Regarding zone residents, the plan is to "implement zone pricing for all vehicles entering the [Central Business District]." If you never left Manhattan below 60th Street, presumably you would never be charged for entering. That said, London zone residents are eligible for a 90% discount on the daily charge. If you live in Manhattan south of 60th Street, but you register your car at your second home--to avoid paying NYC auto insurance rates, etc.--you will (and IMO should) be ineligible for any resident discounts. — James on In the News: Tribeca Mom Getting Some on the Side

GPS devices will be used for taxis and for hire vehicles. "Phase Two calls for a surcharge on taxi and FHV trips in the CBD at the conclusion of a ten month period to allow transportation service companies to install the appropriate GPS technology in all vehicles. " E-Z Pass (and license plate cameras) will be used for trucks and other cars, just like on bridges such as the Henry Hudson Bridge, the Triborough, etc. "Similarly, the installation of infrastructure such as gantries, E-ZPass equipment, and cameras in support of a zone pricing program require extensive planning and environmental review, as well as input from local communities. [...] "Vehicles will be charged electronically to enter this zone by a system of cameras or transponders and readers, which we already know as E-ZPass. The fee can vary by time of day, route, and vehicle type. This is consistent with all previous congestion reduction proposals for NYC." http://www.hntb.com/HNTB/media/HNTBMediaLibrary/Home/Fix-NYC-Panel-Report.pdf — James on In the News: Tribeca Mom Getting Some on the Side

2 thoughts on the congestion pricing: - no mention of what happens with residents of the congestion zone; if GPS devices are used to charge fees, how will they account for cars parked at home within the zone? will zone residents be exempt? - as a daily city driver, my view of the actual cause of almost all congestion in this zone (outbound tunnel traffic excepted) is double parked trucks making deliveries; kudos to this plan for addressing that and incentivizing night time deliveries; the rest of this plan, targeting private passenger cars, seems more political, an attempt to raise funds for the MTA on the backs of people whose work route isnt served by mass transit, who aren't really responsible for traffic problems — Mike F on In the News: Tribeca Mom Getting Some on the Side

Whole foods put them all out of business, Bell Bates lost 40% of their business upon opening and gradually chipped away at their business until they were forced to close. Same for Bazzinni's and Willners. Everyone in the hood flocked to Whole Foods and stopped supporting these small businesses that had helped make Tribeca what it used to be. I moved to the area in 1981 when it as mostly artists who had come down for large inexpensive space. . Bell Bates was on W Broadway, Bazzinni's was a thriving business. (BTW you can find Bazzinni's products on line) Now it is a wealthy person's hood with who want a different kind of neighborhood. This is considered progress. — Tom on Goodbye, Spicy Scents

The London congestion surcharge does, now provide a surplus of about 164 million UK pounds annually and has reduced congestion and pollution. It would be an exaggeration to say it does not work although the initial set up costs were high in this case, but don't need to be. Because of NYC geography plus lessons learned from other cities we ought to be able to devise a better system than anywhere in the world although experience with MetroCard and EZ Pass don't inspire confidence. — Bob on In the News: Explanation for Shortages at Whole Foods

Not to mention the smell of coffee beans roasting at Martinson! Ahh, those heady days! — Loren on Goodbye, Spicy Scents

congestion pricing will not work if London is an example. the money pays the costs with little left over. — PerryR on In the News: Explanation for Shortages at Whole Foods

Above Canal. — Erik Torkells on Both Locations of François Payard Bakery Have Closed

What is AboCa? — JOR on Both Locations of François Payard Bakery Have Closed

Re: 18 Warren Street There is no lease, as the retail condo is apparently owned by the owners of Wall Street Humidor. That said, there is a 5-year old lawsuit apparently still underway between the condominum association and the owners of the retail condo. (18 WARREN STREET vs. HU, RICHARD, New York Supreme Court, Index Number:0651116/2012). Per a Court decision filed 12/1/17--and for which judgement a notice of appeal has been filed--the defendants owe $250,000. in common charges, assessments, interest thereon, and court costs. The condo association is also seeking reimbursement of its attorney's fees (as the prevailing party) by defendants of about $230,000 (on top of the $250,000 award). (At some point the causes of action in the case apparently also included allegations of smoke from the retail store creating a nuisance to the residents.) — James on Seen & Heard: Il Mulino Is Still Raw

