In the News: Pedestrian Head Starts

••• “NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer is calling on the city’s Department of Buildings to do a top-down review of private-owned public spaces (POPS) in the city after his latest audit found that many buildings were still in violation of the laws, and obstructed or restricted entry to the public. This is Stringer’s second audit of POPS sites within the same year. The results of the first audit were published this past April, and in it Stringer’s office found that of the 333 POPS sites they had surveyed 182 sites were non-compliant with the existing laws. For the second audit, Stringer’s office looked at a sample of 34 POPS sites within that earlier group of 182 non-compliant sites. A staggering 32 were still non-compliant. […] This new audit follows legislation passed by the City Council last week that will slap landlords with heftier fines if they violate the POPS agreement.” Above: 101 Barclay, which got to build taller in exchange for public access to the lobby that does not exist. —Curbed

••• Daytonian in Manhattan on the history of the 1865 building at 394 Broadway (second from left in this print by Thomas Bonar from the collection of the Museum of the City of New York).

••• “On New York’s increasingly crowded streets, so-called ‘pedestrian head starts‘ have become a key tactic used by city officials to reduce dangers at busy intersections by making pedestrians more visible and reinforcing their right of way. While the concept is not new, the pedestrian measure has quietly multiplied across New York City [….] Pedestrians are now given a head start at 2,381 intersections, or seven times more than the 329 intersections in 2014 when the Vision Zero campaign began. The city’s Transportation Department is adding the measure to about 800 intersections a year, or nearly double the rate from 2015.” I do wonder whether honking increases as a result (once drivers see that cross traffic has stopped). —New York Times

••• When the Howard Hughes Corporation recently presented plans for its stage canopy atop Pier 17, but it didn’t really get into “the audience cover, which is not finalized and is not yet part of the current Landmarks application, would match the proposed 41-foot-high stage covering.” —Tribeca Trib

••• “A sicko straphanger flashed a fellow rider and then crept his hand up her skirt in a Tribeca subway station, police said Friday.” It reportedly happened at the World Trade Center E station around 8 p.m. on Monday. “He followed her when she got off at the stop and snaked his hand up her skirt as she walked up the stairs.” Below: The alleged perv. —New York Daily News

 

8 Comments

  1. thank you for drawing attention to 101 barclay’s violations. what they have been doing is despicable.

    • Department of Buildings refuses to issue multiple violations for this ongoing condition at 101 Barclay, so why wouldn’t they keep violating? Daily penalties are needed for ongoing noncompliance.

      An ECB violation was issued 9/14, 3 weeks after an inspection was made. Another complaint was made 10/10 and the 9/14 violation apparently justified DOB not make another inspection or writing a subsequent violation for an ongoing condition.

      (The last violation prior to that was back in May, so apparently 3-4 months between violations is the standard of enforcement here by DOB .)

      Disposition: 10/20/2017 – H1 – PLEASE SEE COMPLAINT NUMBER 1460548
      Comments: VIOLATION PENDING………SEE COMPLIANT#1460548

      —–

      Overview for Complaint #:1460548 = RESOLVED
      Complaint at: 101 BARCLAY STREET BIN: 1001416 Borough: MANHATTAN ZIP: 10007
      Re: PLAZA COMPLIANCE INSPECTION

      Category Code: 78 PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC SPACE/NON-COMPLIANCE

      Special District: LM – LOWER MANHATTAN

      Assigned To: SPECIAL OPERATIONS Priority: B
      Received: 08/22/2017 Block: 128 Lot: 2 Community Board: 101
      Owner: 4101 AUSTIN BOULEVARD CORPORAT

      Last Inspection: 08/22/2017 – – BY BADGE # 1803
      Disposition: 09/14/2017 – A8 – ECB VIOLATION SERVED
      DOB Violation #: 08222017ZSPOSC04
      ECB Violation #: 35272195X
      Comments: “L” SHAPED PUBLIC LOBBY IS PRIVATE & DENIED ACCESS WITH SIGNAGE POSTED

      • I feel like organizing a large group of people to all use the 101 Barclay POP space at once is a good idea. If the owners of the building / BoNY are going to take an aggressive (and illegal) stance against the public, then its time for the public to take an aggressive (and legal) stance back.

  2. “I do wonder whether honking increases as a result (once drivers see that cross traffic has stopped).”

    All the more reason to enforce no-honking laws. Instead, the city has even taken down the “no-honking” signs. The constant honking is pure noise pollution, and worse, a small (but cumulatively large in its persistence) expression of the uglier aspects of human character: impatience, anger, selfishness, meanness. Horns should be used only to warn of impending danger, not as a way to “yell” at others.

    Also another good reason to find ways to reduce private vehicle traffic.

  3. What about the playground at PS 234? Why is it not open to the public during daylight hours on the weekends?

    • Ask your Councilperson why PS 89 is open but not PS 234:

      “Schoolyards to Playgrounds opens school play space during non-school hours. Currently, there are 251 schoolyards are already open in this capacity, and upon renovation completion, the expansion brings the number to 261 across the five boroughs. This new investment will also fund improvements to existing sites in the program, including PS 54 in Queens. Each site receiving complete capital reconstruction will receive up to $3 million dollars for completion; improvement site funding varies. Additionally, NYC DOE will provide $70,000 in funding annually, per site, for custodial labor and supplies.”

      From www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/509-17/de-blasio-administration-reveals-10-new-schoolyards-playgrounds-sites#/0

      See also http://www.nycgovparks.org/greening/planyc/schoolyards