THETHE BROADSHEETBROADSHEET Volume 25 Number 16 September 20 ~ October 6, 2021 www.eBroadsheet.com © All Rights Reserved 2021 The Broadsheet Inc. Penny-Farthing Lane ‘It Will Be Very Sufficient Unto NEWS & Easy’ the Dey New Bike Path on COMMENT New Governor Backs Lottery Opens for Brooklyn Bridge Opens Predecessor’s Plan New Affordable “That old September feeling, left for Essential Apartments in over from school days, of summer By Matthew Fenton Workers Financial District passing, vacation nearly done, obli- gations gathering, books and foot- Monument Building ball in the air ... Another fall, another turned page: there was something of jubilee in that annual autumnal By Matthew Fenton By Matthew Fenton beginning, as if last year's mistakes had been wiped clean by summer.” — Wallace Stegner At the site of the New Market Building, Community Board 1 has called for a facility that could in- clude a community center (with indoor and rooftop recreation space); rental and repair facilities for bicycles, boats and other recreational equipment, or a restaurant. While many residents and Lower Manhattan’s meager in- The Winds of Change community activists may have ventory of affordable rental apart- On Saturday, September 25, the hoped that plans for an Essential ments will soon swell by 63 units, Reclamation Trounces South Street Seaport Museum will Workers Monument in Battery Park thanks to a new development near- welcome the Apollonia, a traditional Preservation City had perished in tandem with ing completion at 185 Broadway, at gaff-rigged schooner, capable of the political demise of former Gov- the corner of Dey Street. The build- carrying 20,000 pounds of cargo. ernor Andrew Cuomo (who re- ing, which will be known by its The Hudson River’s only wind- Public officials, including City Council member Margaret Chin (center) and State Senator Brian Kavanagh (second from right) open the new Brooklyn Bridge bike line on Tuesday. signed in disgrace, in August), his branding address of 7 Dey, will con- Demolition of Historic Structure in powered merchant freighter will successor may have other ideas. tain a total of 206 apartments (the dock at Pier 16 (near the corner of Seaport Now Underway Visiting the World Trade Center remaining 143 units will be market- Fulton and South Streets), where n September 14, Mayor Bill observed that, “New Yorkers have site on September 8th as part of the rate rentals), along with several she will offload a cargo of New York O By Matthew Fenton de Blasio kept a promise made in his increasingly taken up bicycles as a floors of retail and office space. In State cider, maple products, wool, January State of the City address by healthy and environmentally exchange for committing to afford- and other sustainable goods, for sale opening a dedicated bike lane on friendly way to travel. Bikes have ability protections on the 63 units, at the Fulton Stall Market. The the Brooklyn Bridge, separated been a growing part of our response developer S.L. Green received tax Over the summer, the City’s Economic Development Corporation Apollonia is the Hudson Valley’s only from both the pedestrian deck to climate change and a big part of incentives worth many millions of (EDC) began the long-anticipated demolition of the New Market Building carbon-neutral, wind-powered mer- above and vehicle traffic with which what makes New York work for dollars, which helped to build the in the South Street Seaport. This development ignores a years-long cam- chant vessel, which sails regularly it shares the roadbed. “A lot of many people. There’s no better $300 million project. paign by preservationists to protect and rehabilitate the venerable struc- between New York Harbor and people worked a long time for this place to create a safe, efficient bike- People wishing to live in the af- ture. Hudson Valley towns such as Kings- day, and everyone knows that the way than the Brooklyn Bridge, his- fordable units at 7 Dey are urged The site has been a focus of controversy for nearly as decade. In 2013, ton, Ossining, Newburgh, and Hud- bike lanes that existed on the Brook- torically one of the first great enter the affordable housing lottery the Howard Hughes Corporation (HHC), which has been designated by son, as part of eco-friendly supply lyn Bridge really weren’t working,” bridges that unified our city and still being overseen by the City’s Depart- the City to redevelop the South Street Seaport, announced plans to demol- chain. For centuries, schooners car- he said. “As it got more and more a critical connector, as well as an ment of Housing Preservation and ish the structure and erect a 60-story residential tower there. This plan in- rying goods down the Hudson River crowded, we had to do something icon of New York around the Development (HPD), and operated spired bitter opposition among