In the News: Inside the Beekman Hotel’s Turrets

October 3, 2017 Community News, Crime, Real Estate, Restaurant/Bar News, Services

••• “The Beekman Hotel unveils its $6,500/night turret penthouse suites.” —Curbed

••• Meanwhile, the director of security at the Greenwich Hotel is “always armed and on alert,” which should please those of you who think more guns will solve our problem. —New York Times

••• “It was just a 1,200-square-foot nook in the gleaming white, 365,000-square-foot mall known as the Oculus, but Lars Akerlund considered it the “crown jewel” of his burgeoning espresso chain Fika. It was a jewel he never got to polish. As construction costs ballooned and the World Trade Center mall missed its original opening date, Fika’s investor pulled out. But the mall operator, Australia-based Westfield, would not let Akerlund out of his lease and instead dragged the company into court last year, seeking more than $5 million in promised rent. […] Westfield did find a replacement for Fika, leasing the space to Blue Bottle Coffee. It was not clear, however, whether Blue Bottle agreed to pay what Fika was supposed to. Fika’s rent started at $30,500 per month in the first year and rose to more than $43,000 in the 10th and final year, according to a rent schedule filed in court.” —Crain’s

••• “More than two dozen people will be charged Tuesday in a scheme that flooded the city with fake placards that let motorists illegally park their cars, The Post has learned. About 30 people are named in sealed indictments that will be handed up in Manhattan Supreme Court, sources said Monday.”

••• “Community Board 1 is sounding the alarm about traffic safety in front of Millennium High School, in the Financial District, where a student was struck and seriously injured by a taxi in January.” —Broadsheet

••• “Jersey City is getting a fourth commuter ferry. [Officials] yesterday announced a new commuter ferry terminal at Harborside that will open on Monday, Oct. 2. The Harborside terminal Downtown will make daily trips to the West 39th Street Ferry Terminal in midtown Manhattan and to the Brookfield Place/Battery Park City terminal in Lower Manhattan. […] Service between Harborside and Brookfield Place/Battery Park City will be offered Monday through Friday 6:40 a.m. to 9 p.m.,with ferries departing every 15 minutes. Fares are $6 for a single ticket, $56.50 for a 10-trip ticket and $196 for a monthly pass.” —NJ.com

••• “Scientists have long known that artificial light can attract and disorient birds at night, causing collisions and wreaking mischief with their migratory path. Now, the annual September 11 ‘Tribute in Light Memorial’ in Manhattan has provided a unique opportunity to study and quantify the effect. The multiyear study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that birds gathered in greater densities, flew repeatedly in circles and vocalized loudly when the memorial’s powerful beams were illuminated. However, when the lights were turned off for brief periods, the birds were quick to resume their normal flight paths and behaviors. Although the researchers were not calling for any changes to the annual event, their findings suggest a simple fix for ongoing light pollution in other places.” That is, turn off lights whenever possible. —New York Times

 
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11 Comments

  1. A
    October 3, 2017 • 10:37 am

    As Trevor Noah so aptly observed, the Right immediately shifted the debated from gun control to… hotel security.

    Guards with pistols are going to take out shooters with multiple semi-automatic weapons? Pleez…

    • Jeff
      October 3, 2017 • 12:58 pm

      Actually, it was “guards” with pistols that took down the left-wing psycho (with a military style long gun) who attempted to slaughter the Republican congressman at their baseball practice back in June.

      • Brett
        October 3, 2017 • 1:53 pm

        Hotel guards are hardly the same as specially trained Capitol Police Officers. And the shooter in Virginia was using a handgun.

        • Jeff
          October 3, 2017 • 2:29 pm

          Incorrect. While the Virginia shooter did have 9mm pistol on his person, the gun that did the damage was a 7.62 SKS rifle. Which is why Scalise’s wounds were so devastating (because of the round that is used). As for training, I’d still rather have an armed guard than an unarmed guard, but that’s just me. I recognize gun violence & gun control are hot button issues… but if we are going to ever have real, productive discussions that could lead to real, productive ideas/solutions… running straight to emotional narratives (especially by uninformed late-night hosts) doesn’t do anyone any good. That goes for both sides of the issue.

          • A
            October 3, 2017 • 4:58 pm

            Suggestions on how to have a real, productive discussion about gun control? Until that happens, what option do we have but emotion?

            If guards aren’t very well trained and in practice, innocent people can be killed or injured. Happens even when police are involved
            “On August 24, 2012, a gunman shot and killed a former co-worker outside the Empire State Building… . Following the initial shooting, the gunman… was fatally shot by police officers after raising his weapon at them. Nine bystanders were wounded by stray bullets fired by the officers…”

  2. Jeff
    October 3, 2017 • 5:08 pm

    So can you tell me how many more innocents would have been killed had the police not fired & just let the raving madman with a gun continue about in the streets? The innocent being killed by friends fire was indeed tragic… any unnecessary death is, but the alternative could have been far worse. Neither you nor I know how well (or not) those guards are trained; I’d still prefer to have someone armed than just another “gun free zone”. What is your solution, I’m curious?

  3. Erik Torkells
    October 3, 2017 • 5:13 pm

    Ugh, First World problems.