A Food Desert?” were exploded. Without question, any legislation that both the mayor and Corey want will be Through her tireless efforts, the dy- incorrect (page 10). The corresponding sen- passed. The big question is: What new visions for the city does he have, and, will he be namo Director, Teresa Concepcion, has tence should read: “The farmers bring home the next mayor? Photo by Maggie Berkvist. increased the number served by provid- some 20 to 25 million hard-earned dollars…” 4 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org

Primer continued from page 1 style has changed or, rather, adjusted to ac- listen to Walter’s Rehearsal (but you may This is the program slated for the Feb- to Caramoor, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Cen- count for the important influences of the and please do). The essence of what we ul- ruary 10th concert of the Orchestra of St. ter, and BAM. He has completed more than period movement. Musicians have evolved timately present is in the score, the print- Veronica: 75 recordings, made numerous television (at least I hope I have) in that the manner in ed music, and in all the stylistic niceties appearances on PBS, and toured the U.S., which they perform takes into account the that we carry in our heads as baggage. We • Bach: Suite (Overture) No. 3 in D ma- Europe, Japan, and Canada. Feldman was development of the authentic performance search the score for ideas and sometimes jor, BWV 1068 the Music Director of The Washington Bal- approach, even though that concept, when they appear, startlingly new. It’s a source • Bach: Concerto for two violins in D let and, presently, is a guest scholar at the applied indiscriminately, leads to ridiculous of some amazement to me that, after all minor, BWV 1043 Barry S. Brook Center for Music Research results as pointed out by Richard Taruskin these years, one may very well come across • Mozart: Motet for soprano and or- and Documentation. and others. a new, but valid and convincing way to chestra, Exsultate, jubilate, K. 165 What are the lasting influences of that perform familiar and much-beloved mu- • Mozart: Symphony No. 36 in C major, Violinist Eriko Sato is a member and fre- movement? Fleeter tempos, especially in sic. And having taken several decades off “The Linz Symphony,” K. 425 quent concertmaster of the Orchestra of St. the slower movements, and lighter textures from conducting, it’s especially rewarding Luke’s and the Orpheus Chamber Orches- leading to more transparency. (Andante is to approach these familiar pieces with a Here is some background information tra. She made her solo debut at age 13, and not slow but rather a walking tempo, some- clean slate. on the talented artists who will be per- has performed as a soloist with orchestras in times even ambling. In this Mozart sym- As Wynton Marsalis has noted, per- forming at the February concert: Louisville, San Francisco, and Tokyo. Sato phony, it is almost a barcarolle.) forming jazz involves a musical negotiation is currently a faculty member at the Hoff- Combine that with the best (older) in- and compromise, and that will certainly Soprano Christine Lyons has been Barthelson Music School and the Mannes fluences of Walter, Furtwangler, Casals, be in evidence here. A significant coterie described as a “sparkling soprano” by the School of Music (Preparatory Division), and Alexander Schneider at the New of the musical leadership in the Orchestra Broad Street Review. During the 2017- where she teaches violin and chamber music. School, featuring an increased emphasis of St. Veronica is comprised of thoughtful 2018 season, she sings the title role in Puc- on the bass and inner voices (Schnei- musicians with whom I have appeared for cini’s Suor Angelica (with New York Lyric Violinist Mitsuru Tsubota has been a der played second violin in the Budapest almost 50 years. They’ve never been timid Opera), Giulietta in Bellini’s I Capuleti e member of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s since Quartet in its heyday), and you get a light- in expressing their opinions. i Montecchi (with Saltworks Opera), and 1989. She began her studies at the age of er, more flexible style of playing. It is not And so, the Mozart Andante may seem Micaëla in Carmen (with Opera Ithaca). five and was a soloist with the Tokyo Sym- unlike the way the Orchestra of St. Luke’s fleet at the outset. Inner voices and bass Lyons is a 2017 Second Prize Winner in phony Orchestra at 10. Since 1982, Tsubota plays, for which I am partly responsible. lines (as performed by our extraordinary the New York Lyric Opera Theatre Na- has performed regularly with the New Louise Schulman, our principal viola, is a bassist, Jack Kulowitch), will be empha- tional Vocal Competition. England Bach Festival. She is a co-founder master at that. sized and, just possibly, an entirely new and principal violinist of the Strathmere But how does one approach this music approach to the Bach overture may be pre- Conductor Michael Feldman founded the Ensemble, and has served as concertmas- ‘a-fresh?’ sented. I haven’t quite made up my mind St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble (now the Or- ter for all of Westchester Oratorio Society’s First and most importantly, I will not on that one yet. chestra of St. Luke’s) in 1974 and led them choral-orchestral performances.

Then&Now: Scenes Around Greenwich Village By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP including this fascinating view in the West ning above Greenwich Street, with its the still-existing 679 Greenwich Street, Village, standing near Hudson Street and station stretching over the Christopher which is now occupied by the Jeju Noodle In the depths of the Great Depression, 1936, looking west down Christopher Street. Street intersection. Looking closely, we Bar, on the far right. The townhouses on Berenice Abbott was hired by the Federal Art Front and center is the 9th Avenue can pick out the steeple and roof of the the left belonged to the St. Luke in The Project (1935-1943) to photograph NYC, Line—an elevated commuter train run- Church of St. Veronica on the right, and Fields chapel, which later built an el- ementary school in place of those houses. Dig a little deeper into the picture, and we see multiple layers of structures, which are all gone. The first background layer is New York Central Railroad’s High Line railroad trestle running along Washington Street. It was built a few years earlier and replaced a surface track dubbed ‘Death Avenue’ due to tragic accidents involving pedestrians. The next visible layer is the elevated West Side Highway above West Street, which outlasted all of the railroad trestles, but was finally replaced after an extended battle over Westway proposals, creating the current boulevard. Finally, and just barely discernible, we see the pier house wharf structures that closed off the street from the river’s com- mercial piers, which extended well into the Hudson River. That maritime activity pro- duced many industrial jobs for the neigh- borhood, which was dominated by huge industrial buildings. What a contrast to the open skies and views down to the river that we enjoy today! THEN: The elevated station along the 9th Avenue Line, as well as NOW: Open skies and a clear view of the Church of St. Veronica We invite our readers to comment on Christopher and Greenwich Streets, are pictured above. Photo by can be enjoyed today at the same location. Photo by Brian J. Pape, how the quality of life has changed here Berenice Abbott, Courtesy of The New York Public Library Digital AIA, LEED-AP. since the picture was taken in 1936. Collection. www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 5

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Scotty Elyanow Lic. Associate RE Broker Longtime West Village Broker and Resident COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL THINGS: On November 25, 2017, the Restora- 917.678.6010 | [email protected] tion Church partnered with WestView News to provide ushers and hospitality for the first www.westvillagebroker.com concert at the Church of St. Veronica. Photo by Rob Russell. scottyely By Rob Russell as a species value beauty because we come from beauty? What if our tears for music, Real estate agents affiliated with The Corcoran Group are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of The Corcoran Group. The Corcoran The sounds of Mozart and Vivaldi brilliant- our silence for a sculpture, and our inde- Group is a licensed real estate broker located at 660 Madison Ave, NY, NY 10065. ly executed by the most artful of musicians. scribable urge to photograph breathtaking A 115-year-old building, resplendent with scenery find their origin in our origin? As both Gothic Revival and Victorian touches. like begets like, what if we love to create Hundreds of people from all walks of life beauty because we were created beautifully gathered together for something bigger than and intricately? themselves. To think of the past two con- This is the core of why I recently certs at St. Veronica’s, only one word really launched a Christian start-up in the West comes to mind: beautiful. Village called Restoration Church. As long Regardless of our background, our par- as beauty exists, so will the desire to believe ticular affiliations, or our lifestyle choices, in God. Our value of art and imagination the beautiful things in life bring us together carries too much of our cultural ethos for us in a sense of deep appreciation and awe. to discard it as simply a means to an end. Whether it’s a beautiful mountainscape, a We believe beauty matters. And, at its most reflective painting, or just the newest pup- basic level, this is part of what a belief in py walking the street of his West Village God is based on: We are created to value neighborhood, there is something about beauty because a beautiful God valued cre- beauty that not only fuels our imaginations ating us beautifully. but also creates an emotional and even We all love the beautiful history our spiritual reaction. neighborhood is known for—the lovely But why is this the case? Why is beauty artists and works of art that have their roots so moving? A classical concert or abstract here. As a new church meeting in the Cre- painting offers no survival value in our ad- ative Cultural Center underneath St. Ve- vancement as a species. Relegating beauti- ronica’s, we desire to be a part of the beauty ful things merely to the process of natural of this community. From volunteering at selection seems to cheapen them. Is beauty our neighborhood concerts to engaging ac- really able to sustain our affections if its tively as fellow neighbors, we are excited to sole purpose is sheer practicality? continue to serve alongside organizations Alternatively, perhaps beauty is merely a like WestView News as we make beautiful cultural creation. The things we find most things together. moving become moving not in their own right but because we make them so. Apart Rob Russell and his wife, Riley, moved from the challenges of understanding the to New York in order to invest in the city trans-cultural phenomenon of natural as a family and as followers of Jesus. In beauty, such as a sunset, this view at best the spring of 2016, through the support of means that every culture and every indi- several partner organizations, Rob began vidual is perpetually and indescribably in the process of building a team to launch the the business of ‘beauty-making.’ Restoration Church; he is now the Lead But there is a third option. What if we Pastor of the church. 6 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org The Fight to Save Small Businesses By Andrew Berman ers, and other stakeholders already exists. We are hopeful that if we are successful One of the most pressing neighborhood there, it will assist with efforts in other ar- issues on the minds of many West Villag- eas like the West Village, which don’t yet ers, and many New Yorkers, is the disap- have the same consensus from merchants pearance of local small businesses. Time on this issue. We are also looking into after time, we see cherished neighborhood other possible helpful measures, like disin- businesses closing, often replaced by chain centives for retail spaces being left vacant stores or worse, and storefronts that re- for protracted periods of time if and when main empty for years while property own- there is a demand for such space. ers seek tenants willing to pay dramatically GVSHP also works hard to encourage increased rents. This results in a deaden- support for local independent businesses. ing and homogenizing of our streets and One way is through our Business of the neighborhoods, less of a personal relation- Month program, where we celebrate one ship between merchants and their com- local business on our website, blog, social munities, and in some cases, the inability media, and e-newsletter each month. We to find local services like dry cleaners or highlight its special story, background, grocery stores. ownership, and the goods or services it pro- Unfortunately, until recently, little has vides. We reach tens of thousands of indi- been done by the city government to help viduals each month with this program, and address this. But a change in the leadership hope to encourage awareness and patron- and membership of the City Council may age of our unique local businesses in this help change that. way. Anyone can nominate a favorite local Late last year, the City Council voted to business for Business of the Month just by roll back the threshold for the commercial visiting gvshp.org/bom. Patronizing inde- GVSHP IS WORKING TO ENCOURAGE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES: The disappear- rent tax, which applied to all businesses below ance of small, independent businesses is one of the most pressing issues within the West pendently owned local businesses is prob- 96th Street that paid more than $250,000 in Village. Photo by Zoe Pappis. ably the single most important thing you as annual rent. When originally passed decades an individual can do to support them and ago, it was a high threshold which only ap- their future; SBJSA, reiterating that commitment after help ensure their perpetuation. plied to the most prosperous, high-rent busi- • Provide equal negotiation terms when he was elected Speaker. While a hearing To find out more about all of these ef- nesses. Now, that price tag is not uncommon it comes time to renew their lease, far from guarantees the bill’s passage, it is a forts, and how you can support the SBJSA, for Manhattan businesses, and the threshold with recourse to binding arbitration necessary first step. The powerful Real Es- visit: gvshp.org/helpsmallbiz. was elevated to $500,000 per year. by a third party if fair terms cannot be tate Board of New York strongly opposed While this is a helpful step in the right reached; and the bill, so this will be a tough battle, but it Andrew Berman has been the Executive direction, more needs to be done. Because • Prevent landlords from passing their is certainly one worth fighting. Director of the Greenwich Village Society for such a frequent problem for businesses is property taxes on to small business GVSHP is also pursuing zoning regula- Historic Preservation since 2002. He previ- the refusal of owners to renew long-term owners. tions that would limit the concentration ously worked in the New York State Senate leases at a reasonable rate, the Greenwich While the majority of the City Coun- and placement of chain stores in certain ar- and New York City Council for Thomas K. Village Society for Historic Preservation cil sponsored the legislation under former eas. While other cities have implemented Duane, who represented Greenwich Village, (GVSHP) is supporting the Small Busi- Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, neither such measures, New York City has not. We the East Village, and other neighborhoods. ness Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA). The bill a hearing nor a vote was ever allowed on are working with allied groups and a grass- While working in state and city government, would do three things: the bill. However, that may soon change. roots merchants association to try to secure Andrew focused on issues including land use • Offer tenants a minimum 10-year The new City Council Speaker (and local such first-of-their-kind protections in the and historic preservation. A lifelong New lease renewal for commercial leases, City Council Member) Corey Johnson has East Village, where the necessary strong Yorker, Andrew has an Art History degree allowing businesses to better plan for publicly pledged to hold a hearing on the support from merchants, community lead- from Wesleyan University.

favors? Were these contributions to Chuck Harriet Croman not back to them, but to Give It Back, Chuck Schumer and other politicians an insurance an organization that helps the homeless. policy to protect Croman from his criminal We urge him to do so because of all the By Cynthia Chaffee and Mary Ann Miller bating and creating the homeless crisis in activities, if and when he got into trouble, people he’s made homeless. Schumer could this city…” which he did? It’s something to think about. also return the money to a no-kill animal On January 18th, a frigid Thursday eve- Why was this group of millionaires and Chuck Schumer and Steve Croman are shelter, since most of the pets given up to ning, the senior senator from New York, billionaires honoring our senior senator further joined at the hip through Croman’s shelters have ended up there because of Chuck Schumer, was feted by the Real from New York? Could it be for campaign public relations firm, Marathon Strategies, landlord evictions. The money that Steve Estate Board of New York (REBNY) at contributions? Could this all-powerful which is owned by Phil Singer, a former se- Croman donated to you, Chuck Schumer, a $12,000 per plate dinner. This all took group of developers, which controls all of nior advisor to Senator Schumer. Get this is tainted, and was obtained fraudulently place at the Midtown Hilton Hotel on 6th the real estate development and landlords kind of money out of the election process. from banks; it wasn’t his to give. Even Avenue and 53rd Street. in the city and state, be trying to buy our The campaign finance laws regarding con- worse, Croman stole the money from While Chuck was being honored inside, senator as they have so many other politi- tributions must be changed. tenants; it comes from his tenants’ blood, a crowd of about 100 protestors jeered cians and landlords? Governor Andrew Cuomo was embar- sweat, and even their tears. outside. This group, Stop REBNY Bul- Speaking of landlords, disgraced and rassed enough recently to return $110,000 So you see, Chuck, the money wasn’t lies, was led by Ray Rogers, a well-known jailed landlord Steve Croman (and his from Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced Croman’s to give and this is why we insist union organizer. “He should be out here wife Harriet) is also in on the giving, hav- movie mogul. Cuomo did not return it and urge you to give it up, Chuck. fighting for workers and the homeless, and ing contributed heavily between the two of directly to Weinstein, but to a group af- the small businesses. That’s what Schumer them—roughly $11,000 to the ‘FRIENDS filiated with the National Organization for Cynthia Chaffee and Mary Ann Miller are should be doing,” Rogers told LaborPress. OF CHUCK SCHUMER’ re-election Women through #MeToo. the Co-founders of the Stop Croman Coali- “Instead, he’s in there hobnobbing with campaigns of 2002 and 2010. We too call on Chuck Schumer to give tion, which was established on Bastille Day, REBNY—the ones responsible for exacer- Was Steve Croman calling in political the money received from both Steve and July 14, 2007. www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 7 m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m The Rent is Due – $127.61 Please m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: With his rent-stabilized apartment on Morton Street, John Dugdale impedes the big profit, which the developer craves. This dynamic illustrates that, while rent control and rent stabilization are valuable, they also generate financial pres- sures on tenants and landlords. Photo by Darielle Smolian.

