That rendering of 19 Park Place is hilarious. The views from the building will certainly be better if they succeed in tearing down all surrounding high rises first. — Dan Kohn on Seen & Heard: Homeless Surge

I saw hachiyas at Brooklyn Fare in (gasp) the West Village. — KP on Seen & Heard: Target’s Sewage Situation

Thanks, James. — Erik Torkells on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

Ludlow Garage on Attorney Street. — Makes you go "hmmm..." on Seen & Heard: Homeless Surge

UPS famously creates delivery routes that minimize left turns (to save gas). — James on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

According to the 1975 book "No Left Turns," by a former FBI agent named Joseph L. Schott, J. Edgar Hoover banned his chauffeur from making left turns after an accident when he was being driven. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7055-2004Jun25.html — James on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

It is part of a "guiding radius" or "slow turn wedge," apparently. From page 56 of "Don't Cut Corners" presentation: Left Turn Traffic Calming Pilot: DOT is undertaking a 100-intersection pilot initiative to test new safer, slower left-turn designs. Treatments will include the marking of a guiding radius [...] LEFT TURN TRAFFIC CALMING PILOT Enhanced Daylighting / Slow Turn Wedge (part of 100 location pilot program, currently being implemented and evaluated through 2016) • One-way to one-way treatment • Utilizes markings and plastic delineators • Clears parking 10’ from the crosswalk [when DOT paints similar yellow markings in the left parking lane before the crosswalk, not shown in the photos posted] Benefits: • Guiding radius tightens and calms left turn • Increases visibility of pedestrians in the crosswalk for motorists, providing more stopping time • Mitigates visibility issues caused by vehicle’s A-pillar • Modifies turning angle from cross street onto receiving roadway to create safer, slower left turns with no change in traffic capacity [http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/left-turn-pedestrian-and-bicycle-crash-study.pdf] — James on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

From http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2016/pr16-077.shtml "The DOT study released today, 'Don’t Cut Corners,' includes data that show left turns are responsible for three times more severe injuries and fatalities than right turns – and that in 2014, they constituted almost 30% of all pedestrian and bicyclist injuries in New York City. The median age of pedestrians killed in left-turn crashes is age 67, significantly higher than the median age of 50 for other crashes. Through a detailed, manual review of crash data, DOT also discovered that left-turn injuries and fatalities were concentrated at intersections where vehicles were moving from a minor (usually narrower and one-way) street and turning into a major (usually wider two-way) street. "The study was required by Local Law 21 of 2014, among a package of Vision Zero bills passed by the City Council and signed by the Mayor. [...] "In addition to continuing to roll out effective safety treatments, the City is also undertaking a 100-intersection pilot initiative to test new safer left-turn designs. All 100 pilot sites are expected to be completed by the end of the summer, and will be evaluated to determine their effect on slowing vehicle turns and improving safety. If successful, the piloted intersection treatments will be expanded to additional sites across the City." — James on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

I think I must adopt one of the pandas. If not all of them. — Marcus on Inside the Pearl River Mart Pop-Up

Just a couple of months after Brooklyn Fare opened, Mrs. Green's around the corner has closed. — KP on Seen & Heard: Regal Cinema Changes

Instead of some amateurishly painted yellow lines, they should install a raised curb with some spikes or blades. That'll get the effect we'd want. — lowphat on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

SPECTACULAR SPOT; I'm glad I gave them another try. Now that the place has been open for a few weeks they seem to be working out the kinks and are consistently packed. The turn-of-the-century menu is very ambitious and certainly fits the beautiful renovation of one of New York City's great interior spaces. Food is once again being served in the main lounge area, which hosts a fun bar scene. The menu in the bar/lounge is well conceived and consistently excellent. The whole hotel concept is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. — Lewis Gross on First Impressions: Fowler & Wells

I suppose it's obvious that the wedge is to discourage drivers from cutting the corner, but they still have to cross the bike lane. So why that corner and no other ones? (I added another photo, from the other side.) At some point, the markings become a distraction of their own. — Erik Torkells on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

Correct! — Erik Torkells on Where in Tribeca…?

Best Market! — Erica on Where in Tribeca…?

That wedge is probably in conjunction with the bike lane shown just west of it, to prevent sharp left turns by drivers and thus protect bikers from harm. — James on Seen & Heard: Lunch at Augustine

the store opened yesterday, I'd like to visit the new store someday. — Maylnn on The Return of Pearl River Mart

http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb1/downloads/pdf/Resolutions/16-10-25.pdf CB1 voted in favor of Tetsu contingent on stipulations — Alex Atallah on Seen & Heard: The Battery Park City Authority Finally Caved

This looks like a cheesy pair of mirrored knock of aviators from Chinatown ... The Trump hotel in Soho looks .. dare I say it... tasteful by comparison. — Rohin on Seen & Heard: Tower of Mirrors

Here's a thought. The MTA claims it needs income (and thus will be raising fares to $3??). The streets are hazardous. Why not actually enforce the traffic laws, ticket the scofflaws, and split the income between the traffic police and the MTA? — Marcus on Seen & Heard: Target’s Sewage Situation

Absolutely right. Enforcing some of the traffic laws would help also; the red-light running throughout the city, for example, makes crossing the street a game of Frogger. Add texting-while-drunk-driving to this scenario, and you have a recipe for disaster. Let's start with more dedicated bus lanes also (better still will be dedicated streetcar lanes). There is progress though, what with the bike lanes, increase of pedestrian space (Crime Square, etc). — Marcus on Seen & Heard: Target’s Sewage Situation

preach, brother. but no one seems to listen. all of the rest is rearranging deck chairs on the titanic. the enemy of all of us in the city is the private, one person per 3000 lbs car. that's it. nothing else matters. less cars=a better life for all of us. — Robert Green on Seen & Heard: Target’s Sewage Situation

I wish the owner of the Sacco and Vanzetti space would turn off the lights inside or draw the curtains until they clean it up. it is so gross to walk by at night and see all the damage and empty liquor bottles strewn about. — Marla on Seen & Heard: Rats

Maybe now Andrew Cuomo can find out who really smeared Ed Koch during the 1977 mayoral primary. — James on Yes, It Can Happen Here

Canal Street and other streets ridiculously clogged are the result of driving being too cheap relative to other modes. All these one-off solutions, with each block or neighborhood jockeying against the other, doesn't solve the real problem -- too many cars and trucks. The only way out of this morass is to change the pricing -- make transit cheaper than driving. This means: (1) MOVE-NY Toll Plan; and, (2) Putting market prices on the curb spots. — Rob on Seen & Heard: Target’s Sewage Situation