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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 6,
No. 3
Feb. 7, 2019
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Thanks to the nation's founders, no elected official is empowered to make personal religious beliefs the law of the land. My oath of office is to the Constitutions of the United States and of the State of New York."
- New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, defending the State's newly enacted Reproductive Health Act
WEATHER INFORMATION: For current weather information,
click here.
Go to
www.DowntownPostNYC.com for breaking news and for updated Downtown Post NYC bulletin board and calendar information.
MASTHEAD PHOTO: Life-sized figures depicting an enslaved African family preparing to bury their dead form the centerpiece of an exhibition at the African Burial Ground National Monument at Broadway and Duane Street. While excavating the foundation of a federal office building at 290 Broadway, workers found a 6.6 acre cemetery that was used between the 1640s and 1794 to bury Africans and people of African descent. More than 15,000 men, women and children - most of them slaves - were buried in this swampy ground outside the city's walls. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer 2012)
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Saddle up! It's almost time to go to the polls again.
Because New York City's former Public Advocate, Letitia James, is now New York State Attorney General, there will be a special election on
Feb. 26 to select a new Public Advocate for New York City. This person will serve just a few months. In September 2019 and November 2019, there will be primary and general elections to select a Public Advocate who will serve a full four-year term.
Although the responsibilities of the Public Advocate are somewhat nebulous and depend in part on what the incumbent chooses to make of them, the position is coveted. James used it as a stepping stone to State office. New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio served as Public Advocate from 2010 to 2013.
Nevertheless, all of the current candidates - and there will be 17 of them on the ballot, one of whom (Latrice Walker) would prefer not to be there but can't get her name removed - profess their ardent interest in helping to solve such problems as creating sufficient affordable housing in New York City to accommodate the need and upgrading the New York City Housing Authority projects to meet the minimum standards of habitability, such as predictable and consistent heat, hot water and elevator service. Most of the candidates have also weighed in on the sorry state of the City's subway system and have said they would go after the MTA to fix it.
The City Charter states that the Public Advocate is responsible for investigating citywide and individual complaints and can conduct investigations into agencies against which complaints have been lodged. The Public Advocate presides over City Council and can introduce legislation, although the PA is not permitted to vote on it. Finally, if the Mayor of New York City becomes sidelined, the Public Advocate becomes mayor.
So keep that in mind when you go to vote, as I hope you will. Which of the candidates would you like to see as the Mayor of New York City?
A second debate is scheduled for
Feb. 20.
Terese Loeb Kreuzer
Editor
The emailed Downtown Post NYC newsletter is appearing less frequently than formerly, however,
Downtown Post NYC's website (www.DowntownPostNYC.com) is updated daily. That's the place to check for urgent messages, breaking news and reminders of interesting events in and around Lower Manhattan. So be sure to look at the website every day, especially if you want to know about breaking news.
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 HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST SAYS PARK IS 'RESILIENT' WITH
NO PLANS TO PROTECT NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS FROM FLOODING
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Hudson River Park in Tribeca, looking south toward the World Trade Center. The park starts at Chambers Street and extends for more than four miles along the Hudson River, ending in midtown Manhattan. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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More than six years have passed since Superstorm Sandy crashed into New York City on Oct. 29, 2012, killing more than 100 people and inflicting billions of dollars in damage. Although the storm came in primarily from the east, the west side of Manhattan was also inundated.
Initial estimates put damage to Hudson River Park, which runs along the west side of Manhattan from Chambers Street to 59th Street in midtown, at around $10 million.
Since then, the Hudson River Park Trust, which is responsible for the design, construction and operation of the four mile-long Hudson River Park, has implemented some protection against future storms and sea level rise, but it has been spotty.
"Hudson River Park is designed to be resilient," said a spokesperson for the park. "Given the park's four-mile-length and the number of piers projecting into the river, we have focused primarily on wet flood-proofing, designing it to withstand flooding rather than to keeping water out. At the same time, following Sandy, we elevated and hardened critical infrastructure to the extent possible, including electrical equipment, boilers and other vulnerable assets."
According to the park spokesman, deployable flood barriers have been designed for certain buildings including City Vineyard on Pier 26 and structures on Pier 57.
"The Trust will continue to work with agencies at the City, State and federal levels to consider big-picture resiliency measures intended to protect inland areas, to the extent that certain infrastructure could affect park property or the sanctuary waters," the spokesperson said.