By W. Russell Neuman lections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney. He works with large-for- $127.61. Yep, for a nifty 1,000-square-foot mat and 19th century photographic processes HAPPY FEBRUARY TO apartment in an award-winning Federal to create striking images that reflect another townhouse on Morton Street. Yes, indeed. era. In other words, Dugdale is just the sort of ALL OUR FRIENDS That is the current rent, per month, in creative artist that the West Village is known 2018. West Village heaven. for. (Visit johndugdalestudio.com.) How is this possible, you ask? The an- But Dugdale’s troubles continue. He has AND CUSTOMERS! swer, of course, is rent control. Other received what appear to be eviction notices. similar but uncontrolled apartments in the One landlord partially removed the staircase m

same building reported rents of $5,750 to to his unit. (It was replaced.) Ironically, it m We are Pleased $7,687. You’re now thinking: How could turns out that an elderly couple in the same you wrangle such a deal? There’s gotta be a building pay $127.61 for their place rather to be Part of the way, but not so fast. There is a moral to this than John. They have lived there since the saga. Be careful what you wish for. 1960s and qualify for the rarified phenome- West Village Community Let’s start with the story of one John non of rent control, which requires continu- Dugdale. He has lived in the Morton ous occupancy from July 1, 1971 in a build- for Over 70 Years! Street building since 1985. He’s 58 years ing built before 1947. In the 1950s, about old. Dugdale used to work as the building’s two million New York apartments qualified super for a former owner (now deceased) for rent control. Now, the number is 27,000. Visit Us Often for Our whom he considered a close friend. A ru- Dugdale’s place is rent stabilized and he mor got started that Dugdale was paying pays $659. That is still a good deal, of course. Weekly and Daily Specials $127.61 per month and battling the new Qualifying, rent-stabilized apartments limit landlord. The next thing you know, a re- the percentage rent increases, as dictated by porter from the New York Post is ringing the NYC Rent Guidelines Board. There are Prime Meats his doorbell for a story. “I’m not in a battle about 840,000 rent-stabilized apartments in with the landlord,” he explains, “and I have the city. But the days may be numbered for Fancy Poultry nothing to say.” Interview over. John later both rent control and rent stabilization as heads out with his dog only to be accost- market rental rates skyrocket and the incen- Wild Game ed by the reporter who waited a full three tives for landlords to try to force out pro- hours to pester him with questions and fol- tected tenants increase accordingly. low him down the street. The reporter ends Dugdale’s building is a beauty. It was the Specialties The Year Round up publishing a story, which effectively very first townhouse built on Morton Street outs John as some sort of rent pirate. Peo- (in 1828); such units were typically occupied ple ring his bell and say very nasty things. by wealthy merchants. At the beginning of They confront him in the street as he walks the 20th century, it was home to the Girls’ with his dog. Things are not going well. Endeavor Society, basically a Christian O. OTTOMANELLI & SONS Let me explain. The dog is a seeing-eye boarding house for young women new to PRIME MEAT MARKET dog. Dugdale is blind, but there’s much more the city and working in factories. For the to the story. He is a photographer. He had last century, like many West Village brown- 285 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10014 a successful career as an art photographer stones, it has been divided into apartments, Tel. (212) 675-4217 • Fax (212) 620-7286 m with solo exhibitions at major galleries and typically one to a floor. In 2009, the building m as a commercial fashion photographer for the sold for $3.7 million. In 2011, it went for Top Quality Poultry and Provisions likes of Ralph Lauren. In 1993, at the age of $6.5 million. Now, it is on the market for Prime Cuts of Steaks and Chops 33, Dugdale experienced nearly total blind- $11.2 million. That’s the price for a build- ness due to a stroke and retinitis, an HIV-re- ing with two tenanted floors bringing in less lated illness. But he decided to continue with than $1,000 per month in rent. The value of photography with the aid of assistants, and the full building, unoccupied would be mil- m m m m m m m m m m m has done so with considerable success. Dug- lions more. This is where the being-careful- m m m m m m m m m m m m dale’s photographs are included in the col- continued on page 8

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m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m 8 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org The Village Apothecary, a Treasured Neighborhood Institution By Anastasia Kaliabakos

In 1983, Mr. Michael Konnon, a pharmacist, businessman, activist, and community leader, decided that his neighbor- hood desperately needed a dedicated, independent com- munity pharmacy. He founded the Village Apothecary at 346 Bleecker Street (at West 10th Street). At that time, the West Village had become the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic, affecting New York City more than any other city in America. Aside from a devastating illness, AIDS patients encountered numerous obstacles in their healthcare. Prescription coverage in the 1980s was limited (AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, or ADAP, was not avail- able until 1987), pharmacies did not want the high expense of stocking AIDS medications, large chain drugstores were not accommodating, and the illness itself brought along a stigma which made many patients uncomfortable. From its inception, the Village Apothecary was a safe ha- ven for these patients. The owner and much of the staff were gay and members of the community and therefore provided a high level of comfort and care. The Village Apothecary at- tained a reputation of stocking all AIDS and AIDS-related medications. The pharmacy was keenly aware of the finan- cial toll this therapy imposed on their patients. Prices were kept as low as possible, and medications were dispensed close to cost or even free of charge to those who were with- HONORING A VILLAGE INSTITUTION: The Village Apothecary’s commitment to quality health care within the community has been honored by the Office of the Mayor. (Left to Right: John Kaliabakos, the Director of Pharmacy Services; James Garcia, out means. from the Office of the Mayor; and Vijay Desai, a current co-owner). Photo by Zoe Pappis. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Village Apothecary had a close collaboration with St. Vincent’s Hospital and local timal prescription therapy. Insurance companies attempt Pharmacist Bobby Antala, and pharmacy technicians, Alex infectious disease practitioners, ensuring a team approach to force patients to use sometimes problematic mail order Chavez, Arnel Molina, and Jeffrey Sosa, joined the Village to tackling the population’s healthcare needs. These ef- services and drug companies try to limit medication avail- Apothecary family in the last decade, bringing their dedi- forts were recognized in 2001 when the Village Apoth- ability to a small number of pharmacies. Also, many costly cation to the pharmacy’s mission. ecary was presented the ‘Legends of the Village’ Award by therapies require prior authorizations and close communi- John Kaliabakos, the Director of Pharmacy Services, Village Care. To date, the Village Apothecary has served cation between the pharmacy and prescriber. The Village has been a pharmacist at the Village Apothecary since thousands of HIV/AIDS patients. The pharmacy works Apothecary is a strong advocate for these patients, doing 1994, and was originally hired by Mr. Konnon to handle closely with and supports many New York City institu- whatever possible to ensure continuation in patients’ ther- day-to-day pharmacy operations. He closely monitors tions including: Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), Bai- apy to achieve maximum benefits from treatment. the prescription profiles of over 600 HIV patients and ley House, Gods Love We Deliver, Greenwich House, and As New York City is the nation’s most diverse city, the works closely with some of the top HIV specialists in Heritage of Pride, to name a few. Village Apothecary takes great pride in employing the New York City. Born to Greek immigrant parents and Although prescription coverage is available to most New most diverse staff, representing different cultures, races, raised in Queens, John attended The Bronx High School Yorkers with HIV, many still experience obstacles to op- religions, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, of Science and earned his pharmacy degree from St. HIV statuses, and physical disabilities. What unites the John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sci- entire staff is that all are proud New Yorkers who want ences. He is a consummate New Yorker who truly enjoys to serve their community. The pharmacy staff ’s dedica- serving the people of this amazing city. He has become tion cannot be deterred. The pharmacy has remained open an integral part of the healthcare provider system of the through major snowstorms, blackouts, Superstorm Sandy, West Village and beyond. John is a dedicated pharmacist and even 9/11. who offers a high level of professionalism and leadership Mr. Konnon has since passed away. The owners Vijay that is reflected in the services provided by the entire Desai and Mital Patel are now at the reins. Both phar- pharmacy. He has genuine compassion and empathy for macists are committed to the traditions and values of the the patients he serves. Village Apothecary, keeping it an independent, family-run New Yorkers are fortunate to have many options for business and investing in its and the community’s future. their healthcare needs. The Village Apothecary has earned Supervising Pharmacist Norman Saban and Sales Associ- a reputation as a pharmacy associated with trust, respect, ate Eric Lora have been employed by the pharmacy for and professionalism. Thousands of patients consider it a over 30 years and are familiar faces in the neighborhood. true gem of New York City and worthy of recognition.

• • The Rent is Due continued from page 7 lords. New models to encourage cooperative ownership for-wishing comes in. Imagine yourself in Dugdale’s posi- would be welcome. New buildings with mandated afford- tion. You are basically standing between a developer and a able housing components may be a partial solution. Initia- Hourly Handyman Services big profit. There is always the possibility of a buy-out which tives for arts-oriented communities like Westbeth should be Professional Painting Projects would benefit Dugdale financially but would probably lead expanded in the Village. There is no easy answer but keep- Electrical & Carpentry Work to his moving upstate, another loss to the character of Vil- ing track of these issues is why we have WestView News. Call Michael @ 917.476.4146 lage life. Rent control and rent stabilization have their place but W. Russell Neuman is a Professor of Media Technology at Serving the West Village for 10 Years they create difficult financial pressures on tenants and land- New York University. www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 9 Keeping America Free progressive, Democrat or Republican; they are uniquely American. If America is to re- main free, we must be open to the tempest- tost, downtrodden, dispossessed, poor, and huddled masses from ‘s-hole countries.’ If we want to keep American ideals, then we must not give them away. This ‘Shining City upon a Hill’—whose light cannot be hidden—must be a beacon and a welcom- ing light to all who want to be free, even if they are not white. We are embroiled in a political battle over the rights of Dreamers, those who came here as children and want to become citizens. Yes, we are a nation of laws, but as John F. Kennedy reminded us, we are also AMERICAN IDEALS MUST BE SHARED WITH “a nation of immigrants.” Our moral com- ALL, NOT JUST WHITES: Michel Faulkner, pass demands that we face toward freedom pictured on the left, is doubling down on and allow freedom to guide us. American ideals. Photo courtesy of Michel Greenwich Village has been a beacon Faulkner. for refugees and for champions of freedom. BOUTIQUE • 343 BLEECKER STREET One of its most famous residents, Emma 212.645.1013 / [email protected] By Michel J. Faulkner Lazarus, penned the immortal words in SHARE THE LOVE her poem, “The New Colossus”: The contempt for people with dark skin “Give me your tired, your poor, [y]our hud- 2 facials for the price of one that slipped out of the mouth of our presi- dled masses yearning to breathe free, [t]he and receive double points on all purchases dent caught the anger of every white liber- wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send all month long with this ad al, but how did it make African Americans these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift Join us on FACEBOOK—SISLEYPARIS343BLEECKER feel? I am one of them, and after a lifetime my lamp beside the golden door!” of hurt, I have a hardened, protective scar, These words are forever etched into the Join us on INSTAGRAM—@SISLEYPARISNYC and I am doubling down on American ide- base of the Statue of Liberty. This gift als. Even the most generous, white liberal from France has served as a symbol of our cannot understand—cannot sense the pro- freedom and our supposedly welcoming found emotional hurt—of being judged by shores. We are now debating who can en- the color of my skin rather than the con- ter the ‘golden door.’ tent of my character. We must have stronger border control American ideals are meant to be shared and streamline our immigration processes. with the world, not just white Americans. We need immigration quotas. However, These ideals are not liberal, conservative, continued on page 10

Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus”: A Timely Reminder of American Ideals

