| The Gateway Plaza Tenants Association (GPTA) will honor United States Senator Charles (“Chuck”) Schumer at its annual gala tonight, Friday, September 9, in recognition of his leadership and efforts on behalf of Battery Park City, and the City of New York as a whole.
GPTA president Glenn Plaskin says, “we’re honored to present Senator Schumer with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his extraordinary contributions to New York. We can never forget his herculean efforts,” in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Mr. Plaskin counted among these, “delivering over $20 billion in funding to New York to help us recover and rebuild our neighborhood.”
Senator Schumer is the presumptive next leader of Democrats in the upper house of the federal legislature. (Retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has endorsed Mr. Schumer to succeed him.) If Senate Democrats capture a majority in that body then Mr. Schumer would almost certainly become the Senator Majority Leader, making him one of the most powerful political leaders in the nation.
Mr. Schumer is also the rare U.S. Senator who repeatedly involves himself in local issues. It is a point of pride with him that he visits every one of New York State’s 62 counties at least once each year, and has done so every year he has served in the Senate. He has also cultivated a reputation for engagement on local problems that few U.S. Senators deign to consider. Last December, he led helped to lead the Senate push for renewal and expansion of the Zadroga Act, which provides healthcare and financial compensation to those made ill by exposure to toxic debris during the terrorist September 11 attacks. And he has been a persistent sponsor and patron of measures intended to beautify the East River waterfront in Lower Manhattan, wrangling millions in federal funds for a new esplanade that will one day stretch from Battery Park to the Williamsburg Bridge, as well as for the development of park facilities on the moribund Pier 42, near Montgomery Street. He has also fought for allocations to build flood-protection measures around Lower Manhattan, in the wake of 2012 flooding by Hurricane Sandy.
“While the evening will be a great party, it’s about so much more,” Mr. Plaskin added. “We honor the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11. And we express our thanks to all the elected officials who have supported our quality-of-life goals, initiatives that benefit every Gateway tenant — affordability, energy conservation, security, and capital improvements. Our future depends upon the support of our tenants. So we hope to see as many of them as possible on what will be a memorable night.” Among the other dignitaries who have confirmed that they will be attending are U.S. Congressman Jerry Nadler, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochal, State Senator Daniel Squadron, State Assembly members Deborah Glick and Alice Cancel, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Public Advocate Letitia James, Manhattan Borough President Gail Brewer, and Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro.
In addition to honoring Senator Schumer (the ceremony is scheduled to start at 6:30 pm), the agenda includes updates on issues of concern to Gateway residents, such as the planned installation of 10,000 new windows, refurbished hallways, and other capital improvements.
Tonight’s event will be held outdoors, on the Esplanade Plaza (where the volleyball court is located, overlooking North Cove Marina) from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. There will be complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres from local providers such as SouthWestNY, Le Pain Quotidien, Vintry Fine Wines, Duane Park Patisserie, and Sprinkles. Only Gateway residents are invited, and they are asked to R.S.V.P. via email to GatewayPlazaTA@gmail.com. “I invite all our residents to welcome one of our nation’s top leaders to Gateway for what will be an unforgettable evening,” Mr. Plaskin said. |
