The BroadsheetDAILY ~ 11/3/21 ~ City Council Candidate Christopher Marte Wins Race to Succeed Margaret Chin

The Broadsheet: Lower Manhattan’s Local Newspaper

‘A Victory for Every Community in Lower Manhattan’

City Council Candidate Christopher Marte Wins Race to Succeed Margaret Chin

Victorious City Council candidate Christopher Marte

Christopher Marte won by a wide margin the race to succeed Margaret Chin and represent Lower Manhattan in the City Council, according to preliminary results posted online by the City’s Board of Elections.

As of a few minutes after midnight, with 98.5 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. Marte had garnered 15,055 votes out of 21,083 ballots cast, or approximately 71 percent of the total. He was trailed by Independent candidate Maud Maron, with 3,041 votes (or 14 percent), and Republican contender Jacqueline Toboroff, with 2,945 votes, or 13 percent.

Based on these results, Mr. Marte will succeed Ms. Chin, who was first elected to the Council in 2009, and was legally barred by term limits from seeking reelection. He will be sworn into office in January.

“We ran this campaign to prove something no consultant or politician thought was possible,” Mr. Marte said when he won the Democratic primary in June, “that a district as diverse as this is able to unite in a single campaign, sharing a common vision for the future of our neighborhoods.” (The heavily “blue” political landscape of Lower Manhattan usually makes the nomination of the Democratic party tantamount to winning the wider contest, and often relegates the actual election to the status of a formality.)

“We did not play to a geographic or ethnic base, but made our case to voters by talking about the pressing issues that affect our daily lives,” Mr. Marte continued. “We won because neighbors were already laying the foundation to make a campaign like this possible. They were organizing against luxury overdevelopment in the Lower East Side, Chinatown, the Seaport, SoHo and NoHo. They were fighting for better working conditions for restaurant workers and home attendants. They were advocating for flood protection from Tribeca to Two Bridges. Our campaign is a victory not just for this Council seat, but for every community in Lower Manhattan.”

Mr. Marte grew up on the Lower East Side, where his father owned a bodega. From a young age, he began building a record as a community activist, culminating in a City Council run in 2017, in which he came within a few hundred votes of unseating Ms. Chin. Since then, he has played a leading role on local issues such as opposition to the de Blasio administration’s plan for a large new prison facility in Lower Manhattan, and support for affordable housing.

Maud Maron

Ms. Maron reacted to the vote tally by saying, “although we did not prevail this time, we ran a campaign that I am enormously proud of. I am deeply grateful to each and every voter, volunteer, donor and supporter who helped us get our message out. To each and every one of you, I say: ‘thank you.’”

She continued, “I have heard from so many of you about what matters and what you want to see in our City and in our communities. I look forward to continuing to work with my neighbors, and with all New Yorkers, who care about common sense policies that prioritize safety, great education, small businesses, and restoring the quality of life we all deserve in New York City.”

“I congratulate Mr. Marte on his victory and wish him every success,” Ms. Maron added. “Our government at every level—local, state and federal—must be responsive to us and must work for us. New York City is at a crossroads and the new leadership in Gracie Mansion and in the City Council faces many challenges. To ensure our voices are heard, we must all continue to speak up and demand solutions that will work for everyone. I will and I hope you do, too.”

“And I’m not going anywhere!” she concluded. “You will see more of me and I look forward to sharing my next steps in the near future.”

Matthew Fenton

Lower Manhattan

Greenmarkets are open

Tribeca Greenmarket

Greenwich Street & Chambers Street

Every Wednesday & Saturday, 8am-3pm

Food Scrap Collection: Saturdays, 8am-1pm

Bowling Green Greenmarket

Broadway & Whitehall Street

Every Tuesday & Thursday, 8am-5pm

Food Scrap Collection: Tuesdays only, 8am-11am

Greenmarket at Oculus Plaza

Church & Fulton Streets

Tuesday

Farmers Attending:

Samascott Orchard Orchard fruit, strawberries from Columbia County, New York

Francesa’s Bakery Breads and baked goods from Middlesex County, New Jersey

Meredith’s Bakery Baked goods from Ulster County, New York

Riverine Ranch Water Buffalo meat and cheeses from Warren County, New Jersey

1857 Spirits Handcrafted potato vodka from Schoharie County, New York

SNAP/EBT/P-EBT, Debit/Credit, and Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks accepted

Letters

To the editor:

I took the Downtown Connection bus this morning around 11:30 am from the Whole Foods back to Gateway.

Two other passengers were on the bus and we were all masked. The driver was NOT masked, and when two of us implored him to put on a mask he replied “my boss said I don’t have to wear one.”

Hope you can find out why things have gotten this way.

Thanks, Nancy

——————————————————————————————————–

Downtown Alliance’s response:

“We are currently using a substitute fleet for our red Downtown Connection buses because our operator failed to obtain proper insurance for our primary vehicles. Instead of suspending the service, we decided to use these other vehicles, even though they are less than ideal. We are not happy and have obviously shared our frustration repeatedly with the operator. We will keep pushing them to resolve this as quickly as possible and may have to explore other options.