In 1883, while living at 18 West 10th Street, Emma Lazarus wrote “The New Colossus” for the opening of an art auction organized to raise funds for construction of the Statue of Liberty pedestal. The poem, placed above the statue’s main entrance, is an impassioned affirmation of the ideals that have brought millions of immigrants to the United States. Lazarus contrasts the original Colossus (of Rhodes), a “brazen giant” representing conquest and exclusion of outsiders, with the “mighty...Mother of Exiles” who will pro- vide protection for outsiders “yearning to breathe free.” “Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” f o r a p p o i n t m e n t s : The statue, a gift from France which c a l l 2 1 2 . 2 0 6 . 7 6 2 2 celebrated its friendship with the U.S., was also meant to inspire European govern- v i s i t w w w . r i z z a s a l o n . c o m ments to grant more freedom and democ- racy in Europe. However, the statue and Located in nyc’s west village on a bustling sentiments expressed in Lazarus’ poem block of Greenwich Avenue, rizza salon became, and have remained, beacons of strives to provide luxury hair services while hope and symbols of “world-wide wel- maintaining a casual neighborhood vibe. come” to the oppressed and exiled who have left other countries to come here. As an Aveda salon, we hope to benefit our Some misguided Americans have guests through exceptional products and shown diminished appreciation of these s e r v i c es, w i t h a p r o m i s e o f c o n t i n u e d ideals. But most New Yorkers have not, environmental responsibility. and continue to extend a welcome to all immigrants. Text by Anne Olshansky. Photo by © Joel Gordon 2018—All rights 4 9 g r e e n w i c h a v e n u e reserved. (bet ween charles / perry) 10 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org Tenements As Urban Living Typology By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP floor was divided into four apartments of immigrants, even though tenements had floors to residents forever, rather than add three rooms each, with windows in only no running water (until the 1880s), no in- more expensive changes. The Grid of 1811 one of them. Conceived as an economical door toilets (until the 1890s), nor electric- Tenements are simply defined as multi- response to growing demand for housing, ity (until the 1910s), the tenements may Tenements Today family, rental apartment buildings for three by 1870 tenements had become social, po- have surpassed the homes they left in the Even some pre-1901 tenements are still or more families, with independent cook- litical, health, and safety dilemmas. Old Country. Large, extended families in in existence, but with mandatory ameni- ing facilities and sleeping quarters. (Origi- Builders of even limited means would small rooms were not necessarily problem- ties added. Many have been stripped of nally, they had no indoor plumbing.) At not think of constructing even a utilitarian atic, as they may have been accustomed to their ornamentation, ornate cornices, and a time when only the lower-income class building without ornamentation. Accord- such tight living conditions. door trim. Nevertheless, they are still rec- dwelt in multi-family buildings, tenements ing to a study conducted by the Tenement ognizable throughout the city, on Hudson, were cheap to build, cheap to maintain, and Museum, by the time Lucas Glockner ar- Fight to Reform Christopher, Greenwich, West 10th, and utilized space very efficiently. rived in the first wave of German immi- For the many poor immigrants, life in the other streets in the West Village. (Hint: In 1894, civic reformer and architect Er- gration (and led by his desire to be a land tenements may have been barren and dif- Look for four windows across and iron fire nest Flagg, wrote: owner), he completed his first tenement ficult, but there was no alternative. For the escapes above a central entrance door.) “The greatest evil which ever befell New in 1864 for his family and others. These established New York middle class, howev- Today, tenements still serve as starter York City was the division of the blocks into buildings were truly of the cookie-cutter er, the tenements presented challenges they dwellings—the ‘affordable’ category that type, from stock building plans or simply could no longer tolerate. Reform move- repeated previous experience. Standardized ments chipped away at the underlying con- windows, doors, lumber, and trims of sheet ditions within the tenements, pioneering metal or cast clay were available at lumber- the idea that governments could regulate yards. Glockner applied the prevailing Late the residential environment. Victorian or Italianate style of decoration, In the typical five-story tenement layout, a fashion so prevalent that we can find 40 out of 60 rooms had no natural light or nearly identical examples throughout New ventilation, nor did the stairwells or hall- York City today. ways. Street-facing rooms were considered premium because of their openness, com- The Immigration Flood pared to the darkness and stench of the Many histories and exposés have been writ- backyard privies. The hazard of fire from ten about the slum conditions within ten- wood-burning stoves and candles was a ement neighborhoods. The historic Lower constant threat. For many families, taking East Side (LES) of Manhattan is the most in boarders was necessary to pay the rent. well-known of the tenement phenomena. At times, boarders would sleep in shifts on TENEMENTS ARE STILL RECOGNIZABLE In the 1890s, the LES was the most densely the same beds, depending on their work TODAY: This set of tenements in the West populated neighborhood anywhere in the schedules; sometimes 10 or more people Village typify the arrangement of central THEY WERE BUILT TO MAXIMIZE RENT- world, with about 1,089 persons per acre. could occupy and sleep in the same apart- entries and fire escapes, serving pairs of ABLE SPACE: Originally, tenements, like the Early waves of European immigration, ment, in less than 325 square feet of space. apartments on each floor. A townhouse, on one pictured above, were cheap to build from 1840 on, consisted mainly of German Although small improvements were the right, was formerly the dominant dwell- and maintain, and utilized space efficiently. and Irish citizens. Between 1855 and 1890, introduced to better sanitation and ven- ing type in the city. Photos by Brian Pape, eight million immigrants were registered tilation from 1865 to 1900, existing ten- AIA, LEED-AP. 25-[foot] by 100-[foot] [building lots, ap- through New York State’s official Immi- ements were typically grandfathered in the city is working so hard to maintain. But proved by City Hall in 1811]…for from gration Center on an island called Castle with their existing conditions. Jacob Riis’ today, zoning and building laws restrict the this division has arisen the New York sys- Garden. (It is now named ‘Castle Clinton’ exposés in the 1860s, a cholera epidemic, number of people in each apartment, the tem of tenement houses, the worst curse after DeWitt Clinton.) From 1892 to 1954, and the draft riots during the Civil War all minimum size of each apartment, as well which ever afflicted any great community.” Ellis Island processed 12 million people. contributed to reform movements for ten- as minimum light and ventilation require- When Mr. Flagg wrote this, there were Additionally, mixtures of immigrants from ements. Finally, the Tenement Housing ments, and fire protection. Of course, all already 43,000 tenement buildings in Man- the South and through Canada traveled Act of 1901 imposed requirements that multi-family units must have cooking and hattan, and another 34,000 in Brooklyn. In overland to New York City, drawn by jobs greatly changed new tenement construc- bathing facilities, no matter how minimal. a city where 97% of all residents were rent- and commercial opportunities. tion. For 97 Orchard Street and many If tenements are the “worst curse which ever ers, two-thirds of them lived in tenements! The city was compact, with residences other existing tenements, this also meant afflicted” the city, today they have been re- Lacking any zoning laws or uniform and factories in close quarters. Most immi- adding two water closets in the hallway of formed to better serve the city’s population. building codes, builders were able to fill grants came with very little, and would take each floor, adding internal windows for their sites from side to side with four-to- whatever jobs were offered close to where ventilation, and transforming the base- The Tenement Museum is located at 97 and six stories, leaving only a small backyard they landed. The tenements were a vast ments into commercial uses. With fur- 103 Orchard Street (at Delancey Street), and for privies, garbage, and a shallow well. improvement over the ramshackle wooden ther building code changes in 1925, 97 features a Visitor Center. For more information, Maximizing rentable space, each tenement houses scattered around the city. For many Orchard’s owner chose to close the upper call (212) 431-0233, or visit tenement.org.

Free continued from page 9 We must control our borders to allow issues related to the DREAM Act. Once moved to New York City, where he served we can’t leave these decisions to those who freedom to be shared with all. Illegal immi- again, the budget is being balanced on the as the Assistant Pastor and Director of the think one race of people is more desirable grants who refuse to leave peaceably must be backs of the poor and the immigrant popu- Lamb’s Center for the Lamb’s Church. One or more deserving of freedom than another. rounded up and deported. The cost associ- lation. The facts are that those from ‘s-hole year later, he joined the staff of the Calvary This belies the very notion of American ated with the sheer volume of this work is countries’ make an amazing contribution Baptist Church in Manhattan as the Pas- freedom and justice. The Dreamers have mind-boggling, but freedom must be pro- to the well-being of our country and to the tor for Youth and Community Outreach, been used as political and economic pawns tected. We can’t just debate who comes in American economy as a whole. The ideal of where he was ordained as a Baptist minister. their entire life. It’s time to make them full but should use all the technology possible to America belongs to all those who are will- Faulkner also served as Co-Chairman for the recipients and contributors to this freedom. allow people in or out with deliberate speed. ing to work to fight to keep us free from New York City Board of Education’s HIV/ They have earned citizenship by adhering Our federal government could not pass tyranny and corruption. AIDS Task Force and as the Vice President to a stringent set of regulations that no a continuing resolution to pay its bills be- for Community Government Relations at other immigrant group has had to undergo. cause political debate broke down over the In 1988, Michel Faulkner and his family King’s College. THE COMMUNITY PHARMACY THAT CARES

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20% Discount with Mention of this Ad Visit us at www.villageapothecary.com NOW! For breaking news, WestView Extra... see page19 12 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org Do We Really Need Newspapers? By George Capsis I sent an email to Michelle Rae, the OKAY, GEORGE, head of the New York Press Association, You read in the diminishing number of to see if she could glean some ideas from newspapers about the death of these pub- the gang, but she did not seem to have lications, even community newspapers like any at press time. So, we are back to my I want you to continue The Village Voice, which died after 62 years simple idea. in business. The City of New York should pay to Okay, as the Publisher of WestView, place full-page ads to alert and offer both which is now in its 15th year, I wonder if sides of suggested or pending legislation, publishing WestView: we can keep this up. But maybe the more and it should do more. It should, like the important question is: Do our readers re- Times does on occasion, provide expert  Yes, I want the paper every month, but I can’t afford it so ally want us to? I mean, I would like every- opinions that small, independent newspa- send it to me for free. body to mail in a subscription form. If they pers can’t manage. can’t afford the 12 bucks, they can have it We have the very articulate residents of  Yes, here is $12 for a one-year subscription. for free. Just say, “No, no, George, I like it. 13th Street meeting and honing collective Don’t give up.” rage at the city plan to eliminate a parking  Yes, here is $24 for a two-year subscription. The enemy is the iPhone and the explo- lane on 13th Street while 14th Street expe- sion of real news, fake news, and sheer non- riences two years of construction. sense. But that is all very real, right in your Let’s face it. More and more people are Name: ______hand every waking hour. Still, you have to simply not looking at a newspaper any subscribe, or, God forbid, go to a stand and longer, and certainly not a community Address:______buy a real newspaper. The Times has gone paper, all while electronic devices are be- from three cents to $2.50 a copy (forget it). come increasingly interactive. Very soon, Telephone Number:______But wait, Queens City Councilman our iPhones will turn themselves on in the Rory Lancman wants to pass legislation morning to tell us the news they have de- Email Address:______that will help keep community newspapers tected, that we are interested in, and that’s alive. He spoke publicly with our Coun- it. For the very few years that we can still cilman, now Speaker, Corey Johnson, in manage to turn out a Benjamin Franklin- Mail to: WestView News, 69 Charles St., New York, NY 10014 favor of doing that. (Ouch, I missed the type newspaper, we will do so, but you have meeting.) to let us know you want it. The Importance of an Impartial Health Care Needs Assessment By Penny Mintz leased on December 31, 2017 (in compli- ance with federal regulations) Chelsea, Newsday, the Long Island daily, ran a story Clinton, and the Lower East Side are med- on January 16th (entitled “Southside Hos- ically underserved areas. It won’t get better pital upgrades emergency room, creates when the 800-bed, full-service facility is more parking”) about a Northwell hospital replaced with a 70-bed facility and various in Bayshore that is expanding its emergen- urgent care centers. cy room five-fold and has been opening a The accuracy of health assessment is one new hospital unit every seven weeks for the of the issues that the Progressive Action last 18 months. of Lower Manhattan (PALM) is focused Instead of enlarging and moderniz- on in its efforts to save Beth Israel Hos- ing hospitals in NYC, 20 hospitals have pital. PALM agrees with Judy Wessler, a closed since 2000. Beth Israel Hospital is longtime public health advocate, and Lois next up on the chopping block. Why is a Uttley, Director of MergerWatch (an or- large, full-service hospital feasible 40 miles ganization which advocates for health outside of Manhattan but not within the care policies), that an independent assess- city? Do suburban hospitals get more gen- ment is needed. According to Wessler, the erous Medicare and Medicaid payments? CHNA prepared for Mount Sinai/Beth Unlikely. Do insurance companies approve Israel (MSBI) was not done from a com- more treatments and pay higher fees 40 munity needs and public health perspec- miles away? I don’t think so. tive. Wessler asserts that when hospital It cannot be that people in NYC—and researchers prepare an assessment, they do specifically in Lower Manhattan—are not reach out to the most vulnerable peo- in less need of the health care that a full- ple in the community, those who depend service hospital provides. Indeed, according on the clinics contained within full-ser- I don’t have my parents’ immigration papers, but would you accept my to Mount Sinai’s most recent Community vice hospitals. Ambulatory care facilities diapers made in the USA? Cartoon by Elliott Gilbert. Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), re- continued on page 21 www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 13 Walk Into The Temple of Understanding By George Capsis is that single question of consciousness: “Who Am I?” Dusty floats in the infinite, spiritual di- It is the postulate of The Temple of Un- mension so when we began talking about derstanding that the shared, common be- how to use the Church of St. Veronica—a liefs exhibited by the several great religions 115-year-old, very dead church—she took gain greater strength than the set of beliefs me to a meeting of The Temple of Under- in only one faith. The more we understand standing, just opposite the United Nations the many common beliefs we share, the Headquarters. There, a Buddhist priest got more powerful and universal the message. up in saffron robes to begin the meeting by But how do we learn what moral DNA draining tensions, “You feel the constraints runs through all religions? Suppose you flowing out of your body,” and so they did. could visit a 115-year-old church, which Of course, all ancient religions tread around has lost the last of four generations of pa- the truth or they would not survive, but learn- rishioners and stands silently fibrillating ing that fact—how the hidden truth of exis- with more than a century of those seek- tence is shared—is not well known and cer- ing spiritual truth and, in it, you hear the Dina Andriotis, Chris Tsiamis, and Nikitas Andriotis (from left to right). tainly not well demonstrated by a disciplined clear, simple message of the world’s great study. ‘Comparative religion’ is more history religions, as well as sacred music touching 77 Christopher Street than astonishment at a common inspiration. our emotions without translation. Between Seventh Avenue and Bleecker Street So, here is another way we can use the I am proposing a real Temple of Un- temple of one faith to join with others. derstanding—a place where articulate and Pharmacy Hours: The phrase ‘The Temple of Understanding’ knowledgeable spokespersons present a Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM evokes the common, almost instinctive, belief brief history of their religion, let us hear Saturday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM that all religions share a common dimension, and see bits of the chants and dances of Sunday 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM that beyond self-awareness (‘I exist.’) there is the religion (audible and visual choreogra- an often deeply etched belief in a continuum phy) via singers and dancers, and contrast Telephone: 212-255-2525 • Fax: 212-255-2524 of life with absolute moral principles. it with Western religions about which we email: [email protected] As formal, historic religion wanes, we have more knowledge. www.newyorkchemists.com know ‘our’ religion with varying degrees of We might hear and see on a screen the inaccuracy, and nothing about the major re- translated words of a Buddhist or Grego- ligions of the world, which are now chang- rian chant and learn how many common ing history because their original moral ex- truths are shared. We might hear a Greek hortations are no longer understood or felt. Orthodox Easter hymn and see the words (The current distance from the origins of translated. Each event would feature one or Islam is so attenuated, it now only provides more major religions for study and contrast. a rallying cry of hate between the factions.) No study of history, from cave paintings What do you think of this proposed Temple until today, is without discovering common of Understanding? Send me your thoughts at beliefs beyond tangible reality. Religion [email protected].

Kill the Zombie Park Already Part V: Well, Now It’s a Business

By Alec Pruchnicki will be called ‘Green Haven.’ The original garden supporters had “Every great cause begins as a movement, be- been organized as Friends of the Elizabeth comes a business, and eventually degenerates Street Garden (elizabethstreetgarden.org) into a racket.”—Eric Hoffer but a new garden advocate, Joseph Reiver, writing in WestView (“A True Win-Win The great cause of preventing housing on Solution” published in the January 2018 is- Elizabeth Street is slowly transforming into sue), and described as the Executive Direc- a business, although with nonprofit pre- tor of Elizabeth Street Garden, Inc. (eliza- tensions. On December 8, 2017, Council bethstreetgarden.com), joined in. The new Member Margaret Chin’s office released an organization is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) announcement that developers for the site nonprofit, but it was specifically formed to had been picked—Pennrose LLC, Habitat raise money and initiate legal action to stop for Humanity NYC, and RiseBoro Com- the housing proposal. munity Partnership. They will also be work- But, the transition from a ‘.org’ internet ing with SAGE, as many of the residents domain to a ‘.com’ one, along with an in- will be formerly homeless, LGBT individu- corporated structure, comes with many als. The development will have 121 afford- other initiatives. Not only do the Elizabeth able and low-income apartments, designed Street Garden supporters want the hous- with significant environmental features, and continued on page 19 14 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org Flamenco and More at the Creative Cultural Center at St. Veronica

Two Books of One-Liners by Charles Caruso, Author of “Caruso’s Quips”

