wow...b-flat, Django and now 1803 will all feature live jazz. Nice. Tribeca is starting to get cool. — Will on New Kid on the Block: 1803

I agree with everything said and am also frustrated the police do nothing. Even worse than the bags, there is also a woman on the street who sleeps under a blanket right outside 65 Lispenard. She also has a chair there she sits on much of the day. At times, I've seen her pick up garbage in the area. I've noticed her there for months and assumed she was homeless and just seeking shelter. A few days ago, I saw a man come out from underneath the blanket very early in the morning and pay her. That corner is now also a brothel! The broken glass theory is right - counterfeit sales, then drug deals and now prostitution. We must do something! — J. on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

Part of the reason Verizon got the money and started aggressively installing fiber is because the subterranean wire vault in their building at West and Barclay was flooded by Superstorm Sandy. Some of that cable was close to 100 years old and had paper insulation. Once soaked with saltwater, it was pretty much useless. Fiber isn't susceptible to water damage. So there has been a significant loss of copper circuits as a result. — Makes You Go Hmmm... on In the News: Trump Expected to Snarl Traffic

visiting NOLA now - they need that bacon tomato jam with the fried oysters :) ...or the char-broiled oysters with garlic butter and lightly crusted parmigiana - with some French bread, heaven! ...great addition to hood. — Richard on New Kid on the Block: 1803

I do enjoy these comparisons. Here are 2 comments on "Southeast corner of Varick and Laight." 1.) The old photo is apparently from 1910 by Wurts Bros. Here is the full image. http://collections.mcny.org/Collection/46%20Varick%20Street%20from%20the%20corner%20of%20Laight%20Street.%20St.%20John's%20Protestant%20Episcopal%20Chapel,%20showing%20neighborhood.-2F3XC519WO.html On the west side of Varick is the old RR Freight Station built by Vanderbilt in 1866 on the site of the old St. John's Park. The freight station was demolished in 1927 to make way for the Holland Tunnel exits. 2.) Inasmuch as Varick Street was widened 100 years ago and the church and other buildings fronting Varick Street were likely entirely demolished, this then-and-now comparison is a little unintentionally misleading IMO. At http://collections.mcny.org/Collection/[Varick%20Street.]-2F3XC5IX103K.html is a 1931 photo of the east side of Varick Street looking north from Ericsson / Beach Streets towards Laight Street, showing the old facades of the now-existing buildings. — James on Tribeca Then & Now: Part 3

Verizon got a big chunk of the LMDC money to lay the fiber optic infrastructure everywhere below Canal Street, hence some lucky ones of us being able to get FiOs. My impression is that Verizon isn't interested spending the money to make the FiOs connections to the smaller Tribeca buildings even though it's physically possible now. The line that there's no excess copper seems suspect since some mid-size and big buildings got hooked up to the fiber optic. Maybe for some east/west blocks if the problem is right there, but not in general. My old copper infrastructure has been available for several years since I've never seen Verizon removing anything, only stringing new fiber. — NV on In the News: Trump Expected to Snarl Traffic

When they update "Desbrosses, looking east toward Washington" 80 years from now, maybe the lot will still be undeveloped and the sidewalks closed to pedestrians by green fencing. — James on Tribeca Then & Now: Part 3

Sad day when real estate is too expensive for a long standing medical practice....and yes we were patients and got notices but kids are totally crushed, we loved our practice. — TK on Seen & Heard: Rumors of a New School

They do want to abandon copper in favor of fiber optic. Years ago, we were having ongoing problems with our copper line and Verizon repeatedly "repaired" it. One of their techs told me that it was routine for them to shift the "bad" line with a "good" line and wait for the subscriber who got the "bad" line to complain...if they ever did. He said there were no excess copper lines so they had to keep reusing the "bad" ones since Verizon had no intention to install new, additional copper. — Makes You Go Hmmm... on In the News: Trump Expected to Snarl Traffic

bigger problem the massive vehicle traffic on Canal Street and the fumes are poisoning everyone who visits the area. — PerryR on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

Great addition to the hood. No Boudin? No cracklins? Please add! — Faith on New Kid on the Block: 1803

