Neighborhood schools / school choice One of the reasons Tribeca has exploded as an area for young parents since the 1980s is the access to ‘good schools.’ But this has magnified the de facto segregation of the city. School choice for middle and high school presents parents and kids with means (and time) more opportunities. The richest have the option of private schools but the upper-middle-class people have been shown to disproportionately benefit from the public system because they can pay tutors, spare the time to gather information and go through laborious applications, and ‘work the refs’ to get plum slots. New York’s segregation of schools has possibly kept white and Asian parents from fleeing the city but at the cost of an educational caste system between the haves and the have nots. What should be done? Pay all teachers more to attract the best to the profession. Lengthen the school year for all. Preserving historic districts We should expand them, not just preserve them. New York zoning is a mess and needs a master plan to build more housing. This shouldn’t mean 100 story apartment blocks up and down the Village and Tribeca. Preserving small business Reduce red tape to start businesses and hire people. Make it easier to start new retail stores and restaurants in vacant ground floor spaces by eliminating taxes for the first two years. Our streets need life again! Enhancing and/or creating public open spaces New York needs more parks and open space. A ‘complete streets’ plan (a la Paris) should see more bike lanes and trees rather than space devoted to private cars. Safety / neighborhood policing The city is very safe. Much of the money spent on the police force should be moved to social services and other interventions. Speed cameras (and speed bumps) could keep many people from dying on the streets every year. Homeless population – housing Homelessness is a regional and national problem. There should be a guaranteed national income to help every citizen afford a home and feed themselves. In New York, housing should be a right and no one should be allowed to sleep on the streets. City services should make sure there is a safe bed for everyone. Mental health centers should be funded to help those with special needs. Restaurant support / sidewalk cafes / open streets A ‘complete streets’ plan would allow more space for outdoor dining, pedestrians, and bikes. Congestion pricing We need it. It should help pay for more transit and bike lanes. Bike policy We need one. Almost everyone benefits from doubling the number of bike lanes and building complete streets. Real estate taxes The city is generally over-taxed. We should tax the things we want LESS of, i.e., carbon-based transport and heating systems, for example. Sanitation issues (garbage on streets, compost, pickups) As part of the complete streets plan, the city should build dedicated units for garbage disposal. Removal should be done via a new fleet of smaller all-electric garbage trucks. Street furniture like old phone booths (ad venue) and ‘free’ newspaper storage containers should be heavily taxed. Transportation issues (bus and subway) More streets should be like 14th Street in Manhattan with dedicated bus lanes. Labor rules (and corruption) should be reduced to make building new miles of the subway at least as affordable as peer cities. Parking (placard and residential) Street parking should be taxed with higher fees across the board. No one should be immune including placard holders. Construction regulations Affordable housing should be legalized by making construction more affordable (changing rules favored by unions) and eliminating rules like parking minimums. Vacant lots on the city-owned property should be considered for housing. — troy on What do you care about?

Thanks for asking. Before listing specific concerns, first I'd like to know which candidates recognize that: 1. Tribeca is as much a part of Council District 1 as other neighborhoods in the district. 2. Tribeca should have the same access to and advocacy by our council person as other neighborhoods in the district. 3. Tribeca exists even in non-election years and should be more than a campaign contribution cash cow to those running to represent it. — MC on What do you care about?

How about simple stuff - getting the streets swept and garbage picked up so the trash isn't over flowing and piled up on the corner. Also, bring back the Downtown Alliance (?). The group that gave jobs to folks to sweep the curbs, sidewalks. — paul on What do you care about?

I'd like to second the above questions/concerns: - pedestrian safety (especially on the West Side Highway) - expanding green space and possibly making street closures permanent on less busy side streets (make Duane St pedestrian only! Wouldn't that be amazing?) Additionally: How would the Councilperson address ugly and unsafe retail wastelands without resorting to character-destroying chains? Vacancy tax? Incentives? Thanks! — Kathleen on What do you care about?

I have no clue how much a single councilperson can actually accomplish, but my biggest concern in general is pedestrian livability: - More speeding cameras operating 24/7, especially on the WSH, Canal, and Church Street - Enforcing penalties for blocking the box, particularly on Canal, Hudson, WSH, and Holland Tunnel entrance/exit routes, so that people can cross the street without being stuck in traffic - Longer delayed lights so people can cross WSH into HRP without cars actively turning into the crosswalk - Thoughts on reducing noise pollution (honking, modified mufflers, helicopters, etc.)? - Thoughts on creating/expanding pedestrian-only spaces (Duane Park being a prime example of a place that should be one) - Thoughts on creating/expanding green spaces, planting more trees, etc.? - Thoughts on improving street design for pedestrians and cyclists? Basically, what would they do to make the streets safer and nicer for pedestrians and cyclists? Another big topic is the proposed Soho/Noho rezoning. — person on What do you care about?