As far as any driver refusing to wear a mask, that is unacceptable. Full stop. If any rider observes unsafe or uncooperative behavior displayed by a driver please contact us directly at contactus@downtownny.com with time, date, place and bus number (if possible) and we will take action.”

Andrew Breslau

Senior Vice President

Communications & Marketing

Downtown Alliance

Letters

Leaf Blowers are Harmful to People and the Environment

To the Editor:

Day three and another comment about leaf blowers: Sometimes building staffs, including Brookfield, use them as well. They are terribly loud and often extremely close. Let’s put more rakes to good use.

Maryanne

To the Editor:

Please, Battery Park City Authority, stop using leaf blowers. They’re exceptionally loud and are generally destructive to the environment. For an organization that touts its sustainability and resiliency plans, leaf blowers blow away the BPCA’s environmental credibility with a roar.

Virginia Rogers

To the Editor:

I am writing to express concern with the excessive use of gas-powered leaf blowers in the park areas of BPC.

It occurs almost daily, goes on for a long time (more than is necessary in my opinion, adding to the inefficiency and pollution), is aggravating given the loud ongoing noise but also the operators’ habits of pulsing the machine (think, “vroom…vroom… vroom…vroom…” for an extended period), and spews out exhaust that enters my apartment window. Yes, literally. That gas pollution is not what I want us to be breathing at all, but especially not INDOORS!

Furthermore, the environmental impact is serious. Read the article in a recent New York Times edition.

Plus, this is very counter to the goals outlined on the BPC Parks website: “We have been continuously searching for the next “green” solution….BPCPC believes that developing an environmental consciousness is an important public mission….We ask staff and the public to think environmentally before they act….”

Michelle Eliseo

High Blade Pressure

Alliance of Elected Officials Seeks to Ground Helicopters

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer has brought together a coalition of City, State, and Federal elected officials from New York and New Jersey to fight the rampant proliferation of tourist helicopter flights over the greater metropolitan area.

In a letter sent Friday to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Ms. Brewer, Congressman Jerry Nadler, State Assembly member Deborah Glick, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, and City Council member Margaret Chin, along with 30 other officials from both states, say, “helicopters are hovering over our homes and public spaces, flying in between tall buildings and tormenting our residents with incessant noise. These aircraft operate over our cities, towns, and boroughs night and day, often without regard for public safety or quality of life.”

What’s Up, Dock?

Planning Moves Ahead for Elevating Battery Waterfront

With the ongoing design process for the Battery Wharf resiliency project now 50 percent complete (and construction slated to begin in late 2022), Community Board 1 (CB1) is weighing in with concerns and ideas about how to refine the vision for raising the level of the waterfront esplanade in the Battery to protect the historic park against future sea-level rise and extreme-weather events.

The project to safeguard the one-third mile stretch of shoreline between Pier A (to the north) and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal (in the south) has three primary aims: to raise the waterfront walkway five feet above its present elevation; to link up with other, similar projects nearby (as part of the broader Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency plan); and to improve drainage. The overall budget is $129 million, and the initiative is being managed by the City’s Economic Development Corporation, along with the Department of Parks and Recreation.

The stakes are considerable. To read more…

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 3

11AM

Wagner Park

With its amazing gardens and views of the Hudson River and New York Bay, Wagner Park is the perfect setting to practice your art. Participants are expected to bring their own drawing and painting supplies, including drawing boards and containers of water if they are planning to paint. BPCA will supply drawing paper and watercolor paper only. Masks required. Free.

12:30PM

LMHQ

According to the Center for Social Impact Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania, 90% of millennials say that when choosing between two brands of equal quality and price, they will opt for a cause-branded product, and 51% of global consumers will pay extra for products and services committed to positive social and environmental impact. . In this workshop, Career Coach and Talent Development Consultant Emily Lamia will show you how to understand what social impact means to you and gain clarity on the career path options within the social impact sector that most excite you. Free.

1:30-2PM

9/11 Memorial

A weekly bagpipe tribute honors those who died on 9/11 as well as those who are sick or who have died from exposure to toxins in the aftermath of 9/11. Free.

6PM

Live Remote Meeting – https://live.mcb1.nyc

AGENDA

•Tunnel2Towers Post-Race Debrief – Discussion

•The Theresienstadt Tree – Presentation by Jack Kliger, President and CEO, Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, and Terri Ruyter, Principal, P.S. 276

•Local Law 97 and What it Means for BPC – Discussion

•Brookfield Public Art Installation on the Lower Plaza for December

•Legislation to Create a Resident Majority on the Battery Park City Board of Directors – Discussion

•BPC Security Update – Patrick Murphy, Director of Security, Allied Universal•

BPCA Report – Nicholas Sbordone, Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs, Battery Park City Authority

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 4

November 4 – November 15

Brookfield Place

An extraordinary annual design competition and the most unique food charity in the world, Canstruction challenges teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to build sculptures made entirely out of unopened cans of food. The large-scale structures are placed on display and later donated to City Harvest for distribution to those in need. Free.