If this account was meant to be reassuring to people living and working in neighborhoods that border Hudson River Park, the chances are that it fell short. "Big-picture resiliency measures" have not been forthcoming for much of the west side of Manhattan in the six years since Sandy.
Nevertheless, as anyone who was living in Lower Manhattan at that time may remember, when Sandy enveloped the park, flood waters crossed West Street before reversing course. The water flowed far inland, gathering strength from submerged streams and inundating neighborhoods that were built on landfill.
The Hudson River Park Trust has had enough on its hands trying to raise funds to maintain the park and to complete construction, much less stepping up to the plate to protect adjoining neighborhoods in any way.
"I think that State and City government must take the lead on saving Tribeca and surrounding neighborhoods," said Bob Townley, chairman of Manhattan Youth, a member of Community Board 1 and a former board member of the Friends of Hudson River Park. "While the Trust is the group that oversees the park, I don't think they have the deep pockets to come up with a resiliency plan. Once the State weighs in, then the Trust will, of course, participate."
Meanwhile, Battery Park City, just to the south of Hudson River Park, under the administration of the Battery Park City Authority, has been going full speed ahead on resiliency plans. The BPCA is not only making plans but actually implementing them.
Four interrelated resiliency projects are under way, taking in the southern part of Battery Park City from the Museum of Jewish Heritage to the northern border of historic Battery Park; the BPC ball fields; BPC's north esplanade, including a deployable barrier across West Street; and Battery Park City's western perimeter, where garden and park walls will be used to create a new line of flood protection along the water's edge.
These protections for Battery Park City will make Hudson River Park and the neighborhoods along it even more vulnerable. The water has to go somewhere!
Tonight (Feb. 7), Community Board 1's Environmental Protection Committee is scheduled to hear from Noreen Doyle, Executive Vice President of the Hudson River Park Trust, about HRPT's resiliency initiatives. The meeting takes place in the Municipal Building, 1 Centre St., Room 2202-A North, starting at 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
- Terese Loeb Kreuzer
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Bits & Bytes
HUDSON RIVER PARK TO GET A BEACH; MEMORIAL PLANNED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS OF 9/11 ILLNESSES
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| Shintaro Okamoto, owner of the Okamoto Ice Sculpture Studio, stood among some of the finished ice sculptures on the plaza next to the Winter Garden as the Hungry March Band played on Feb. 22, 2013. More recently, he used ice to sculpt a copy of the Statue of Liberty's arm and torch in Madison Square Park where the arm and torch were first exhibited before the statue was assembled in New York harbor. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
"Hudson River Park to get new 5.5-acre parkland with public beach,"
Curbed.com, 1/31/19. "Manhattan doesn't have many publicly-accessible beaches along its 32 miles of shoreline - there are some inlets along the Harlem River, but they're not exactly suitable for splashing and wading - but that could soon change," says Curbed.com. "The Hudson River Park Trust announced that it has selected landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations to revamp the Gansevoort Peninsula, a piece of land that's the only remaining section of 13th Avenue, into a 5.5-acre public park, complete with its own beach (albeit one that will not likely be open to swimmers). Last year, HRPT issued a request for qualifications as part of the process of picking a designer for the undeveloped patch of land. JCFO, which is known for its work on the High Line and Domino Park, among other urban green spaces, was ultimately the winner." For the complete article,
click here.
"New memorial will honor those affected by 9/11-related illnesses,"
Crain's New York Business, 2/5/19. "A new site honoring first responders, survivors and those who have grappled with 9/11-related illnesses is underway," says Crain's New York Business. "The 9/11 Memorial and Museum will open a section at the Memorial Glade at Liberty and West streets, incorporating Canadian granite slabs with steel fragments from the World Trade Center and six monoliths pointing toward the sky....Architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker, who designed the twin pools, 'Reflecting Absence,' at the 9/11 memorial also designed the new site." For the complete article,
click here.
"Renderings Revealed For Mixed-Use Development At 29-31 Leonard Street, In The Tribeca West Historic District,"
New York YIMBY, 2/5/19. "GE-T Architects have revealed proposals to renovate an existing, seven-story building at 29-31 Leonard Street, located within the Tribeca West Historic District," says New York YIMBY. "Silvera Properties reportedly purchased the property in 2018 for $24.5 million, and the submission will head to the City's Landmarks Preservation Commission this week for review. From the ground up, proposed renovations would include a new loading dock, an ADA accessible ramp, and a stairway at entrance areas facing Varick Street. The architects have also designed an elegant, mixed-material window wall to enhance the existing masonry facade." For the complete article with photographs,
click here.
