The Villager Express - July 4, 2019

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V i s i t u s o n l i n e a t w w w .T h e V i l l a g e r. c o m

THE

S S E R P X E

July 4, 2019 Volume 4 • Number 14

The Paper of Record for East and West Villages, Little Italy, Lower East Side, Soho, Noho, and Chinatown

BREAKING CHAINS E.V. board: Rein in large retailers p. 6

A “formula” chain store at E. Fifth St. and First Ave.

PRETTY WILD! Maurice Sendak’s opera and ballet art p. 18

PROUD MOMENT An extra-special Pride March Page 3 PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

A common thread ran throughout Sunday’s celebrations.

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July 4, 2019

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Dancing, democracy, diversity

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

State Senator Brad Hoylman trumpeted democrac y along the March route.

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t Sunday’s Pride March, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson once again earned his title as “The Hardest Working Man at the March,” as he danced and sweated up a storm along the route. Keeping up his own tradition, state

PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY

Council Speaker Corey Johnson got down to the music.

ing tapped as the city for WorldPride, drawing L.G.B.T.Q. celebrants from around the world. The usual number of marchers tripled to 150,000. This year’s procession kicked off at noon near Madison Square Park, then went down Fifth Ave. to the Village,

Senator Brad Hoylman and his husband, David Sigal, again handed out copies of the U.S. Constitution — a very useful document in these turbulent times. This year’s Pride was larger than ever due to it being the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and New York’s be-

past the Stonewall Inn, then up Seventh Ave., passing the New York City AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle, to fi nish at W. 23rd St. in Chelsea. The last groups only got underway at 11 p.m., and the March did not finish until 12:30 a.m.!

Judge blocks 14th busway, demands data BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

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old your horses! Despite the city’s effort to fast-track a first-of-its-kind nocars “busway” on 14th St., a judge on Friday morning slammed the brakes on the scheme — just three days before it was set to start — saying that data justifying the sweeping changes is needed. The city had planned to radically transform traffic on 14th St. starting Mon., July 1, by implementing a novel “Transit/Trucks Priority” lanes plan. The idea — pitched as an unusually lengthy 18-month pilot plan — has not been done anywhere else in New York City to date. Under the change, cars would have been banned from 14th St. daily between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., with moving traffic squeezed down to just one lane eastbound and one lane westbound for buses and through trucks. The idea was to speed up buses on the M14 route — with Select Bus Service also set to kick off on July 1. But two weeks ago, Village activist attorney Arthur Schwartz — representing a slew of Chelsea and Village block associations, plus several large co-op buildings on W. 14th and W. 13th Sts. — sued Polly Trottenberg, the commissioner of the Department of TransporSchneps Media

tation, over the plan, lambasting it as “arbitrary and capricious.” Friday morning, state Supreme Court Justice Eileen Rakower ruled on Schwartz’s request for a temporary restraining order, or T.R.O. Basically, the S.B.S. can start on 14th St., since that was not part of the lawsuit. New ticketing kiosks have been installed along the M14 route, so that bus riders can prepay their fares and board more quickly. “She barred them from implementing the busway — but she didn’t bar them from implementing S.B.S. because we didn’t ask for that,” Schwartz said afterward. According to Schwartz, who is also the Village’s male Democratic district leader, Rakower said D.O.T. had not submitted data to back up why the plan was needed. When the city was pitching an earlier form of the busway to offset the “L-pocalpyse” (full L-train shutdown), D.O.T. provided plenty of data and “modeling” — but not this time around, Schwartz said. “That [previous] study showed a 50 percent increase in traffic on 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th Sts.,” he noted. Rakower set Aug. 6 as the next date to hear arguments, and both sides were given July dates for submitting additional paperwork.

The lawsuit also asked the court to rule on the new crosstown protected bike lanes on W. 12th and W. 13th Sts. The lanes were added in anticipation of the full L-train shutdown, which has since been drastically scaled back to a “slowdown,” with repair work on the L tunnel now being done on nights and weekends, with L-train service never completely interrupted. “We didn’t discuss the bike lanes,” Schwartz said. He said the lawsuit is not asking for a T.R.O. on the bike lanes, but an “ultimate ruling,” which might be to narrow down the buffer zone next to them. As this paper reported, the activist attorney also plans to sue the New York City Transit Authority over its intention to eliminate bus stops on the M14 as part of implementing S.B.S. In that case, he will be representing plaintiff Disabled in Action, a group advocating for disabled New Yorkers. Judy Pesin, a leader of the 14th St. Coalition — a group of Village and Chelsea block associations and apartments buildings opposed to the busway — was among the handful of opponents present when Rakower ruled. “D.O.T. implied that [starting the busway] July 1 was critical because it was tied into the M.T.A. and the bus routes and the bus plan,” Pesin said. TVG

“The judge basically said, ‘Just do the S.B.S. and see what happens.’ “A lot of what she was talking about was, ‘Let’s see the data.’ There was a lot of data a year ago,” Pesin added. A year ago, the city said 50,000 straphangers who use the L train on 14th St. daily would be impacted by a full shutdown of the line in Manhattan. Pesin added she supports S.B.S., and that the opponents want to see if M14 bus speeds will increase with it, even without a no-cars busway. S.B.S. on the M14 would still start on July 1, a D.O.T. spokesperson said. “Today’s disappointing ruling will affect tens of thousands of M14 bus riders each day,” said Scott Gastel. “We understand from M.T.A. that M14 Select Bus Service will be moving forward this Monday, but the ruling means that for the first time ever, S.B.S. will operate without the trademarked dedicated lanes that have dramatically increased bus speeds and reliability on S.B.S. routes around the city.” Meanwhile, Riders Alliance, a public-transportation advocacy group, blasted the busway opponents. “The 14th St. hypocrisy has got to stop,” spokesperson Danny Pearlstein said. “New York’s working people can’t afford to litigate their right to decent bus service.” July 4, 2019

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Police Blotter First Ave., an unidentified man entered a third-floor apartment through an unlocked front door and removed a Dell laptop and a Michael Kors watch before fleeing through the front door. The suspect is described as Hispanic, around 50 to 60 years old, with a light complexion and gray hair.

13th Precinct Stuy Town rape try A 20-year-old woman was almost raped on the Stuyvesant Town grounds early on the morning of Sat., June 29, according to police. Police said the victim was walking in the vicinity of the Stuyvesant Oval at 5:10 a.m., when she was approached from behind by a man, who grabbed her by her neck. The victim resisted, but the attacker choked her unconscious and she fell to the ground. The attacker then tried to sexually assault her, after first taking off her underwear, according to the New York Post. A male Samaritan came to the victim’s aid and called 911, at which point the assailant ran off. He was last seen running west on 17th St. toward Second Ave. The victim, who suffered scrapes on her forehead, neck and elbows, was transported by E.M.S. to an area hospital for evaluation. The suspect was wearing a blue shirt and black jeans. Surveillance video shows him walking northbound on First Ave. and then turning right onto E. 16th St. shortly before the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the CrimeStoppers Web site at www.nypdcrimestoppers. com, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577. All tips are strictly confidential.

Fifth Precinct Crushed in Chinatown A man was crushed to death by a giant safe in Chinatown on Sunday, police said. Around 4:37 p.m. on June 30, police responded to a 911 call of a man in need of rescue inside 76 Mott St. Responding officers found an adult male unconscious and unresponsive on the third-floor landing. E.M.S. responded and pronounced him dead at the scene. The New York Post reported that the victim and two other men were attempting to move the 600-to-800-pound safe down a flight of stairs when they lost control of it, according to police. The safe fell down the stairs and pinned the victim against the stairwell wall. “Man was moving it from fourth floor and it come down on him,” the Post reported a witness saying.