PS: The buses used to park on Canal alongside of the Post Office engins on. — Dixie on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

This has been going on for at least the forty years I've lived in the neighbothood, going back to Ed Koch. Reported many times to no avail. Before the bags there were mostly watches. At least I don't see too many tour buses with shoppring spree passengers pouring out of them anymore. — Dixie on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

I finally ditched my copper line this summer. The service had been terrible for months. They fixed it once and then the same thing happened again. Then they made all kinds of excuses to avoid fixing it again. I got the feeling that they want to abandon their copper network. — KP on In the News: Trump Expected to Snarl Traffic

This looks awesome. Great addition to the hood. — Tommy on New Kid on the Block: 1803

If the NY Post's reporting is correct, the police's nonchalance (which is also evident in Times Square with the aggressive actions of the "characters") is related to a de Blasio order that any minor lawbreaking by anyone likely to be undocumented is to be ignored. From http://nypost.com/2017/07/31/city-halls-pathetic-excuse-for-letting-the-hulk-ruin-times-square/ : "Some in law enforcement tell The Post that the Times Square problem is that most of the offenders are illegal immigrants, who are to be kept out of the justice system under Team de Blasio’s “sanctuary city” policy. Sounds crazy, but something bizarre is going on when New York cops turn a blind eye to blatant lawbreaking." That could explain the "it's a whole new world out there" comment too. — NV on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

Re the reporting to NYS PSC when Verizon isn't helpful... definitely do it. While the Chambers Street work was being done we had a deluge which seriously damaged a bundle of the old copper telephone wire which was exposed due to the work, including the one which provided service to our home. Verizon gave us the runaround for days, telling us that they couldn't even give us an estimated date of repair. Then I saw some Verizon guys at the corner of Chambers and said to one, "I hope you're fixing my telephone problem". He said, no, we're not fixing anything broken, and you didn't hear it from me, but put in a complaint with the PSC and it'll get fixed pronto". So we filled out the form online and that afternoon got calls from someone at the PSC who confirmed some information and then about 30 minutes later from a manager at Verizon who magically had the ability to switch us to another cable 2 days hence, which happened. Also got follow up calls from the PSC and Verizon after the fix. We told the neighbors who were also affected but they didn't bother to report to the PSC and also didn't get their phone service back for 3 more weeks. — NV on In the News: Trump Expected to Snarl Traffic

Yay! More jazz in the neighborhood! Glad to see some vegan options on the menu...hope you will add more. — Marcus on New Kid on the Block: 1803

That is exactly my concern. The area feels like a regression to the Wild West, where anything goes. I've actually seen police officers walking right by that mess of handbag spreads without saying a word. The silent message they give by this behavior is obvious. — Marcus on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

Of course the counterfeiters have proliferated since that store closed, and that beautiful building is now a vandalized eyesore. Hopefully once new tenants rent that building, matters will improve slightly. However, the rent is probably so insane that it may remain vacant indefinitely. It actually could be a good site for a legitimate indoor market of some kind, like the Canal Street Market. — Marcus on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

It most likely closed because of the merger with Rite-Aid. — Erik Torkells on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

Duane Reade We recently lost the wonderful Duane Reade store on Canal and Broadway. Perhaps the abundance of illegal vendors that congregated outside this location was a major factor in this store closing. As of now, this joins the many vacancies on Canal Street and adds to the general unpleasantness of the area, I applaud Councilwoman Chin's efforts and anyone else that cares about this neighborhood. — Larry Fink on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

This email was not sent to patients. I only received it after finding out from a friend of the office's closing and calling them to request my son's medical records (which I have not received). — Daria on Seen & Heard: Rumors of a New School

I have spoken to some of the remaining storekeepers on Canal Street and they are now claiming that some of the "vendors" have transitioned from counterfeit goods to selling illicit drugs. Not only is the profit margin better, it is easier to handle and, unfortunately, there is little fear of arrest. If you allow illegal activity to flourish without any impairment it will continue to expand into other areas and create a general climate of lawlessness. — Larry Fink on Seen & Heard: Counterfeit-Bag Vendors Remain Unchecked

It's as if they just ran a press release. — Erik Torkells on Worst Pop-Up Restaurant Idea Ever