"Bringing Liberty's Torch to Manhattan (Icy Weather Permitting),"
New York Times, 2/3/19. "Shintaro Okamoto spent several long hours outdoors in Manhattan on Friday, a day so cold that anyone who could stay indoors did. But for Mr. Okamoto, the 21-degree weather was fine," says The New York Times. "He is an ice sculptor. He has shaped blocks of ice into everything from old-fashioned locomotives to giant beer bottles. He has done ice sculptures in Alaska when it was 30 degrees below zero." On Friday,...like a surgeon preparing to operate, Mr. Okamoto laid out his tools - chain saws, chisels and grinders. And then he and some of his ice-sculpting colleagues went to work, happily, on a replica of one of the most famous statues in the world, the Statue of Liberty. But not the whole statue, just the torch, the hand and the arm." For the complete article,
click here.
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Downtown Post Political Report
TRUMP ATTACKS NEW YORK STATE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT AND GOV. CUOMO RESPONDS WITH AN OP-ED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
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| On January 22, 2019, the Reproductive Health Act passed both the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly and Gov. Andrew Cuomo immediately signed it into law. Deborah Glick, who represents Assembly District 66, which includes Greenwich Village, Tribeca and parts of Battery Park City, sponsored the bill in the Assembly. As Cuomo signed the bill, she stood immediately behind him with New York State Senator Liz Krueger, who carried the bill in the Senate, standing nearby.
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In his State of the Union address on Feb. 5, Donald Trump explicitly attacked provisions in the Reproductive Health Act enacted by the New York State legislature on Jan. 22, 2019 and signed into law that evening by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Trump described the new legislation as "chilling" and went on to say, "Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth. These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world. ...
To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother's womb.
Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: all children - born and unborn - are made in the holy image of God."
On Feb. 6, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded to Trump's criticism with an Op-Ed in The New York Times.
"In his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, President Trump attacked the law that New York passed last month codifying a woman's right to an abortion, and he proposed federal legislation to roll back the protections provided by the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The president's diatribe was part of the far-right's escalation of its assault on a woman's constitutional rights," Cuomo wrote.
He went on to say, "As part of their attack on women's rights, Mr. Trump and his allies are intentionally spreading lies about New York's Reproductive Health Act. Their goal is to end all legal abortion in our nation.
"The Reproductive Health Act guarantees a woman's right to abortion in the first 24 weeks of a pregnancy or when the fetus is not viable, and permits it afterward only when a woman's life or health is threatened or at risk. Contrary to what its detractors claim, the Reproductive Health Act does not allow abortions minutes before birth, nor does it allow third-trimester abortions 'for any reason.' Third-trimester procedures are extremely rare, making up only about 1 percent of all abortions. The option is available for exactly the reason stated in Roe and successor cases: to protect the life or health of the woman."
Cuomo said that New York State's Reproductive Health Act protects "against the Republicans' efforts to pack the Supreme Court with extreme conservatives to overturn the constitutional protections recognized in Roe v. Wade."
Cuomo, who was raised Catholic, noted in his Op-Ed that "While Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, and the Catholic Church are anti-choice, most Americans, including most Catholics, are pro-choice. The 73 percent of New Yorkers who support Roe includes 59 percent of Catholics. While governments may very well enact laws that are consistent with religious teaching, governments do not pass laws to be consistent with what any particular religion dictates.
"Thanks to the nation's founders, no elected official is empowered to make personal religious beliefs the law of the land. My oath of office is to the Constitutions of the United States and of the State of New York - not to the Catholic Church. My religion cannot demand favoritism as I execute my public duties.
"Only by separating constitutional duties from religious beliefs can we have a country that allows all people the ability to pursue their own theological and moral principles in a nation true to its founding premise of religious freedom."
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Downtown Post Museums
AMID ARTIFACTS FROM THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, FRAUNCES TAVERN BOOK CLUB PARTICIPANTS READ, LEARN AND DEBATE
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The Fraunces Tavern Museum book club meets quarterly in the museum's flag room.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Fraunces Tavern Museum)
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In the Flag Room of the Fraunces Tavern Museum at 54 Pearl Street, more than 25 people assembled on the night of Jan. 8 for the first meeting of this year's Book Club, devoted to a discussion of new books about the American Revolution.