10th Precinct Ticked off over ticket

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

Police released these images of the alleged Stuy vesant Town sexual assault suspect.

Spirited theft On Fri., June 14, at 3:28 a.m., a man threw a rock through the front window of Warehouse Wines and Spirits Liquor Store, at 735 Broadway, between Astor Place and Waverly Place, but didn’t take any booze. Instead he removed $82 worth of coffee display products before fleeing. Police described the suspect as an adult, around 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a slim build, dark complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and toting a blue satchel.

Ninth Precinct

One of the other men was also reportedly injured and taken to Bellevue Medical Center in serious condition.

Sixth Precinct Wanted wallet Police said that on June 27, a man entered a deli at 476 Sixth Ave., between W. 11th and 12th Sts., and approached the counter, where he snatched a wallet from an 84-year-old male victim’s hand and fled. The wallet contained $182, several credit cards and blank checks. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male with arm tattoos.

14th St. fracas There was an assault in front of 205 W. 14th St., at Seventh Ave., last week, according to a police report. On Sat., June 29, around 4:50 a.m., a 30-yearold man got into an argument with a stranger. The stranger punched him in the face with a closed fist, causing “substantial pain, bleeding and redness,” according to the report. Mark Nurse, 34, was arrested for misdemeanor assault.

Bottle slash

The bicycle thieves

A dispute between two groups of men in the East Village on Sat., June 8, ended with one man getting slashed on his face with a broken bottle. Police said that at 3 a.m., the victim, 20, was walking with two other male acquaintances across from 25 E. Fourth St., near the Merchant’s House Museum, when they engaged in a dispute with another group of males unknown to them. The argument escalated from verbal into a physical altercation, and one guy from the second group who was holding a glass bottle, broke it on the sidewalk and slashed the victim on the right side of his face. The victim was transported by E.M.S. to Cornell Hospital in stable condition. All the males fled the spot.

A man and a woman stole bicycles in two separate incidents, one of them in Chelsea at Sid’s Bikes NYC, according to police. The first theft was on Thurs., April 25, around 4:25 p.m., inside the Chelsea bike shop at 151 W. 19th St., between Sixth and Seventh Aves. The man and woman checked out several bicycles inside the store, then the woman walked a pricey Cannondale bike to the entrance. She then handed it off to the man, and they both left the store with the bike, which was worth $4,200. The second incident was on Sun., April 28, around 3:05 p.m., police said. A man left his specialized Tarmac bike unlocked in front of Roy’s Sheepshead Cycle, at 2679 Coney Island Ave., and the same two suspects reportedly took the $10,000 bike and left.

COURTESY N.Y.P.D.

The woman in the alleged bikestealing duo.

A woman was arrested for preventing a traffic enforcement agent from writing a summons at 12th Ave. and W. 33rd St., according to police. On Fri., June 28, around 5:20 p.m., a 54-yearold woman stood in front of the agent, and took a summons off of a vehicle and threw it onto the street. As she did this, she continued to stand in his way and prevent him from writing summonses. Bonnie Ingram was arrested for obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor.

E. 6th burglary Police said that on Wed., June 19, at 10:30 a.m., inside a residential building in the vicinity of E. Sixth St. and

Lincoln Anderson and Gabe Herman

The Villager (USPS 578930) ISSN 0042-6202 Copyright © 2019 by Schneps Media is published weekly by Schneps Media, One Metrotech North, 10th floor Brooklyn, NY 11201. 52 times a year. Business and Editorial Offices: One Metrotech North, 10th floor Brooklyn, NY 11201. Accounting and Circulation Offices: Schneps Media, One Metrotech North, 10th floor Brooklyn, NY 11201. Call 718-260-2500 to subscribe. Periodicals postage prices is paid at New York, N.Y. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Villager, One Metrotech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Annual subscription by mail in Manhattan and Brooklyn $29 ($35 elsewhere). Single copy price at office and newsstands is $1. The entire contents of newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2019 Schneps Media.

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Board 3 wants to rein in chain stores BY GABE HERMAN

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ommunity Board 3 recently passed a resolution for a Special Commercial District in the East Village that would limit the size of retail stores and restrict new chain stores to E. 14 and E. Houston Sts. The resolution, approved in May, is part of an ongoing push by local groups, residents and politicians to promote smaller, independent businesses in the area. The resolution says, in part, “In recent years the East Village has experienced a loss of retail diversity, a saturation of destination nightlife businesses, and an influx of national chain stores.” “This change,” the resolution continues, “has resulted in decreased daytime foot traffic, growing ground floor commercial rents and vacancies, and a sustained loss of independent businesses providing affordable goods and services.” This problem has had a particularly harmful effect on small businesses, and arts and cultural organizations, according to the resolution. The board also cited quality-of-life issues — such as noise, crowded sidewalks and increased vehicle traffic — due to the area’s becoming more of a “weekend nightlife destination.” C.B. 3 has the highest rate in the city of commercial noise complaints made to the Police Department, according to the resolution. The special district’s boundaries would be E. 14th and E. Houston Sts., Second Ave. and Avenue D. The so-called Special Enhanced Commercial District would include restrictions on storefronts’ size, as well as on new eating and drinking businesses, plus prohibitions against “formula retail” locating in much of the district, only allowing for such businesses on E. 14th and E. Houston Sts. Existing chain stores would be allowed to stay. There would likely be an exception for grocery stores and supermarkets, according to Harry Bubbins, East Village and special projects direc-

GOOGLE MAPS

A Rite Aid at E. Fifth St. and First Ave. is the kind of “formula retail” store C.B. 3 wants to restrict. Existing stores, however, would be grandfathered under the proposed zoning change.

tor for Village Preservation, which has been an advocate for the special district. The East Village Community Coalition has also advocated for protecting smaller local retail for years. In 2013, the group launched a campaign, “Taking Action Against Formula Retail,” which led to a 2015 report, “Preserving Local, Independent Retail.” Village Preservation joined the start of that 2013 campaign and assisted in creating the report. Momentum has been growing over time as groups try to spread word of the campaign locally. C.B. 3 has been studying retail trends going back a decade, according to Laura Sewell, executive director of E.V.C.C. Councilmember Carlina Rivera also has been working with the community board to find a viable proposal. Borough President Gale Brewer and state Senator Brad Hoylman have also been monitoring the progress, Sewell said. “E.V.C.C. sees the proposed East Village Special Enhanced Commercial District as a business-attraction tool,” Sewell told this paper recently. “Unique shops and services being priced out of other areas are relocating here. Day-

time retail needs other daytime retail to thrive: E. Ninth St. is a prime example. How do we support and expand on what’s working here? “Square footage has to be small, even tiny, to be ‘affordable,’” she added. “Microbusinesses simply can’t take on the big footprints or rents common to most new developments. Change is always inevitable.” Sewell added that in the current retail climate, most businesses need a “side hustle,” such as clothing designers also being stylists, eyeglasses shops having a wholesale line, or trendy restaurants having a window for soups or juices. Bubbins said Village Preservation has worked with other local groups, residents and merchants, “to advance this important policy proposal to promote small independent businesses that contribute so much to the unique character of our neighborhood, and which studies have shown generate more local economic activity than chain stores.” C.B. 3 held a 2017 town hall on the issue that was attended by more than 100 people, Bubbins said. And Village Preservation has received more than 300 signatures on an online petition

