LPC is another fiefdom as bad or worse than the community board. Don't even get me started on that nonsense. These groups need to be moderated better, instead they are just the voice of the loudest person. — Muscle Milk on The Fight Over a New Greek Restaurant

These Tribeca NIMBY's are disgusting. They pretend to be liberal, accepting, artsy on the outside, but below the surface they are really just curmudgeonly and stuck in their ways. The fact that these people can just band together and take a hardline stance when somebody is trying to be reasonable is just silly. The example of "Steve" earlier this week is just another example. He's a totally harmless guy who adds some color to our increasingly boring neighborhood. Not to mention he's been here longer than most. Come on! If you want the suburbs, go move to the suburbs. — Muscle Milk on The Fight Over a New Greek Restaurant

Doesn't sound sexist at all. Good business practice to have some classes for the little fellas too. — LG on New Kid on the Block: Dance with Miss Rachel

I probably sound a bit sexist but all of the classes seem geared towards girls. It'd be nice if they offered something for boys as well. — lowphat on New Kid on the Block: Dance with Miss Rachel

It's probably not far from the menus for their other restaurants, either. That's sort of their MO. (But this may also have been intended as a sample menu, with the final one showing more of a distinction.) — Erik Torkells on A Sister Restaurant for Terra

It is the current Terra menu. — Frank on A Sister Restaurant for Terra

Am I alone in feeling this thing has something sepulchral about it? As in tomb-like and claustrophobic? As in...no windows? Most of the performances will be taking place at night, which means it will, for all intents and purposes, be like walking into a window-less cube of stone. Not working for me. I understand the desire to show respect to the 9/11 memorials and all...but this looks too much like a columbarium. Kinda gives me the creeps - and I'm guessing all that marble will first, cost a fortune, and second, be vulnerable to acid rain, wear and tear, etc. in ways that other materials wouldn't. Another thought: Just wait until the first challenging work of art goes up on stage, and the right-wing starts screaming about "disrespect" to the 9/11 heroes, etc etc. It's bound to happen. — Will on First Look: The Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center

Used to work with Whitmans son in 2000-2001. I asked him to directly ask his mom if it was safe for me to move back to BPC a few months after I was able to get back into my apartment. She told him that it was safe so I did. I remember waking up some days with bloody noses and headaches questioning the move so I did chemical tests of the dust I collected from the clean up and we found asbestos, arsenic, and chromium. The air was bad and they knew it. So now I forever live in constant fear about the long term impact. She even lied to her kid about it. Evil bitch. — Former BPC on In the News: Former Official Apologizes for Being Wrong About 9/11 Dust

What ever happened to this? Sean V. and Andrew are clearly depicted in this tomfoolery? — Miriam on In the News: Triraqis Caught on Video

Goodbye, browsing. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/15/nyregion/internet-browsers-to-be-disabled-on-new-yorks-free-wi-fi-kiosks.html — James on Seen & Heard: Our Friendly Neighborhood Groundhog

"This American Life" podcast had a good episode last week on Gad Elmaleh. — Brett on In the News: Leonard Street History

Re: 12 Warren, count me among those who hate it. — Makes you go "hmmm..." on Seen & Heard: The Latest Love-It-or-Hate-It Building

Thanks for your kind reply, Ron. I really ought to be joining you in trying to find out what if any studies are in the works on residents' health impacts, and in putting pressure on WTCHP staff to step up as needed. I have other fish to fry, though, so am going to pass for the time being. But please let me know if you think of a way for me to assist. [komanoff at gmail dot com] Best, Charles. — Charles Komanoff on In the News: Former Official Apologizes for Being Wrong About 9/11 Dust

Hi Erik, I have always felt that the propenderance of street fairs on Avenues in NYC have more to do with little brown bags of money being passed around rather than anything whatsoever to do with the permanent residents of this city or the tax paying restaurants whose business they encroach upon. Have never understood the timing or locations (6 avenue!?) of these street fairs as they are inherently illogical and as a result have assumed that someone in city government must be getting rich of this charade. Hope to be proven wrong :) — Rohin on Seen & Heard: The Rag & Bone Men’s Store Is Open

Thank you Charles. This is a complicated one for me to express properly. All of the professionals whom I have encountered at the WTCHP have been caring and their service has been excellent. There is no doubt in my mind that they are doing their absolute best for all those registered. I do believe their work is thorough and honest and never intended to suggest otherwise. What I was trying to say is this: to my knowledge, there is no proactive program to track the effects on just plain residents. I came to the program voluntarily, solely to be part of their data. While they have proactively tracked and reported on first responders and those who were involved in the cleanup, as they should, there has not been a broader survey of the neighborhood's residents. I may be mistaken. I certainly do not mean to look ill upon anyone involved. The WTCHP doctors with whom I have spoken conveyed to me that there is no broader study completed or planned to gauge the impact on the entire neighborhood. If I have this wrong, then I sincerely apologize. I would like to see that study myself. Those residents who join the program, as I did and you did, however, will be added to the database and afforded care as needed. I will take your suggestion to see what I can find out. Thanks again. — Ron on In the News: Former Official Apologizes for Being Wrong About 9/11 Dust

In reply to Ron: Your comment is so heartfelt and sincere (and poignant) that I hesitate to take issue with it. But I'm surprised to read that the WTC Health Registry is *not* compiling data on residents' health with the intent of running careful statistics and disclosing the findings. I dropped out of the program several years ago -- after many rounds of dutifully answering exhaustive survey questions for myself and my children. Before I bailed, I had the strong impression that their work was and is thorough and honest. I encourage you to communicate with the Registry in writing to learn more and report back to us. Many thanks. — Charles Komanoff on In the News: Former Official Apologizes for Being Wrong About 9/11 Dust