Great idea! Having worked with the City Council over the years, I’m realistic about how little a Councilperson is able to do about many of the issues we care about. So let me pick A few were they might be able to make an impact, rather than presenting a list of the issues that concern me. 1) Regulation, and ideally some kind of licensing, of ebikes, both on the streets and on the Hudson River Bikeway. While I appreciate the desire to protect the people who use them, the Bikeway was never envisioned as a highway for people making a bike deliveries. And what enforcement and other steps can be taken to keep eBikes off the sidewalks, and obeying traffic regulations? They are not only a danger to pedestrians, but also to those who ride standard bicycles. There’s nothing wrong with ebikes per se, but they’re all too often used in dangerous ways. How we accomplish that without unleashing the racism of the NYPD is a real question. 2) Improving the architectural design of the planned jail, so it is vastly less overwhelming. Simply saying “we don’t want it here“ exemplifies NIMBYism,and ignores the reality of the need to close Rikers. But surely something much better can be designed. 3) Additional bike lanes and reconsideration, and, ideally, rerouting, of the bike path through City Hall Park. When the area by the chess tables is as busy as it was before the pandemic, having bicycles go through there makes no sense. And far too many riders coming off the bridge assume that they’re allowed to bike through the park too. Surely they can all be rerouted to Chambers Street. This is an extremely logical fit with the plant implementation of bike lanes on the Brooklyn Bridge roadway. 4) Increased accountability for the NYPD when provoke, beat up provoke and arrest protesters with whose politics they disagree. This is a much larger issue, but I’m tired of watching them provoke and come down on protesters who are obeying the law. I would also like to see an end to the NYPD‘s ability to arbitrarily close public amenities and streets for extended periods of time, as they did with City Hall Park and Chambers Street 5) Solving the problem of counterfeiting requires a global effort, but surely the police can clean up the blatant mess around Canal and Broadway. And keep it cleaned up. 6) SoHo was rapidly becoming a mix of honky-tonk tourism and luxury flag ship stores. In the same way that Amsterdam has taken this time to reimagine tourism, perhaps we can do the same to keep that from turning into an area unattractive to New Yorkers. I hope this helps. — A. on What do you care about?

R.I.P. Barry Goldsmith. IPN is a tributary to the decent human being I always strive to be. — Charles Coleman on Designer of Independence Plaza dies at 82

I’ve been a long time resident of IPN. Maybe the longest. One’s eyesore is another’s contented legacy. I suppose I should leave it at that. — Charles Coleman on Designer of Independence Plaza dies at 82

On my list of concerns: - What is your stance on the misguided borough jail plan? If you are against it, what will you do? - What will be done about crime (from violent crime, muggings and burglary, all the way down to "minor" issues like graffiti and other vandalism, and public urination, and the counterfeit sellers who take over areas of Canal Street and around the subway stations)? - What is your stance on congestion pricing? What else can be done to reduce the dangerous and polluting (both in terms of fresh air and noise levels from vehicles) vehicular traffic? More speed cameras? Convert some streets to protected bus streets as was done on 14th Street? (Imagine that on Canal Street ... probably unlikely, but I can dream...I've nearly been run over by speeding red-light-runners multiple times on Canal St.) Even consider converting some streets to pedestrian-only (with limited delivery and other access hours for vehicles)? - What is your stance on real estate taxes? Any significant increase in real estate taxes would create a serious burden on many home-owners already paying high mortgages, condo or coop fees, repairs, etc. especially in a pandemic time of reduced incomes? (And those reduced incomes will probably continue for years for many of us). This could be a disaster for home-owners, scare away future buyers, and force more people to leave NYC. Many other important issues, but I'll stop there...I'm sure others will weigh in with their priorities. Thanks for doing this. — Marcus on What do you care about?

Agreed. Just look at it in relation to the surrounding buildings! This is one of the VERY FEW designated special "Tribeca historic district" blocks and this ugly, oversized structure is going to singlehandedly ruin the aesthetic in a tiny area created to protect it from this kind of development. It's a shame Landmarks is letting this go up, especially considering the all the trouble this same developer has brought to the neighborhood. — Lawrence West on Red Terra Cotta Facade Proposed for Canal Street

Great book, recently republished, and erhaps out of print again...https://aperture.org/books/danny-lyon-the-destruction-of-lower-manhattan/ — Robert Ripps on Seen & Heard: The destruction of Lower Manhattan

More of the story and pics in this 2018 New York article, "Lyon has said that, at the time, he was surprised by how little the newspapers had to say about this massive transformation. The appeal he makes in “Destruction” is simple: all he wants is for us to notice what will soon be gone." https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/a-revered-photojournalists-chronicle-of-lower-manhattan-on-the-brink-of-transformation — Matt on Seen & Heard: The destruction of Lower Manhattan

The only agenda item for the borough-based jails should be cancelation and re-thinking of the entire project. It was a bad idea even before the pandemic; now it's an impossible idea, considering the city's negative finances. Obscenely expensive and misguided, with no guarantee that it would really even lead to any real reform of the system. More likely it would just move the problems around. — Marcus on Community Board 1 agendas for February

Great story, Pam. Danny Lyon was no one-shot wonder, as this NYT profile from last fall attests: "Even From the Desert, Danny Lyon Still Speaks to the Streets. The indefatigable photographer on the struggles of getting his new film to the next generation of activists." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/arts/design/danny-lyon-sncc-photography.html. His new film, "SNCC," is inspired by his 1960s work organizing with and photographing young civil rights workers in the Deep South and centers on his six-decade friendship with the late John Lewis. Quite a life, and still in progress! — Komanoff on Seen & Heard: The destruction of Lower Manhattan