All the necessary elements for a successful meeting were present: an interesting book selection ("In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown," by National Book Award winner Nathaniel Philbrick), a knowledgeable moderator, and not incidentally, delicious cookies from Insomnia.
Philbrick's book revolves around the story of how George Washington, with the assistance of the French navy, won the Battle of Yorktown, which took place in September and October 1781. It ended with a British surrender and led, ultimately, to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which marked the official end of the Revolutionary War.
In this museum devoted to American Revolutionary War history, the flags of many of the regiments that fought in that contest hung above the heads of the book club participants. Among them were some French regimental flags. "According to Philbrick, we could not
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Mary Tsaltas (Photo: Debbi Honorof)
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have won that war without the French," said Mary Tsaltas, a Fraunces Tavern Museum educator and the moderator of the book club.
Under her guidance, a lively discussion brought the details of the Yorktown battle into focus and also illuminated the character of George Washington, whose stern image as the "Father of His Country" conceals more than it reveals. Anyone who was inspired by the questions raised about Washington in Philbrick's book could have found some additional fodder in the Fraunces Tavern Museum gallery devoted to images of Washington and the numerous ways that he was perceived and understood, both during his lifetime and thereafter.
Philbrick depicts him as a multi-faceted individual - a military genius who won the admiration of his officers and countrymen, but also a slave owner who refused to free his own slaves or those who fought on behalf of the Continental army. Philbrick believes that Washington was a complex person who evolved over time. "By the end of his life he'd realized that the greatest threat to the country's future came from slavery," he writes.
In a gallery adjoining the Flag Room where the book club participants were passionately discussing long-ago battles is a special exhibition devoted to spies, where the name Benedict Arnold figures prominently. Arnold, whose name has become synonymous with treachery, was in charge of the U.S. garrison at West Point when, in 1779, he agreed to turn it over to the British in exchange for an ample sum of money. The plot was discovered and Arnold fled.
He shows up in Philbrick's book during the Battle of Yorktown. By then, he had joined the British army. It turned out that Arnold was not only reviled by his former Continental army colleagues, but also loathed by his British counterparts. Ultimately, he moved to Canada and was then forced to leave the country because the Canadians also despised him. "Whether revered or vilified," writes Philbrick, "he was the lightning rod of the American Revolution."
Near the end of the book is a scene that took place in Fraunces Tavern's Long Room. With the war won, George Washington asked his officers to meet him there on Dec. 4, 1783 so that he could thank them and say goodbye. The room has been authentically re-created as part of the Fraunces Tavern Museum.
In his diary, which is on display in the Fraunces Tavern Museum, Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge recorded what happened that day. Washington, the great and brave general, was choked with emotion as he said, "With a heart full of love and gratitude I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable." Then each of his officers took Washington's hand and embraced him, many of them in tears.
Tsaltas said of the book club participants that many of them were first timers. Among them was Hank Orenstein, who is a New York City history buff. "Fraunces Tavern is the perfect venue to discuss New York City's early history," he said. "The museum breathes additional meaning and relevance into the book club."
Tsaltas said that each meeting of the book club stands alone - that is, that each session would be comprehensible to Revolutionary War aficionados as well as to people with a more casual interest, whether or not they had attended previous book club sessions.
The next Fraunces Tavern Book Club meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 9 at 6 p.m. The book selection is "Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates" by Eric Jay Dolin.
Tsaltas commented that she picked books that she wanted to read and that she thought would interest others as well. "I had never read anything about pirates," she said. "It was a lawless, interesting lifestyle."
Very interesting, as it turns out, and some of the pirates walked the streets of Lower Manhattan including the infamous Captain Kidd, who ultimately was hanged but before that was a major donor to Trinity Church. Come to the book club meeting on April 9 to learn more.
To join the Fraunces Tavern Musem Book Club or for more information, click here.
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NON-PROFITS CAN APPLY FOR FREE MEETING SPACE AT LMHQ
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| A meeting in one of the event spaces at LMHQ. (Photo: Ben Stone) |
LMHQ, a co-working space at 150 Broadway sponsored by the Alliance for Downtown New York, is partnering with Con Edison for the third year to offer free event space and meeting rooms to New York City nonprofits.
"Lower Manhattan is home to over 600 nonprofits and more are relocating here every day," said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin. Many are operating on a tight budget and welcome an opportunity to defray some costs.
The program, known as "Bright Ideas," has been underwritten by Con Edison. It has hosted over 70 events to date covering everything from migrant and gender issues to international relations and cancer recovery.
