The Voice of the West Village WestView News VOLUME 13, NUMBER 11 NOVEMBER 2017 $1.00 A Little More of Music at St. Veronica’s Receives Praise and Funding St. Vincent’s Returns By George Capsis Northwell opens new ambulatory surgery center. “It is a magnificent idea,” offered one West By George Capsis A few days ago, I heard that Limerick Villager with a check for $100 for the first accent again: There was Dowling being concert of Music at St. Veronica’s on Satur- I first heard the Limerick accent of Mi- interviewed on “The Long Island Busi- day, November 25th at 7:00 p.m. chael J. Dowling four years ago as he stood ness Report” and I began to hear a clear, “Dear folks: You are wonderful and bril- on the stage of P.S. 41 where my wife and frank summary of the hospital business to- liant and WE LOVE YOU!” was fol- I had sent our three kids, and where I had day. It was a near-perfect summation and I lowed by a check for $50. been the President of the PTA. wanted our readers to read it. So, I emailed Another letter stated, “As a 50-plus-year Dowling was trying to reassure a packed Terry Lynam (yet another Irishman), Se- resident of the Village, I really enjoy your pa- auditorium that the urgent care facility nior Vice President and Chief Public Re- per. Keep up the good work!” they planned to build in the Joseph Cur- lations Officer at Northwell, to request a Here are some additional words from our ran building would take care of 85% of all transcription. He kiddingly replied, “It’s readers: medical emergencies. I got up on the stage going to cost too much,” and sent me the “When I saw [that] you had put back the to say that I was not concerned with the video link. We did the transcription our- subscription coupon, I mentioned to my hus- 85% but the 15%. I pointed to him sit- selves and I kiddingly sent it to him. band, as we were discussing online versus ting in the front row and demanded that But before I start to quote Dowling, I print, ‘Well I’m glad that you have been sub- he open the closed St. Vincent’s Hospi- want to go back to what I learned of his scribing to WestView online.’ He looked up tal. The chant was picked up by the audi- background. It is an unmatched story of and said, ‘No, I thought you have been tak- ence—“Open it, open it.” dignified poverty elevated to a position of ing care of that for years now!’ Don’t ask what surprising power. But he is still the lad from discussion followed! So here is my check for Limerick without a shadow of pretension. a two-year subscription and a modest gift for SPECTACULAR SOUND awaits the audi- In an earlier television interview, Dowl- you to continue to give out free copies.” ence of the first concert ofMusic at St. ing talks about growing up in Limerick as “All my best to you and the fine people Veronica’s on Saturday, November 25th the oldest of six. His father worked for the who make WestView Happen.” as sound will reverberate in a 75-foot-high county as a road worker and had to walk I don’t know which gives me a warmer marble-lined chamber. Photo by © Joel or bicycle miles to get to work each morn- feeling: the words of praise or the checks. Gordon 2017. ing. Dowling’s mother became totally deaf at age six after taking an improper dose of medicine. Later, his father became disabled with arthritis and could not work, leaving Barry Diller Asks Me Michael the principal wage earner for the family. to Print His Words The family lived in a three-room thatched home built in the 1850s with a By George Capsis to get this to you on behalf of Mr. Barry dirt floor, a large middle room with a fire- Diller. Please see below the breaking news place, and two small rooms. Dowling slept Below, I have included my (slightly revised) from Mr. Diller on his plans for Pier 55. This three in a bed. After heavy rains, the walls email exchanges with Valerie Combs—the statement is to be attributed to Mr. Diller. NORTHWELL REVEALS CATH LAB became so damp that if you brushed up Senior Vice President and Head of Com- In the last month, I have been the recipi- EFFORTS: George Capsis, Publisher against them you came away wet. There munications at IAC—between October of WestView (left) was encouraged by ent of so much importuning, from so many Northwell head Michael J. Dowling’s (right) was no electricity, no hot water, and only 25th and 27th. These emails conveyed my people, all with the same sentiment: They all revelation that they were exploring open- outside toilets. attempts to meet Barry Diller in person. express their hope that we not give