Caruso spent decades in the media, at Newsweek and The New York Post, winning three Associated Press feature-writing prizes. He has gotten a strong response to these books and the lines he puts on Facebook each day. MERGING CULTURE AND COMMUNITY: Jorge Navarro, through his organization Arts for Flamenco, is dedicated to supporting the Flamenco tradition, and also fostering its evolu- The question he is most asked is: How do you write these things? tion. Photo by Antonio D. Gamboa. He has no good answer. “They just come,” he says “after a lot of observation and reading. They arrive suddenly and need very By Caroline Benveniste now and the future.” He and his partner, little editing.” Antonio Hidalgo, taught classes and held Readers seem to like them and find them interesting and All too often, we report sad real estate sto- Flamenco shows on Saturday evenings. sometimes amusing. ries—buildings being torn down and re- While Arts Flamenco was and is very placed with condos or offices, local shops successful, finding affordable studio space closing because of steep rent increases, and was becoming increasingly difficult. Studio other changes that make the Village less space is plentiful in Midtown West, but unique. Finally, we have a story that starts the prices are extremely high. This situa- like all the others but ends happily. tion led Jorge to an idea: He would find The Church of St. Veronica, located a space where he could build studios and at 149 Christopher Street, struggled like give lessons, and also rent out the studios many churches with the expense of main- to others who wished to have performing taining its building, a dwindling congrega- arts classes. Jorge had spoken to a priest at tion, and a shortage of priests. The situa- a church on the West Side about his plans, tion was so dire that the Catholic Church and that priest said he might have a space was poised to sell the building to a devel- that could work. Thus, Jorge saw the base- oper for condos. But, luckily for the West ment of St. Veronica and knew at once Village, Jorge Navarro was there to provide that it was the right spot. Not only did the a workable alternative. space speak to him, but because it was sub- Jorge is a Flamenco dancer by training. terranean, there would be no noise issues He started dance lessons with his grand- with neighbors. Jorge also liked the idea mother in Andalucía, Spain when he was of being in the West Village. One of the 12 years old. By the time he was 17, he had first places he performed at in NYC was joined a dance company and was touring Alegrías (his ‘tablao restaurant’), a tapas Europe and America. While performing in bar at 46 Bedford Street. New York, Jorge fell in love with the city, The first negotiations with the Catho- and since this was the 1970s, he was able lic Church involved representatives from to get a job, was sponsored for a green card, St. Patrick’s. After more discussions, Fa- and eventually became a naturalized citi- ther Santiago Rubio ultimately agreed to zen. By the 1980s, he had founded his own the plan. Following some renovations, in dance company. He also married a Korean October 2015 (one year and eight months fashion designer and had a daughter (who after Jorge first viewed the space), the Cre- now teaches music therapy). In 1999, Jorge ative Cultural Center opened. was featured in a New York Times article The Center has six studios of varying siz- about the renewed interest in Flamenco, es, which are suitable for different purposes. where the author reported on a Flamenco There is also a stage connected to the main class she took with him. studio which can be used for performances. In 2003, Jorge founded Arts Flamenco, As Jorge had hoped, there is a strong de- an organization whose mission includes mand for the space. The studios are used for working with guest artists, educational voice lessons, children’s afternoon and week- outreach and, according to the website, end dance classes, ballet, African dance, tap, preserving “the traditions of flamenco, yoga, and more. It has become, as he had while also evolving it as an art form for hoped, a de facto community space. If You Attend This is Your New Concert Hall

Orchest The ra of St. Veronica Saturday February 10, 7:30 pm Michael S. Feldman, Conductor Bach Suite No. 3 in D, BMV 1068 Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BMV 1043 Mitsuru Tsubota, Eriko Sato, violins Mozart: Exultate jubilate KV.165 Christine Lyons, soprano Mozart: Symphony #36 in C major KV. 425 (Linz symphony)

General Admission $15.00 FREE FOR SENIORS! call: 212 924 5718 or e-mail [email protected] The Church of St. Veronica, 149 Christopher Street 16 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org

Open renovations, came the mysteriously-named “And even though [t]he Hudson Diner has Chubby Slim’s Joyful Nosh from the folks at emerged a winner in the West Village diner Sugar Factory. The Southern comfort food of survivor square-off, co-owner Rajiv “Babu” IN Fatbird has been replaced with Jewish com- Chowdhury is forced to work seven days a and fort food such as Challah French Toast, Mat- week. He has been facing a decline in busi- OUT zah Brie, Ruggaleh (sic), Falafel, Chopped ness for each of the last three years. Babu says by Caroline Benveniste Liver, and Pastrami. The menu is huge and that even though he can pay rising rents and includes some vegetarian and vegan options. works very well with his landlord, his busi- As usually happens in January, there were few ness suffered when the lunchtime corporate openings and numerous closings, some of them Closing/Closed customer base left due to their high rents.” due to lease issues. Corey Johnson, the new City Two WestView contributors informed me that Further north, the Hudson Street location Council Speaker, said that he was in favor of a Due West (189 West 10th Street, near West Walter’s Antique Clock & Watch Repair of Le Pain Quotidien (550 Hudson Street, hearing on the Small Business Jobs Survival Act 4th Street): A cocktail bar has opened in the (240 West 10th Street, between Hudson and at Perry Street), the Belgian restaurant and (SBJSA), which, as described on the City Council old Diablo Royale space. It is a comfortable Bleecker Streets) had closed after 20 years at bakery chain, is scheduled to close on March website is, “A Local Law to amend the adminis- spot with lots of windows looking out onto that location. The 70-year-old, Soviet-born 25th. The hostess at the restaurant said that trative code of the city of New York, in relation West 10th Street. The cocktails are innova- owner, Walter Dikarev, had quite a follow- the landlord had not been willing to renego- to creating a small business lease program for es- tive but not crazy, and a fun option is the ing in the Village and beyond. The shoe store tiate the lease. The Japanese restaurant Saikai tablishing an environment for fair negotiations ‘Due Your Own Old Fashioned’ where you Paul Evans (35 Christopher Street, near Dining Bar (24 Greenwich Avenue, near in the commercial lease renewal process in order personalize your drink by choosing a spirit, Waverly Place) has closed this location and West 10th Street) has closed. A sign in the to determine reasonable lease terms.” The Green- sugar, and bitter. The food is mostly small a sign on the door says they’ll be taking their window apologizes, and promises that they wich Village Society for Historic Preservation dishes with a few larger offerings. show on the road to the West Coast. The an- will return soon in a different location. While (GVSHP) recently sent a letter to its members tique store La Maison Supreme (617 Hud- the food was innovative and well prepared, where, in addition to encouraging them to urge son Street, near Jane Street) is abandoning and apparently quite authentic, the place city officials to support the SBJSA, it described New York City and moving to antique-heavy always seemed empty. Fresh (388 Bleecker how GVSHP is working with community Hudson, New York. After just about seven Street, at Perry Street) is closing their West groups and local politicians on other measures months, Fatbird (44 9th Avenue, at 14th Village location. I tried their products after such as disincentivizing landlords from keeping Street) is gone. It opened to much fanfare reading about their Italian mud masks and re- storefronts empty for extended periods of time. with its celebrity chef Cat Cora, but it did ally liked some of them. The Bleecker Street Hopefully, the additional focus on the small busi- not take long for the spectacularly negative store was wonderful, mostly due to Manager ness crisis will yield some positive results. reviews to arrive. A few months ago, Eater re- Desiree’s upbeat attitude. All the neighbor- ported that Cat Cora was suing her partner, hood dogs used to come in for treats, and Gansevoort Market/ South of the Clouds (16 West 8th Street, which is never a good sign. The tiny Japanese the displays often featured fresh fruit that Chelsea Market Update between 5th Avenue and MacDougal restaurant Akira Japanese (152 7th Avenue Desiree purchased from local stores. Once In Gansevoort Market, the Mediterranean Street): The Yunnan Province in China is South, between Charles and Perry Streets), a week, all the employees went on a neigh- spot Baba has joined the line-up. Diners one of the most ethnically diverse regions which had seemingly been there forever, has borhood walk and talked to the employees at can create ‘Wholesome Plates’ by choosing a in the country. When I travelled there years disappeared. We were quite taken with Mo- other stores on Bleecker Street. They were a protein, base (e.g. rice, quinoa), spread, mez- ago, one of the culinary highlights of the moku Hu, the energetic Taiwanese owner of great resource for this column as they always zes (vegetable salads), and a sauce. Thaimee, trip was a meal at a traditional noodle res- Bubble Bar (204 West 14th Street, near 7th knew what was coming and going. When I a new Thai restaurant is now open. It is an taurant in Lìjiang. For a long time, there Avenue) and we thought the bubble waffles went around Christmas, Desiree and all the offshoot of the East Village Thai restaurant were no Yunnan rice noodles available in were fun, but sadly, after less than a year, the other employees I had gotten to know were Thaimee Box at 244 East 13th Street (near Manhattan, but now there are five restau- place has shuttered. The merchandise at Ac- gone, and the place was not the same, so I’m 2nd Avenue). If you’re looking for large, rants serving them: Little Tong and Yuan cessorize (329 Bleecker Street, at Christo- not as sad as I might be about the closing. freshly baked cookies, a new option is Chip in the East Village, The Rice Noodle on pher Street) had been looking a bit depleted NYC. Chick’nCone and Oppa have closed, Bleecker Street, Deng Ji in Chinatown, as of late, but the staff insisted they were not Coming Soon and Skinny’s Satays, which had disap- and most recently, South of the Clouds, going anywhere. Apparently, they had been The Rafael Viñoly-designed building at 61 peared, now appears to be moving into the which just opened in the old Café Nadery misinformed. 9th Avenue (at West 15th Street), which spot vacated by Big Gay Ice Cream. Over at space. The owner’s father runs a Yunnanese When I arranged to interview someone replaced Prince Lumber, is rising quickly. Chelsea Market, Le Song, Bistro Francais is restaurant in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. from Bar-Free Bedford for my Chumley’s ar- When completed, it will be nine stories tall. open in the space that very briefly housedBar ticle (published in the November 2016 issue Aetna was planning to move its corporate Truman. The restaurant has a large bar and of WestView), she suggested we meet at the headquarters there, but the recent merger a number of communal tables. Paradigmatic Hudson Diner (468 Hudson Street, at Bar- with CVS has put this plan in limbo (al- French dishes such as Escargots and French row Street). It seemed to be a popular place though the developer insists that Aetna has Onion Soup share the menu with more with locals, and she told me that all the elder- already signed a lease). Perhaps more interest- American offerings like Mac and Cheese and ly residents of her building on Bedford Street ing to Village residents is Starbuck’s plan for the Fried Chicken Sandwich. I was devastat- would go there daily. On January 19th, one of the building: They will open a Roastery there ed to see that Chelsea Thai had closed. They our most observant readers wrote that he had in 2018, modeled on one they opened a few were one of the original Chelsea Market ten- heard a rumor that, after 24 years, the Hud- years ago in Seattle. In the 20,000-square- ants and had, what I considered, the best Thai Chubby Slim’s Joyful Nosh (44 9th Avenue, son Diner was closing and that the health foot space, customers will be able to see the noodles in the city. A sign on the door says at 14th Street): The corpse of Fatbird was food store next door, Health and Harmony at roasting process as well as learn about coffee they will be moving to the East Village. barely cold when into the space, with minimal 470 Hudson Street, would be expanding. He production and drink and purchase small-lot was not able to immediately confirm this, but coffees. McNulty’s used to roast its own cof- on January 25th, he wrote again to say that he fee many years ago, but according to David VIEWS BY SUZE had just spoken to the co-owner, Rajiv, who Wong, the current owner, coffee roasting is no Suzanne McAndrews told him that the restaurant would be closing longer allowed in residential neighborhoods. 50 + years in Greenwich Village on Sunday, January 28th. Rajiv said he would In this building, according to the developers, a See Views by Suze be relocating to the Moonstruck Diner in special ventilation system was designed which Midtown, but did not specify in what capac- will allow coffee roasting to take place. at Bonsignour Café ity. Ironically, in Steve Wilson’s September Jane Street 2017 WestView article entitled “Urban Myth: We love hearing from you, and you are the and Eighth Avenue Landlords Save Money by Keeping Spaces reason we find out what’s going on in the Empty (Part One),” the Hudson Diner was West Village. Please keep sending your obser- 917-686-6542 used as an example of a business that had sur- vations to [email protected]. [email protected] vived in spite of rising rents. Wilson wrote: All photos by Darielle Smolian. www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 17 Dog Lovers Bliss Out During Westminster Week 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Separate tickets are required for the daytime combined events and the evening championship event. On Monday, February 12th, the fun con- tinues at Piers 92/94 with three simultane- Mary A. Vetri ous events: In the Junior Showmanship pre- liminaries, 95 of the best, young dog handlers Licensed Associate skillfully show champion dogs. Then, get Real Estate Broker wowed by the relationship between dog and [email protected] master at The Third Annual Masters Obe- dience Championship. All the while, the 917-969-0048 competition between four of the seven dog groups takes place: hounds, non-sporting, toy, and herding dogs. There will be approxi- mately 2,000 champion dogs waiting to greet you between their breed competitions. And • A proud Greenwich Village neighbor; don’t forget to check the schedule to see your born and raised in Brooklyn favorites compete in the ring. See if you can select the dog that will win a coveted West- • 24+ years as a Real Estate professional in the Village minster Kennel Clubs’ Best of Breed ribbon. On Tuesday, February 13th, events are • BHS 2015 and 2013 Manhattan Rental Broker of the Year WHICH CANINE WILL BE NAMED TOP split between the Piers and Madison Square • Full service Residential Real Estate Broker DOG? Pictured above is the 2018 poster Garden—the historic home of the West- commemorating the 142nd Annual West- minster Kennel Club’s Best in Show com- minster Kennel Club Dog Show. The show petition. Earlier in the day, the benched will be held in Manhattan between February 10th and 13th. Photo courtesy of Jenna Chi show continues at the Piers. You can per- for the Westminster Kennel Club. sonally meet another approximately 1,000 dogs that didn’t compete on Monday (the All information is from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, prior sale or withdrawal without notice. All rights to content, photographs and graphics reserved to Broker. Equal Housing Opportunity Broker. By Leslie Adatto terriers, sporting, and working dog groups) and see their amazing composure as the Three dog-filled days in February bring judges select the breed winners. In the eve- some of the most spectacular canines in ning at the Garden, after the heartwarming the world to within sniffing distance of 7:30 p.m. Junior Showmanship finals, the our West Village neighborhood. West- seven dog group winners are selected, re- minster Week starts on Saturday, February ducing the competition from 2,882 dogs to 10th, takes a break on Sunday, continues just seven—the best one from each group. on Monday, February 12th, and concludes Once those seven are selected, they return to with the world-famous Best in Show com- the ring and the evening culminates when a petition on Tuesday, February 13th. single judge, in a very formal ceremony, se- You can certainly watch some of the dra- lects the Top Dog for the 2018 Westminster matic events on television, but to get fully Kennel Club. Last year, it was a German 6 immersed in the excitement and beauty, Shepherd. This year, which will it be? consider personally attending some of the Watch (you might need cable) on FOX, sessions. Here’s what to expect: FOX Sports 1 (FS1), and Nat Geo WILD, On Saturday, February 10th, there are or even better, go in person. Buy tickets the two distinct overlapping events at the gi- day of the event at Piers 92/94 and Madi- gantic Piers 92/94 at West 54th Street. son Square Garden, or in advance at tick- Meet the Breeds (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) etmaster.com. is a spectacular chance to interact with and learn about more than 100 dog breeds. Go Leslie Adatto recently adopted Fanny, March 13, 2018 - Metropolitan Pavilion early as it gets crowded! First thing in the a beautiful and very strong Rhodesian morning, most of the dogs are on hand and Ridgeback. Fanny walks Leslie all over the are still fresh and playful. The Westminster West Village and, as often as she can, to the Kennel Club’s Masters Agility Champi- Leroy Street Dog Park. Leslie is the author of onship preliminaries, where dogs race the Roof Explorer’s Guide: 101 New York City clock to complete a complicated obstacle Rooftops, which can be found on amazon. course, take place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 com and in bookstores and museum gift shops p.m.; the finals take place that evening from throughout New York City. HAMLODERN EN S A H I B