Before the greedy landlord / small business jobs survival act stories begin here, please note that this was listed as a sublease, i.e., a lease offered by the tenant not the landlord, of the remainder of the tenant's 10-year term, expiring February 2024. One can only assume that--with (i) little local business or walk-in traffic and (ii) print-on-demand maps instead of having extensive inventory to stock, as per the Spotlight Q&A from 2 years ago--having a storefront made less sense than subletting it. — James on New York Nautical Is Gone

"In the past, if a Whole Foods store ran out of a specific product, employees would fill the hole on the shelf by putting another item - typically one of the store's top sellers - in its place. The grocery industry calls this practice a 'face over' or 're-facing.' "That way, even when stores are short on products, the shelves still appear well-stocked and organized. "But under an inventory system called order-to-shelf, or OTS, Whole Foods has banned that practice - leaving what one employee described as "gaping holes" on store shelves. "'Never 'face over' or cover holes,' the company instructs employees in a 42-page internal manual reviewed by Business Insider. The document describes standard operating procedures for order-to-shelf. The system also bans the use of 'temporarily out' tags, it says. "'Temporarily out tags are often inaccurate and clutters shelves,' the manual states. Employees 'can communicate with customers on status of product rather than a tag.' "The manual explains why employees should leave holes empty, saying it 'helps ensure that OOS [out-of-stock] items get reordered because hole is visible, increases the likelihood that OOS [out-of-stock] items will return to in-stock position when available, eliminates confusion for both customers and [employees],' and 'makes stock position obvious to customers, [employees], and store leadership.'" http://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-internal-documents-on-empty-shelves-2018-1 — James on In the News: Explanation for Shortages at Whole Foods

Don't forget the lower concourse entrance next to the PATH terminal that provides (ADA) access to both the northbound and southbound platforms, as well as a free connection between them. — Andrew Parke on Getting to the Oculus Just Got Much Easier

There are actually three entrances to the Cortlandt Street (1) Station inside the WTC mall, in addition to the two ground-level entrances on the memorial plaza. Besides the two aforementioned entrances on the upper concourse, both of which leading directly to the northbound platform, there is a larger entrance on the lower concourse's north side, right under the track bridge, that provides escalator and elevator access to both the northbound and southbound platforms, thus providing as a free underpass as well. This entrance is actually the most important one, as it's right next to the PATH station, yet remains relatively unknown. Basically, if you're coming down to the WTC from uptown on the (1) train, you'll use the southern end of the platform for outdoor access, whereas you'll use the northern end of the platform for mall and PATH access (the opposite of the original station's layout). — Andrew Parke on Getting to the Oculus Just Got Much Easier

Murray Street next, please!! — Will Meyerhofer on Close-Up: Franklin Street

Who is honoring Nazis? It's a complete list of parade honorees. Petain was honored in 1931 for his role in WWI not WWII. Add a plaque next to his name clarifying who he was if you like. But to purge history is best left to despots like Stalin. www.openculture.com/2017/08/long-before-photoshop-the-soviets-mastered-the-art-of-erasing-people-from-photographs-and-history-too.html — James on In the News: Miami Beach Italian Restaurant to Open Here

Oh please. They are not going anywhere because of this. 1. The building has 4 low rent loft law units and no air rights. The restaurant is the largest source of income. 2. To pay to buy out the restaurant does not necessarily make sense depending on the current rent. To get a new restaurant tenant there, they likely must pay a broker and give free time and pay for improvements to entice said new tenant, even if they could get a higher rent. The restaurant buyout fee alone is $2,000 per month over the 5 years that must be earned back in a new lease. — James on Seen & Heard: Racines Is Getting a New Chef

I hope not. Food is still excellent with old world charm. I think it is around about 30 years. — Native New Yorker on Seen & Heard: Racines Is Getting a New Chef

It's not necessarily closing. — Erik Torkells on Seen & Heard: Racines Is Getting a New Chef

Ecco another great place in Tribeca shutting its doors for landlords? So tired of it! nothing can be done to stop this nonsense? — Native New Yorker on Seen & Heard: Racines Is Getting a New Chef

It's moving nearby. It's not closing for good and this location is not the original historic Barthman's location, which in on the corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane. That location is now a Vitamin Shoppe. Hope it reopens soon. — Luis Vazquez on Seen & Heard: Racines Is Getting a New Chef

Are you really going to make me Sprint over there to get the address? — Jim Smithers on Where in Tribeca…?

awwww...that's adorable. — Will Meyerhofer on The Shopdogs of Tribeca (Vol. 9)

Please be more specific. — Erik Torkells on Where in Tribeca…?

Chambers Street — Jim Smithers on Where in Tribeca…?