The Guardian's article is a good one but the count of those affected by the dust remains focused almost exclusively on the first responders and those who worked on the pile. Don't get me wrong -- I believe they should get all the benefits they deserve for their selflessness and noble work. I will never be able to thank them enough. However, there is an untold story that needs to be told, and that is the number of local residents who have been affected by the dust that remained in the area for many months afterward. Some of us returned to our apartments days after 9/11. We remember wiping away the gray dust from the sills of even closed windows and breathing in the foul air. Some of us were affected by cancers that are listed by the World Trade Center Health Program. I joined the program simply to be part of the statistics. By the time I joined 2 years ago (and even thought about it) my cancer treatment was just completed and I felt healthy again (thank goodness). I quizzed the doctors at the WTCHP about the statistics for residents. They told me they've never collected any. Some of the doctors freely admit (at least they did to me) that this is a political hot potato. No one wants to be liable for possible payments that may be due to the residents as well. Now,15 years later, when many of these cancers start to manifest, I wonder how many have been affected and if there are much higher rates of cancer and other related ailments in this neighborhood than is the norm. I suspect so. This study should be undertaken, and should include those who lived nearby during those years and have since moved away. I profoundly hope, as many others will, that if my cancer was caused (we will never know for certain) by WTC air contamination, that I will be the only one in my family that will be affected. — Ron on In the News: Former Official Apologizes for Being Wrong About 9/11 Dust

Thank you for the Loft Peeping selection…inspiring indeed. When these buildings were built as workshops, factories, warehouses, who would have thought that their future incarnations might be so creative and beautiful? (Although, to counter that thought for a moment, it is also worth considering how even in their original uses the designers and builders of these buildings aimed to make them aesthetically beautiful, with often graceful facades and neoclassical touches. Compare to typical "utilitarian" buildings built today, which are often un-designed to simply look like boxes). — Marcus on Seen & Heard: The Rag & Bone Men’s Store Is Open

The city visited to inspect and didn't issue an immediate stop work order when they crane was already in use? Doesn't seem like an inspection you want to be casual about. Restaurant inspectors are more aggressive than that. $800 seems like a mighty small fine for something that, could and result in major life and property damage. — David Steingard on The Cause of the Crane Collapse

I understand your concern, George. But we're talking about a building likely to open 5-6 years from now, more than 20 years after 9/11. Over time, Ground Zero will become a relatively genetic public space. Time passes, memories fade. — J on First Look: The Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center

From: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/noise_code_guide.pdf "> The Noise Code prohibits excessive sound from the muffler or exhaust of motor vehicles operating on a public right-of-way where the speed limit is 35 mph or less. > Excessive sound is: • Plainly audible at a distance of 150 feet or more from vehicles of less than 10,000 lbs. (cars); and • Plainly audible at a distance of 200 feet or more from vehicles of more than 10,000 lbs., (trucks); and • Plainly audible at a distance of 200 feet from a motorcycle." — James on Seen & Heard: Is 101 Warren’s Sidewalk Shed Permanent?

Agreed. Noise laws should be properly enforced against vehicle drivers who allow their vehicles to make such excessive noise, whether through intent or negligence. As we see, however, not even the horn-honking laws are enforced. I have never seen anyone ticketed for the horn honking. It's a ridiculous noise-fest of road rage every time the light turns greet at my corner. It's single lane, so some driver will be waiting to turn, thus holding up the traffic behind, but for a legitimate reason: namely, there are pedestrians crossing on the Walk sign. But reason matters little, one person hits their horn and then you have a chain reaction down the line until everyone is expressing their impotence (in every sense) with their horns. So: Keep reporting such noise to 311. The city claims noise complaints are down; things will only have a hope of change if the city believes the citizens really care about this issue. "You can make a complaint about non-emergency noise coming from a vehicle, including a motorcycle. Non-emergency noise can include horn honking, engine revving or idling, and loud music. Officers from your local police precinct will respond when they are not handling emergency situations." http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1199/noise-from-vehicle — Marcus on Seen & Heard: Is 101 Warren’s Sidewalk Shed Permanent?

I first met John, Val, and their dad sometime back in the early 80's. I had a leaking 75 year old copper gooseneck pantry faucet from a turn of the last century house on the NJ shore, and came across a mention of their business & expertise in the Old House Journal catalog (once just about the only reliable source for older, restorable fixtures, etc.). I told John the sad story about my unsuccessful search for the faucet part & how tired I was of being told by every plumbing supply/hardware store guy "They don't make those anymore." John said well someone might somewhere, let me ask my dad. A ray of hope. So their dad came out front, looked at the faucet & said "They don't make these anymore - but let me see what I can do." He then went into the back & FABRICATED THE PART. And they had me a customer from then on, the last time when John helped me figure out the perfect replacement toilet for a rental property with six bathrooms, saving literally thousands of dollars in water bills over the last 2 years. And aside from being terrifically knowledgeable & helpful, very nice folks too. NYC is poorer without them & their business. — PVA on George Taylor Specialties Is Closing

A lot of all black and a lot of all white. Laughing because I fell into one of these two categories. — NorthernTribeca on In the News: Back-to-School Fashion

Thanks for the Shout Out Erik and I agree. Steve Cuozzo is #2. That said, my answer to his question is an emphatic NO! The best is yet to come. :-) — Luis Vazquez (FiDi Fan Page) on In the News: Back-to-School Fashion