News July 2017
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Turtle Bay News A Publication of the Turtle Bay Association August 2017 Vol. 60, No. 3 Turtle Bay Association, at 60 Years Old, Will Celebrate Its Achievements ome 60 years ago this fall, a small a city plan they deemed harmful to the ate, and group of East 49th Street residents neighborhood. They gave themselves a the group Sgot together at Amster Yard, locat- name – the East 49th Street Association changed ed between Second and Third avenues, – and after some long, thoughtful strat- its name to to strategize on how they could scuttle egy sessions, they went on to win their the Turtle battle: The city halted its plan to broaden Bay Asso- 49th Street to make way for more auto- ciation. mobile traffic, which would have meant This fall, narrowing the sidewalks and uprooting as the or- well-established shade trees in the pro- ganization cess. marks its Dag Hammarskjold Plaza 60th an- today, looking east. Their success encouraged the group to niversary, it can look back with pride at take on other fights to preserve the neigh- some hard-fought struggles to maintain borliness of the East Midtown area, and the area’s residential appeal, a major before long, residents from blocks north challenge for a neighborhood located and south of 49th Street had joined the Two clapboard houses at 312-314 East 53rd between the United Nations’ six-block Street, built in 1866. Both are designated cause. Soon, the designation of “49th complex on one side and the office tow- landmarks. Street” no longer seemed appropri- continued on page 5 Turtle Bay’s Supermarket Loss Reflects City-wide Event Calendar Trend National Night Out Against Crime In the fall of 2015, when the Food Empo- ing them are specialty fresh and prepared Tuesday, August 1, 5-8:30 pm rium in Turtle Bay closed, residents were food stores (Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s) unhappy to hear that a CVS store would that carry few, if any, household items, Dag Hammarskjold Plaza replace it. Left with only two full-service and chain pharmacies (Walgreens-Duane Second Avenue at 47th Street supermarkets located far afield within the Reade, CVS) that offer household and lim- Live music. Free food. Elected officials. area, the addition of another large-chain ited food goods, but no fresh foods: meat, City Department information displays. Sponsored by the 17th Precinct pharmacy to the several already nearby fish, produce, dairy and bread. Community Council was unwelcome news. The trend is widespread and unwelcome _______ In the event, CVS has yet to arrive and the to many, especially senior citizens, people Save the Date space remains empty, its capacious win- with disabilities and those who live in TBA 60th Anniversary Celebration dows covered with brown paper. A source poorer neighborhoods. Manhattan Bor- Thursday Sept 7, 6-9 pm at 251 East 51st Street, the building which ough President Gale A. Brewer recently Join us for cocktails. leases the store, informed the TBA that published a report, “Manhattan Super- Japan Society markets: How to Keep Them Alive,” that CVS still intends to move in, but has been 333 East 47th Street hampered in its plans to reconfigure the reviews three cases in the city (including Invitation to come space by the contract inherited from the Turtle Bay’s Food Emporium), details previous tenant. the supermarket landscape in Manhattan, examines the impact of store closings on Traditional supermarkets are becom- ing scarcer in New York City. Replac- continued on page 6 Turtle Bay Association • 224 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 • (p) 212-751-5465 • (f) 212-751-4941 • [email protected] • turtlebay-nyc.org TBA Who’s Who New Book Tells of City-UN Partnership Turtle Bay Association A new book, scheduled to be in bookstores concern felt 224 East 47th Street later this summer, chronicles the often most deeply New York, NY 10017 rocky relationship between New York City by residents in Phone: 212-751-5465 and the UN. “A Worldly Affair: New York, the Turtle Bay Fax: 212-751-4941 the United Nations, and the Story Behind community. Email: [email protected] Their Unlikely Bond,” written by Pamela Website: www.turtlebay-nyc.org Yet, as the city- Hanlon and published by Fordham Uni- UN bond now versity Press, is the history of the more Check our Bulletin Board: moves into its East side of Second Avenue than seventy-year partnership that some eighth decade between 48th and 49th Streets, have likened to a long marriage: There – with the UN outside wall of supermarket. have been quarrels at times, even threats headquarters to leave one another, but through all the complex hav- years, the two have stuck together. Board of Directors ing been fresh- The book opens in 1945, when Mayor ly renovated for the future and the city Officers Fiorello La Guardia was doggedly deter- President: William E. Curtis proudly proclaiming the organization