INDIAN CUISINE home & decor IF THIS PAPER MAKES YOU THINK

We will print your thoughts in the next issue Greenwich Village’s premier food festival returns with more than 30 top-tier restaurants and food purveyors serving up special dishes from their menus. [email protected] Proceeds support social services and arts education in Greenwich Village. WestView News • 69 Charles Street • New York NY 10014 Tickets at greenwichhouse.org/taste 18 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org

this machine is out of touch with voters she secured a plot of public land for senior Jim Fouratt’s and is afraid of an informed voter. housing. (A group of Rich Moms of SoHo Democrats need to stop pointing fingers (RMOS) informally squatted and built a everywhere but at themselves, for only 47% small garden in opposition to low-income Have You Heard? of registered voters actually voted in the senior housing on the publically owned presidential election. Why have I not heard, land.) Chin won when the Mayor support- FEBRUARY 2018 One example is The Independent Dem- in all the talk of hacking and ‘fake news,’ ed her in her fight for senior housing. Local ocratic Conference (IDC), a group of any discussion of what local activist Teresa elected officials stood with RMOS and their 2018 is a critical year for electoral poli- rogue, elected Democrats who vote with Hommel tried to raise regarding the vul- relationship to power and money in an elec- tics in our country and in our state. I want Republicans and kill progressive Demo- nerability of digital voting to hacking? She tion year, which included Scott Stringer and to talk to you about what can be done to cratic legislation (e.g., a New York State called for a return to machines with paper Letitia James, both of whom spoke at the change how politics are being played out health care-for-all bill). Their actions allow ballots until digital voting could be certified RMOS rally in opposition to senior hous- in Washington, DC, the state, and the city. the duplicitous Andrew Cuomo to sprout as secure and unhackable. The Democratic ing. After Chin won, she released the design I will ask you, the reader, the same ques- progressive rhetoric, knowing full well that Machine and all local electeds refused to lis- at a City Hall rally I attended and spoke at tions I have asked almost everyone I meet the IDC will block it in exchange for perks ten. Well, Hommel proved to be right, did the NYC Department of Housing Pres- both in the streets resisting and in the (both financial and power appointments) she not? I wonder who profited from the ervation and Development (HPD). The community: “Are you running for office?” in the State Senate. This allows Cuomo to very costly conversion to digital balloting. senior housing design for the site included I usually get a very quixotic response and a sound progressive while his practice dem- Last time I checked, the paper ballot ma- a garden and support services from both surprised look. I repeat my question: “Are onstrates blue dog (conservative) politics. chines in the city were still in storage. Habitat for Humanity and SAGE. you running for office?” Note: Zephyr Teachout has been or- Now for some good news: Corey Johnson It is our collective responsibility to watch This year, that is the critical question on ganizing to defeat the IDC, not reward has been re-elected to the City Council and, what our elected officials are doing. Take the how to make change on the federal, city, them. Watch her short YouTube teach- most importantly, was elected by City Coun- Democratic Minority Leader in the U.S. and state levels. If you want change, you in (https://youtu.be/nTS2VCaxsXo) in cil members to the position of Speaker. Senate, Chuck Schumer: He did not include need to step up for what you believe in. The which she calls for open primaries to elect I suggest you watch (as I did) the foot- immigration, and in particular the DACA Democratic Party Machine in the state and true progressives to the State Legislature. age of 49 members of a very diverse City kids, in a discussion of the Tax Bill. Schum- in the city has been in place for as long as I When I ran in a primary for State Sena- Council stand up and explain why they were er also, despite the Democratic position can remember. Machine politics, whether tor, I was shocked to discover that few vot- voting for Johnson. They have given him opposing the building of the wall (Where Democrat or Republican, have become the ers I spoke to knew the facts about how the the mandate to make change in business as does the money come from, Chuck? From problem. Entrenchment means defending legislature in Albany affects NYC. Rent usual. And Johnson did not miss a beat be- cutting more social services and benefits for the STATUS QUO rather than looking to control, the MTA, hospitals, real estate, fore beginning to make such change. We are the poor or seniors?), walked into a meeting what needs to be done. housing, and education are just the most happy for him and, YES, we are watching. with Trump agreeing to a $2 billion com- If they answer me, “No!” I ask, “Are you visible issues. The failure of local Demo- Recently, State Senator Brad Hoylman mitment for the wall (since withdrawn). working your butt off to support a candi- cratic clubs for the most part and elected visited the Village Independent Demo- Okay, how do you change that? Please date who is running for office and who rep- officials, including District Leader Keen crats meeting and was given 15 minutes think and answer my question: Are you resents your concerns?” I follow up with a Berger, to hold town meetings to discuss (it could have been a productive two-hour running or have you picked a candidate to reality check on themselves and the actions critical issues impacting people who live discussion) to tell the group that, despite support who’s running for political office? they can take. here and request their input proves that his reservations about the seven rogues So, what can be done? Number one: Talk within the IDC, he was thinking of sup- to your friends who did not vote either in porting the Cuomo-proposed compromise the primary or in the presidential election. to bring them back into the Democratic Only 47% of eligible voters voted in the fold. Why, I asked, reward them for killing 2016 presidential race. Make it your job in the State Senate legislature that would to get 10 people to vote in the primaries address health care, etc? Why, given their and the general election in 2018. Make record, did Hoylman believe they could sure they understand how the Demo- be trusted? He did not answer but rather cratic Party Machine has made it difficult gave his reasons for considering support. in this state to change parties in order to Hoylman stated that he wanted to support vote. If you know any young people who Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Democratic refuse to register as party members, be it Conference Leader, because she is a wom- the Democrat, Republican, Green, So- an and a person of color. What? He should cialist, etc. parties, explain the importance know better than to use political correct- of primary races in the major parties and ness to allow the untrustworthy IDC to choosing progressive candidates commit- stay in power. I suspect it had more to do ted to change. Make sure they know the with his fear of Andrew Cuomo, whom he rules about changing party affiliations or Greenwich House had endorsed over Zephyr Teachout, than how to register to vote in New York. NYS any other criteria. election laws make it extremely difficult Summer Arts Camp I also expect elected officials to repre- for a voter to change his/her registration sent the interests of the voters and not the in a timely manner. A full day camp for young people ages 7-14 real estate industry or corporate interests, If you need suggestions, email me. Oh, I to survey different artistic movements and with their militia of lobbyists, or rich check think I should also tell you that I received an writers who want their way with electeds. email which indicates that some people are develop their own craft. I want elected officials to publicly stand interested in forming a true progressive po- up or sit down and refuse to get up on is- litical club. Remember that political change Registration begins mid-February sues that matter to their constituents. I was starts at the local level, and it is not limited glad and proud to see my City Councilman to the two dinosaur parties that control all Corey Johnson sit down and block the en- things political right now. Change is com- trance to a Congressman’s office who re- ing: If a Democrat can win in Alabama and greenwichhouse.org/camp fused to meet with activists opposed to the a trans-person can prevail in Virginia, then Trumpcare Bill. I want to see more engage- you don’t need to be a meterologist to know Greenwich House After-School ment at this level by my electeds. which way the wind blows! I am happy to say that I supported City and Summer Arts Camp Council Member Margaret Chin, Chair of (cc) jim fouratt January 27, 2018 27 Barrow Street, NYC the Council’s Committee on Aging, when Contact: [email protected] www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 19 My Birthday Message By Arthur Z. Schwartz face.” In contrast, “to resist is to say ‘No!’ ROBERT HEIDE without qualification or explanation…To I turn 65 this month. I finally move to resist is to become alive…to say not only 25 Plays middle age. (Hey, I have 12 and 14-year- will I not accept what you are doing, I will old daughters!) This is my birthday stop you from doing it.” message. There are things going on in our neigh- 400 pages The world around us continues to be borhood, which we cannot merely protest. 12 new essays very disturbing. We have a president who The closure of Beth Israel has been held 50 photos not only has authoritarian tendencies, but up to the light, but it needs to be stopped, “Two of the best plays I saw at the Caffe also engages in common bullying, us- not just protested. The ridiculous rents, Cino were Robert Heide’s MOON and ing his Twitter account to show that he which have driven our favorite delis, shoe- THE BED.” — Edward Albee. can one-up anyone through insults. We makers, hardware shops, and drug stores have a governor who is surrounded by out of business must be ended. The ero- “THE BED is beautiful emptiness. A work of genius.” —Andy Warhol. corruption, who the political class fears, sion of rent stabilization, and the efforts who can’t get the subways to run on time, to drive older residents from their homes, “GREAT READ! Interesting commentary keeps building fossil fuel power plants, must be stopped, or we will move faster on the Village and the changes decade allows affordable housing to disappear, and faster into becoming a rich, white en- by decade”.—Lois Smith, award and touts a few “liberal” accomplishments clave rivaled only by Beverly Hills. The winning stage and film star while protecting the status quo. (New hesitation to address climate change—be “Very impressive on all counts” York has the 46th lowest voter turn- it fossil fuel power or massive traffic jams —Blake Gopnik, writer of authorized out in the U.S. and ranks 26th in school in our midst—must stop. This is not a de- 1,000 page bio of Andy Warhol, to be achievement). All around us, the scourge bate; it is a crisis. The tendency of govern- published in 2018 by Harper Collins of sexual harassment is displayed in the ment, even local government, to just tell “Heide’s talent appears as fresh as if it had been swathed in felt between exposure of the famous and powerful, but people what is best for them, must end. uses to keep it shiny.”—Village Voice critic Michael Feingold on TROPICAL little changes for most women. We read in The universal disdain held by residents FEVER IN KEY WEST. the papers about how hundreds of teenag- within blocks of 14th Street for the ridic- ers and even younger girls were sexually ulous plan to ban cars from 14th Street, assaulted by the USA Gymnastics’ team and make side streets impassable, must Available @: doctor; complaints from the girls fell on turn into angry resistance. Amazon.com,Three Lives Bookstore (Waverly & 10th St.), Drama Bookstore (250 W. 40th St.). deaf ears for nearly two decades. There are good things too, happening In mid-January, I chanced upon the around us, like the concerts at St. Veronica. Published by Michael Smith’s Fast Books Press obituary of Julius Lester, a black folksing- But our neighborhood became the best er, who became a black nationalist radical place to live in New York City because (and then an Orthodox Jew). Fifty years people fought for it. I am still up for the ago, he shook people up every week on fight, just like George Capsis is at 90. I WBAI radio, and in the pages of Westside hope my neighbors are too. News and The Village Voice. In an essay he wrote in late 1967, Lester described Arthur Z. Schwartz is the Male Democratic Counselor At Law the difference between ‘protest’ and ‘resis- District Leader in Greenwich Village. He tance.’ “To protest,” he wrote, “is to let it hosts a weekly radio show, called “Advocat- Disability Law be known that you do not like the certain ing for Justice,” every Monday, from 5:00 action of another. To protest is an act of p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on WBAI, 99.5FM. His intellectual commitment. It is to say, ‘Sir, show, including back recordings, are avail- I protest,’ when you are slapped in the able at wbai.org. Max Leifer P.C.

Max D. Leifer PC is an established law firm with over 40 years experience in Personal Injury, Kill the Zombie Park continued from page 13 Negligence, Social Security Disability, ing stopped and the garden preserved com- cleaned it, decorated it, and rented it for Long Term Disability, pletely intact, they also want to change the $4,000 per month as a showroom for his Commercial and Union Appeals. site from city-owned land to a Community antique statues and outdoor furniture. In Land Trust, which will actually own the a neighborhood where one-room apart- property. This is straight-forward priva- ments go for $2,000 to 4,000 per month, We are committed to providing tization of public land. The corporation $4,000 for 20,000 square feet of space in a high quality representation will have complete control of the property, prime location seems like a fantastic deal. and we work aggressively to obtain rent it out for private events (you can apply If some soft-headed judge agrees with the best possible results on the website right now), and control all Joseph Reiver’s suit stopping the housing and protect the rights of our clients. funds. On paper, it might be a nonprofit, project and giving control of the land to Free consult in person or by phone. but it can easily operate the same way a him, or if there is a successful establish- business does and there are many ways to ment of a Community Land Trust, then make money as a nonprofit. Joseph Reiver could end up negotiating Please feel free to contact us with any questions One way to siphon cash from a non- financial deals with his father, Allan. A and our friendly staff will assist you with your concerns. profit is to contract sweetheart deals with conflict of interest of this size does not outside vendors and companies for ser- necessarily turn this business into a racket, vices and fees. Conveniently, right next as predicted by Eric Hoffer, but the po- 135214 West Sullivan 26th Street,Street, Street,Suite 3-C, 11-D to the site is the Elizabeth Street Gal- tential is certainly there. New York, NY 1001210001 lery, owned by Joseph Reivers’ father, Al- There is one way to stop this privatiza- Tel: (212) 334-9699 • Fax: (212) 966-6544 lan Reiver. About 20 years ago, when the tion and potential conflict of interest. Build plot of land was an unused space, Reiver housing on Elizabeth Street already. [email protected] 20 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org

