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Lower Manhattan’s Local News
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The Broadsheet Inc. | 212-912-1106 | editor@ebroadsheet.com| ebroadsheet.com
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Metaphysical Graffiti
Two Provocative Pieces from a Dowager of the Avant-Garde
Today (Friday, June 28) and tomorrow are the last chances to experience two striking pieces of unconventional art created by Yoko Ono for the 2019 River to River Festival, presented by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
The first, “Add Color (Refugee Boat)” is part sculpture and part interactive installation. Housed at 203 Front Street in the South Street Seaport, the piece consists of a white row boat stranded in midst of a white room. Since the Festival opened on June 18, visitors have been invited to pick up paint brushes and markers and embellish the boat, as well as the walls and floor that surround it, with written messages.
A plaque on the wall confirms that the piece is intended to be a, “collaboration between the viewer and the artist,” inviting visitors to share their “collective opinion, hopes, and dreams related to all forms of the international refugee crises.”
The boat — without passengers and removed from the water through which it is meant to travel — at first seems useless and powerless. But in the ten days since it opened, “Add Color (Refugee Boat)” has become freighted with a rhetorical patchwork of causes and slogans from conflict zones around the world. It has also evolved (as the artist perhaps intended) into a subtle symbol of collective effort, incorporating successive contributions by large numbers of people who have never met — in the same way that America itself was built by successive generations of immigrants and refugees.
The second piece by Ms. Ono does not have an address more specific than “Lower Manhattan.” For “The Reflection Project,” she has placed outdoors, throughout the community, dozens of posters — some small enough to be easily missed, others as large as a door. Each is emblazoned with a single word or brief phrase, such as “Dream,” “Remember Love,” or “Imagine Peace,” printed in black on a white background. All are meant to provoke and give pause. Half a dozen of these placards have been placed at locations jammed with pedestrians, such as 28 Liberty Street, the Oculus, the Fulton Center, and the South Street Seaport. An informal observation conducted by the Broadsheet earlier this week noted that approximately one passerby in ten paused briefly to ponder the messages.
According to the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, this piece, “seeks to counter the relentless pace of the everyday by inviting the passerby to engage with a realm of expanded consciousness and personal reflection… By activating mundane spaces and transforming them into vehicles of mindful communication, the project seeks to perform urban acupuncture, stimulating the City’s vast nerve network, and opening channels of communication and action grounded in thought rather than impulse.”
Matthew Fenton
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Haven Mavens
City Council Votes to Okay Controversial Senior Housing Proposal
The City Council voted to approve the Haven Green proposal on Wednesday, bringing the controversial plan for a senior housing facility on the site of the Elizabeth Street Garden, in Little Italy, a step closer to reality. The vote in favor of the project was unanimous, except for one abstention from Rafael Espinal, a Council member from Brooklyn.
The strong majority in support of the proposal reflected the City Council’s tradition of deferring to a member in whose district a project is located. Because Council member Margaret Chin, who represents Lower Manhattan, supports Haven Green, its passage was viewed as a fait accompli.
Matthew Fenton
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Today’s Calendar
Friday June 28, 2019
School’s Out For Summer!
6:30PM
A Toast to History: Independence Eve (walking tour)
Fraunces Tavern Museum
Lift your glass and toast to America’s independence on this two-hour walking tour of Revolutionary War history with Ellen Baird. Designed for novices and history buffs alike, this tour explores the sites and history of the crucial events that took place in the streets of Lower Manhattan before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War- from the Stamp Act Riots to New York’s Tea Party, and the Sugar House prisons to George Washington’s farewell to his troops at Fraunces Tavern. Ticket purchase for A Toast to History includes 1 free pint of Samuel Fraunces Ale at Fraunces Tavern Restaurant & Bar. Tickets must be purchased in advance. $30, $35 54 Pearl Street. 7PM
Sunset Singing Circle
Battery Park City Parks
Singer/songwriter Terre Roche leads this weekly singing program with the beautiful backdrop of the setting sun in NY Harbor. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned crooner, the singing circle is perfect for mellow melodies and healthy harmonizing. 7PM
“ditch” by Jennifer Monson/iLand
Melville Gallery, South Street Seaport Museum
“ditch” explores the interactions among the forces of gentrification; the history of community activism, especially in response to Hurricane Sandy; the current pressure of development that exacerbates income inequality; as well as the ecological interactions between the life at the edge of the island in the Lower East Side. The choreography is developed from the rhythms, tones and spatial inflections of movement generated by flows of people, the traffic, weather and water along the river’s edge. ditch accesses and creatively explores the embodied knowledge that signals both danger and safety. Melville Gallery, 213 Water Street, South Street Seaport Museum. |
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Sunset Tour of Ambrose Channel
Tonight!
