••• The Water Street Text Amendment, which gives Water Street–area pedestrian arcades back to the owners of the buildings to turn into private space, basically passed in the City Council. Councilmember Margaret Chin “negotiated several modifications […] that convinced her to give the measure her support. The changes include a caveat that requires arcades larger than 7,500 square feet to undergo the City’s standard land use review procedure. (The crux of the Water Street Text Amendment is that it allows building owners to avoid this process, and instead convert arcades to retail space after obtaining a sign-off from the City Planning Commission.) This will create greater oversight for six of the 17 buildings that will be eligible to convert arcades to retail use under the proposal. Other changes include limiting banks and drug stores to 30 and 50 feet of frontage, respectively, in the newly created retail space, and restoring compliance and reporting provisions that the original proposal sought to eliminate.” —Broadsheet

••• “With the bike path along West Street recently reopened outside Brookfield Place, cyclists finally have an alternative to the esplanade, where they often must weave through the many walkers, joggers and baby strollers. As a result, the Battery Park City Authority is seeking possible new rules for bikes on the esplanade—and even questioning whether they still belong there.” —Tribeca Trib

••• New York magazine’s guide to “The Hedonist’s Summer” says we should all be having “sex in an alleyway.” Justin Shock of Troll Hole, a feminist bookstore located inside a Bushwick laundromat, recommends an “alley-like street between Canal and Walker.” I have to assume that means Cortlandt Alley and not Lispenard; either way, keep it down and clean up after yourself. (Not online yet.)

••• “Three men jumped onto the tracks at [the City Hall] subway station on Friday and rescued a man who had collapsed while standing on the platform.” —New York Times

••• “A man caught stealing 44 packs of gum, along with a pair of sandals, deodorant and body wash, from a FiDi Duane Reade threatened to shoot an employee before running out of the store.” —DNAinfo

••• 30 Warren launched sales, and the website has lots of interior renderings along with this new one of the exterior. —Curbed