LOYALTY PROGRAM • GIFT CARDS Parish Closures continued from page 1 rently led by Cardinal Raymond Burke. FREE DELIVERY bers of the New York Metro chapter of Call to Action [CTA] “When the bishop begins to make those adjustments, he’s believe it isn’t too early to start preparing for the worst. looking at money,” Kuenstler said. The capital earned from the In an open meeting this weekend, CTA Metro N[ew] sale of a good building will be greater than from one in disrepair. Y[ork] leaders invited Sr. Kate Kuenstler, an independent Though the money from the sale must go into the new, merged canon lawyer, and Sr. Christine Schenk, founder of Futu- parish (and not directly to the bishop), the funds will be used to reChurch and one of NCR’s newest columnists, to educate pay down debts, and in many cases, these debts are to the bishop. GREENWICH VILLAGE New York City Catholics about their rights and responsi- According to the “Making All Things New” foundation- bilities when facing a parish merger or closure. al material available on the archdiocese’s website, the norm 512 HUDSON STREET • NYC 10014 It’s a workshop that Kuenstler and Schenk have spent more will be to merge parishes on Staten Island, where it is easier WWW.SEAGRAPEWINES.COM • 212-463-7688 than a decade offering in dioceses around the United States that to anticipate the faithful gravitating to a newly formed par- are facing the loss of parishes often because of the priest short- ish, and to close parishes in Manhattan and the Bronx. Don’t put off taking off age, declining church attendance, and increasing debt, sometimes In his October letter, Dolan explained that the 84 parishes those extra pounds – and from settlements and legal fees incurred from sex abuse cases. currently operating in Manhattan serve only 10 to 12 percent keeping them off! In 2011, the archdiocese announced the creation of “Mak- of Catholics in the archdiocese. The 29 parishes south of 14th ing All Things New,” a pastoral planning initiative that, ac- Street in Manhattan have proven especially burdensome. Please allow me cording to its website, “seeks to address how the archdiocese “We can no longer spend $40 million a year...to keep on to help you on your can best meet the religious, spiritual, and pastoral needs of the life support parishes, buildings, and schools that are serving weight management journey people of God now and into the future.” The core of the initia- only a relative handful of parishioners,” he explained, also tive will determine the fate of the archdiocese’s 368 parishes. noting that in the suburbs north of New York City, some Joy Pape, Family Nurse Practitioner Dolan admits that one of the principal reasons to reas- parishes are eager to expand. [email protected] sess the number of parishes in the archdiocese is an in- At the CTA Metro N[ew] Y[ork] meeting, there was 917-806-1945 creasing lack of priests for its 2.6 million Catholics. In a little doubt that the land under these archdiocesan proper- pastoral letter published in October, he wrote that while ties is a gold mine for any developer. The area below 14th the archdiocese has “not yet reached a crisis in the number Street, which includes neighborhoods like Greenwich Vil- of priests...we still do need to get ready for that day, not too lage, the East Village, SoHo and Tribeca, is home to apart- far away, when such a shortage will indeed face us.” ments that sell for well over $1,400 per square foot. Schenk, a Sister of St. Joseph, says it is regrettable that the hi- Since canon law does not allow a bishop direct access to erarchy continues to close parishes rather than consider opening money gained from the sale of churches, Dolan said in his INCOME TAX ordination to married men and women. “We don’t have shortage October letter that the proceeds from any sale will fund en- PREPARATION of vocations, but a shortage of vision,” she told the CTA audience. dowments for Catholic schools and religious education as in the privacy of your own home... In June, Dolan announced that the archdiocese had con- well as new projects, like the Gianna Center for Women’s very reasonable rates tracted with The Reid Group, a company he said special- Health and FOCUS, a university-based apostolate. izes “in assisting dioceses in their pastoral planning pro- Kuenstler said the latest guidelines from the Congrega- Call Peter White cess.” The archdiocese has hired 12 of its consultants to tion for Clergy and the Apostolic Signatura have clarified 212.924.0389 work on the project. According to Kuenstler’s research, the distinction between the legitimate reasons to merge The Reid Group has been contracted by more than a dozen parishes and legitimate reasons to close a church. dioceses to consult in parish closures and mergers, includ- “It is no longer legitimate to close a parish because of the JOIN THE WESTVIEW FAMILY ing Syracuse, N[ew] Y[ork]; Reno, Nev[ada]; Green Bay, shortage of priests or because the church is in close prox- Wis[consin]; and Orlando, Fl[orida]. imity to another church,” she said. “A parish also cannot be Writers, editors, photographers, In the New York archdiocese, every pastor has been asked closed if the church is no longer considered necessary for to create a core team of parishioners dedicated to assessing worship when a parish is suppressed or merged, or if the proofreaders, fact-checkers, its community’s strengths and needs. Team members from maintenance for a building no longer needed for worship is designers and ad salespersons. five parishes were then joined together to form 75 clusters. a financial burden to the parish.” The cluster teams will spend the next month and a half Kuenstler also indicated that Canon 1222 attempts to Call George at learning about one another’s parishes. On March 1[st], they prevent a church relegated to secular use from being used 212-924-5718 will send their recommendations to the Archdiocesan Advi- in an “unbecoming” way. “The sacred character of a place sory Group, a 40-person committee selected by Dolan. for Divine worship requires that it remain a holy place, and In a letter to the faithful, Dolan said the group would not sold to the highest bidder,” the canon stipulates. consist of “respected clergy, religious, and lay leaders from As of December 2012, FutureChurch’s Save Our Parish diverse backgrounds and geographic areas within the arch- Community initiative helped Catholics from 28 U.S. par- diocese.” (As of this writing, the archdiocese had not yet ishes in six dioceses win their appeals. Crisis kits and other finalized its list of advisory group members.) resources written by Kuenstler are made available, some as While the system was ostensibly set up to include lay a free download, on the FutureChurch website. voices in the “Making All Things New” process, some at For his part, Dolan has repeatedly insisted no decisions about the CTA Metro N[ew] Y[ork] meeting expressed concern mergers and closures have already been made. “Those decisions that members of the core group were selected by pastors will only be reached after much consultation with our laity, our and that those in the advisory group, which is responsible religious, and our clergy,” he reiterated on his blog in June. for both the preliminary and final recommendations, were Judging by the 35 people who attended Sunday’s meet- hand-picked by Dolan himself. ing, most New York City Catholics are taking a wait-and- [Kuenstler states], “Parishioners have 10 useful days from the see approach for now. The session became especially spirit- date of the decree [to close or merge a parish] to write a letter to ed during the question-and-answer period, when members the bishop asking for recourse,” she told the audience. (“Useful of Brooklyn parishes under [the] threat of closure peppered days” is ecclesial-speak for days the diocesan chancery is open.) Kuenstler with inquiries about canon law and strategy. [She] explained that the bishop must have a just reason for closing Their passion for saving their parishes suggests that once the parish. Therefore, parishioners must scrutinize the decree for Dolan announces his decisions eight months from now, false information and ensure that it demonstrates due diligence. meetings like this may get far more animated and crowded Parishioners, not pastors, are the ones who should seek recourse. in the near future. If the archbishop or bishop responds by denying recourse or refusing to address the issue, parishioners then have 15 Jamie L. Manson is the NCR books editor. She received her useful days to file for recourse with the Vatican’s Congre- Master of Divinity degree from the Yale Divinity School, gation for Clergy and the Apostolic Signatura, the highest where she studied Catholic theology and sexual ethics. Her judicial authority in the Roman Catholic [C]hurch, cur- email address is [email protected]. www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 21

Impartial Health Care Needs continued from page 12 limit access because they decline Med- elected officials to get their active support icaid, Medicare, and/or various private for that and other hospital-related strate- insurance. Thus, ambulatory and urgent gies. So far, the Downtown Independent care facilities are not equivalent replace- Democrats, the 504 Democratic Club, the ments for a hospital. Urban Justice Center, the Commission Lois Uttley has been analyzing the 128- on the Public’s Health System, Merger- page CHNA prepared for MSBI, which Watch, and Chelsea Reform Democrats concludes that, “People are overwhelm- are members. Others have expressed in- ingly satisfied with the availability of terest as well. health services in the area.” Uttley points Anyone who wants to join and strength- out, however, that the CHNA contains en the coalition should contact me at pen- evidence that plenty of residents are not [email protected]. Please put ‘Beth Is- satisfied. The CHNA poll reached only rael Coalition’ in the subject line. Or, come people with internet access, and even to the next PALM meeting on Tuesday, then a significant number voiced concerns February 27th at 6:30 p.m., at the Seafar- about access to physicians and hospitals, er’s International House (15th Street and particularly for the elderly and those on Irving Place). Medicaid. As for why full-service hospitals are PALM believes that our public officials closing in NYC but growing elsewhere, must demand an impartial needs assess- perhaps the explanation is grounded in the ment. To that end, PALM is organizing value of the real estate on which they sit. a Community Coalition to Save Beth I’m not saying that I know that with any Israel that will schedule meetings with degree of certainty. I’m just sayin’... Are You Afraid of Falling? By Joy Pape, FNP-C CDE CILC ous consequences of falls can be pre- vented. If you are afraid of falling, know that you • At home, check the weather forecast, are not alone. In some ways, that fear can and wear proper clothes and shoes. If be helpful, but in other ways, it may not. forecasts predict rain and snow, and During this time of year, I read, along you are unsteady, it is best to go out- with the daily weather forecast, the warn- side with someone who is steadier than ings of ice on the ground, even ‘black ice’— you. Remove throw rugs, wear non- the ice you can’t always see. It is very dan- skid shoes or slippers rather than socks gerous whether you are driving or walking. and stockings on wood or tile floors, These are some reasons why being afraid and make sure to have clear pathways. Basil Weathers of falling is not helpful: • You may stiffen up, which can offset Your Fall Prevention Plan should also in- 24/7 Plumber your balance and increase your chance clude what to do in case you fall. Named as a Favorite Handyman of tripping, slipping, and falling. • How will you communicate with some- • You may not want to leave your home. one? Will you use a phone or alarm in the May issue of WestView News This can cause social isolation and device that signals help right away? Photo by Alison Morley loneliness, two conditions that can If you use a phone, make sure it is cause other health problems, includ- charged and paid for. Either way, the A resident of the Village since1979, Basil ing an increased risk of falls. alarm or phone should be easily acces- is thoroughly knowledgeable about Being afraid of falling can be help- sible at all times (e.g., on your person). Village pipes and plumbing problems, and ful in motivating you to make a plan—a • Make sure that someone can get to Fall Prevention Plan for YOU. This plan you. Also, be sure that you can trust is available 24/7 to fix sudden flooding, should include both how to prevent a fall the person(s) you will be calling or frozen pipes, restaurant boilers, and any other and what to do if you have a fall. alarming; they should have a key or plumbing issue that may occur. code to enter your home or apart- Here is a general Fall Prevention Plan: ment. The sooner you are in touch A cheerful and hard-working local businessman, • Be aware of your health risk of falling. with someone who can help you, the Basil will always give you a fair and honest price Being healthy starts with awareness. If lower the chance of you having prob- for your job. you have an unsteady gait, are taking lems from a fall. medications, have fallen in the past, or Please stop and think about your Fall are just getting older, discuss your risk Prevention Plan. You may not think you of falling with your health care pro- are at risk for a fall, but truly, we all are. fessional (HCP). The HCP can refer I believe that knowledge and prevention you to a specialist who can provide a can, in many cases, be the best medicine. fall risk assessment and possibly per- EnJOY! sonalized treatment and other recom- Basil Weathers mendations. A recent New York Times Joy Pape is an internationally known, board article entitled, “Afraid of Falling, certified Family Nurse Practitioner, author, Plumbing For Older Adults, the Dutch Have a writer, and presenter. She believes that every Cure,” published on January 2, 2018, person is an individual and deserves person- 52 Bank Street (at West 4th Street) speaks of this as a common problem, alized medical, integrative care, and hope for classes offered to overcome this fear, a healthy and full life. She can be reached at (845) 866-2329 and how the frequency and deleteri- (212) 933-1756 or [email protected]. 22 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org Hindle Wakes at The Mint Theater Company By Eric Uhlfelder The only pragmatic, progressive voice to be heard is the last to speak, revealing that It’s hard to understand the puritanical mind- women and men are also more alike than set prevalent only a century ago. But one can either would ever admit. imagine its appeal: a simple way of bringing The cast is first-rate, anchored by Na- order to a chaotic world by making clear dis- thaniel Jeffcote (played splendidly by Jona- tinctions between right and wrong. than Hogan), the father of the young man. Of course, things are rarely black and Alan Jeffcote ( Jeremy Beck), the son, is white, and trying to treat all problems that the lad who cocks things up. He strides way can often make things worse. This is the from one lass to the other, naively thinking matter with which three families wrestle in he knows what is happening. His fiancée, the Mint Theater Company’s latest produc- Beatrice Farrar (Emma Geer), takes un- tion: Hindle Wakes. In its continuous search expected news about Alan’s dalliance with for forgotten plays, the Mint again takes its the poise of a priest hearing about a death. cue from England. (The obscure title refer- And Fanny Hawthorn (Rebecca Noelle ences holiday revelations that come to fami- Brinkley) shines as the light-hearted other Tuesday, March 13, 2018 lies of a fictional mill town in Lancashire.) girl who knows what she wants and doesn’t During the playwright’s too brief life of want better than anyone else on stage. 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. 32 years, Stanley Houghton penned more Another layer of conflict lies in the values 125 West 18th Street than a dozen plays that theatre historian and ambitions of Alan’s and Fanny’s mothers. Join us for the first everTaste After-Party Cocktail Competition, featuring Maya Cantu of Bennington College de- Mrs. Jeffcote (Alan’s patrician mom, played Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Enjoy specially purveyed after-dinner bites while scribes as, “a blending of observed realism by Jill Tanner) seeks a marriage of compara- mixologists craft custom creations to win your vote for the best cocktail. with shrewd comic grit.” ble status. The working class Mrs. Hawthorn Premiered at London’s Gaiety Theatre (Sandra Shipley), Fanny’s mom, wants to see Tickets and more information at in 1912, just a year before Houghton con- her daughter avoid scandal while getting greenwichhouse.org/taste tracted meningitis, Hindle Wakes was an early ahead. Both seem to agree their children’s example of modern, progressive plays of the own desires are of no consequence. 20th century. It no doubt shocked audiences Splashes of humor and wit help pace the play. with its brazen honesty about sex and mar- The father of the engaged daughter, Sir riage, guilefully approached through a seem- Timothy Ferrar (Brian Reddy) quips, “She ingly innocent and traditional storyline. hasn’t seen him [Alan] for 10 days, thou knows, Arched Victorian iron trusses canopy over and that seems a long time when it’s before the the stage to suggest a religious steeple and wedding. It doesn’t seem so long afterwards.” the affluence under which most of the action When she learns of her fiancé’s betray- takes place. Keeping with its signature mark, al, Beatrice ponders, in Alan’s presence, the Mint rewards the patient theatregoer. whether she would prefer being lusted af- The three short acts before intermission ter (rather than honored and respected): “I plod along, giving us the basics about a love wonder which feeling a woman would rather The WestView Family triangle and what needs to be done about it, arouse…which is most like love?” And “You according to the mores of the day. see,” she adds, “men have never had to exer- Join What keeps the initial pace of the play in cise self-control like women have.” Share some of your your hard-won first gear is that we learn about the mess largely Alan is then turned on his head when he’s WRITE  knowledge and wisdom. through the uninformed eyes of the parents. rejected (by whom I will not say): “It isn’t be- Their morality trumps reality, as we hear virtu- cause I’m afraid of spoiling your life that I’m Use your skills to make WestView ally nothing from the two young women and refusing you, but because I’m afraid of spoil- clearer and sharper. young man on which the plot is centered. This ing mine. That didn’t occur to you?” EDIT seems odd, until we realize the author is setting I shan’t risk spoiling the story any further up the action that follows intermission. by saying more. If you enjoy intelligent, Earn a commission inviting The play’s unique pulse, deftly calibrated challenging, beautifully staged and choreo- SELL community businesses to join. under Gus Kaikkonen’s direction, is driven graphed plays driven by colorful characters, by how it unexpectedly turns as the lovers then see this show. 212.924.5718 reveal themselves. We first think the two Hindle Wakes plays through February or email [email protected] generations occupy opposite sides of a mor- 17th at The Clurman Theatre at Theatre CALL al compass only to find their beliefs are far Row (410 West 42nd Street). For more in- more aligned than even they could imagine. formation, visit: MintTheater.org.

