A Publication of the Turtle Bay Association Summer 2011 Volume 54, Number 2 Sculptures Roam through Dag Plaza Selene Apariccio Befriending the non-living is usu- Dag Hammarskjold Plaza is one of working professionally as a sculptor and ally considered a bit strange, but at Dag New York’s most internationally vis- her work has been exhibited widely Hammarskjold Plaza, on 47th street ible parks and home to many political in Japan, the U.S., Australia and dif- between First and Second Avenues, ev- protests and demonstrations because of ferent places in Europe. Her exhibit, eryone seems to be socializing with a its proximity to the United Nations. Borders, is the largest exhibition Dag group of life-size and lifeless figures. The park was dedicated to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza has ever seen and Hammarskjold, the second secretary the first to incorporate the entire park. The figures belong to Icelandic artist general of the U.N., in 1961 and it It was specifically designed for the park and sculptor, Steinuun Thorarinsdottir, was renovated in 1999 with the help after the artist visited the city five years 56, as part of her exhibition, Borders. of the Turtle Bay Association. Thanks ago and became inspired. However, for the next four months, to an entrance dome that frames the these figures will inhabit this small plaza U.N. Headquarters, the plaza is now Thorarinsdottir explained that her ex- in the tranquil Turtle Bay. often referred to as the “Gateway to hibition is composed of 26 humanoid the United Nations.” figures spread throughout the park in “People are interacting with this ex- different positions, some of them are hibit,” Frank Cantor, creator of the Thorarinsdottir was born in Reykjavik, posed on benches in seated positions, film Horizons that deals with one of Iceland in 1955 but she received most of others are standing and two are crouch- Thorarinsdottir’s previous outdoor her training as a sculptor in other parts ing. In total, there are 13 pairs of sculp- sculpture exhibits, said, “They’re cloth- of Europe. She studied at the University tures, formed by two figures, one in ing the sculptures, they’re taking pic- of Portsmouth Fine Art Department aluminum and one in cast iron that face tures with them, they’re shaking hands in England and at the Accademia de each other in the same position. This with them, they’re talking to them…. Belle Arte in Bologna, Italy. For more It’s simply amazing.” than 20 years Thorarinsdottir has been continued on page 7 Of Bikes and Buses Bruce A. Silberblatt Bicycle lanes arrive in Turtle Bay… In relation to the installation of these and the weekend M-50 returns… lanes, the TBA supports two measures After much discussion and debate be- that could provide more convenient and On July 3, weekend service was restored tween the TBA Board, Community safe travel: 1) Install a traffic light on the to the M-50 cross-town bus. Persuasive Board 6 and our elected officials the west side of 1st at 48th street to prevent efforts from Congesswoman Carolyn DOT is putting bicycle lanes in Turtle cyclists in the new dedicated bicycle Maloney and over 4,000 signatures col- Bay. This is what is being installed: lane from crashing into the M50 bus lected by the TBA compelled the MTA which emerges there onto First Avenue. to find a solution to the shutdown ser- • A shared lane (bicycle and other traf- 2) Close the East River Esplanade Gap, vice. The new route (the bus uses 48th fic)on First Avenue, between 49th- 41st- 60th streets, an ambitious project Street as a turn-around before heading 57th Street and on Second Avenue which will be a boon to both bikers and to the West Side via 49th Street) is near- between 34th-57th Streets. pedestrians. ly a mile shorter, producing cost savings which enabled the return of weekend • A dedicated lane (bicycles only) at the We also encourage all bike riders to service. entrance and exit to the First Avenue review the rules of the road which tunnel bypassing the United Nations. can be found at bikingrules.org/rules. Everyone be safe out there! Turtle Bay Association • 224 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 • (p)212-751-5465 • (f)212-751-4941 • [email protected] • turtlebay-nyc.org A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS Summer Fun To the residents of Turtle Bay, We here at the newsletter hope everyone in Turtle Bay is having a great sum- mer. Be sure to get out and enjoy all that Turtle Bay has to offer from its lovely parks to its bustling outdoor eateries. In the hot weeks ahead, though, be TURTLE BAY ASSOCIATION careful to not overdo it in the hot New York summer heat! 224 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 A lot has been going on the neighborhood. We had our annual street fair on Phone: 212-751-5465 June 19th and a get-to-know-your-neighbor event at the new G|50 restaurant. Fax: 212-751-4941 We hope made