Friday, June 28, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM
Popularly regarded as National Lighthouse Museum’s “Signature Tour” this exciting boat tour familiarizes passengers with key lighthouses that facilitate safe passage from the Atlantic Ocean into Lower New York Harbor.
We explore a total of nine lighthouses on this boat tour: the Battery Weed Light at Fort Wadsworth, the Coney Island, West Bank, Romer Shoals, Sandy Hook and Twin Lighthouse of Navesink at the Atlantic Highlands, the Staten Island Rear Range at Richmond Hill, the New Dorp Light, and the Elm Tree Beacon at Miller Field, also located in New Dorp.
Treat yourself and your guest to a memorable evening cruise.
Refreshments are available on board.
Don’t forget your cameras. The views are incredible!
The boat leaves promptly at 6:30 pm, rain or shine, from Pier 1, adjacent to the National Lighthouse Museum located on Staten Island
Tickets are $62 Adults, $42, Children (10 & under), $52 Military
and Seniors (62+).
The Staten Island Ferry takes 25 minutes to cross from Lower Manhattan to St. George, Staten Island
Please plan accordingly.
National Lighthouse Museum
200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point
718-390-0040 info@lighthousemuseum.org
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Where Affordability Is in the Eye of the Beholder
Moderate Income Rentals in Tribeca for Those Earning a Quarter of a Million Per Year
A waiting list for apartments in a luxury complex in Tribeca has opened for middle-income applicants. Washington Mews, the building at 89 Murray Street (near the corner of Greenwich Street) has begun accepting applications.
These apartments, where rent is capped by agreement between the building owner and government officials (in exchange for benefits such as tax abatements) are set aside for residents who are earning up to 175 percent of of New York’s area median income (AMI).
Anyone wishing to join the waiting list must request request an application no later than this Friday (June 28), and is required to return a completed application by July 19. Applications can be requested in three ways. They are available online at: www.affrental.com. Paperwork can we requested in person by visiting the Affordable Housing Group management office (330 West 30th Street). And an application can be requested via mail by sending a self-addressed envelope to: Affordable Housing Group, 330 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001.
Matthew Fenton
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EYES TO THE SKY
June 24 -July 7, 2019
Country nightlife, fleeting Mercury, celestial triangle
Stargazing begins about 4 hours later at summer solstice time than around the winter solstice! Sunset, now the latest of the year, 8:31pm in our locale, is followed by a long, lingering twilight. Nightfall is not until about 10:35. In between, an hour to an hour and a quarter after sundown, the brightest stars and planets are visible.
Judy Isacoff
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Albany Wants to Keelhaul Ad Barges
State Lawmakers Bark ‘Belay That’ to Water-Borne Marketing Messages
The ubiquitous advertising barges that have become anathema for Lower Manhattan residents over the past year have attracted hostile attention from members of the State Senate and Assembly.
Bills were enacted in the closing days of the legislative session that would ban the 60-foot catamaran — bearing an electronic sign capable of rendering high-definition, full-motion video, similar to the “jumbo-tron” panels that adorn multiple buildings in Times Square — from continuing to conduct its business in New York’s waters.
Matthew Fenton
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Not Ferry Nice
Concerns about Crowding and Noise Surround City Hall Plan for New Staten Island Route to Battery Park City
The administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio is planning to launch in 2020 a new ferry service from Staten Island that will bring to the Battery Park City ferry terminal more than 60 new vessels each day, carrying as many as 2,500 passengers.
