Writing to Governor Cuomo is key. He holds the cards here and has been hurt politically by the post-Sandy problems. Remind him what is the right thing to do and that this will help his approval ratings. Buy a snail mail stamp and send a letter. Steven Greer http://www.batterypark.tv/category/gripes/asphalt-green — Steven Greer on Seen & Heard: How to Take Action on Asphalt Green

I walked by there this afternoon and there's no ice yet; just coils. One of the guys working on it said it would open Sunday or Monday. It is very small but a great location on warm sunny days; otherwise the coldest, windiest possible place in Manhattan. $10 seem like a lot considering how small it is and for the price of a round trip on the subway I can skate free at Bryant Park. The one on the ball field was great while it lasted. — Hudson River on Ice Rink Coming to Wagner Park

love these! thanks so much for them... — liat on Tribeca Then and Now #1

6th avenue just below Canal? — J Allen on Where in Tribeca…?

Greenstreet on 6th Avenue between W. Broadway and Canal. Rescued from weeds and overgrowth 7 years ago by Yoya — Don on Where in Tribeca…?

Three Cheers for the fine folks who made this happen!!!! — Heather Church on Ice Rink Coming to Wagner Park

I would be interesting for someone to compile a list of establishments that permanently closed after Sandy — Steven Greer on In the News: Asphalt Green Stuck Again?

I love the photo essays~ not to get all 'peace/love' but they do remind me to slow down and look at the details around me and appreciate whats there, thanks Erik! — Sheila on Close-Up: Jay Street

Awesome! I was so bummed when the rink never opened last winter. — Ahu on Ice Rink Coming to Wagner Park

You can still smell the spices at Leonard and Varick. — Andrea on Tribeca Then and Now #1

and the exotic smell of Oriental spices from the warehouse at Leonard & W. Broadway, and the morning roasting of coffee beans at Martinson's warehouse at Greenwich & Franklin (now housing the Tribeca film festival folks). — Margaret Dessau on Tribeca Then and Now #1

I always thought the smell was nutmeg from the Atalanta Polish Ham bldg. Between that and the roasting coffee from the Martinson building and the roasting nuts at Bazzini's, it was heavenly back in those days! — Loren on Tribeca Then and Now #1

What a delightful easter egg in the midst of all the chaff I sort through during the course of my day. Neither Sandy, nor 9/11, nor real estate developers can erase Robert. As the blessed song says "Fire cannot burn it, weapons cannot cleave it..." So many memories of Tribeca. Not the least of which was describing to Robert my first experiences with electronic messaging in 1982. Look at that *that* turned out. (I've been following Robert's work since 1965, but who's counting...) — Blaise Pabon on Robert Janz: Mountain Man

Sassafras was the smell....Spice company on Varick across from Finn Square I believe. — Anna on Tribeca Then and Now #1

@KP: Fixed the link. Thanks! — Erik Torkells on Nosy Neighbor: Who’s Responsible for the Snowflake Lights?

Thanks for gathering all that info! Kudos to HSC -- the lights are pretty! Oh, and your second link doesn't work, Erik: http://www.hudsonsquarebid.org/about/holiday-lights/ — KP on Nosy Neighbor: Who’s Responsible for the Snowflake Lights?

This was a restaurant long before it became Il Mattone. Wonder what it will look like next? — Becnyny on Greenwich and NMoore or Beach

Also the great smell of roasting nuts from Bazzini.... And who can forget the not so great smell of shark fins "fermenting" on North Moore Street . — Robert Ripps on Tribeca Then and Now #1

Magoose it was — caty on Tribeca in the 1980s

Can anyone tell me the name of the restaurant--sorry, have forgotten everything, including the location--in Tribeca that permitted artists to run a tab, the walls of which were covered in paintings accepted in lieu of payment? Thanks. — Melissa Pierson on Tribeca in the 1980s

Thanks Eric, very interesting cause I haven't been to NYC in years. Maria brought up something interesting about the scents of the area. When I would walk about at night I would smell a strong odor of what seemed like bubble gum. It came from the street(N Moore-?) behind the police station. I remember smelling the same scent in Long Island City near the Chicklet factory. — Yvonne babineaux on Tribeca Then and Now #1

Awesome !! — Ellinor Stigle on Tribeca Then and Now #1

Great pictures. I wish we could capture the scents from back then too! I remember areas of Tribeca smelling like spice, there were several big importers I think. — Maria on Tribeca Then and Now #1

@Liat: It's the same car. Sorry, I should've made that clear (I had come across the DNAinfo article and loaded it into this post before I saw the NYDN one). — Erik Torkells on In the News: Another Parking Garage Accident

This is great! It's so interesting to see how much (and how little) has changed. I think you did a great job duplicating the shots. Also, it's nice to see more trees now, rather than fewer. — Andrea on Tribeca Then and Now #1