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THE CARDINAL IS ONE OF OUR “FAMILIAR BIRDS,” A REMARKABLE THING TO CONTEM- PLATE: A Lady Cardinal is pictured above in her olive-and-wine finery. Photo by Keith Michael. Ah, red Cardinal. Actually, two red her spotlight in the sun, and Mister C Cardinals. Taking corgi-sized, meander- ramps down his brightness to a dull crim- ing steps while navigating the ice patches son on the shady side of the street. down Perry Street at the end of my leash Even though their formal name is North- READERS’ CLICKS (yes, I’m at the end of her leash), Millie, ern Cardinal, and no matter how many times WestView reader Donna Kitch recently captured the whimsy of this ice-cold season: connoisseur of all that might have been left it is explained to me, I can’t fathom how they overnight for her to consume, pauses by manage to stay so cheerful and energetic the snow-covered curb. There are the Car- through the sub-freezing temperatures of dinals, one on each side of the street high our winters. My morning layering includes in the trees—his brilliant red crest flared long johns, jeans, two shirts, two sweaters, a toward the rising sun, her nuanced olive- two-layered coat, one scarf around my neck, and-wine attire still in shadow. Their con- another scarf around my face, a flappy-eared genial plinks skip across the morning air. fleece hat, insulated gloves, and boots. Mil- The fact that the Cardinal is one of our lie is modeling her au courante winter fur familiar birds, along with that other prima- coat. I’m still cold. I can’t speak for Millie. ry-colored showboat of our neighborhood But that pair of Cardinals is bounding from avian world, the Blue Jay, is remarkable to branch to branch, finding winter sweetmeats contemplate. How does such fancy plumage among this spring’s buds. They seem to have serve their well-being when so many other retained their same sleek summer garb, with birds choose dowdy camouflage as the saf- that magical thermal layer of down feathers est way to travel? True, the Lady Cardinal is protecting them from the wrath of plummet- more practical, and her colors atop a nest in ing temperatures. They don’t even need mit- dappled light through summer leaves make tens on those twig toes. I don’t get it. her nearly invisible. But when her swash- In the middle of the street, a gust of wind buckling mate bombs in with farm-to-table nudges me across the ice. As the sun ducks fresh take-out, it seems like, then, her cover behind a cloud, Millie squints into the would be blown. In common parlance, “It, blast then squints back at me in her well- like, works for them. So, like, whatever.” honed, “I’m ready to go home now” glare. And every year, there are fresh young Car- The Cardinals are still plinking to each dinals with brilliant red feathers. other above our heads as the tree branches WEST 4TH STREET SNOWMAN STAGGERS OUT OF SEVILLA AFTER AN EXCESS OF A few weeks ago, I was on my way to For- click in the wind. It feels like snow. PAELLA. Photo by Donna Kitch. est Park, Queens with friends (okay, I was looking for Owls), and heard myself con- Please visit keithmichaelnyc.com for the Continue sending us your clicks and captions to [email protected] and fess, “At this time of year, it’s likely not to be latest schedule of New York City WILD! include your name if you are seeking community fame. (When emailing your photos, very ‘birdy,’ other than Cardinals and Blue urban-adventures-in-nature outings please include ‘Readers’ Clicks’ in the subject line.) Jays.” Laughter. There I was, speaking about throughout the five boroughs. 24 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org The Far West Village: A Valentine Italytime to Present By Catherine Revland celebrate my eighth year of writing articles for WestView, mostly about the centuries- I have an indelible memory of a map in old history of the neighborhood. In my re- Three Eyes on Pinocchio my sixth grade geography book in which search, I learned that this unique landscape dots indicated the size of population cen- barely escaped the fate of the rest of Man- ters in the United States. The entire mid- hattan when, in 1807, the City Council or- section of the country was sparsely dotted, dered the leveling of every hill and valley like pepper on a child’s egg, and my home from Houston Street to the Harlem River, state had hardly any dots at all. When my drained its many waterways, and instituted eyes scanned east across the map, the dots a lockstep, right-angled grid of numbered began to thicken somewhat over Minne- streets. Although the City Council insisted sota, merging into clots at Minneapolis. that the purpose of the plan was to restore The clots became dendrites at Chicago, discipline among the citizenry, claiming congealing into one large, inky splotch at that “disordered streets cause disordered New York City. “That’s where I’m going,” I minds,” the real reason, of course, was to vowed. I wanted to swim in a sea of people. maximize the profits of real estate devel- Manhattan, and its outer boroughs, is the opers, present and future. Opposition to only city in the world where the full palette the plan was fierce, but nowhere was it as of humanity mingles on a daily basis. Once I intense as in the Village, where local pro- had this ultimate population experience—in duce sellers regularly pelted surveyors with close proximity to people who were differ- rotting vegetables. Eventually, the locals ent from me, sometimes vastly different— won—the first of many victories over pow-

ITALYTIME PRESENTS VARIED ENTERTAINMENT IN THE VILLAGE: Left to Right: Maureen Gonzalez and Vittorio Capotorto, Founder of Italytime, and actors Rachel Pickup, Joel Bernstein, John Martello, and the Director, Alex Dmitriev. Photo courtesy of Italytime.

By Jane Heil Usyk New York City over 20 years ago. He has taught Italian theater and acting at Co- In March 2018, the cultural organization lumbia University, Brooklyn College, and Italytime will present a theatrical piece the City College of New York. Vittorio’s called Three Eyes on Pinocchio—an Italian enthusiasm for the theater is inspiring, as story updated by three prominent writ- is his enthusiasm for all arts. His wife and ers. It will be presented in English in the partner is Maureen Gonzalez, a talented downstairs area of Our Lady of Pompeii Spanish translator who speaks and trans- Church. (That space has been transformed lates English, Italian, and Spanish. into an attractive, elegant area with a cap- Vittorio’s nephew, Domenico Capo- puccino corner, comfortable chairs, cafe torto, wrote the original music for the play. tables, chandeliers, and bunting.) He is an award-winning musician based in Pinocchio began in 1883 as a children’s Berlin who has composed music for many story by Carlo Collodi. It was a long story of Vittorio’s productions. Vittorio’s friend, with many twists and turns. In 1940, Walt Franco Mannarini, did all the artwork for Disney took a few of those elements and the show, including posters and ads. THE UNIQUE WEST VILLAGE LANDSCAPE BARELY ESCAPED THE FATE OF THE REST OF MANHATTAN: A venerable old house with wisteria on Christopher and Gay Streets, looking turned them into the of full- Another member of the group is Fran- Pinocchio south, is depicted above. Artwork by John L. Silver, 2005. length cartoon fame. Recently, three well- cesca Illuzzi, a longtime member of Our known Italian writers focused on events in Lady of Pompeii Church and of the Vil- it changed everything, and I knew I could erful, moneyed interests. the original novel; each took an event and, lage; Francesca is a dressmaker and gra- never live anywhere else. For 200 years, the West Village has together, developed Three Eyes on Pinocchio. cious hostess, making sure there are suf- I had the same transformative experi- been the home of vociferous protesters, Dacia Maraini, an award-winning nov- ficient refreshments at many of Italytime’s ence when I first discovered the Far West the neighborhood of choice for “irregu- elist, playwright, and screenwriter, super- major events. Village, where the character of its streets lars,” independent thinkers, rainbow peo- vised the venture and wrote the “Fairy” Italytime has been presenting various was the irresistible draw. Unlike Uptown’s ple, innovators, movement-makers, art- episode, the prologue, and the epilogue. forms of entertainment in the Village for parallel grid that draws the eye out to the ists, eccentrics of every stripe, the refuge A great contemporary Italian writer, Ms. several years; most have some connec- chill of infinity, the angles of these crooked of those who march to a different drum- Maraini has published more than 40 tion to Italy. There have been jazz con- streets immediately gave me a protective mer, or to no drummer at all. Even now, in books. She has been involved with and certs, Italian movie series, discussions led feeling of enclosure. Then, south of Chris- this age of unfettered greed, when the vast endorsed Italytime since its beginning. by distinguished faculty from New York topher via Gay Street, a narrow dogleg that majority of that full palette of humanity Silvia Calamai, a playwright and teacher, universities, theatrical readings, and full- led to Waverly Place, I entered the gate- can no longer afford to live here, when our composed the “Cat and Fox” episode. blown theatrical presentations. Many way to utter chaos—the twists and turns of streets swarm with a new population of Paolo Tartamella, another longtime col- events are free. Bedford, Barrow, and Commerce Streets. the over-privileged, barking into their cell laborator with Italytime, wrote the section Three Eyes on Pinocchio (which is suit- Quirky, disordered, meandering as they phones, barely present, oblivious to their on children who became donkeys because able for all audiences) will be performed pleased, they appealed to a contrarian mis- surroundings, with zero interest in the they didn’t go to school—“Pinocchio in on March 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th, and 10th at fit like myself. I was home. past, it is still possible to find artists like Playland.” Italytime (Our Lady of Pompeii Church: This year, I celebrate 40 years of walk- my neighbor, John Silver, setting up their Vittorio Capotorto is a theater director 25B Carmine Street, at Bleecker Street). ing the beloved streets of the Far West easels on a corner to capture the beauty who produced over 100 plays in his native Tickets are $25. For more information, Village, never entertaining the thought of and quirky spirit of its ancient buildings. Puglia and all over Italy before coming to visit italytime.org. living anywhere else. This February, I also Even now. www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 25 Theater Company Ars Nova Finds New Home in Greenwich Village

By Joe Salas has fostered community through the arts, and we’re excited to bring Ars Nova into Following a year-long search, Ars Nova has the fold,” said Roy Leavitt, Executive Di- been selected by Greenwich House as its rector of Greenwich House. “Not only new partner and operator of the historic, does Ars Nova have a strong vision for the 199-seat Greenwich House Theater located Greenwich House Theater, [it has] a track on the ground floor of Greenwich House’s record of fostering new artists and creating 27 Barrow Street building. In addition to diverse audiences. We’re looking forward operating and filling the beloved venue with to partnering with [Ars Nova] on new ini- new work by its emerging artists, Ars Nova tiatives for theater lovers of all ages.” will work with Greenwich House on new Opened in 1917 as the Greenwich House community engagement and educational Theater, Greenwich House’s Children The- initiatives that will deepen the mission of ater program occupied the space beginning both nonprofit organizations. in 1921. For over 65 years, under the lead- Ars Nova will occupy the Greenwich ership of children’s author and playwright House Theater beginning in early 2019. Helen Murphy, the theater not only pro- The stage will become the primary venue vided a constructive outlet for children of for Ars Nova’s award-winning, Off-Broad- the area’s mostly Italian immigrant families, way premiere productions. The move al- but its productions received widespread rec- lows Ars Nova to expose its emerging art- ognition. Beginning in the 1970s, a series ists to a growing audience base, increases ARS NOVA WILL MOVE INTO THE GREENWICH HOUSE THEATER IN 2019: Ars Nova has of professional theater companies began the technical capabilities of its home the- won acclaim as an artistic incubator for performances like Natasha, Pierre and the Great operating in the space. The now-defunct ater to keep pace with the big dreams of its Comet of 1812. Photo by Ben Arons. Sanctuary Theatre, whose members includ- world premiere artists and fully dedicate its ed voice artist Rip Torn and film star Ger- current theater on 54th Street to the dis- late our work of discovering and develop- initiatives. Together, Ars Nova and Green- aldine Page, began productions in 1979. In covery and development of new talent. ing talent by freeing up space in our own wich House can ensure that our resources 1985, Soho Rep. moved in, followed by the “Ars Nova is thrilled to have been se- jewel-box theater on 54th Street, where are used to launch the careers of extraordi- nonprofit Drama Dept. in the 1990s. Since lected to operate the Greenwich House we will be able to increase our services to narily deserving early-career artists, as well 2003, the theater has been occupied by the Theater, which will become our new home [the] artist community and expand…year- as foster and develop arts appreciation and Barrow Street Theatre Company and is cur- base for our Off-Broadway premieres,” said round programming. At the same time, aspiration among the youngest of our next rently home to a revival of Stephen Sond- Jason Eagan, the Founding Artistic Direc- this mission-driven partnership gives us an generation.” heim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of tor of Ars Nova. “This will, in turn, stimu- ideal platform to partner on arts education “For over 100 years, Greenwich House Fleet Street.

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For more information please visit KeyMediaPublicRelations.com 26 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org Invisible People of the West Village Goodbye Bette! Hello Bernadette! Two Village Girls Who Made it Big on Broadway

By Robert Heide

In summing up the 2017 Broadway theater season, Michael Riedel in his New York Post article, entitled “A Sure Bette” (dated De- cember 29, 2017), cites Hello Dolly! as the top, hot ticket of the year. He writes about producer Scott Rudin and director Jerry Zaks delivering a brilliant, no-expense- THE NEW DOLLY: Bernadette Peters and Rob- spared revival of the well-known musical, ert Heide pose together at the Palace Theatre which had whopping advance ticket sales in February 2017. Photo by John Gilman. of a cool $50 million. On January 14th, a great songstress. Bette also made many a double-page ad in the New York Times movies; my favorite is The Rose (1979) where announced the departure of Bette Midler she played a self-destructive, drug-addicted PUTTING A FACE ON THE ‘INVISIBLE PEOPLE’: Joel Gordon has been working on a photo es- (who is leaving to make a movie) in a giant, rock star modeled after Janis Joplin. Her say depicting homeless people since 2005. Photo by © Joel Gordon 2018 - All rights reserved. red Valentine heart, as a farewell. love interest in the movie was the handsome By Joel Gordon als living on the street.) I made portraits of Beginning on January 20th, the song now actor Frederic Forrest (who earlier had been couples on the street, a couple sleeping and being sung onstage at the Shubert Theatre in in my play Moon). Both were nominated for Each day, as I travel to my studio across town, living in a large sewer/water pipe, and volun- Hello Dolly! is “Hello Bernadette.” It should Academy Awards. I walk past the ‘invisible people’ that don’t ex- teers in food kitchens. be noted that Carol Channing, who played Last year in January, I attended the open- ist. I watch passersby who don’t make eye Next was Atlantic City, where I observed the lead role of Dolly Gallagher Levi for ing of Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close contact; it’s much easier to ignore the home- kitchen volunteers preparing and serving countless years on Broadway and who was (another Village gal) and found myself seated less existence. However, these people didn’t food for the homeless at Sister Jean’s Kitch- ultimately replaced by other stars to keep the in a loge alongside Bernadette Peters looking intend to become homeless or plan to live on en in the Presbyterian Church. This was show going (including Ginger Rogers, Betty as glamorous as ever. I originally met Berna- the street; each has his/her own story. Some where I found Sister Jean Webster (age 74) Grable, Pearl Bailey, and many others), was dette in 1966 when she starred at age 16 in a made bad decisions, others were victims, but who ran the soup kitchen that feeds up to still called “The best Dolly of them all.” nostalgic, 1930s-style musical entitled Dames it reflects on our society today that we just 400 people per day. “No one is turned away.” A few years back, I attended a production at Sea or Gold Diggers Afloat at Caffe Cino. leave them there. (Most will tell you that they Jean has been called ‘Sister Jean,’ ‘Saint of Hello Dolly! at the Paper Mill Playhouse And the rest, of course, is history. Dames be- are afraid to stay in New York City shelters.) Jean,’ and ‘The Mother Teresa of Jersey.’ in Millburn, New Jersey starring Tovah came the longest-running show at that coffee I began this photo essay of the homeless Back in New York, I continue to photo- Feldshuh, who I felt did a great job. Now, house theater on Cornelia Street and Berna- back in 2005, while in Orlando, Florida on graph the invisible by putting a face on them one wonders who may ultimately replace dette went on to appear in it at the Bowery a ride-along with the Orange County Sher- for others to see. You can view these images Bernadette down the line if this musical runs Lane. From there, she jumped to Broadway iff ’s Gang Enforcement Unit. One of the on my website: joelgordon.com. (On the left forever, as has Phantom, Wicked, Hamilton, or in Steven Sondheim’s remarkable Sunday deputy sheriffs approached me and said, “I side, go down the list to view the Homeless The Lion King—shows that may never close. in the Park with George and later in a super- have something you might find interesting to Gallery.) These two mega-stars, Bette Midler and revival of Sondheim’s Follies. Bernadette also photograph.” For the next four years, I stayed Bernadette Peters, both had humble be- starred in Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun, with the Orlando Union Rescue Mission and Above are the first images in a series entitled ginnings right here in Greenwich Village. the show which originated in the 1940s, with photographed many aspects of the home- Invisible People of the West Village—“West Vil- For the record, Bette first appeared in New Ethel Merman playing Annie Oakley. less, including those in family shelters, men’s lage Homeless in Winter Diptych.” On December York onstage at La MaMa in a show en- During the intermission at the Palace emergency shelters, and people waiting in the 30th, with snow on the ground, a homeless street titled Miss Nefertiti Regrets, written by the opening of the spectacular Sunset Boule- food line at Our Daily Bread for lunch. I also person is asleep, covered with clothing. He is late Tom Eyen of Dreamgirls fame. A small vard, we chatted about Bernadette’s early visited the Macon-Delta, a camp of homeless trying to keep warm next to Duane Reade’s heat part in Fiddler on the Roof in 1967 was the days at the Caffe Cino. “Those were the people living in the woods. (They are called vent on 7th Avenue and 12th Street. Photo by © Broadway debut for Bette, but her big thrust best of times for me,” she said, “I will never the ‘Tree People’ by other homeless individu- Joel Gordon 2018 – All rights reserved. on the showbiz scene was a breakthrough in forget Joe Cino.” When Joe died after a 1970 at the gay Continental Baths doing a ritualistic suicide in the Caffe in 1968, a cabaret act with Barry Manilow. (He did memorial for him at Judson Church found the arrangements and accompanied her on Bernadette singing, black mascara tears the piano.) Manilow and Bette followed up running down her cheeks, the lead song with a smash hit at the Palace Theatre, and from Dames—“It’s Raining in My Heart.” then a sell-out musical revue entitled Clams The sobs in the audience were palpable. on the Half Shell at the Minskoff. Bette lived Now to be sure, it is Bernadette who in the Village at this juncture in a house she stars and reigns on the Great White Way purchased on Barrow Street. called Broadway. As Bette had her big mo- Many times, my friend, director Ron ment to shine, it is time to turn the spot- Link, who was trying to get Bette into a light on the new Dolly and so, Hello Ber- show called My Name is Rachael Lily Rosen- nadette! Have fun and a solid run! (Note: bloom and Don’t You Ever Forget It, and I My favorite Bernadette movie, opposite would get together with Bette at the legend- Steve Martin and Christopher Walken, is ary Sutter’s Bakery on West 10th Street and Pennies From Heaven, a musical set in the Greenwich Avenue for coffee cake and gos- Depression era where she perfectly utters sip. (The show was eventually cast with El- the line, “We certainly made a mess of our len Greene and became a famous Broadway lives!” She delivers this line in a Chevy one-night flop.) A live wire, Bette liked to coupe as she and Martin are speeding away laugh and tell jokes—a born comic and, yes, to escape the law.) www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 27