City worker here. It's hard to bring workers back to offices unless we have the school situation figured out. It's hard for parents of school age children to return while kids are still doing remote learning at home. Also, even after vaccinating employees will still need to keep masks on and keep 6 ft part in city offices. That spacing issue is something that DCAS needs to have sorted out. In the initial phase of bringing folks back, workers may have be assigned to groups and go in to office on certain days of the week. Just my opinion. — TribecaMom on City workers could come back by May

It's about time this happened! I've walked on the Brooklyn Bridge many times. And every time I did, there was always a pedestrian either walking on the bike path blocking the bikers, or people stopping on the bridge to take a group photo blocking all the other pedestrians, forcing them to walk on the bike path where they can get crashed into. It's ridiculous! Glad to see that this will be changed at some point. Put the bikers in a different part of the bridge all together. Works for me. — Charles Coleman on Dedicated bike lanes coming to Brooklyn Bridge

Adding protected bike lanes, whether they be on a bridge, in a park or just located on city streets is obviously a good thing, but perhaps the regulations for the use of those lanes should be more strictly enforced. Bike lanes are for bikes. The word "bikes" is an acronym for bicycles. Not mopeds or scooters. Electric and pedal-assist bikes (favored by food delivery individuals) are another issue, but I believe they'll probably fall into the approved category. Then there's the entire catalog of personal transporters, which legislators are still determining how to classify, but will probably get the OK for bike lane use as well. So where is this comment going? I guess I'm just asking that those in a position to legislate and/or enforce strongly consider actually prohibiting mopeds and scooters from designated bike lanes. — Paul on Dedicated bike lanes coming to Brooklyn Bridge

It is sad that it has taken this long. Sad of the corruption that was involved in taking this long.. This church is a symbol of rebuilding in the WTC area. Without this wonderful and amazing church, this place is NOTHING. We all need a place to worship. This place has history on its side. We can ONLY overcome when this church is built once again. — angello malefakis on Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in final stretch — after 20 years

This woman lives in my building and hounds every dog owner she crosses paths with. She's a well known nuisance that has led to more than a few conversations with other residents about her being a deciding factor in moving to another building. For instance, during a pretty nasty snow storm today, she was out in full force harassing dog owners. She was literally shoveling snow at the dogs (why she is shoveling, no one knows) and verbally accosting their owners, all without wearing a mask -- which she is a regular scofflaw about within the building in violation of the both the city and building guidelines. A note about the signage in Liberty Park: At least the last time I checked (and maybe this is still the case), the only steel slab listing the park and memorial commandments in Liberty Park is located next to the stairway that has been blocked off since the park opened due to the construction of the church (which just restarted) and is only accessible after you are well inside the park from the other entry points. I think this has led to a lot of the confusion, but in no way makes her behavior acceptable. — Publius on Nosy Neighbor: Are dogs allowed in Liberty Park?

37 Harrison Street interiors, from 2014 https://www.6sqft.com/the-wilson-hunt-house-the-history-three-rare-19th-century-houses-towed-to-tribeca-by-truck/ — James on Loft Peeping: The historic row house at 27 Harrison

So excited to see these interiors. I, too, have always been curious to know exactly when they dated from. This unit looks really amazing. More light and brighter than I would have imagined. Wonderful history - thanks for sharing — martha Handler on Loft Peeping: The historic row house at 27 Harrison

G you are so correct. For the decade I lived in SF I had to argue to people that making better bike lanes also helps drivers. The multi mode nature of transit in a city requires changes that separate cars and bikes. I see this plan as a doable win — Patrick C Valentino on Dedicated bike lanes coming to Brooklyn Bridge

@Scott; as an Independence Plaza Pioneer (1979-1980) I can assure you these buildings did nothing to disrupt access to the waterfront. At the time they were built, there was no meaningful reason to walk along what were essentially piles of rubble disintegrating into the still-polluted Hudson. There was no Chelsea Piers, no cruise-y walking, biking, or tanning scene to speak of. If we wanted Hudson River-side space, we could walk south to the landfill that was to become Battery Park City, or north to the Meatpacking District which at the time was 90% involved in packing actual meat (unless one ventured into the Trucks, which is for another post). As @LongTimeFirstTime states, there was absolutely not a morsel to be eaten nor an amenity to be had, and the IP was a godsend to a 22-year-old aspiring writer and my 21-year-old aspiring graphic artist roommate. My days at IP are now dream-like, but if you knew where to look, you could stand on the cinderblock balcony and see down to rising young star Robert DeNiro's loft on an adjacent block. — Susan on Designer of Independence Plaza dies at 82

This intelligent article features amazing photos that capture the inspiration and heart of this talented and global artist. Mary is a living treasure. — Ami on Portrait of the Artist: Mary Jaeger

Yes! As always, right. I only spotted the one outside... — Tribeca Citizen on Where in Tribeca?