it out to those events but if not you should try to make it out to E-mail: [email protected] some of our future events, inlcuding a trip to Montuak! Website: turtlebay-nyc.org Check our Bulletin Board: Since the last issue of the newsletter, The Turtle Bay Association is pleased to east side of Second Avenue, announce the return of weekend service on the M50 cross-town buses on East between 48th and 49th Streets, 49th and East 50th Streets. We appreciate the members of the Association who on outside wall of the supermarket. took time to petition for this, and we thank Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney for her hard work and successful effort to restore this valuable transportation Board of Directors service to our neighborhood. President: William E. Curtis Vice Presidents: Millie Margiotta, In this issue, among other informative tidbits we thought that it would be of Dolores Marsh, Bruce Silberblatt interests to our readers to get to know the directors of Turtle Bay Association. Treasurer: Francine Irwin We do hope that some of you will decide to join the gang and contribute your Directors: Ethel Bendove, Bunny Blei, Meryl enthusiasm, ideas, concerns. Speaking of which: Brodsky, Orin Buck, William E. Curtis, Denise Hamilton, Marie Louise Handal, Helping Our Neighbors…Improving Our Neighborhood Steve Hennessey, Dee Howard, Bill The Turtle Bay Association often makes donations to non-profit organizations Huxley, Richard Irwin, Pascale Longuet, whose efforts contribute to the well-being of our community. We welcome nomi- Millie Margiotta,Dolores Marsh, Pat nations for these donations from members of The Turtle Bay Association. McDougald, Gini Otway, Michael Resnick, Carol Rinzler, Jeannie Sakol, Bruce Do you know a group you’d like to nominate? By all means, let us know by snail Silberblatt, Jo-Ann Winnik mail (224 East 47 Street, New York 10017) or by email ([email protected]) Emeritus: Barbara Connolly, Helen Shapiro Have a great summer! Turtle Bay News Editors: Your Turtle Bay News editors, Steve Hennessey, Pascale Longuet Pascale Longuet and Steve Hennessey Contributors: Selene Apariccio, Bill Huxley, Millie Margiotta, Diane Menagh Gini Otway, Bruce Silberblatt, Photographer: boardat work Vivian Gordon The following is a summary of the issues and activities adressed at recent Turtle Community Calendar Bay Association board meetings. The TBA: 17th Precinct Community Council Last Tuesday every month • is working tirelessly to insure that neighborhood youths activities Open Meeting, 6 p.m. the DOT’s new bike pathways on within our parks Sutton Place Synagogue First and Second Avenues are safe 225 East 51st Street and appropriate • continues to work to beautify the 212-826-3228 neighborhood through the TBA (No meetings July, August, • is closely watching construc- Tree Program and support of the December) tion sites for safety and other Turtle Bay Tree Fund Community Board 6 concernss Second Wednesday every month • continues to work to provide Full Board Meeting, 7 p.m. NYU Medical Center 550 First Avenue 212-319-3750 2 Turtle Bay News turtlebay-nyc.org new newsworthy NOTIFY NYC LAUNCHES Japan SOCIETY GIVEN LANDMARK BOOK PRESEntatION You can now get real-time informa- STATUS On April 27, 2011, Pam Hanlon was tion about local emergencies that On March 21st the NYC Landmarks special guest at the 17th Precinct. could affect you at home, work or Commission (LPC) named the Japan Community Council’s monthly on your commute, by registering for Society building, at 333 E. 47th Street, meeting and presented her book: Notify NYC, a program provided a City Landmark. Landmark status “Manhattan’s Turtle Bay.” Pam previ- by the City’s Office of Emergency protects the building and site from ously received two awards at TBA’s Management. Subscribers will receive major renovations or demolition, as 2010 annual meeting: as author of real-time information —by email, text part of the LPC’s mission to recognize the book, and a Congressional record message or recorded phone call—for and preserve vital city institutions and from Carolyn Maloney. events in the zip codes you specify. To “safeguard the city’s historic, aesthetic, sign up, visit www.nyc.gov/notifynyc. and cultural heritage.” ICONIC SARatOGA REstaURANT TO Before voting to approve the designa- OPEN IN TURTLE BAY TOWER CRANE GENERAL LIABILITY tion, LPC members called the mod- A bit of Saratoga Springs will be INSURANCE ernist structure “remarkably timeless,” transported to Manhattan when Effective June 13, 2011, any con- and lauded its “contemporary simple Siro’s of Saratoga opens a fine din- struction project being built with a elegance.” New York Magazine reports ing restaurant and more casual “Club tower crane will be required to carry the appointment makes the Japan House” in partnership with some $80,000,000 of general liability cov- Society the City’s youngest land- celebrities.