preservationists, community leaders, and from upstate docked at the South different. Here it is.” world.” by non-profit Settlement Housing elected officials, which eventually scuttled the proposal. Street Seaport, distributing cargo to Manhattan Borough President He also commended the Mayor Fund. These apartments are set Even with that planned skyscraper’s cancellation, however, the New local markets or transferring their Gale Brewer said, “finally, cyclists for finishing the project ahead of aside for applicants making between Market building had long faced an uncertain future, with decades of neglect loads onto ocean-bound ships for and tourists—and cyclists who are schedule (Mr. de Blasio originally Newly installed Governor Kathy Hochul, 70 and 130 percent of the area me- having compromised the structure. Possibly eclipsing such considerations more distant destinations. But the who says an Essential Workers Monument dian income (AMI), which qualifies was the condition of the deck and pilings beneath the facility, which were tourists—are getting the protected promised to open it by year’s end), is necessary and appropriate. Apollonia is not a quaint “living his- biking lane they deserve. Diverting but in one sense, all of the public them as low and middle income. tory” project, seeking to make the bikes to this path will make the officials who attended the Tuesday twentieth anniversary observances (“Low income” is actually a demo- past come alive. Rather, it is part of bridge’s pedestrian paths even more ribbon-cutting ceremony were late of the terrorist attacks of September graphic middle zone, situated above growing sail-freight movement offer- popular and make everyone, to the party: The new bike lane was 11, 2001, newly installed Governor “very low income,” and “extremely ing relevant, intelligent solutions for whether on two legs or two wheels, finished more than a week ago, but Kathy Hochul told a reporter from low income.”) today’s problems. For more infor- feel safer.” remained closed to await its “offi- NY1 News that her predecessor, The range of apartments being mation: www.schoonerapollonia.com City Council member Margaret cial” debut. During that time, hun- “was correct—there needs to be an offered at 7 Dey includes studios (25 Chin added, “this is a bold step to- dreds of cyclists jumped the fence appropriate memorial.” When units), one bedrooms (30 units), and Run to Remember wards creating a more efficient and made unauthorized trips across asked about local opposition to Mr. two bedrooms (eight units). Appli- The annual Stephen Siller Tunnel transportation system, which is ex- the bridge. Cuomo’s original plan, Governor cants earning between $45,566 and to Towers Run/Walk event will take actly what our City needs. Bicycling The debut of the eight-foot wide Hochul added, “it will be very easy $167,570 (depending on the size of place on September 26, starting at is a great emissions-free way to ac- bike path on the Manhattan-bound for me to reach out and get the opin- apartment desired, and number of 9:30 am. This year, a contingent of cess Lower Manhattan and it’s also side of the road is the first reconfig- ions of the community, but this ab- people in the household) will be Lower Manhattan residents, Team a lot of fun! Creating a bicycle lane uration of the Brooklyn Bridge solutely has to happen.” considered. Goodkind, will participate as a on Brooklyn Bridge is an example since trolley tracks were per- State Assembly member Yuh- To enter the lottery for affordable group, honoring late community of how we can better use our exist- manently removed in 1950. Line Niou responded that, “com- apartments at 7 Dey (the deadline leader Tom Goodkind, and support- ing infrastructure and this change Moving cyclists to the lower deck munity monuments must involve for which is November 3, 2021), ing his years-long campaign to make should be the first of many. Our will also free up space for pedes- community input. The most emo- browse: housingconnect.nyc.gov/Public- the apartment tower planned for the City needs more dedicated bicycle trians on the existing walkway, lo- tionally powerful monuments in our Web/details/2288 The historic New Market Building, which preservationists regarded as eminently worth saving, is Five World Trade Center site 100 lanes so that any New Yorker can cated above the roadbed, which was City have that power because our Rents for these affordable units now being demolished. percent affordable. All who are in- ride a bicycle as safely as they can previously shared by pedalers and communities came together with range from $1,329 for a studio for terested are invited to join this team- drive a car on our streets.” people traveling on foot. public officials to create special, one person earning between arguably in worse disrepair than the New Market Building itself.