The Voice of the West Village WestView News VOLUME 17, NUMBER 7 JULY 2021 $2.00 A Very Concerned Citizen Speaks By Steve Romano, MD I and many of my friends and fellow residents the northwest corner of Washington Square dicts get to do whatever they want to do, of the West Village are at the end of our rope. Park is driving many of my neighbors out of and at all hours of the night. They scream, It is the character of youth to rebel, but what I serve on the coop board of 136 Waverly the area and the city. We are losing longstand- fight, and fornicate (yep—not kidding). has been happening at night in Washington Place West and have been a resident of the ing members of the community and giving in It is important to underscore that there Square is not just the natural excess of youth building for nearly 31 years. I've lived through completely to petty theft, vagrancy, drug deal- is a component of people who are seriously but the abandoned behavior sometimes in- some rough spots such as the crack days of ing (on my corner and Gay Street behind a psychiatrically ill. It's despicable that this duced by substance abuse—public urination, the 90s, but I've never seen things as bad and temporary boiler), and people urinating and richest of cities does nothing to intervene defecation and partial nudity, and over the as ominous as they are now. I'm a physician defecating on our stoops. These are streets of- meaningfully with this needy subset. top resistance to police orders. What follows is and pharmaceutical executive, and have en- ten full of pedestrians, residents and children Bottom line, this has got to stop. I my- a letter sent to me by a doctor which I read to joyed living in one of the more vibrant areas attempting to go about their business. self am close to moving and will gladly pay the overflow crowd at a recent Police meeting of NYC. But the criminal element (please Sadly, the police seem to do little (it taxes somewhere where quality of life and addressing the situation (see page 3). don't call them "homeless"—the majority certainly isn't visible to me), and these criminal activities are taken seriously. —George Capsis have no interest in services) on my corner and screaming, fighting, alcohol and heroin ad- What can we do? SATURDAY, JUNE 26 SUNDAY, JUNE 27 WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES: A large was administered first aid by NYPD senior the park loudly and exuberantly, something New Yorkers, and shortly after the curfew crowd of young people danced to live music community partner Alan Silverstein (see page neighbors complain about as well. When law was lifted, and the NYPD began taking a at Washington Square Park (left) as NYPD 3). Earlier in the month, the City enacted a enforcement attempted what many at the more de-escalated approach to the crowds officers kept watch over the crowd (center) 10 p.m. curfew in an attempt to get a handle park considered a heavy-handed approach at the park on weekends. Time will tell what during the last Saturday evening in June. on some of the problems at the park (hard- by showing up in riot gear to enforce the strategies will work most effectively in solving Just a day later, the crowd would explo- drug use, petty crimes and an increase in curfew, it led to a clash between park-goers the numerous issues that exist at different le- de again, pitting NYPD against an unruly violence), which are problems of a different and the NYPD, with over 20 people being vels of severity at the park. Saturday photos crowd resulting in injuries (right). The victim scale. The majority of people are enjoying arrested. The clash was deplored by many by Bob Cooley. Sunday photo by Andy Gold. Then and Now explores the Eco-Renovating Fashion Wars Little Island evolution of Piers 54 and 55 Local Designer Dusty Berke A look back at the often SEE PAGE 12 delivers a smart and stylish challenging milieu of renovation on a budget. photographers in fashion's heyday. SEE PAGE 8 SEE PAGE 26 2 WestView News July 2021 www.westviewnews.org WestView WestViews Published by WestView, Inc. by and for the residents of the West Village. Correspondence, Commentary, Corrections Publisher / Executive Editor George Capsis Central Park Traffic Threats High Line so that his firm, Edison Parking, I saw that I was devastated. Although I Managing Editor / Art Director could build high rises over the track beds Kim Plosia Last year, Transportation Alternatives which he owned. He would have insured the didn’t see Christine very often, having left Advertising Manager teamed up with Parks Commissioner loss of one of the greatest Manhattan parks NYC in 1978, any time I visited the city Dana Costantino Mitchell Silver to wave bye-bye to the very since Central and Riverside Parks were built. over the years, meeting up with her