adds Secretary: Mary Marangi mined to bring the new world body to New nearly $4 billion to the New York econo- Treasurer: Dick Irwin York, and it moves through the often tense, my each year – it is clear the decades-long Vice Presidents: Millie Margiotta troubling decades that follow. In the UN’s marriage will last. Dolores Marsh, Bruce Silberblatt early days in the city, the organization “A Worldly Affair” (Fordham University Directors faced racial prejudice and anti-communist Press/Empire State Editions; 224 pages Ethel Bendove, Bunny Blei, passions, and city residents grew impa- plus 35-photo insert; $29.95) is currently Meryl Brodsky, Orin Buck, tient with spies, scofflaw diplomats, pro- available on Amazon.com, and will be in Paul Crawford, William E. Curtis, vocative foreign visitors and controversial Lee Frankel, Phyllis Gitomer, bookstores as of September 5. UN-member policy positions. Later, as the Vivian Gordon, Denise Hamilton, UN grew from 51 member states to 193 Hanlon is also author of “Manhattan’s Marie-Louise Handal, Bill Huxley, today, New Yorkers often resented build- Turtle Bay: Story of a Midtown Neighbor- Dick Irwin, Florence Kelly, ing encroachment on their neighborhood, a hood” (Arcadia Publishing, 2008). Mary F. Marangi, Millie Margiotta, Mark P. Markowski, Dolores Marsh, Pat McDougald, Michael Resnick, Carol Rinzler, Bruce Silberblatt News from Community Board 6 partment of Health and Mental Hygiene or the NYS Department of Health. Honorary Emeriti CB6 Has a New Address Barbara Connolly The CB6 office is now located at 235 East New Pedestrian Safety Measures 20th Street. Mailing address is: Commu- Installed nity Board Six Manhattan, PO Box 1672, Following a fatal pedestrian accident at Community Calendar New York, NY 10159-1672. Telephone: 58th Street and Second Avenue in early 17th Precinct Community Council 212-319-3756. Fax: 212-319-3772. Email: July, CB6 called on the Department of Open Meeting [email protected]. Transportation, resulting in the installation Last Tuesday every month, 6 pm Resource Guide to Landmarks of a leading pedestrian interval signal at Sutton Place Synagogue 225 East 51st Street Now Available the intersection. 212-826-3228 CB6 has released its first resource guide Community activism made this possible. (No meetings July, August, December) for designated landmarks within the dis- CB6 invites residents to report the most trict. The Guide was produced in the face dangerous intersections near their homes. of proliferating development that might If you know of a dangerous intersection, Community Board 6 threaten some of these sites and others not please fill out a survey at cbsix.org. Full Board Meeting yet formally designated as landmarks. The Second Wednesday every month, aim is to inform CB6 residents about these Editorial Committee 7 pm NYU Medical Center historic treasures, so they can learn about, Lee Frankel Editor: 550 First Avenue enjoy and participate in protecting them. Layout: Hilary Black 212-319-3750 Contributors: Hanita Blumfield, Health Care: Free Home HIV Test Now live online at Bill Huxley Available http://wp.cbsix.org/live Eligible participants can receive a free Photographs: Lee Frankel, Vivian home HIV test from either the NYC De- Gordon, Bill Huxley 2 Turtle Bay News www.turtlebay-nyc.org A Successful 2017 Katharine Hepburn Garden Party This year’s party, in Dag Hammarskjold Hannah Harding, plants to the existing resplendent green- Plaza, was the 20th one celebrating Katha- Party-goers had a tour of the Katharine ery. Hepburn lived in Turtle Bay for many rine Hepburn’s birthday. It was as enjoy- Hepburn Garden led by Anne Saxon- years. She was a devoted gardener, and the able as ever. Hersh, Director of Development for garden in DHP is named for her. The day began with a live performance of Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. The event was co-sponsored by Friends of favorites from The Great American Song- Anne recently oversaw the rejuvenation of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza and the Turtle book by cabaret and Broadway singer the garden, which added hundreds of new Bay Association. www.turtlebay-nyc.org Turtle Bay News 3 The Greenmarket: Country Comes to Midtown BY HANITA BLUMFIELD Visit Dag Hammarskjold Plaza on a DHP green- cheese and pasteurized eggs, go no farther Wednesday, and you’ll find it transformed market for 20 than Millport Dairy, located in Lancaster by the greenmarket and permeated with years. Their County, Pennsylvania. They also sell Choc- the sights and scents of the country: fresh Yukon gold olate Whoopee pie, Shoofly pie, and other vegetables, fruits and flowers, herbs, spic- potatoes, heir- goodies. The plaza merchants also bring es, and freshly baked breads, muffins and loom toma- a variety of fresh sea food, including tuna cakes. toes and let- steaks, with the major vendor being Pura Farmers of- tuces looked Vida Fisheries from Suffolk County.