Matthew Fenton
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Composting Takes Root
in Battery Park City
In a 2017 study of residential waste by the NYC Department of Sanitation, 21% of garbage was food scraps. Not only does food waste take up unnecessary space in landfill, it releases gas, which is detrimental to the environment.
Thanks to the Battery Park City Authority, Battery Park City has always been at the forefront of green living, guided by BPCA’s pioneering green building guidelines and organic park maintenance. For the last couple years, there have been two community compost bins – one at BPC Parks headquarters on Battery Place and one on Chambers Street.
Robert Simko
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Ground Swell
Scant Information about Radical Changes Contemplated for the Battery
City Hall is keeping mum about plans resiliency plans for the Battery, the historic park at the southern tip of Manhattan, according to a recent discussion at Community Board 1(CB1).
At a May 28 meeting, Alice Blank, who chairs that panel’s Environmental Protection Committee, recapped a recent presentation by the City’s Economic Development Corporation(EDC) by saying, “the only interesting thing about these slides was how few there were of them.”
“It was a surprisingly lean presentation,” she added. To read more…
Matthew Fenton
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Radical Cheek
Subvertising Campaign Shocks the Conscience, But Not for Long
On Wednesday morning, two dozen cages fashioned from chain-link fencing appeared on sidewalks at strategic locations around Manhattan and Brooklyn. A pair of these were placed in Lower Manhattan: one on Centre Street, opposite the Municipal Building and close by the Brooklyn Bridge; the other about two blocks away, near the intersection of Broadway and Vesey Streets.
Each one contained a lifelike mannequin, the size of a small child, wrapped in a foil blanket, which bore a disturbing resemblance to a shroud. From around the edges of these blankets, locks of hair and smalls pair of shoes were visible. Concealed within every cage was also a rudimentary audio system that repeatedly played a track of a small child sobbing. This was interspersed with the sound of a heartbeat.
Matthew Fenton
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CLASSIFIEDS & PERSONALS
Swaps & Trades Respectable Employment
Lost and Found 212-912-1106
$99 Hypnosis Session
($247 value) Smoking Cessation, Weight Loss, Motivation, Sports Performance, Confidence, Stress, Insomnia…
Call Janine Today. Limited time offer! 917-830-6127
Situation Wanted:
Experienced Elder Care (12 years)
Able to prepare nutritious meals and light housekeeping
Excellent references 347 898 5804 Hope
NOTARY PUBLIC IN BPC
$2 per notarized signature
Text Paula at 917-836-8802
CLEANING SERVICES
Dishes, windows, floors, laundry, bathrooms.
You name it – I will clean it.
Call Elle at 929-600-4520
IT AND SECURITY SUPPORT
Experienced IT technician. Expertise in 1-on-1 tutoring for all ages.Computer upgrading & troubleshooting.
Knowledgeable in all software programs. James Kierstead james.f.kierstead@gmail.com 347-933-1362. Refs available
ELDER COMPANION
Experienced with BPC residents. Available nights, days, and weekends. Will cook, clean and administer medicine on time. Speaks French and English. Can start immediately. Please call or text 929-600-4520.
OLD WATCHES SOUGHT
PREFER NON-WORKING
Mechanical pocket and wristwatches sought and
sometimes repaired
212-912-1106
If you would like to place a listing, please contact editor@ebroadsheet.com
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Bionomics Begins at Home
BPCA Seeks Green Bond Designation for Upcoming Debt Issue and Plans for Carbon-Neutral Future
The Battery Park City Authority(BPCA) is beginning to formulate a roadmap for shrinking the community’s environmental impact. At the May 21 meeting of the agency’s board of directors, Authority president Benjamin Jones explained that, “we’re now making a concerted effort, which we talked a little bit about at our last meeting, to further advance sustainable practices, both in our operations and throughout the neighborhood.”
He noted, “we are committing to having a formal sustainability plan,” which will be announced on the next Earth Day (in April, 2020), “which will provide a road map to get us closer to a carbon-neutral Battery Park City.”
Matthew Fenton
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Today in History
Friday June 28
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1098 – Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosull.