advocating for a special district, along with 300-plus e-mails sent to local politicians supporting the idea. However, there are still many steps left before a special district could reach the City Council and be created. Now that C.B. 3 has passed the resolution, the proposal will go to the Department of City Planning for its review. If Planning finds the zoning idea feasible, it could authorize a ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) process for it. That would include C.B. 3, the Manhattan borough president and the City Council all weighing in on it, along with public hearings, and take up to nine months over all to complete. The Real Estate Board of New York a.k.a. REBNY did not respond to a request for comment for this article, but the group was against a 2017 effort in C.B. 3 to restrict store sizes. A spokesperson told DNAinfo then that the restrictive scheme would hurt the local economy and was an attempt to kick out bars and other nightlife, and that late-night noise issues should be handled by enforcement, not rezoning. Sewell said the next step for E.V.C.C. is to continue outreach in the East Village and get more feedback about the retail proposal. “It’s important to provide information about certain details,” she said, adding that includes letting people know that current chains would not be kicked out. Councilmember Rivera’s spokesperson, Jeremy Unger, said Rivera has long supported a Special Commercial District and considers protecting and nurturing small businesses a top priority. “She looks forward to working with the community board and city agencies further on this plan,” Unger said. A City Planning spokesperson said the agency had not yet received a proposal from C.B. 3 about the Special Commercial District. “As with every community,” the spokesperson said, “we are happy to meet with local stakeholders, including residents, business owners and elected officials, regarding their concerns.”

New park opens at Essex Crossing on L.E.S. BY GABE HERMAN

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s more parts of the Essex Crossing development on the Lower East Side continue to open, including the new Essex Market and a 14-screen movie theater, the latest opening is a 15,000-square-foot public park. The park, which opened in midJune, is located along Broome St. between Suffolk and Clinton Sts. Delancey Street Associates (DSA) will own and maintain the park, which is

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part of the Department of City Planning’s POPS (privately owned public spaces) program. The new park was designed by West 8, a landscape architecture fi rm that was also behind The Hills, a 10-acre public park on Governors Island that opened in 2016. The Broome St. park includes a playground with wooden animal springers, an undulating balance beam, and a freestanding mini net. It also has an open plaza with native plantings around it, including hon-

eysuckle and serviceberry trees, and trumpet honeysuckle, fragrant sumac and lowbush blueberry shrubs, according to DSA. “Even before we were chosen to build Essex Crossing, we knew a beautifully crafted public park would be a must for any thoughtful master plan,” said Don Capoccia, principal at BFC Partners, one of the Essex Crossing developers. “Essex Crossing continues to come to life and we’re eager to see the park buzzing with activity — I imagine it won’t take long.” TVG

The new park will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., from April through October, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. November through March. Another major attraction coming to Essex Crossing is The Market Line, expected to open later this summer. The market will be a bazaarlike space spanning 700 feet along Broome St. At 150,000 square feet, it will be the largest marketplace in the city, according to DSA, and will include foods, a gallery and a performance space. Schneps Media


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Push to preserve White Horse BY MICAEL A MACAGNONE

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fforts to landmark the interior of the White Horse Tavern continue, as concern over the famed Greenwich Village pub’s future is unabated. The building, at Hudson and W. 11th Sts. that has housed the White Horse since 1880, was recently sold to notorious landlord Steven Croman. The building’s sale included the bar. Croman selected Eytan Sugarman, who owns the Hunt and Fish Club in Midtown, as the pub’s new proprietor. Sugarman’s and Croman’s names are linked quite often in discussions of the sale. Andrew Berman, the executive director of Village Preservation, acknowledged there have not yet been many changes to the White Horse’s interior under Sugarman. But he added that one can never know what the future holds — particularly, because the relationship between Sugarman and Croman is not clear. Plus, he said, Croman has a track record of maximizing profit on old buildings, rather than preserving the space or making an effort to respect the community. One troubling past example is Cafe Vivaldi. A West Village restaurant and live-music venue that had been open since 1983, Cafe Vivaldi closed last June after a lengthy legal battle over landlord Croman’s tripling of its rent. Ishrat Ansari, the cafe’s owner, referred to Croman as his “tormentor.” This paper recently spoke with Sugarman in a phone interview. When asked about his relationship with Croman, Sugarman claimed that he and the landlord had no relationship prior to the latter’s purchase of the White Horse. Sugarman consistently goes out of his way to emphasize his commitment to preserving the White Horse’s legacy, something perhaps best expressed in an Instagram post he made back in April. He also mentioned that Croman must have at least a basic respect for the bar because the building’s sale agreement

COURTESY DYLAN LEAZIER FOR WHITE HORSE TAVERN

A recent photo of an interior room at the White Horse Tavern, featuring a painting of poet Dylan Thomas. The bar’s new proprietor says they haven’t made any significant changes to the interior.

working there the past 13 years. While Sugarman said Croman has no say in the White Horse’s operations, Cynthia Chaffee, co-founder of the Stop Croman Coalition, explained that it is impossible for the the place to be divorced from Croman. “If they think they are safe with Croman…they are not,” she said. “Everyone who moves into his buildings winds up getting screwed. When the lease is up, Croman will double or triple the rent and start harassing you to get out.” Similarly, Berman said, even if Sugarman and the White Horse’s operators have good intentions, the power may not be in their hands in the long run. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson has also expressed concern for the famed tavern’s future. “White Horse Tavern holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Greenwich Village residents and the city’s literary community,” Johnson said in a statement to this paper. “Like many of my neighbors, colleagues in government and fellow New Yorkers, I have concerns about the interior of

stated that the place had to be maintained as the White Horse. Sugarman said of Croman that he “doesn’t know the guy.” But he said Croman selected him because he is “New York born and bred,” and thus would run the White Horse authentically, and that Croman has not been unsupportive of his efforts to maintain the pub’s legacy. While Sugarman would not disclose how much rent he is paying, he did say that the lease is for 15 years. Sugarman said that regulars will be pleasantly surprised to see that the White Horse Tavern is “the same, just with a slightly better product offering.” “Care and reverence” are central to his efforts at the White Horse, he added. He mentioned that prices have increased slightly because quality has increased. When asked about interior design changes, Sugarman said that he knows that the interior is “sacred” to the history of the White Horse, and thus anything that is historically relevant will remain the same. In addition, the bar’s manager is the same one who has been

this cultural and literary treasure being compromised due to recent ownership changes. I hope the Landmarks Preservation Commission will protect the White Horse Tavern both inside and out and landmark its interior.” In the views of Berman, Chaffee and Johnson, it is thus crucial then that the tavern’s interior be landmarked. Optimistically, one could think that the White Horse is safe for at least 14 more years because Sugarman constantly emphasizes his commitment to protecting it. On the other hand, one could say trust alone is insufficient to safeguard a historical treasure. Asked if he was hopeful the interior landmarking request would be approved, Berman said he was “guardedly optimistic.” The preservationist said this case for landmarking is a strong one and that they have received tremendous support from “thousands of New Yorkers to the Landmarks Preservation Commission itself.” Yet, while the city boasts roughly 30,000 exterior-landmarked buildings, there are only around 120 interior landmarks. Indeed, this is the first time Village Preservation has pushed for an interior designation. Berman encouraged people not to wait until it is too late, and “to make sure a slice of New York City history is preserved and that we do not regret not acting when we could have.” He said, if people want to contribute, they can go to Village Preservation’s Web site and send a letter, so the group will have a record of support, plus can then keep supporters abreast of the campaign to preserve the historic space. While some solace can be taken from Sugarman’s avowed commitment to preserve the tavern, the consensus is that it would be wise to keep up the pressure for landmarking the place’s interior due to the inherent risks of being a tenant — particularly of Croman’s.

