Seen & Heard: Wagner Park Redesign Survey

••• Press release: “Council Member Margaret Chin joined Council Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez to push for the passage of legislation that would exempt reporters, TV producers, and other media professionals from no parking, no standing and muni-meter regulations while on the job.” This presumably means the press that covers the city council, not the press in general. And the release refers to the NYPD being responsible for credentials. I looked into it once; total nightmare—the organization is not exactly incentivized to be friendly to the press.

••• There’s a petition opposing Buddha Bar’s plan to open on Thomas Street.

••• The Battery Park City Authority says it wants community input about a potential redesign for Wagner Park. Hence, a quick survey. It also asks about how often you visit Pier A, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and the Skyscraper Museum. (About the map: I’m not sure how far north the park goes before it turns into South Cove Park.)

Wagner Park courtesy Google Maps••• Radical Media is shooting (probably a commercial) today on Warren—once again, there was less than 24 hours warning.

••• WTC Progress posted an aerial shot of Liberty Park, under construction at the World Trade Center. Last we heard, it was opening in “mid to late spring.”

Liberty Park aerial by WTC Progress••• I don’t normally post about benefits because there are simply too many, and my guess is that you’re not going to take up a cause simply because I listed its event info here. Let’s break that rule, however, for the Young New Yorkers benefit this Thursday at 160 W. Broadway. Young New Yorkers “provides art-based diversion programs to court-involved young people. The ultimate goal is to empower participants to transform the criminal justice system through their own creative voices.” Plus, the silent auction includes this painting by Robert Janz, and you know I have a soft spot for his work.

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1 Comment

  1. Sad to see ordinarily sensible (and often far-sighted on traffic issues) CM’s Chin & Rodriguez backing/pushing the exemption of press vehicles from parking and standing regs.

    The real “nightmare” isn’t that NYPD won’t administer the exemption even-handedly, but the exemption, period. There’s little justification for handing out precious street (and sidewalk, and plaza) space for this perk. In an era of miniaturized A/V equipment and vehicles-on-demand (Uber, anyone?), why should hulking media trucks and vans, and their corporate owners, enjoy a gift probably worth several million bucks a year (at fair-value rates for curb space). Plus, the free parking further incentivizes excessive and unnecessary driving in gridlocked Manhattan.

    Yes, this giveaway is already de facto in force, but codifying it is a step in the wrong direction and makes it even harder to go after placard-abusing gov’t employees. Let the media function like the rest of us. Who knows, limiting their “windshield perspective” might lead to more balanced and penetrating coverage of transportation and traffic issues.

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