LMHQ's 12,500 square-foot space at 150 Broadway offers individual and company memberships, drop-in opportunities for visitors, and regular public programming across disciplines. LMHQ also extends a 25 percent year-round discount to nonprofits on all meeting room and event bookings.
Applications for 2019 will be accepted on a quarterly basis per the schedule below for weekday evening use of LMHQ's 120-seat event space and/or its Tesla meeting room, which can accommodate up to 30 people. Grantees may be awarded each room once per calendar year and will be notified within five business days of the application close date if their proposal has been accepted.
April-June bookings: Apply Feb. 1-15;
July-September bookings: Apply May 1-10; October-December bookings: Apply August 1-12.
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Downtown bulletin board
PACE UNIVERSITY'S ACTIVE RETIREMENT CENTER OFFERS LECTURES, COMPUTER LABS, FILMS; JANE'S WALK INVITES SUBMISSIONS
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The future of sea level rise in Lower Manhattan was the topic of a Jane's Walk event on May 6, 2017. Participants looked at a handout about carbon emissions and their effect on global warming. This year's Jane's Walk events will take place from May 3 to May 5.
(Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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Jane's Walk is May 3-5: Inspired by urban activist Jane Jacobs, during the annual Jane's Walk festival, the simple act of exploring the city is enhanced with personal observations, local history and civic engagement. Now in its ninth year, Jane's Walk NYC, the largest in the world, is seeking people who want to lead walks. The 2019 submission form is live
through April 1. Among other things, it asks you to describe the walk you want to lead and to select dates and times for your walk. To submit a walk,
click here.
The full roster of walks will be announced in mid-April.
Pace University's Active Retirement Center (PARC): Pace University's Active Retirement Center (PARC) is a lifelong learning program for seniors, age 55 and over. PARC membership ($100 for 12 months) includes a lecture series, access to the Pace University library and computer labs, computing assistance from younger people who grew up with computers and a film series with post-movie discussions led by a Pace University professor.
Movies with discussions are held during the fall, spring and summer semesters. PARC membership is not required to attend the monthly movies, which are held at Southbridge Towers Community Room, 90 Beekman St. The next movie will be on
Feb. 27 at 1 p.m., "The Notebook" (2005), about the love of a mill worker in 1940s South Carolina and a rich girl whose parents oppose the marriage.
PARC members are technically considered to be "students" of Pace University and are entitled to discounted admission ($10, payable in cash) to many of the programs at the Schimmel Center for the Performing Arts at 3 Spruce St. PARC members may also use the University's dining facilities.
The opportunity to meet new people and to share your ideas and knowledge is available to all who join. Lectures are held during the fall and spring semesters, and you need to be an "active" PARC member to attend. For more information,
click here or contact Joy Yagman, the program coordinator at (212) 346-1244 or jyagman@pace.edu.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer's State of the Borough: The event takes place on Sunday,
Feb. 24 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (doors open at 1 p.m.) This year's theme is "What Is Urban Policy Now?" Place: NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Place.
Click here to RSVP.
Battery bird walks: During Bird Walks in The Battery, Gabriel Willow, an educator from NYC Audubon, points out over-wintering birds such as ducks, geese, loons, sparrows and finches that find food and habitat on The Battery's waterfront. Willow, an experienced birder and naturalist, has been leading walks for NYC Audubon for more than 10 years. Meet at the Netherlands Memorial Flag Pole located at the entrance to the park on the corner of Broadway, Battery Place, and State Street. Date:
Feb. 12 starting at 8 a.m. Free. For more information and to register,
click here.
Free admission to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum: The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is offering free admission to New Yorkers on
March 2. To take advantage of this offer, go to the museum's ticket window between 9 a.m. and noon with a valid I.D. such as a New York State driver's license, a New York State identification card, an IDNYC card, a student identification card from a school located in New York or a New York library card.
Year round, the 9/11 Memorial Museum continues to offer free admission on Tuesdays. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the museum each Tuesday starting at 4 p.m. The distribution time is subject to change. For more information,
click here.
Manhattan Community Board applications: Community Board membership applications are now open. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer says, "We're looking for passionate and engaged New Yorkers who are dedicated to making a difference in their neighborhoods. Community Boards play an important role in shaping the character of our city. If you live or work in Manhattan, you're eligible to apply for the 2019-2021 class of board members."
Community Board members are volunteers who, at a minimum, meet with the committees on which they serve and attend the monthly board meetings. Community Board members serve two-year terms after which they must reapply.
