MAN KILLED IN HIT-AND-RUN ON CANAL
The Tribeca Trib reports that a man was killed on March 5 in a hit-and-run on Canal and Lafayette. And transportation advocates have been calling for the city to add pedestrian safety measures on the boulevard for years. From The Trib: “Transportation Alternatives complains that the city has made no improvements since the group launched its Fix Canal campaign in 2018, calling for a redesign of the street, including widening sidewalks, making crossings safer, prioritizing mass transit, and adding greenery.”
111 WASHINGTON FOUNDATION WORK HAS BEGUN
Yimby reports that foundation work has started for a 64-story residential tower at 111 Washington at Carlisle Street in Fidi. It was designed by Handel Architects and developed by Carlisle New York Apartments and Grubb Properties; it’s 712 feet tall and will have 462 residential units, 7,000 square feet of commercial space, and a 60-foot-long rear yard. The photo above is what it looked like in 2017.
CONGESTION PRICING x UPTOWN PARKING
Gothamist reports that uptown drivers are worried that they will have more competition for street parking once congestion pricing tolls kick in. From Gothamist: “The MTA’s analysis of congestion pricing found the program would ‘slightly increase the number of drivers who would seek parking near transit facilities in New York City outside the Manhattan CBD [central business district]. [Congestion pricing] would generate parking demand outside the Manhattan CBD, which could exceed supply if the area is currently at or over capacity,’ the analysis reads.”
BEST HOTELS IN NYC ARE HERE
Forbes has a list of the best hotels in the city, and Downtown wins in several categories. The article (which Forbes said was not paid advertising) also lists the best hotels in Tribeca, Soho and Fidi: Best Hotel In New York City Overall: Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown; Best Hotel In New York City in Tribeca: Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York; Best Hotel Scene In New York City: Casa Cipriani; Best Under-The-Radar Hotel In New York City: Smyth Hotel; Best Boutique Hotel In New York City: The Greenwich Hotel; Best Hotel In The Financial District: The Wall Street Hotel; Hotel With The Best Music Scene In New York City: The Roxy Hotel.
Canal Street driving is a disgrace. Speeding, red-light running, blocking the intersections, blocking the pedestrian walkways, gratuitous horn-honking, blasting music, etc. I’ve nearly been run over several times — and I did have the “walk” signal.
Agree with Marcus here. There seems to be zero enforcement on Canal Street, or anywhere else for that matter. There are traffic controllers on intersections during rush hours, but these toothless people have no authority or respect from the drivers. The other day I was also almost run over by some oversized pick-up truck on Canal St while I too had the “walk” signal. Upon calling out the driver, I received the finger and a foul mouth. Upon talking to the traffic controller, I got a mere shoulder shrug. What I don’t understand is that the transgressions are ubiquitous and obvious for everyone to see – whether it’s speeding, blocking the box, “fart-cars” making excessive noise, buses and trucks illegally using Laight St to get from the Holland Tunnel to West St, honking, ignoring pedestrians while making a turn, carrying illegible or covered license plates, having obscured front windows, drivers getting out to pee on sidewalks, etc. etc. etc. and yet the NYPD is nowhere to be seen. Traffic Cops are actually quite active, but they only seem to care about parking tickets (unless of course you have some type of placard). Could it be that the NYPD are understaffed? Maybe. Could it be they’re not that interested in enforcement as they themselves are some of the biggest culprits? Maybe. Who hasn’t seen a NYPD car briefly turning on their lights as they’re about to go against traffic on W Broadway to get from White St to N Moore just to get to their precinct 10 seconds more quickly? As long as those who swore (and are getting paid) to uphold and enforce the law, for whatever reason, are failing to do so, we can only expect the situation to get worse.