1360 – Muhammed VI becomes the tenth Nasrid king of Granada after killing his brother-in-law Ismail II.
1519 – Charles V is elected Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
1776 – Thomas Hickey, Continental Army private and bodyguard to General George Washington, is hanged for mutiny and sedition.
1846 – Adolphe Sax patents the saxophone
1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie are assassinated in Sarajevo by Bosnia Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip, the casus belli of World War I.
1919 – The Treaty of Versailles is signed, ending the state of war between Germany and the Allies of World War I.
1926 – Mercedes-Benz is formed by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz merging their two companies.
1950 – Korean War: Seoul is captured by North Korean troops. 1950 – Korean War: Suspected communist sympathizers, argued to be between 100,000 and 200,000 are executed in the Bodo League massacre.
1969 – Stonewall riots begin in New York City, marking the start of the Gay Rights Movement.
1981 – A powerful bomb explodes in Tehran, killing 73 officials of the Islamic Republican Party.
Births
1491 – Henry VIII of England (d. 1547)
1703 – John Wesley, English cleric and theologian (d. 1791)
1902 – Richard Rodgers, American playwright and composer (d. 1979)
1946 – Gilda Radner, American actress and comedian (d. 1989)
1971 – Elon Musk, South African-American businessman
Deaths
1836 – James Madison, 4th President of the United States (b. 1751)
1975 – Rod Serling, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1924)
Edited from various internet sources
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RiverWatch
Cruise Ships in the Harbor
Arrivals and Departures
Friday, June 28
Adventure of the Seas
Inbound 6:30 am (Bayonne); outbound 3:00 pm; Bermuda/Bahamas
Saturday, June 29
Anthem of the Seas
Inbound 6:30 am (Bayonne); outbound 4:00 pm; Bermuda
Norwegian Dawn
Inbound 7:15 am; outbound 3:30 pm; Port Canaveral, FL/Bahamas
Sunday, June 30
Norwegian Escape
Inbound 6:15 am; outbound 4:30 pm; Bermuda
Queen Mary 2
Inbound 6:00 am (Brooklyn); outbound 5:00 pm; Halifax, NS/Boston, MA/Newport, RI
Many ships pass Lower Manhattan on their way to and from the Midtown Passenger Ship Terminal. Others may be seen on their way to or from piers in Brooklyn and Bayonne. Stated times, when appropriate, are for passing the Colgate clock in Jersey City, New Jersey, and are based on sighting histories, published schedules and intuition. They are also subject to tides, fog, winds, freak waves, hurricanes and the whims of upper management.
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A Cenotaph for the Esplanade
Cuomo Announces List of Possible Locations in Battery Park City for Hurricane Maria Memorial
At Sunday’s Puerto Rican Day Parade, Governor Andrew Cuomoannounced that his administration is pushing ahead with plans for a memorial to Hurricane Maria — the cataclysmic storm that claimed more than 3,000 lives in Puerto Rico in September, 2017 — which will be located in Battery Park City.
Mr. Cuomo’s office also announced Sunday that his administration has narrowed the potential sites for such a memorial within Battery Park City down to six possibilities.
Matthew Fenton
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‘A Thumb in the Eye’
Local Leaders Don’t Want One Broadway to Get Any Bigger
Community Board 1 (CB1) is resisting plans to add two floors to a landmarked building in the Financial District. In a resolution laced with unusually harsh language, enacted at its May 28 meeting, the Board called upon the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) — which can veto alterations to legally protected historic structures — to reject a proposal by the building’s owner, Midtown Equities, to build a glass pavilion on top of One Broadway (also known as the International Mercantile Marine Company Building), located at the corner of Broadway and Battery Place, directly adjacent to Bowling Green. The resolution summarizes the developer’s proposal with the words, “to distill the very convoluted design’s description, and despite all the narrative hoopla, it is really a preposterous glass box with a mansard surround.” Matthew Fenton
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Cass Gilbert and the Evolution of the New York Skyscraper
by John Simko
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The Broadsheet Inc. | 212-912-1106 | editor@ebroadsheet.com| ebroadsheet.com
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© 2019
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