Two Bridges playground getting $3.5M rehab BY ALEJANDR A O’CONNELLDOMENECH

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layground One, in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Two Bridges, will be completely reconstructed. Councilmember Margaret Chin, state Senator Brian Kavanagh, Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver and students from P.S. 1 (the Alfred E. Smith School), the playground’s namesake, gathered there on June 25, to break ground on the $3.5-million project. According to the Parks Department,

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from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Community Parks Initiative, which invests in underresourced parks in densely populated neighborhoods with higher-than-average concentrations of poverty. “Playground One has been a place for the families and residents of Chinatown and the Lower East Side to relax, exercise and build communities for years,” Councilmember Chin said. “The $3.45-million renovation project we broke ground on will mean this space can support more athletic activities, better serve the community, and ensure Playground One is entirely ac-

when the project is finished by next summer, Playground One will have a resurfaced and regraded basketball area, new play equipment, a playhouse, a water-bottle filler and drinking fountain, new security lighting and new surfacing. As part of the renovations, the playground’s fences along Madison and Oliver Sts. will be lowered to improve the playground’s accessibility. The change is in line with the Mayor’s Park’s Without Borders initiative, a design concept meant to make the public spaces more welcoming. Funding for the renovations comes TVG

cessible to all who want to enjoy it, regardless of physical ability.” In October 2017, the Parks Department organized a public-input meeting to hear community feedback on how to best reimagine the playground. The planned changes reflect that input, according to a statement from Parks. Since the Community Parks Initiative launched in 2014, the city has invested $318 million in capital funds into renovations for 67 parks that have not been updated in decades. Schneps Media


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Guest Editorial

MANHAT TAN

SNAPS

BY ELISSA STEIN

P

ride in New York City can be a day of beauty, of rainbows, of glitter, of hand holding, of love. But what used to be a commemoration of the Stonewall protests and march has grown into a bloated, corporate-driven event, a seemingly never-ending day of claustrophobic sidewalks, mounds of garbage, earsplitting sound systems, and a neighborhood held hostage by countless barricades and a parade that goes on far too long. Kicking off Sunday at noon, the Heritage of Pride March started off down Fifth Ave., headed west at Eighth St., then went along Christopher St., and then north on Seventh Ave. In doing so, it created an enclosed trap — blocks constricted by festivities on either side, which left Sixth Ave. as a free-for-all for hours and hours and even more hours. Late into the night, floats, trucks, cars and marchers were still jam-packed along lower Fifth Ave. with the parade route still stretching far out in front of them. Major League Baseball, Uber, M&Ms, Jet Blue, Smirnoff Vodka, Polaroid, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, an entertainment union, the National Hockey League, countless churches and more made their way Downtown after 9:30 p.m. Accompanying them were street-level volunteers, walking, dancing and enthusiastically distributing logo-stamped giveaways, including candy, sunglasses holders, MetroCard cases, ID lanyards, bandanas, stickers, light-up necklaces, paper fans and posters, to the few bystanders remaining on sidewalks. Too many of those sponsored products, along with cups, confetti, broken props, costumes and more, ended up discarded on the street, piled high against curbs, stashed on steps and in doorways as the day/ night went on. The noise level of sponsored floats, laden with even more volunteers, was too often deafening. There were so many, it seems the floats couldn’t be spaced far enough apart, and so sponsors cranked up their individual sound systems to drown out everyone else; at times, it was impossible to hear people standing close by on the sidelines. All this, late into the night, through a mostly residential neighborhood. The hard work of everyone who worked to keep the streets safe and then returned them to status quo after the hordes went home is much appreciated. Going forward, though, someone needs to be the grown-up in the room and cap the number of participants, set a time limit, and take affected neighborhoods and communities into consideration. For an event that should be about inclusiveness, the inevitable deluge now borders on abuse. Local residents and streets should not be subjected to this level of noise pollution, barricading and destruction. Both parade organizers and elected officials should take a hard look at the havoc this event wreaks and figure out what they can do to prevent it from happening again.

COURTESY NYC PARKS ARCHIVE

Mayor Johnago, Lindsay the 1969 groundFifty years in July addressed 1969, Mayor the Johncrowd Lindsayataddressed a crowd at a breaking. groundbreaking in Washington Square Park. The renovation project would

include lowering the fountain in the central plaza, adding a raised plaza in the southeast area of the park, and building three concrete play mounds. “The Mounds,” as they were known, in the park’s southwestern quadrant, were for years used for snow sledding in winter, and also by skateboarders, but eventually became dilapidated and infested by rats. They were razed in the most recent park renovation in the 2000s, and have since been replaced by a kids’ climbing net suspended over sunken slopes lined with artificial turf — a very popular children’s play spot.

Stein is a Village resident, writer, consultant and community activist.

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SUMMARY: Community Board 3 passed a resolution supporting limiting the size of East Village retail stores, plus restricting chain stores to E. Houston and E. 14th Sts. Existing chain stores would be grandfathered. The board’s opinions are advisory, and the City Planning Department and the City Council would have to implement the measures. But the resolution has hit a nerve among locals.

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Op-Ed

Letters to the Editor Resiliency plan has holes

How The Villager covered the upscaling of Soho.

Was city’s promise to artists fake news? BY HARRY PINCUS

A

s the only certified artist in residence (A.I.R.) still living in a co-op that some artists founded in 1975, I am currently in the process of being deported from the small loft that my family and I own, and have spent decades sanding, scraping, painting and, most importantly, legalizing. An original stock certificate, an original lease, stamped and completed permits, and even a passed audit and a “letter of completion” from the New York City Department of Buildings, mean nothing to the wealthy new residents of my building, who are hell-bent on turning an obscene profit, and feel entitled to flatten anyone who stands in their way. I have no misconceptions about what “Soho” has become, and no particular objection to removing restrictions against nonartists, the only people who can afford to come here today. That said, many of these new arrivals are clearly here to throw out those of us who pioneered a harsh and forgotten old stretch of factory buildings, way back in the 20th century. The protections that the City of New York promised us with the original Loft Laws for Joint Living-Work Quarters for Artists (J.L.W.Q.A.) must stand. We created “Soho” and now we need to be protected against the beast that we inadvertently created. I was living in a ’58 Chevy purchased for 100 bucks from a bereft horseplayer when I moved into a deserted harpsichord factory. It was cold, and the oily factory pallets and flapping doors provided more comfort than the Chevy, which had been broken into on Avenue C. A life as an artist was taken as a calling, and an artist had no assurance of ever earning a living. After all, it was a gang of crazy artists who rescued these “Soho lofts” from Robert Moses’ postwar highway oblivion. The City of New York created a covenant with artists, by passing the Loft Laws and the A.I.R. requirements, which also greatly benefitted the city by enabling the rehabilitation of a derelict section of Lower Manhattan. We assumed that our homes and families would be protected by the A.I.R. requirement, and couldn’t possibly imagine that these protections would be rescinded just as we greet the dawn of our old age. Today, the rule of law is apparently fake news, and mega-real estate interests announce the doom of anything that is not money through the flapping tongues of our elected officials!