To apply online,
click here or complete a paper application (
downloadable here as a PDF). The online application must be completed in one sitting.
All applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. After you apply, someone from the Manhattan Borough President's office will contact you about next steps in the screening and interview process. Appointments will be announced in the spring.
Weekend closures of PATH World Trade Center station: Beginning in January 2019 and running through December 2020, PATH's World Trade Center station will be closing each weekend, except for holiday weekends, to replace equipment and rebuild tunnels severely damaged during Superstorm Sandy. The station closes at 12:01 a.m. on Saturdays and reopens at 5 a.m. after each weekend of work. Riders are being given free transfers to daytime weekend ferry service between Exchange Place and Lower Manhattan. Overnight service on the Journal Square-33rd Street line has been increased. The weekend hours of operation at Brookfield Place Ferry Terminal have been extended to 7 a.m.-11:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (regular weekend hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.). For more information,
click here.
Community Center at Stuyvesant High School: The Community Center at Stuyvesant High School (CCSHS) located at 345 Chambers St. in Battery Park City, offers a half-Olympic-sized swimming pool, basketball courts, a gym, fitness equipment and other amenities
. In addition, there are a variety of classes including swimming lessons for children and adults, Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga, tennis for kids and total body boxing. CCSHS is open daily with hours that vary. Since the facilities are shared with the high school, the hours from September to June differ from those in July and August. An annual membership includes free programs and classes. The rates are $199 (adults, 18+) and $79 (seniors, military and youth). Battery Park City residents get a $20 a year discount on those rates. Walk-in passes are available for $15 (adults 18+) and $10 (seniors, military and youth). For more information, call (212) 267-9700, email communitycenter@bpcparks.org or
click here.
Most of the Downtown Post NYC bulletin board listings are now on the Downtown Post NYC website. To see the bulletin board listings,
click here.
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Renuka Pinto, an Australian trained physical therapist with over 18 years experience, is now offering "quality care at an affordable price" at her new location, 915 Broadway, Suite 1106. She is a sports and spine specialist using technology, intensive hands-on therapy and custom-based exercise to help patients meet their needs.
A mother of three, she offers specialized services to pregnant and post-partum women to help them achieve their individual goals.
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CALENDAR: February 2019
Spotlight: Chinese Lunar New Year
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Chinese New Year decorations. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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2019 is the Year of the Pig, the last animal sign of the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.
Feb. 9:
The Lunar New Year Celebration at Brookfield Place starts with a festive Lion Dance (1:40 p.m.) that will move from the Oculus Westfield World Trade Center through Brookfield Place and into the Winter Garden. At 2 p.m., the mainstage performance begins with traditional Chinese dance and music, a martial arts demonstration, and theatrical players in full traditional make-up and regalia. Place: Winter Garden, 230 Vesey St. Time: 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Free.
Feb. 11:
Lunar New Year Celebration at City Council. Place: Council Chambers, City Hall. Time: 5:30 p.m. RSVP by emailing LNY2019@council.nyc.gov or call (212) 482-6753
.
Feb.16: The Lunar New Year Family Festival at the Museum of the Chinese in America will include lunar new year-themed arts and crafts, dance performances, snacks and storytelling. Two sessions, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., both with the same line-up of events. Place: 215 Centre St. Admission: $12 per person; $8 for children 2 and up; Free for MOCA Family Level Members and above, children under 2, and Cool Culture families. Advance ticket purchase highly recommended. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Feb. 16: Lion dances throughout Manhattan's Chinatown starting at 11 a.m.
Feb. 17: Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival starting at 12 p.m. at Mott and Canal Streets. Parade route: Mott and Canal Streets to Chatham Square to East Broadway towards the Manhattan Bridge, ending on Eldridge and Forsyth Streets towards Grand Street next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
Feb. 24:
The New Shanghai Circus features astonishing athletes in a show that draws on 2,000 years of Chinese circus traditions. Place: Schimmel Center at Pace University, 3 Spruce St. Time: 4 p.m. Tickets: $29 and up (adults); $20 (children 12 and under accompanied by an adult). Purchase tickets at
www.schimmelcenter.org/event/new-shanghai-circus
A complete list of all programs and activities is on the Battery Park City Authority website. To see and download the winter calendar, click here.
For more calendar listings, go to the Downtown Post NYC website.
Click here.
Performers from the New Shanghai Circus
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Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer
All articles and photographs in Downtown Post NYC are copyrighted and
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