was Advertising Designer last motor vehicle on the Central Park Car- The election of Mayor Michael Bloomberg a high point of my trips. We first met in Stephanie Phelan riage Drive and open up the drive to its put the kibosh on Mr. Nislick’s greedy ambi- Greenwich Village in 1966 when she was Traffic Manager original purpose, an exclusive road for horse just 16 years old and I was 19. Liza Whiting tions, when the mayor designated the High drawn carriages, later joined by thousands Line as parkland. New Yorkers will have to I am hoping one of your readers might be Photo Editor of pedestrians and bicyclists. Now from remain continuously vigilant to protect our able to provide me with contact informa- Darielle Smolian out of the dark and distant past (NY Times parks from the selfish real estate barons. tion for her family members or friends. Her Photographers June 8, 2021) comes along the real estate —Barry Benepe closest family are her late husband’s (Harvey Maggie Berkvist, mogul, Steve Nislick, with his cronies from McLaughlin) sisters, whose names I have Chris Manis, Bob Cooley NYCLASS, to bring back the cars and once Christine McLaughlin Googled, but as they are all quite common, Associate Editors again try to eliminate the horses and car- it’s difficult to connect to the right ones. I Justin Matthews, Anne Olshansky riages which have trodden there since the Hello George, very much would like to reach out to the Comptroller Jolanta Meckauskaite mid-nineteenth century. The livelihoods My name is Jo Grossman and I recently family to share my condolences. I appreciate of the carriage drivers would be lost. The grew concerned about a dear friend in your help and hope to hear from you. Architecture Editor Brian Pape horses would become dog meat and their NYC, Christine McLaughlin, after try- —Jo Grossman stables would be replaced by Nislick’s high ing to reach her and learning that both her Business Editor Caroline Benveniste rises. Thousands of residents and visitors phone numbers were disconnected. Imme- Bedbugs of Bethune, printed in the June would lose the pleasure of slowly ambling diately knowing something was wrong and issue of WestView News, asked people to Fashion Director through the verdant groves. not having any mutual friends, I Googled respond by email if they wished to share Karilyn Prisco This is the same Steve Nislick who con- her name and found your April 2021 is- stories. We regret that the email address was Music and Eldercare Editor Hannah Reimann spired, fortunately unsuccessfully, with for- sue in which there was a photo and details not printed. Please send any comments to mer Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to destroy the of her passing. I feared the worst but when [email protected] Science and LGBTQ Editor Kambiz Shekdar, PhD Regular Contributors J. Taylor Basker, Barry Benepe, Caroline Benveniste, Mark. M. Green, Robert Heide, Anastasia Kaliabakos, Bob Kroll, Thomas Lamia, Kieran Loughney, Keith Michael, Michael D. Minichiello, Penny Mintz, Brian J. Pape, Anthony Paradiso, Spectacular Roger Paradiso, Bruce Poli, Alec Pruchnicki, Roberta Russell, Christina Raccuia, Hannah Reimann, Karen Rempel, Catherine Revland, Ede Rothaus, Brownstone Donna Schaper, Stanley Wlodyka We endeavor to publish all letters received, including those with which we disagree. Apartment The opinions put forth by contributors to WestView do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or editor. For Rent WestView welcomes your correspondence, comments, and corrections: www.westviewnews.org ELEGANT APARTMENT Contact Us on the top floor of the (212) 924-5718 [email protected] Sinclair Lewis house with Charles Street Rosner, Zoe P, and Zoe A. from their re- Association News spective colleges! two marble fireplaces and Welcome Back West Village is gearing Dear neighbors, up to bring some fun events that will be two bedrooms, Thank you for coming out and helping re- sure to get you out of your home office and store Charles Street to its natural beauty! enjoying the neighborhood! We have food, parquet floors, Already, these flowers are putting a smile to fun, and interactive events for the whole skylight and all the faces when strolling down the street. family and our neighbors. To maintain our flowers throughout the MARK your calendar: Tuesday August magnificent kitchen summer, these tree-beds will need plenty 3rd on Charles St. Between Hudson St. of water. Please kindly remind your super and Bleecker St. starting at 6pm. Please or building manager to water them. We join for National night out against crime. wouldn’t want to disappoint our newest Food and drinks will be provided! Bring Pee-wee planters, three year olds Oscar and the kids and neighbors for some fun! Call George at Popi S, and five year olds Miwa and Popi B.