To The Editor: Re “City floats post-Sandy zoning changes” (news article, thevillager.com, June 26): Improved zoning to address the enormous threats and challenges of climate change, Sandy-scale extreme storm surges and slowly rising sea levels is of urgency and necessary. However, behind these proposed changes to existing building codes and regulations is a sleight of hand approach — where the city is slowly but surely shifting the burden of economic responsibility for resilience from the public to the private sector — whether it be for commerce, industry, hospitals, public housing or private dwellings. The mayor’s plan is neither a solution to existential flooding either in New York City nor, indeed, for all of metropolitan New York and coastal New Jersey. Seven years after Superstorm Sandy, the region is almost as vulnerable as it ever was. What the city needs to embrace going forward is a layered, hybrid approach to coastal resilience. We need large storm-surge barriers, built as far away from densely developed infrastructure as possible, built strong enough to hold back the worst storm surges nature can hurl at us, plus modest 3-foot-to-6foot-tall perimeter walls, where necessary, to protect local communities against sea-level rise over coming decades. Only in this way can we save the city in its present form for at least the next 100 years. A one-size-fits-all solution of building high coastal seawalls along the 1,000-mile perimeter of New York Harbor, plus along the lower Hudson and East rivers, in order to protect the coastal zone, while expecting most at-risk infrastructure to be suitably elevated, is simply unattainable, unaffordable and won’t work. Malcolm Bowman, Ph.D. Bowman is chairperson, NYNJ-LI Storm Surge Working Group

Pincus is an award-winning illustrator and fine artist Schneps Media

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Gloria Sukenick, after a 2015 ceremony, with the flower that accompanied her Clara Lemlich Award.

Wait a few years To The Editor: Re “Put mayor in charge of subways and buses” (opinion, by Corey Johnson, June 28): Sure, but let’s wait until the next mayor. We can’t allow the worst mayor since Dinkins to have control over something this important. Anton Leong

You can’t be serious To The Editor: Re “Baldwin gets serious at Judson” (news article, June 13): Ironic and rather unseemly that a Judson minister would use former bad-boy actor Alec Baldwin (known for slugging reporters and photographers) to hype this event — especially since he lives in a fancy pad off University Place, and is himself an example of gentrification in the Village. Mary Reinholz

How N.Y.U. could help out To The Editor: Re “Baldwin & Co. mull Village’s outlook” (news article June 27): An idea that would diversify the population and make New York University more green would be for the university to provide affordable housing for

staff — custodians, cafeteria workers, etc. — who could then work and live locally, including sending their kids to Village schools. Bob Harvey

Sukenick was a role model To The Editor: Re “Gloria Sukenick, 94, Chelsea housing and political activist” (obituary, thevillager. com, June 19): Gloria had a profound influence on my life. She introduced me to real activism. She was a stunning woman, inside and out. She had wonderful humor and a zest for life that inspired others to take stock and make what they did count and also be enjoyable. Gloria was a role model and a mentor. She was a leader with vision and a friend with heart. She was one of the brightest and best people I have known. Chelsea is a better place because of Gloria. Kathy Kinsella E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to news@thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 1 MetroTech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Anonymous letters will not be published.

July 4, 2019

11


Opinion

14th St. plan favors Uber & Co. over taxis BY CAROLYN PROTZ AND SERGIO CABRERA

A

s The Villager has reported, city officials have developed a carless plan for 14th St. in order to mitigate the impact of intermittent reductions of service on the L-train line. The plan has generated considerable anger among a number of local and advocacy groups who have now fi led suit against the city. Somewhat lost in all of the controversy surrounding the lawsuit is the fact that the city has given for-hirevehicles like Uber and Lyft (F.H.V.’s) — but not New York City taxis — special dispensation to traverse 14th St. in order to pick up passengers. This special exemption is the essence of arbitrary and capricious, and should surprise no one that taxi medallion owners agree with the lawsuit’s observation that the plan lacks “some modicum of rationality.� From a taxi standpoint, the lawsuit’s indictment of the plan was dramatized the other day at a City Council hearing on the role of New York City and the Taxi and Limousine Commission in the decimation of the value of the taxi medallion. Councilmembers took turns excoriating the T.L.C. for its willful blindness and collusion in the decline of the industry. One of the central complaints made by medallion owners was that T.L.C. aided and abetted the decimation

The city’s “pilot plan� for 14th St. would bar yellow cabs from cruising along the street for fares between Third and Ninth Aves.

dallion owners had paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for that very same right. Another exemption involved the requirement for wheelchair accessibility. The city mandated that 50 percent of all taxis must be wheelchair accessible by 2020 — a requirement that places extra fi nancial burdens on cabbies. Yet, for more than four

of the taxi medallion by exempting F.H.V.’s from many of the same strict regulations that were mandated for taxis. Perhaps the most egregious example was the T.L.C. allowing F.H.V.’s access to the Central Business District — otherwise known as the “Taxi Exclusionary Zone� — for the price of a $250-a-year license when me-

years, Uber and Lyft rejected the demands of advocates, and resisted all legal efforts at compliance. In the end, a watered-down compromise was reached that falls far short of the taxi mandate, one that gives Uber and Lyft another unfair competitive advantage. What aggravates us to no end, is that for the past four years, taxis (but not the F.H.V.’s) have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — 50 cents for each passenger fare. At the same time, as most transit experts agree, the F.H.V.’s have been draining resources and riders off of the buses and trains. Allowing a 14th St. exemption to the culprits who have made mass transit worse is really a case of adding insult to injury, not only to taxis, but to mass transit riders, as well. The bottom line is that if 14th St. is to be car-free, then there should be no exemption for any entity, but especially not for one that has played a major role in making congestion in New York City so much worse. However, if any exemption is to be created, it should be given to the taxis — whose numbers have been capped since 1937 — and which have always been seen as a protected public franchise and an iconic symbol of New York City. Protz and Cabrera are taxi medallion owners

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Manhattan Happenings PERFORMANCE Shakespeare in the Park: Coriolanus: Shakespeare in the Park’s newest show, “Coriolanus,” begins Tues., July 16, at the Delacorte Theater. The play, one of The Bard’s last tragedies, tells the story of a general voted into power by a populace hungry for change, and is directed by Tony Awardwinner Daniel Sullivan. Free tickets will be distributed on each performance day to those waiting on line at select distribution points in the five boroughs, as well as in Central Park, by the theater. An in-person lottery is also held in the lobby of The Public Theater, at 425 Lafayette St., south of Astor Place, and a digital lottery is hosted through TodayTix. The show runs until Aug. 11. More information is available at https://www.publictheater. org/ Contemporary Dance: Innovative artists showcase exhilarating works at this performance in Bryant Park, curated by Tiffany Rea-Fisher. Featured performers include David Dorfman Dance, the Francesca Harper Project, URBAN / TRIBE and Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts. Part of Picnic Performances, this event is free and open to the public, with no tickets and no lines, but you’re more than welcome to pack in a summer picnic. Food and drink is also available for purchase at the location. Fri., July 5, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m in Bryant Park, at Sixth Ave. and 41st St.

KIDS El Museo del Barrio: Coqui Club: On the fi rst Saturday and Wednesday of every month, El Museo del Barrio offers an event for children ages 1 to 4 (and their caregivers), including playtime, storytelling, a museum walk and art making. This week there will be a reading of Marie Lamba’s “Green, Green: A Community Gardening Story,” which teaches about the importance of the city’s neighborhood gardens. Afterward, the museum will exhibit pieces from its permanent collection that highlight agriculture life. No reservations required, fi rst come, fi rst served. Sat., July 6, 9:30 a.m. to noon, at El Museo del

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July 4, 2019

COPYRIGHT THE MAURICE SENDAK FOUNDATION

A design for a show scrim for “The Magic Flute,” 1979-1980, by Maurice Sendak, watercolor and graphite pencil on paper on board. The Morgan Librar y and Museum, bequest of Maurice Sendak.

Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave., at E. 104th St.

WORKOUTS Bryant Park Boot Camp: Join The Rise NYC, a community-driven pop-up fitness group, for an early-morning boot camp for your core muscles. Rotate through exercises like crunches, planks, push-ups, burpees (a.k.a. squat thrusts) and mountain climbers. Wed., July 10, 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m at the Fountain Terrace in Bryant Park, Sixth Ave. and 41st St. Free. Yoga Flow with Malorie: Come flow through a chaturanga with views of New York City’s newest park and neighborhood. Through September, the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance will be hosting a yoga series every Saturday morning in Hudson Yards’ Bella Abzug Park. HYHKA provides mats and blocks for the fi rst 25 participants. Be sure to bring some water! For information on cancellations and rain dates, see Instagram @hudsonyardshellskitchen. Sat., July 6, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Hudson Park Fountains in Bella Abzug Park, between W. 34th and W. 35th St. and 10th and

11th Aves. Summer on the Hudson: Pilates in the Park: Join instructor Melissa Ricci, CPT, PMA, from Base Fitness® for a flowing, multilevel Pilates mat class that will tone and balance your muscles, align your body, strengthen your core, and give you renewed energy. Tues., July 9, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (and every Tuesday until Aug. 13 at that time) at the plaza at W. 66th St. in Riverside Park South.

ART Exhibition – David Flores: Nueva Bronx: During August and September 2018, artist David Flores offered free family portraiture in the Bronx’s Railroad Park and the greater Morrisania neighborhood, with on-site photography, printing, display and digital sharing. According to Flores, this project is a response to “recent nationalist movements that have attempted to remove and erase familial representations of immigrants and people of color.” Parents, children, elders, extended family and friends all participated in the making of formal images and left with a large-format print TVG

of themselves free of charge. This exhibition will present some of those images. Weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, through Aug. 30 (closed July 4), at the Arsenal in Central Park, 830 Fifth Ave., at E. 64th St. The Morgan Library and Museum: “Drawing the Curtain: Maurice Sendak’s Designs for Opera and Ballet”: Renowned for his beloved and acclaimed children’s books, Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) was also a music and opera lover. In the late 1970s, he embarked on a successful second career as a set and costume designer for the stage. “Drawing the Curtain: Maurice Sendak’s Designs for Opera and Ballet” will be the fi rst museum exhibition dedicated to this aspect of his career. The show will include storyboards, preparatory sketches, costume studies, luminous watercolors and meticulous dioramas from Mozart’s “Magic Flute,” Janá ek’s “Cunning Little Vixen,” Prokofiev’s “Love for Three Oranges,” Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” and an opera based on Sendak’s famed picture book “Where the Wild Things Are.” The exhibition will include nearly

150 objects, primarily from the artist’s bequest to the Morgan of more than 900 drawings. Admission: $22 adults, $14 seniors (65 and over), $13 students (with current ID). Free on Fridays, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Through Oct. 6, at The Morgan Library and Museum, 225 Madison Ave., between E. 36th and 37th Sts. Summer on the Hudson: # To t a l l y P u b l i c K a r a o k e : Amaze the crowd when you rock the mic at #TotallyPublicKaraoke nights. Bring your friends, your voice and your courage. All ages! Please note, because this is a popular event, sign-ups are required and close between 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., depending on attendance. Not everyone may have a chance to sing. One song per person/ group. Young singers are alternated with adults in the lineup. Fri., July 5, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m at Pier I in Riverside Park South, at W. 70th St.

COMMUNITY BOARD Community Board 5 full board meets Thurs., July 11, at 6 p.m., at Xavier High School, 30 W. 16th St., second-floor library. Schneps Media


Mt. Sinai, Martha Stewart team at Union Sq. BY GABE HERMAN

M

t. Sinai Health System is adding to its Downtown presence by expanding its Martha Stewart Center for Living, which treats older patients, to Union Square. The new facility, which opened in mid-June at 10 Union Square, between E. 14th and 15th Sts., comes after a “significant leadership gift� from Stewart, according to a Mt. Sinai announcement. The center’s first location, opened 12 years ago, is on the Upper East Side, at 1440 Madison Ave., at E. 99th St. The aim is for the new Union Square facility to be a holistic center for patients and their caregivers. The new health hub offers primary care and specialists from more than 20 fields, including cardiology, gastroenterology, cancer, orthopedics, dermatology and rheumatology, plus radiology and physical-therapy services. The center also has yoga, tai chi, music therapy, nutrition planning, and fall prevention programs. Lifestyle icon Martha Stewart said the new Union Square center will offer “world-class care� and is needed now more than ever. “My partnership with the Mt. Sinai Health System continues to evolve as we expand services of the

COURTESY MT. SINAI HEALTH SYSTEM

Among those at the recent ribbon cutting for the Mar tha Stewar t Center for Living were, from left, state Senator Brad Holyman; Dr. R. Sean Morrison, the Ellen and Howard C. Katz chairperson of Mt. Sinai’s Brookdale Depar tment of Geriatric s and Palliative Medicine; Mar tha Stewar t; and A ssemblymember Richard Gottfried.

Martha Stewart Center for Living to Downtown Manhattan, where the needs of older adults are currently underserved,� Stewart said. “When we opened the first Martha Stewart Center for Living in 2007 at the Mt. Sinai Hospital in Upper Manhattan, we introduced the nation to an innovative model of comprehensive care for older adults. “From now until 2030, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 each day,� she added. “This is the perfect time for leading academic medical centers and philanthropists to partner in improving care for this

population and their parents. The new Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mt. Sinai-Union Square will be a destination for the unprecedented numbers of aging Americans to receive world-class care.� Stewart’s gift for the first center, in 2007, was inspired by her mother, Martha Kostyra, who led an active life until age 93. The Upper East Side location also provides holistic care for older people, with the focus on giving them the best possible quality of life. Patients at that facility have had half as many emergency-room visits as other seniors, according

to Mt. Sinai, along with shorter hospital stays and 50 percent fewer hospital readmissions. A geriatrician by training, Dr. Jeremy Boal is president of Mt. Sinai Downtown and also executive vice president and chief clinical officer of Mt.

Sinai Health System. “By placing the facility in Union Square,� Boal said, “we’re creating a one-of-a-kind resource for older adults and their loved ones in the area, ensuring access to the full spectrum of services designed for these individuals. It’s

a model we know works, decreasing unwanted emergency-room visits and improving wellness, as seen in our Uptown Center for Living. I am grateful to Martha for her commitment and proud to offer this new facility to our communities.�

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Wolff dishes more (alleged) Trump dirt BY MARY REINHOLZ

P

rolific novelist Joyce Carol Oates, responding last year to questions posed by The Guardian, cited Michael Wolff’s runaway bestseller “Fire and Fury, Inside the Trump White House” as a book that made her laugh out loud. She called it “scathing, hilarious, terrifying and (in an odd way) comforting.” This humble scribe can understand the comforting part of Wolff’s takedowns of Trump. For an antiTrump reader, it’s the satisfaction of seeing a political enemy pinned down and sliced up like sushi by a clever wordsmith’s mordant prose. Wolff is no H. L. Mencken but the 65-year-old Village resident once again performs an oftencomic hit on the hopelessly unfit commander in chief in “Siege, Trump Under Fire.” The omniscient thirdperson sequel begins with Trump’s second year in office and ends with the release of the Mueller report in March of this year. Along the way, the author shows Trump getting bested by Russian president Vladimir Putin in Helsinki and set up for more defeat, even after Special Counsel Robert Mueller lets him off the hook. “His escape, such as it was, would be brief,” predicts Wolff who believes that Trump, “an unpredictable and vengeful president,” is on a path of inevitable self-destruction. Wolff only rarely cites his sources beyond Steve Bannon, the former White House strategist. The 315-page book has plenty of gossipy revelations about who’s screwing who and unsubstantiated allegations that Trump’s third marriage to Melania is in name only, plus other cheap shots against Vice President Pence’s wife, referred to as “Mother.” Trump comes across as a cartoon, predictably boasting about his sexual prowess and insisting he doesn’t need Viagra. Bannon’s observations are the most revealing and disturbing, particularly when he comments on the West Wing’s state of denial over the #MeToo movement. He says there is a real fear that the women accusing Trump of sexual misconduct during the fi rst campaign might come back …and with others. “They’re in my dreams,” Bannon tells Wolff. “Remember the girl at the China Club? I do. Kristin Anderson. She says [Trump] put two digits in her vagina at the bar. She’s

