Seen & Heard: Asphalt Green Delayed Yet Again

••• At least one person at Asphalt Green Battery Park City is having a terrible Friday, having to call members to tell them that the opening is delayed yet again. After expressing disappointment about how close things are—there’s water in the pool and fitness equipment at the ready—the person I spoke with placed the blame firmly with the Battery Park City Authority, even suggesting (when I asked if there couldn’t be some estimate—I mean, should I join another gym in the interim?) that unhappy folks call the BPCA’s senior VP of public affairs, Matthew Monahan, at 212-417-2278. I expect the parents who were assuming the facility would open in time for the summer camp will have quite a bit to say to Monahan. UPDATE: Another member emailed this: “The site had an inspection last week, and BPCA won’t tell Asphalt Green what happened there. Asphalt Green decided, based on the lack of
communication, to offer all the summer-camp kids a spot uptown instead. They claim it’s a 30-minute bus ride up the FDR.” UPDATE: Asphalt Green’s PR rep said this would be more accurate: “Asphalt Green Battery Park City received notification from the Battery Park City Authority that due to delays in the construction of the project, we will be unable to run Summer Day Camp this summer. This decision was not made based upon a lack of information from the BPCA. On the contrary, it was made because of notification from the Battery Park City Authority.”

••• This is so premature that I wouldn’t normally run it—but I need one more item to justify this roundup, and I want to post about Asphalt Green ASAP—so here we go: I hear that a local wine store is among the parties interested in the Industria Argentina space on Greenwich. Two words: wine bar.

••• I’m not sure I look forward to being the Tribeca Complains Dept., but a reader recently emailed complaining about late-night “food trucks stationed outside Tribeca Rooftop to serve exiting revelers,” among other things. My advice, as it usually is, is to take it up with Community Board 1, which often helps mend fences. UPDATE: Billy Reilly from Tribeca Rooftop emailed: “I have promised the neighbors that we will strongly dissuade any of our clients from hiring food trucks. They can get enough good food inside of our place. I do not want them on the street late night.”

••• From New Amsterdam Market: “This week, we’re excited to welcome back Z Food Farms for the season with fresh produce from New Jersey, including several varieties of lettuce, kale, chard, Asian greens, arugula, garlic scapes, and French breakfast radishes. We’re also working to expand the fish and seafood section of New Amsterdam Market, and are thrilled to announce that Gabe the Fish Babe from Point Judith, Rhode Island, will be at the market weekly starting this Sunday, along with Karen Ann Fisheries of Queens. W&T Seafood will be present with a variety of shellfish once a month throughout the summer and more frequently after that.”

••• The facade of 32 Warren—becoming a nail salon, if the permits in the window are any indication—looked sort of like a hot new Brooklyn restaurant when it was exposed yesterday.

 

5 Comments

  1. Just called Matt Monahan. Left a message with his assistant, but would encourage everyone to do the same. This situation is pretty absurd.

  2. Did the same. We bought a family membership in December. How is no one taking responsibility here? WHO is responsible for construction delays? AG and BPCA just keep tossing the ball back and forth.

  3. Battery Park City is simply a joke. They are solely responsible for this, and they refuse to answer questions or be accountable. Referring people to the PR department is outrageous. On three weeks notice they are leaving people stranded with no day care alternatives, and they refuse to give answers. Why the secrecy? What are they hiding?

  4. Maybe the delays have something to do with the Authority laying off both Engineers and both Architects that worked on this project, leaving only a political flunkie with no construction experience to run the job.

  5. Matthew Monagan phone rings and rings and then a full VM box comes on. To get through dial (212) 417-2000 and ask to speak with him.