Your Morning News
Rough Seas for Battery Maritime Building
No Work on Much-Touted Development Project Since 2015; Schedule and Budget Now Deemed 'Moving Targets'

The Battery Maritime Building

The decade-long effort to refurbish the historic Battery Maritime Building remains stalled, as a second developer has been removed from the project, after failing to begin work on the development.

The City's Economic Development Corporation (EDC) -- the agency that negotiates strategic partnerships designed to harness private-sector resources to public projects, and thus foster economic growth -- originally recruited the Dermot Company, in 2007, to create a 140-room hotel with a rooftop restaurant and bar, an event space, and an indoor market in the landmarked structure. This was, in some ways, an unsurprising choice, because the Dermot Company was also the lead partner on a similar project nearby: the restoration of Pier A. EDC's deal with Dermot required the redevelopment to be complete by December 2015.


But the real estate meltdown of 2008, followed by design changes necessitated by 2012's Hurricane Sandy, caused the project to fall years behind schedule and its budget to swell by tens of millions of dollars. The EDC's deal with the Dermot Company finally collapsed in mid-2015, at which point the agency negotiated a new partnership with Stoneleigh Capital, a real estate firm that operates ski resorts in Colorado and California, as well as luxury hotels and spas around the world. This arrangement called for Stoneleigh to complete the project by December of this year. But the company proved unable to obtain the necessary financing, and never began work. By the close of 2016, Stoneleigh had left the Battery Maritime Building development.

"Stoneleigh dropped out and has no further involvement in the project," an EDC source explains. "Construction at the project has ceased as the tenant and the tenant's lender seek ways to restructure the transaction." Although the current lease still calls for the project to be completed by December, 2017, the same source says, "until the project has been successfully restructured, we do not have an estimated date of completion and the development budget remains a moving target."

An architect's vision for the Great Hall in Battery Maritime Building, which was originally conceived as an indoor market, but is now slated to serve as a catering venue and community gathering space.

The publicly owned structure, located at 10 South Street, next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal, is a landmarked Beaux Art ferry terminal built in 1909. It served as the gateway to boats taking passengers across the East River for three decades, but after commuters and vehicles gained direct access to Manhattan with the advent of bridges, tunnels, and subways, ferry usage declined and the building fell into disrepair. (Today, its sole use as a berth is for ferries taking passengers to and from nearby Governors Island.) For decades, developers and community activists have proffered competing visions for the building, with the former advocating commercial uses and the latter pushing for civic amenities, such as a school or museum. Among the building's more notable features is its Great Hall, a majestic 8,500-square foot space, with ceilings 34 feet high, lined with Gustavino tiles. Originally slated to house an indoor market, in the most recent version of the EDC's plan, this space is envisioned as an event venue and community facility.

Matthew Fenton
Falcon Family on Water Street
Feeding time: Two Peregrine Falcon chicks awaiting dinner

Monday, May 8. Two chicks stay warm under their mother as two more eggs continue to incubate. About 3:30 on Monday afternoon, dinner was served before nap time. Click here to watch the Falcon family high above 55 Water Street.
Shop For a Cause at Brookfield Place New York



What: In support of The Bowery Mission Women's Center, Brookfield Place New York presents Shop For a Cause.

Today, May 9, participating retailers will donate 10% of the day's sales to The Bowery Mission Women's Center. As an added bonus, for every $250 spent, Brookfield Place will reward shoppers with a $50 gift card to use throughout the complex (up to $200).
 
Hosted by the Brookfield Women's Network, this public event aims to bring awareness and financial support to The Bowery Mission Women's Center's efforts to help end the cycle of poverty and homelessness for women in New York City.
 
Who: The participating retailers include Blue Ribbon, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Cos Bar, DVF, Ferragamo, Gucci, Joie, Michael Kors, Saks Fifth Avenue, Theory, Tory Burch, Vilebrequin and Vince.
Youth & Education Committee  Meets Tonight 

The recent shooting on Lower Washington Street took place near local schools

AGENDA 
1) School Emergency Notification Procedures - Discussion with Paul Leonard, Councilmember Margaret Chin's Office
2) Borough of Manhattan Community College Capital Budget Request, Scott Anderson, VP for Administration and Planning - Resolution
3) Overcrowding Task Force - Report
4) Battery Park City Summer Events - Report
5) Hudson River Park Summer Events - Report   

The 6pm meeting takes place at Community Board 1 - Conference Room 
1 Centre Street, Room 2202A-North

Mother's Day  
Tea and Ballet Performance 

New American Youth Ballet
invites you to our Mother's Day Tea and Ballet Performance

Celebrate Mother's Day at this lovely occasion.
Beautiful dancing and delicious tea and
treats for all to enjoy!