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July 4, 2019

Greenwich Village author Michael Wolff has released his second tell-all book on President Trump, again chockful of unsourced revelations.

forty-three, forty-four now, and one of these days she’s gonna look right in the camera on Good Morning America and she’s going to say, ‘He came in the back of the bar when I was eighteen years old and put two fi ngers in my vagina…my vagina.. my vagina.’ And you’re going to hear that at 8:03 in the morning and she’s going to start crying. And then two days later, there is going to be the next girl…and the next girl. It will be siege warfare.” So far, there’s been nothing close to “siege warfare,” since Friday, when 75-year-old E. Jean Carroll, a wellknown advice columnist, accused Trump of raping her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman during the 1990s. Her disclosure was part

of an installment in her new book, “What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal,” which appeared in New York magazine, with Carroll on the cover in the same black coat dress she wore during the alleged three-minute rape. Trump soon responded, saying, “I’ve never met this person in my life,” and claiming she was just trying to sell a book. Carroll joins at least 15 other women who have accused Trump of sexual assault, including his fi rst wife Ivana (who later recanted). In interviews, Wolff has said he spoke to 150 people for “Siege.” But his veracity is in serious dispute. Mueller, for one, has denied Wolff’s claim that his office drafted but didn’t use a three-count indictment

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of Trump for obstruction of justice. And Alan Dershowitz, famed Harvard law professor emeritus, dismissed Wolff’s assertion in “Siege” that he asked Trump during a White House dinner for a $1-million retainer. Dershowitz — who has written a book arguing against Trump’s impeachment — called the assertion “completely, categorically false,” according to The New York Times. Also stretching credulity is Wolff’s unverified claim that Jared Kushner became Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “closest international ally,” in order to emerge as a “dominant foreign policy voice” in his father-in-law’s administration. MBS is believed to be behind the grisly 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Wolff quotes Kushner disparaging Khashoggi as a “terrorist,” not a journalist to a reporter. He also claims Kushner suggested to the mercurial 32-year-old MBS that he should order the “arrest” and “quick execution” of the 15 plotters involved in Khassoggi’s assassination. Say what? Meanwhile, Trump this week won plaudits across the aisle for pulling back against planned military strikes against Iran after that bad actor of a Middle Eastern country shot down a U.S. drone. So Wolff is getting ahead of himself in concluding that Trump is politically a dead man walking. He hasn’t cracked up totally so far and neither, apparently, has the imprisoned Paul Manafort, his former campaign director. There’s an anecdote in “Siege” about Manafort’s alleged sexual proclivities when he was a free man and living with his wife in Trump Tower. It appeals to the prurient interest but sheds little light on the body politic or on Manafort’s situation as an inmate in protective custody. Manafort apparently was transferred last week from a federal prison in Pennsylvania — where he was serving a seven-and-one-halfyear sentence for fi nancial crimes — to the Metropolitan Correction Center in Lower Manhattan (rather than Rikers Island) to await arraignment on New York State charges. His attorney says that the latter charges amount to double jeopardy, as in, an illegal second prosecution for the same offenses he was previously put on trial for. Schneps Media


Shaping young hearts, minds with music BY GABE HERMAN

A

fter moving its home last year into a new building a few neighborhoods south, Murray Hill, the Turtle Bay Music School is preparing for another change as it sets to open a preschool this fall. The school was founded in 1925 on E. 49th St. It was then at 244 E. 52 St. for 83 years, before moving again last year. It’s now at 330 E. 38th St., on the ground level of The Corinthian, a residential building between First and Second Aves. The school currently features other programs for very young children, including “Musical Mornings,” for ages 6 months to 4 years, a 90-minute program to introduce children to a preschool environment. There are also group classes for children ages 18 months to 6 years. The preschool, for kids ages 2 through 5, starts this September. The first group this fall will have ages 2 through 4, according to Whendy Carter, the preschool’s director. “A core belief for us is that music shapes minds and hearts,” Carter said at the school recently. She said music is an experience that connects people. “It’s shown to support learning and academics,” she said. Singing is a universal language, and it is how we all learn the alphabet, she added, noting, “Music has always been a comforting tool in preschool.” “We’re reintroducing music as a language, to foster development in a way that helps with everything,” explained a school board member, who asked to remain unnamed. Carter said there is research behind the notion that music can help young children develop better cooperation and other positive behaviors. The preschool will have five classrooms, along with 13 practice rooms, each with its own piano. Turtle Bay Music School has a performance hall that holds 161 people, and the little ones will see live music weekly. “It’s just empowering to have them exposed,” Carter said of the live music. The preschoolers will also perform onstage themselves a few times. The preschool will emphasize traditional instruments over electronic ones. It will also offer more than just music, including math and science for the 4-year-olds. And of course there will be snack time and outdoor play. But the snack time will include listening to classical music, and the hope is to get the kids able to recognize different composers. Carter trained in fine arts and, in turn, has been training teachers in Schneps Media

PHOTO BY DAVID KATZENSTEIN

Youngsters at the school’s “String Camp” summer program.

COURTESY TURTLE BAY MUSIC SCHOOL

A scene from Tur tle Bay Music School in the 1940s.

PHOTO BY DAVID KATZENSTEIN

A group piano class at the music school. TVG

the arts for years. She has worked at several Manhattan preschools, including founding the Church of the Epiphany Day School on the Upper East Side. “I’m excited,” she said of the new program, adding, “to start from the ground up is a lot of work.” There are 12 pupils enrolled so far, out of the program’s goal of 18. Tuition ranges from $11,950 for 2-yearolds for part-time preschool, up to $27,750 for kids ages 3 through 5, for full-time preschool. Carter feels the school’s musical mission is important, especially since the subject is being cut in so many schools. She said the preschool is part of the place’s overall mission to bring more music to the community, including free events open to the public. Specialists at the school will drop in daily, to bring a variety of music to the preschoolers, including percussion, vocal development, world music, older traditional music and early rhymes. “The musicians here are heartfelt people,” Carter said of Turtle Bay Music School. “With children, you really want to help them walk into a room and feel part of a community.” For more information, visit http:// tbms.org/. July 4, 2019

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Kardashian crew love Ray’s Candy Store

Following the lead of her younger sister, Kim Kardashian and friends recently visited Ray’s Candy Shop, and were wowed by its tast y oldschool snacks and sweets. (Cour tesy Ray’s Candy Store/ Twitter)