Notes and Perspectives from Away: Maggie B’s Quick Clicks

Talking Points THOUGHT FOR THE DAY...When winter comes, spring can’t be far behind! for having been taken in. In following poli- tics, we’ve all gotten used to information that is just a little slippery and off-center. Political talk has lost its bearings. The voters, seeking to understand the issues, must do so through a veil of ‘talking points’ crafted by party leaders and passed on to office holders and candidates. By the time it gets to the voter, the message has been diluted and disinfected. An Occam’s Razor effect has prevailed—a reduction of the message to its simplest form. At every level of politics, these talking points are used to avoid the embarrass- ment of inconsistent views among party Jefferson scrutinized the first snow of the year falling in the backyard members, and ensure that the least skillful advocates have something to say, however superficial or imprecise. Whatever the con- text—media questions, town halls, debates, talk shows, editorial sit-downs—talking points are massaged and made to fit the moment. Talking points work because message discipline in the often wild swings of cam- paigns works. Without it, the media air would be full of individual opinions, nu- anced analyses, and justifications. For the voter, this would be welcome substance, but for the party, it portends message chaos. The maintenance of our democracy is IT’S ICE FISHING SEASON: Patrick is pic- receding into a struggle to flesh out what tured above digging his Shiner Trap from our elected representatives really think. the author’s frozen pond in Maine. Photo by Tom Lamia. Talking points have won out, not because they get at the truth, but because they are while neighbors slogged through the drifts piling up on Bank Street. By Tom Lamia good for party discipline and get legislative majorities elected. It’s been cold here in Maine, with over- Because they are simple, talking points night temperatures below zero. The pond are also by necessity general. Gaps are behind my house has developed a thick filled by imprecise, vague, often inaccurate layer of ice. It is ice fishing season, a time stuff to stay within the talking points. The for true Mainers to get out of the house bullshit, white lies, and calculated omis- and enjoy food, drink, and good stories sions that result are considered acceptable with friends while sitting in a shelter skid- as justified by the pursuit of a noble cause. ded onto lake ice. To make the experience Of course, in the shiner story, Mark was credible and verifiable, fish must be caught. stretching the truth in a way familiar to But D’Agostino’s artist/deli manager Sam and YOYA on Hudson Street offered Mercado reminded customers of the another cozy suggestion. For that, bait is needed, preferably live bait. me from my long-ago residency in Nige- season’s next big – indoor – social event, ‘Shiners’ are the live bait of choice. They ria, where ‘my brother’ means someone in can be farmed in small ponds and harvest- your extended family or tribe. In Maine, ed in traps inserted through a hole chiseled the concept of extended family includes in the pond ice. Forty years ago, we gave all who are not ‘from away.’ Being ‘from permission to an old friend, Raymond, to away’ means one was not born, raised, and stock our pond with shiners. That friend in continuous residence in a relevant geo- is now deceased but his grandson, Patrick, graphic area. Mark is from away because he continues to trap the shiners. lives in Bremen, the next town over. A few days ago, a stranger came to the Yesterday, I saw Mark again. I mentioned door, introduced himself as Mark, and the grandfather story and Patrick’s re- said he was Raymond’s grandson. “Would sponse. Mark was taken aback and seemed it be all right with you,” Mark asked, “if I a little confused. “I meant like a grandson.” put my trap in the pond?” Well, Mark be- If he were not from away, that would be an ing another of Raymond’s grandsons was acceptable response. enough for me. It seemed only fair to agree. In politics, truth stretching may be simi- I only realized 20 minutes later, when lar. The opposition is outside the tribe, so Patrick came to the door, that I should a little manipulation is acceptable. We, the have pressed Mark for more detail. It turns voters, need to set things right by demand- out that Patrick is Raymond’s only grand- ing truth, depth, civility, and relevance son. Mark, he said, was ‘from away’ and no from those who would govern us. We are In the meantime, how about enjoying a cheerful preview? All photos by Maggie Berkvist. relation at all. I can’t blame myself entirely neither from away nor outside the tribe. 28 WestView News February 2018 www.westviewnews.org

God continued from page 1 Monday, January 15, 2018 at 3:55 p.m. ministration to building, or refurbishing, Hello George, low-cost housing. Now that we have a new My name is Kenya Friend-Daniel, PR Di- Speaker for the City Council who is even rector at Trader Joe’s. Rachel forwarded your more dedicated to that cause, we have per- inquiry to me. Thank you for reaching out. haps arrived at an ideal juncture for novel At the moment, I am not aware of a Trader and innovative city planning. Joe’s location coming to Spring Street, in We have selected a very central site— New York. If I do hear of anything, I’ll reach Houston Street at 6th Avenue, which is out, or feel free to follow up, in the future. presently operated by the NYC Depart- Again, thank you for reaching out. ment of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) —Kenya as handball courts. These courts are now rarely used in season and, of course, are not Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 6:35 a.m. used at all in the winter. Hello Kenya, We are proposing a very new, very novel Thank you for getting back to me. idea: Apartments designed for seniors with The information about your new Trader walk-in tubs and help alarms. Those apart- Joe’s Spring Street location came from the ments would also have an extra bedroom Office of the Speaker of the New York City for a student who, in return for a low rent, Council. I am surprised that it may not be donates a number of hours to shop, take correct. (Can you check?) the seniors to the doctor, and in general, We are drafting a proposal for a senior offer some companionship. This allows care center in a very central location in students just out of college who want to the West Village and are projecting that it come to New York to, at last, find living would be ideal for a low-cost supermarket. space in Manhattan, which they, or more Do you want me to send you information accurately, their parents, can afford. on it so that you can forward it to the plan- But as long as we are accommodating SEPARATE BUT NEAR: The senior share apartment gives both the senior and the younger co-tenant privacy when they wish and easy access when needed. A continuous balcony ning group in your company? seniors and the next generation of New lets the senior walk only steps to sit in the sun and ensures privacy for visitors entering the —George Yorkers, why not address the need for a companion apartment. Image by Marcus Wilford. low-cost, neighborhood supermarket? Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 1:53 p.m. The street level of this new concept in cient a young, live-in companion. Some and back in an Uber. They would even heat Hi George, urban living will not only have to serve the seniors already sublet or even pay for a up some soup and make some toast. In We are expanding and therefore always seniors and juniors above, but also the entire young housemate to make up for near-zero the same building is a senior center, a free looking at new locations that might be a neighborhood with a low-cost supermarket. muscle power. lunchroom, and an indoor, heated pool so great fit, so I cannot tell you that there never This is where Trader Joe’s comes in. Ob- We have many ancients being harassed both young and old can get some exercise. has been or will be any interest in the area. I viously, if this new concept in city hous- by landlords who can get double, and even The spot I have selected for this very first can tell you that, currently, there are no con- ing becomes a reality, it cannot favor one triple, the rent for a rent-stabilized or (god SENIOR SHARE apartment complex is firmed plans to bring a Trader Joe’s to that supermarket chain over another. The lease forbid) a rent-controlled apartment. All Houston Street just before it hits 6th Avenue. location. I hope this helps. Thanks again. bidding has to be more or less open to all. they can do is call Corey Johnson’s office That is the site of some nearly abandoned —Kenya However, if Trader Joe’s were to join with and hope for free legal help while they con- handball courts built by Carmine DeSapio for a developer to finance and actually build template the menu of senior fatal illnesses the Italian teenagers who have long since gone. Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 3:12 PM the new Senior Junior Center, it would, of that await them. Peace, a little peace is al- The building has a deck wrapped right around Thank you for the response, Kenya Friend- course, have the rights to the location. most more than they feel they can ask for. it so the senior can just walk a few steps or roll Daniel. Okay, what are the obstacles to this plan? Back to God at the drafting board. Sup- a wheelchair out into the sun. This is not a casual matter. About a year The 30-year-old handball courts are pose there could be an apartment designed What’s so good about this idea? ago, Associated Supermarket on 14th managed by NYC Parks and there may to be shared, but with separations—one half Today, families come apart and move, Street and 8th Avenue closed and 200 be a few local residents who will want to for a senior alone, or a senior couple, and so mom’s daughter is living with her fam- mostly seniors, and virtually every local keep them operating as handball courts. the other side for a young person, or even a ily in San Francisco. This idea brings back politician, showed up to protest. But, as I say, with both a mayor and now a young couple. The seniors enjoy peace and young family members to help the ancients What I am telling you is important. Speaker of the City Council making hous- “60 Minutes” and the young, well, they en- in their declining years, and it does another We lose supermarkets, restaurants, and ing the number one goal, we have a chance joy what ever young people enjoy. thing. It allows us once again to welcome every kind of retail business because of in- to make history. The senior rent is set a little higher be- the young college grad to the streets of the creasing rents (the price of land in Man- Your response will be printed in the Feb- cause they are “enjoying” social security, West Village so he can begin his journey to hattan is exploding). ruary issue of WestView News. but the junior side of the apartment is of- the Senior Share apartments. But seniors living on social security, and —George fered at about the price of a college dorm absolutely frozen in rent-stabilized apart- Oh, one more thought. Just before the last big because the young persons will help out The following is my recent email exchange ments, find it difficult or nearly impossible snowstorm, Dusty went to shop at Trader Joe’s the seniors. They will shop (in this case, at with Trader Joe’s PR Director, Kenya Friend- to travel to a neighborhood that has a super- on 21st Street and 6th Avenue and discovered Trader Joe’s, which is just downstairs) and Daniel. The content has been edited by West- market with lower prices. They are trapped. a line of people around the block in the freezing they would take the seniors to the doctor View News. Mayor de Blasio has dedicated his ad- cold, waiting to get in.

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www.westviewnews.org February 2018 WestView News 29 NYC Annual Cat PURRRTY Revisited organized Universal Peace Day and enjoy creating events WIN $ CASH and bringing people together.) On the evening of Septem- and give your ber 30, 2016, guests arrived dressed as their cats, enjoyed live favorite restaurant PURRRformances, and danced to cat tunes as they tried on a FREE ad the JacCAT®. The event’s co-sponsors were local cat rescue organizations including the Mayor’s Animal Alliance, Ani- CALL 212.924.5718 mal Care Centers of NYC, and KittyKind. On October 29, 2017, in celebration of National Cat Day, I hosted the Second Annual NYC Cat PURRRTY at the Westbeth Community Space. There, I premiered Staring Into Space my new red-and-black velvet Happy JacCAT® and the launching of my online shop, www.SuSu.nyc, featuring By Roberta Curley apparel and home goods for cat lovers. As guests entered the PURRRTY, they were greeted by a We boogied on my Dad’s porch. face-painter who transformed them into cats, with whiskers and cat-noses. Adding to the feline festivities, cat-themed I whooped out karaoke to Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen.” music played—“We Are Siamese If You Please,” “What’s New, Pussycat?” and tunes from the Broadway show CATS. My boyfriend Guy preferred crooning Elvis. A highlight of the party included live PURRRformances by He begged me: “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear.” singer/actress Louisa Bradford, who sang “Stray Cat Strut,” followed by jazz diva, Eve Zanni, who got everyone meow- I pleaded: “Chill, Guy. I’m capturing the sky.” ing as they accompanied her singing “Everyone Wants to Be My blue sky was lined a Cat.” Projected on the backdrop was a slideshow of guests’ with puffy, white parallelograms. SHE DISPLAYS HER LOVE AFFAIR WITH CATS: SuZen is cat photos along with photos of Ari, Gato, Sushi, and Sashimi. pictured above modeling the ‘Happy JacCAT’ and Dragonfly Who knew this observation of natural leggings in her Westbeth studio. Photo by Roberta Mahana. Helping to support the cat rescue cause, donations from sales are given to KittyKind, a nonprofit, no-kill, all-volun- phenomena would shake up his pinballs, By SuZen teer, cat adoption group located in Petco at Union Square; spinning our relationship into a permanent TILT? that is where I adopted my two black cats, Ari and Gato. Some 30-plus years ago, my love affair with cats began with If you missed the Cat PURRRTY, I’ll be participating I’d been studying facets of meteorology. a Siamese cat named Sushi, whose life changed mine and in the High Line Open Studios on March 10th and 11th fostered my exploration into the world of cats. As chroni- from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Please also join me at my Guy seemed content to wail along with cled in my book, The Love Story of Sushi and Sashimi: A Cat Westbeth studio where I’ll be displaying my fashion, pho- my refurbished Victrola. Tale (published by Capri Press), Sushi meets and falls in love tography, books, and more. All are welcome! with an adorable Siamese kitten, Sashimi. Their Zen wis- I cozied up to him, explaining that some dom is told in their own voices as the relationship evolves. SuZen is a longtime Westbeth artist, known for her 40-foot skywatchers see hexagons, triangles— Nothing can be more fun than hanging out with my two by 25-foot painted mural, which has graced Times Square for even quadrilaterals in the firmament. cats and photographing them. Fast forward: Out of this, my more than three decades. Always pushing the boundaries, her photography morphed into new directions—fashion and Cat photography expanded into the public arena with installations “That’s pie in the sky,” said Guy, ending with: “I Want To Walk You Home.” (Fats Domino) PURRRTIES. One never knows where life will take you. and performances in the World Trade Center Lobby, Staten In 2016, I designed and trademarked the JacCAT® jacket Island Ferry, and JFK Airport. In the 1990s, SuZen began Last I heard, Guy engineered an Uber-like with a large, black cat silhouette that immortalizes my cat, designing artwear, patenting the CatWrap™ and designing enterprise called Walk a Date Home. Ari. After launching an Indiegogo campaign to fund its the SuSu. Her newest collection for cat lovers, as well as her production in New York City, I decided to create the First photography, can be viewed at: www.SuSu.nyc and suzennyc. He’s likely pooh-poohing the constellations, Annual NYC Cat PURRRTY. (Over the last 30 years, I’ve com, respectively. To contact SuZen, write to: [email protected]. too.

Capturing the Second Women’s March

More than 200,000 protesters at- tended the Second Women’s March in New York on Saturday, January 20th. Thousands also turned out in Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Rome, and hundreds of other cities and towns.

Both men and women attended the rally on Central Park West with protest signs, to show solidarity and to voice their anger again at Presi- dent Trump. Several speakers urged women to channel their energy into helping democrats win races in the upcoming midterm elections in a rally called ‘Power to the Polls.’

Text and photos by © Joel Gordon 2018 - All rights reserved. Modernism lives in Tribeca.

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