The Voice of the West Village WestView News VOLUME 14, NUMBER 7 JULY 2018 $1.00 If You Can’t Fix It, Lie 14th Street NYCHA gives a course in lying and even has a textbook Fight Moves By George Capsis It used to boast that it was succeeding while to lead poisoning, which, according to the similar developments in cities like Chicago Mayo Clinic, causes delayed development I clicked on the TV to find Mayor de Bla- and St. Louis were blowing up as abject fail- and learning difficulties. This is certainly Forward sio, in front of a gaggle of terribly young ures. However, an 80-page civil complaint not what children in single-parent impov- City Council members, competently run- against NYCHA, filed in federal court on erished households need. But all of this ning down the council’s achievements as Monday, June 11th, unveiled a very different was concealed by the people in charge at the session apparently came to an end. With story; it claimed that NYCHA had trained NYCHA, and at this moment we do not only the slightest change in tone he slid into its staff to fool federal inspectors and pres- know how many children have been affect- what was happening to the New York City ent false reports to the government about its ed. (Even if only one child dies from nib- Housing Authority—NYCHA—which compliance with, among other things, de- bling on lead paint chips, what does that houses at least 400,000 people and is the tecting and removing lethal lead paint. reveal about the NYCHA official who lied largest public housing complex in the world. Young children are especially susceptible continued on page 5 holiday in Greece, arranged by his wife as a welcome home gift, just before they moved Maison Kayser Closes into their massive double mansion just off They are picking them off higher on the vine Central Park. Nelly informed me that “the bakery on “THE MTA MAKES A DEAL, WHY NOT Christopher and Bleecker has closed.” I had DOT?” 14th Street Coalition lawyer Arthur to do a mental double-take to arrive at the Schwartz at press conference announcing realization that the bakery that had closed new elevators at 6th Avenue. Photo credit: was the newish, expensively built, Maison Mike Schweinsburg Kayser—oh wow! By Arthur Z. Schwartz I mean, you are used to hearing of yet an- other fashion boutique closing, but a nice, Elevators coming to 14th Street French bakery with great bread, warm out of the oven—oh wow, what happened? and 6th Avenue Maison Kayser is a big, big chain in On June 18, the 14th Street Coalition France, started by a French Alsatian fam- and Disabled in Action announced a big ily (hence the German name), but the store win in their joint lawsuit versus the MTA, on Christopher was part of a mini-franchise NYC Transit, and the NYC Department here in New York. They still have stores left, of Transportation: Within the next four one in Brooklyn and one in Tribeca. When years, four elevators will be installed on they opened, I met with one of the co-own- the corners of 14th Street and Sixth Av- ers who came out of Pain Quotidian. enue allowing people with disabilities and Oh my, it was so perfectly French. French CLOSED BEFORE THE BAGUETTE COOLED: “don’t come back in the morning” Maison Kai- seniors to access the L Train, F Train, and ser employees were informed in surprise shut down. Photo credit © Joel Gordon 2018 - All novelist, Marc Levy, invited me to breakfast PATH trains. The MTA has committed rights reserved. with a French film actor (whose face I knew to an expenditure of $30 million for the but whose name I forget), and I learned a L Train elevators and will include money by George Capsis a years’ long struggle with our very own real French breakfast is a warm baguette, for the F Train elevators in its 2020 budget king of evil landlords, Steve Croman. By sliced long, and spread with butter and jam. proposal. Oh, wow. I got a call from Peruvian born, the way, Croman has just emerged from his But why did they close? I walked over, The lawsuit grew out of the planned Nelly Godfrey, who lost her restaurant on slap on the wrist (a nine months prison sen- and sure enough, there was a sign thanking MTA repair of the Canarsie Tunnel, which the corner of Christopher and Bedford in tence, in the Tombs) and celebrated with a continued on page 4 continued on page 6 Bird Park Dolly Returns The Wedding! While strollling through the Bette Midler shines in Nicky Perry of Tea & Sym- Hudson River Park on a hot the revival of Hello Dolly pathy finds her own way of Summer day, author Keith on Broadway. celebrating the royal wedding Michael sighted lots and lots right on Greenwich Avenue. of different kinds of birds. SEE PAGE 7 SEE PAGE 27 SEE PAGE 4 2 WestView News July 2018 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. by and for the residents of the West Village. Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections Publisher hard to sympathize with the client’s de- dents can picnic; parents can feel comfort- Executive Editor George is On To Something George Capsis Dear George, mands for a new headquarters. Albert able watching their children in a safe and Ledner, the Bronx-born, New Orleans- secure environment to run and play. Managing Editor We just spoke on the phone. I read the article Katie Keith on younger, physically more capable people based architect, was hired based on his Each of the other five sites also have com- Associate Editor helping older people who need help while F.L.Wright-influenced contemporary resi- mon gardens, in differing size, but all West Andrew Buemi sharing one home. I love this idea! I helped dences in Louisiana; this Maritime Union Village Houses’ residents have accessibility to Production Manager my grandma in the process of dying to the ex- Building must have been a stretch for him. enter into any of the common garden areas. Designer tent that I could since I had a young child and Similarly, the Port Authority hired Mi- The valuable location of West Village Hous- Kim Plosia noru Yamasaki, in 1962, based on his graceful, es is evident by its super close proximity to Stephanie Phelan was not living in the same town. But with my mom, I was very involved with her passing un- smaller building designs (I recently revisited his Hudson Park; three of the buildings actually Advertising Manager St. Louis Lambert Terminal), but then forced have frontal views of the Hudson River; the Stephanie Phelan til the very end. I was with her on a daily basis and assisted in anything she needed. an unfathomable demand for 10,000,000 SF HighLine and the Whitney Museum are a Photo Editor of floor area onto the design for the World hop, skip and a jump away from the complex. Darielle Smolian In the process, I have come to appreciate that immensely special role one takes on Trade Center site. Contemporary architects Yes, the buildings are modest, architec- Traffic Manager in those last years in somebody else’s life. I seek to comply with their clients’ programs, turally-speaking, but what’s wrong with Liza Whiting would like to do that again. seek to express their art in a very personal way, that? Give me modest brick construction Photographers Kindly, let me know how I can help. I or seek to find a melding of the two. When it anytime over ostentatious glass new high Maggie Berkvist look forward to hearing from you. comes to beauty, the best clients make the best rise development. I like low-scale buildings Joel Gordon PS: I am German, single, have a daugh- architecture; architects can’t do it alone. that I can easily escape from while also Comptroller ter who lives and works in the Village and The wanton destruction of many cher- keeping our human scale in check. Jolanta Meckauskaite semi-retired. ished buildings led to the adoption of NYC Do the new buildings have thick plaster —Evelyne Bushari preservation laws in 1965, and organiza- walls to keep out noise? No, sheet-rock is Architecture Editor Brian Pape tions worked to help both clients and ar- used today just as it was used for West Village More View Points Needed chitects appreciate their cherished buildings Houses’ walls. I honestly never hear my side Film, Media and Music Editor and neighborhoods. At the time, there were neighbors; insulation can be used for above Jim Fouratt Mr. Capsis, You told me in my last email that you no Historic Preservation courses in U.S. ar- and below. While the buildings were built in Food Editor would not write another article about the chitecture schools, since the focus was on the early 1970’s, the units have less of a generic David Porat West Village Houses until you knew the modern design and building materials. feel, with flexible layouts, generous propor- Distribution Manager whole story. Yet, you go and write another So facing this monstrous Maritime tions and room sizes. For example, a one bed- Timothy Jambeck BS article about the complex. You only in- Union ‘ship out of water’, and the Brutalist room apartment boasts over 16’ x 10’5” for the concrete buildings of that era, challenged my bedroom with a 19’ x 14 1/2’ living-room plus Regular Contributors terviewed people who want to stay in the theories of architecture.