up and ing a cath lab to treat heart attacks but he They lived in farm country but they instead find some way to proceed with build- warned of the rigid approval requirements. had no farm, and from a very early age, Hi George, ing Pier 55. Letters/calls/emails/texts—and Photo by © Joel Gordon 2017. Continued on page 8 I run communications for IAC, and wanted Continued on page 4 The Arch The Birds Crochet Trees Artist Ai Weiwei’s instal- In this issue, Keith Michael Holly Boardman, the owner of lation under the Wash- takes us to the ends of Musee Lingerie, discusses her ington Square Arch has the subway lines in order inspiration and process in cre- evoked myriad emotions to experience unique ating the colorful yarn patterns and perspectives on art, avian sights and sounds. adorning West Village street architecture, and immi- (Page 26) trees. (Page 19). gration policy. (Page 10) 2 WestView News November 2017 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. by and for the residents of the West Village. Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections Publisher Don’t Let the When I supported Bernie Sanders, peo- New York State Officials Executive Editor Constitutional Convention ple said, “No, it will split the party and open George Capsis Distract You the door to the Republicans.” Bullshit. Do- • Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D) was Managing Editor ing nothing opens the door to Republicans. convicted of taking over $5 million in bribes Andreea Ioana Pantor Dear Editors: New York has the 46th worst turnout for (2015). A retrial is pending. Associate Editor I am very much against the Constitutional elections in the U.S., worse than “voter • Majority Leader of the New York State Andrew Buemi Convention, which Arthur Z. Schwartz suppression happy” North Carolina; it has a Senate, Dean Skelos (R), was convicted of Advertising Manager & Designer discusses in the October 2017 issue of 42% average turnout, while we have a 29% federal corruption charges (2015). A retrial Stephanie Phelan WestView (“Why Vote ‘Yes’ for a Constitu- turnout. Alabama, Arkansas, and Missis- is pending. Photo Editor tional Convention?”), for four reasons. sippi have higher voter turnout rates. New • Deputy Majority Leader of the New York Darielle Smolian There are changes we need to make but York also has the most political leaders con- Senate, Tom Libous (R), was convicted of Traffic Manager the way to do that is to defeat the Inde- victed of crimes than any other state in the lying to the FBI (2015). Liza Whiting pendent Democratic Conference (IDC). U.S. You may consult the list for the last • Minority Leader of the New York State We have some momentum on this and the seven years, below. Senate, John L. Sampson (D), was convict- Photographer Maggie Berkvist Constitutional Convention would be a dis- Do we need to preserve this kind of sys- ed of obstructing justice and making false ©Joel Gordon traction. I think it’s a bait-and-switch to tem? I urge my neighbors to vote ‘Yes’ for a statements (2015). distract us from what we must do. Constitutional Convention. • Majority Leader of the New York State Comptroller We also need to focus on getting a bet- Jolanta Meckauskaite —Arthur Z. Schwartz continued on page 3 ter U.S. Congress. There are at least four Architecture Editor nearby Republican congressmen we need CORRECTION Brian Pape to defeat. The Village Independent Dem- Film, Media and Music Editor ocrats (VID) is focused on 19, and if we A Serious Mistake Jim Fouratt have more energy, Staten Island is next. If Food Editor we have a Constitutional Convention, we We made a serious error in the Oc- It is terrifying to imagine how anoth- David Porat would be spending money and time on tober 2017 issue of WestView News, er mass casualty event would be man- delegates, and that will drain money and which warrants several comments. In aged with the dramatic loss of hospitals, Distribution Manager attention from Congress. “Jim Fouratt’s Have You Heard?” ar- emergency rooms, etc. Timothy Jambeck Haven’t we learned that anti-immigrant, ticle, he stated: “While St. Vincent’s —George Capsis Regular Contributors anti-poor people, anti-choice, anti-LB- Hospital was on high alert that day, not Barry Benepe, Caroline Benveniste, GTQ propaganda distorts our political one injured person was brought to the Dear Editors: Charles Caruso, Jim Fouratt, process? Do we want that here? I picture hospital during the 9/11 disaster.” This I was shocked to read the following John Gilman, Mark.