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON

R

ay’s Candy Store on Avenue A is getting hit by reality — as in reality TV stars Kendall Jenner and Kim Kardashian. The “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” personalities have recently both paid visits to the hole-in-the-wall hot spot. Younger sister Kendall first dropped by one night in May, then returned for another visit a couple of weeks ago. Following suit, Kim was there just last Tuesday. They were both lured by the East Village eatery’s irresistible favorites, like fried Oreos and fried bananas. “Kendall first came for the Oreos,” said Anthony, who was working the counter last Thursday night. “And then she came for the Oreos and beignets” on her return visit. The first time, Kendall also brought along Hailey Baldwin, the wife of singer Justin Bieber. But she kept things pretty low-profile. On her second visit, she posed for a photo sitting atop Ray’s famed well-worn countertop. Anthony said he didn’t know who the two women were. But, after they left, a group of girls rushed in excitedly

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July 4, 2019

and incredulously asked him, “Do you know who that just was?!” Ray Alvarez a.k.a. Asghar Ghahraman, 86, the store’s owner, was napping in the back of the place during part of his usual overnight shift for either one or both of Kendall’s visits. But he was up when Kim came in, and enjoyed her visit. Due to a boom in business after adding app-based deliveries, Ray — the undisputed “ironman of Avenue A” — can now employ two or even three people to help him on the overnight. Anthony and Vanessa, who was also working last Thursday night, said that after Jenner and Kardashian dropped by the store, there was a surge of people wanting to order — or at least look at — the same foods the two Internetfamous celebs had chowed down, mostly fried Oreos and beignets. “After Kendall came here,” Anthony said, “a lot of people came to touch the counter and have what she got.” In recent years, no doubt partly due to the store’s increased online presence, Ray’s has become a go-to destination for other entertainers. The authentic old-school egg-cream joint also sports Instagram-friendly décor, including a cluttered collage of colorful signage,

Kendall Jenner on her second visit to Ray’s Candy Store on Avenue A , at E. Seventh St., with counterman Anthony in the background. (Cour tesy Ray’s Candy Store/ Twitter)

plus assorted newspaper clippings about Ray’s exploits and annual overthe-top birthday bashes. “Kesha came by after the Grammys like at 2 a.m.,” Anthony recalled of the “TiK ToK” singer. Added Vanessa, “Lindsay Lohan came in, ran in the back and gave Ray a hug and offered to pay for his vacation. But he never takes a day off.” A towering basketball player with the Golden State Warriors even recently stopped by for a snack. “He’s one of their tallest players,” Anthony said. “He had to bend down to get through the door.” TVG

They weren’t sure who it was, but apparently it wasn’t Kevin Durant. Hanging out by the counter last Thursday evening was another entertainer, pianist Jeremy Rosen, who tickles the ivories at nearby Caravan of Dreams vegan restaurant. Rosen lived in the East Village as a kid, yet only discovered Ray’s and its quirky charm a few years ago. “I think when I grew up, my mother was sort of a snob,” he reflected. “She said, ‘Don’t go in there.’ After my mother died, I started coming here. But if my mother was alive, she would have loved this.” Schneps Media


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Sushi rolls are made to order at the counter.

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he Japanese restaurant MakiMaki serves only sushi rolls, which are made to order at a counter and have affordable prices. It just opened a second Midtown location in June at 360 Lexington Ave., between E. 40th and 41st Sts. The new spot is a small space with several tables along the wall, and a counter area where two chefs work quickly to make sushi rolls as they’re ordered. The menu offers two types of sushi rolls. There is the eight-piece “cutup,� or maki, and there are large coneshaped hand rolls, or temaki. The hand roll option is a little cheaper than the cutup. The California roll is $4 for a hand roll and $6.50 for an eight-piece cutup; spicy salmon is $5 for a hand roll and $7.50 for a cutup; and salmon avocado is $6 for a hand roll and $8.50 for a cutup. Other sushi options include shrimp tempura, eel avocado, yellowtail scallion, and blue crab. There are also custom-order options with additional ingredients, including jalapeno, shiso leaf, tempura flakes, and sweet Japanese squash, among others. Extra sauce options include spicy mayo and truffled eel. There are also tea, matcha and Schneps Media

espresso drinks in the $3 to $5 range. MakiMaki calls itself a “premium fast-casual sushi bar,� and the sushi does taste fresh and like it’s from a quality restaurant, but with much better prices. The company was founded by Kevin Takarada, whose family has run Toni’s Sushi Bar in South Beach, Miami, since its 1987 founding. Takarada was actually a mechanical engineer, then a financial risk manager working in Midtown, according to the restaurant. He was dissatisfied with the lunch options in the area, including a lack of sushi that was both high-quality and affordable. So he founded MakiMaki and decided to focus solely on sushi rolls. The shop’s specialization pays off with its tasty rolls, and is worth a visit for those working in the area or willing to fight through Midtown crowds for quality sushi. The new shop is open only on weekdays, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The original location is at 1369 Sixth Ave., between W. 55th and 56th Sts. More information can be found at makimaki. nyc.

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Real Estate

The Village: Proud and charming BY MARTHA WILKIE

T

he Village was bursting with Pride this past week for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. Is there a link between the architectural charm of the Village and its role as a center of L.G.B.T.Q. life? In “A Passion to Preserve: Gay Men as Keepers of Culture,” Will Fellows argues there is. He quotes a gay man as saying, “It’s an aesthetic capacity, an appreciation of beauty in old things.” Ken Lustbader is co-director of the nonprofit NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project. NYCLGBTsites.org offers some fascinating facts. For example, did you know that the 1860 “Angel of the Waters” sculpture in Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain was designed by a lesbian? “As we celebrate Stonewall 50, it’s important to recognize the diversity of L.G.B.T.Q. historic and cultural sites in the Village,” Lustbader said. “We’re fortunate that many of these buildings survive, providing residents and tourists with a cultural landscape.” He wrote what may be one of the earliest academic papers on the subject. “Over 25 years ago, in the Columbia University Historic Preservation Program, my thesis focused on the intersection of preservation and L.G.B.T.Q. history,” he said. “I used the Village as case study, looking at bars, restaurants and residences embedded with historical narratives. “Today we’re working to make an invisible history visible,” he said. “Recognition provides a visceral, tangible connection to place, as well as the intangible benefits of pride, memory, identity and community.” Here are four gorgeously preserved

A private rooftop terrace comes with this penthouse, now on the market at One Sheridan Square.

homes in the Village:

house home there (two bedrooms, one bath) features a working fireplace and elegant French doors that open from each room onto a private roof terrace. $2.5 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/URBANCOMPASS-271737475704097809/1sheridan-sq-west-village-ny-10014/)

A three-bedroom, four-bath co-op in an 1848 Federal-style townhouse on Horatio St. has four wood-burning fireplaces and Farrow & Ball wallpaper, making it extra-fabulous. $2.75 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/URBANCOM PA SS -18543336330 0 0 02593 /53-horatio-st-west-village-ny-10014/)

Built in 1822, the oldest wood-frame house in the Village has charming shutters, original interior woodwork, wide pine floorboards, and wood-burning fireplaces. There’s even a secret sub-

One Sheridan Square is a 1920 New York City landmark building. A pent-

July 4, 2019

On tree-lined historic Grove St., a one-bath loft rental with high ceilings is available at $3,290 a month. (https://w w w.brownstoner.com/ listing/ELLIMAN-3726368/35-grovest-apt-5a-west-village-ny-10014/)

Wood you be mine? Enjoy original interior woodwork in the Village’s oldest wood-frame building.

Made in the shade: A rental on Grove St. spor ts high ceilings.

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terranean passage that used to go to Chumley’s, back in the speakeasy days. Six and a half baths, four bedrooms. $12 million. (Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5674022/17-grove-st-west-village-ny-10014/)

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