Saturday, May 13th
280 Rector Place The Soundings Floor 2.

Tea seatings at: 10:15, 12:15, 2:15 and 4:15
Ticket for tea: $30 each or $50 per couple
Email newamericanyouth@yahoo.com to reserve.
No tickets available at door.
212-945-2926
Today's Calendar
Someone with a lot-less

What's Going on Today
in Lower Manhattan

Today in History
May 9

Great Western Railway 4-4-0 No. 3440, (originally No. 3717), "City of Truro".

1671 - Thomas Blood, disguised as a clergyman, attempts to steal England's Crown Jewels from the Tower of London.
1763 - The Siege of Fort Detroit begins during Pontiac's War against British forces.
1873 - Der Krach: Vienna stock market crash heralds the Long Depression.
1874 - The first horse-drawn bus makes its début in the city of Mumbai, traveling two routes.
1904 - The steam locomotive City of Truro becomes the first steam engine in Europe to exceed 100 mph (160 km/h).
1950 - Robert Schuman presents his proposal on the creation of an organized Europe, which according to him was indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations. This proposal, known as the "Schuman Declaration", is considered by some people to be the beginning of the creation of what is now the European Union.
1970 - Vietnam War: In Washington, D.C., 75,000 to 100,000 war protesters demonstrate in front of the White House.
1974 - Watergate scandal: The United States House Committee on the Judiciary opens formal and public impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon.
Births
1837 - Adam Opel, German engineer, founded the Opel Company (d. 1895)
1874 - Howard Carter, English archaeologist and historian (d. 1939)
1909 - Gordon Bunshaft, American architect, designed the Solow Building (d. 1990)
1918 - Mike Wallace, American journalist, media personality and one-time game show host (d. 2012)
1921 - Daniel Berrigan, American priest, poet, and activist (d. 2016)
1942 - John Ashcroft,  79th United States Attorney General
1945 - Steve Katz, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
1946 - Candice Bergen, American actress and producer
1949 - Billy Joel, American singer-songwriter and pianist
Deaths
1914 - C. W. Post, American businessman, founded Post Foods (b. 1854)
1935 - Ernst Bresslau, German zoologist (b. 1877)
1978 - Aldo Moro,  38th Prime Minister of Italy (b. 1916)
1986 - Tenzing Norgay, Nepalese mountaineer (b. 1914)

Edited from various sources including historyorb.com, the NYTimes.com Wikipedia and other internet searches

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FREE: 5-Star Literary E-Novel
War In A Beautiful Country
by local writer Patricia Ryan
Many recognizable downtown settings and moods.
In this thoughtful mystery of random terror,
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Enthusiastic reviews on Amazon, Nook, Smashwords,
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Arrivals & Departures
Cruise Ships in the Harbor

The Spanish naval training vessel Juan Sebastian De Elcano
arrived on May 2 and was seen leaving yesterday May 8

 
Many ships pass Battery Park City on their way to and from the midtown passenger ship terminal.  Others may be seen on their way to or from docks in Brooklyn and Bayonne.  Stated times, when appropriate, are for passing the Colgate Clock and are based on sighting histories, published schedules and intuition. They are also subject to tides, fog, winds, freak waves, hurricanes and the whims of upper management.
Eyes To The Sky
May 1 - 14, 2017
World renowned astronomer readies for August 21 solar eclipse

An Active Sun
During a Total Eclipse


My first impression was disbelief. It had to be a typographical error. The letter from Williams College that announced Astronomer Jay Pasachoff's April 13 and 14 public programs, "Our Sun: From the Ground and From Space" and "The Great American Solar Eclipse," also stated, "It will be his 66th solar eclipse."  Read more...



 
Judy Isacoff


The Broadsheet
April 26 - May 10

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