12NOON

Museum of American Financial History, online

Webinar with Michael Mauboussin. Most investment books try to assess the attractiveness of a stock price by estimating the value of the company. Expectations Investing, by Michael Mauboussin and Alfred Rappaport, provides a powerful and insightful alternative to identifying gaps between price and value.

The authors suggest that an investor start with a known quantity, the stock price, and ask what it implies for future financial results. After showing how to read expectations, they provide a guide to rigorous strategic and financial analysis to help investors assess the likelihood of revisions to these expectations. Free.

6PM

Live Remote Meeting – https://live.mcb1.nyc

AGENDA

•109 West Broadway, application for new entry portal design inspired by the maritime history of downtown Manhattan – Resolution

•Noland Park, application for the replacement of windows at thirteen wood-framed buildings of similar type and construction with new aluminum/aluminum-clad replacement units that replicate the historic 6/6 configuration – Resolution

•The Arts Center at Governors Island, application for alteration of exterior cafe signage using aluminum panel and attached letterform illuminated lamps – Resolution

•Questions about Inclusion and Equity – Discussion

•NYSE Fearless Girl Statue Renewal – Update (Tentative)

7PM

Battery Park City Authority

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we present Smoke Signals (1998, Chris Eyre), the first feature film written, directed, and produced by Native Americans. It is a story of two childhood acquaintances who become friends on a trip from their reservation in Idaho to Colorado. Virtual program. Registration required. Free.

7PM

Museum of Jewish Heritage

Love stories during the Holocaust are as inspiring as they are remarkable. In photographer Max Hirshfeld’s new book Sweet Noise: Love in Wartime, he offers an intimate look at one of these stories through powerful photographs, a series of emotional love letters between his parents, and the narrative of a son’s pilgrimage exploring his origins. Join the Museum for a program exploring Hirshfeld’s work with the photographer and Jacqueline Kott-Wolle, a fellow artist and daughter of Holocaust survivors. Hirshfeld and Kott-Wolle will explore different forms of love, expression, and the idea that Jewish trauma and hardship did not end after the war. $10.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 6

10AM

South Cove

What better time than Saturday mornings to practice your art Participants are expected to bring their own drawing and painting supplies, including drawing boards and containers of water if they are planning to paint. BPCA will supply drawing paper and watercolor paper only. Free.

11AM

Seaport Square, 89 South Street

Antiques. Jewelry. Art. Vintage goods and local designers. A beloved street fair makes the move from the Lower East Side to the Seaport. Kicking off on Labor Day Weekend, Hester Street Fair is now in the neighborhood. Come and browse the stalls. Snack. Music by Wade and Sammy. Tightly curated. Wildly creative.

8PM

Tribeca Performing Arts Center

Solo stand up comedy by comedian Max Amini. $32-$115.

11AM-5PM

South Street Seaport Museum

The tall ship Wavertree, the lightship Ambrose, and the tug W.O. Decker are open to the public. Explore Wavertree and Ambrose while they are docked; cruise New York Harbor on W.O. Decker.Wavertree and Ambrose visits are free; Decker prices vary. Check website for times, prices and other details.

CLASSIFIEDS & PERSONALS

Swaps & Trades, Respectable Employment, Lost and Found

To place a listing, contact editor@ebroadsheet.com

TEYES TO THE SKY

November 1 – 14, 2021

Darkest mornings, brightest stars—crescent moon dawn, then dusk, with planets

he week of November 1 through 6 is the best time all year to begin each day under heaven’s brightest stars and constellations – without waking up especially early. In morning darkness at 6am, through twilight, close to 7 o’clock, a view into the cosmos is ours. Find the brightest star in Earth’s skies, Sirius the Dog Star of Canis Major, in the southwest, alluring even through windows. Sirius is still brilliant at 6:40am and visible until close to 7am as the sky brightens and all other stars have faded. Until 6:30, gaze counterclockwise from Sirius to spot Rigel of Orion the Hunter, then Aldebaran of Taurus the Bull, up to Capella the Goat Star and around to Procyon the Little Dog Star. These distant suns and constellations, along with the slightly dimmer Gemini constellation, compose the Winter Circle. Refer to the illustration, above.

Propping Up Mom and Pop Shops

Alliance Aims to Encourage Storefront Startups in Lower Manhattan

The Downtown Alliance is offering a package of free incentives and support services, valued at $10,000, to help new retailers and restaurants seeking to open in Lower Manhattan. The Jump Start program is designed to give small businesses a better chance at success in both the physical and online marketplace, by offering up to 20 eligible applicants a customized strategic launch plan, along with four interactive consultation sessions. Services will include advice on everything from driving foot traffic to creating a successful e-commerce platform.

The Broadsheet Inc. eBroadsheet.com editor @ ebroadsheet.com ©2021 All Rights Reserved

No part of this document may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher © 2021