Gee Whiz, just down the street from my home on Warren since mid '90s, always the best fries and even better people. All the best for the future: many memories of the past. — Ben on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

EGG Tribeca (children's clothing store) on Franklin is closing as well. They had a sample sale last week. — TribecaMom on Seen & Heard: Lines out the door…

From the time I met Andy and Peter in the diner where they worked on 7th Avenue and 15th St, I knew they were good men and would do well together. And since the time I met you on Saturdays at Gee Whiz when you were just 10 Y.O., I knew that with a father like Andy, you too would be a good man. Andy would keep me updated and proud of your progress until you passed your bar exam. You have big shoes to fill and a legacy to carry on, but I am more than confident that you will bring Tribeca Kitchen to fruition again. You have my support and that of this community. Please bring your children too on Saturdays when they are older so we can meet the coming generation and "Imagine" with them as well. — MANNY CABRERO on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

There were two ladies walking around the property inspecting the trees (there are some really big beautiful trees in there which you could see for the short time they had the cut out fence). I’m hoping whatever construction they do, they factor the trees in and maybe make it a nice green space around the building. That particular area could really use it. — Tracy on Seen & Heard: Bull balancing act

Thanks Andy Jr. Well said. Your father was very special to my family and me. I cannot help but smile and cry at the same time just reading what you wrote. We are on our way home and cannot wait for our next meal at TK! — Donna Sanquini on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

Since I can upload here I have a NY Strong photo I would like to submit. I will add it on your facebook posting — Peter Robinson on The year (so far) in pictures

Just a thought. If they closed all the other Century 21 location and keep the Fulton street location open could help with the overhead cost. So sad to see it go. It was my go to since it opened at 7am. — Sandra on Century 21 will close all stores; declares bankruptcy

Hi Andy Jr., what a wonderful tribute to your dad Andy and Mr. Panayiotu his old partner. They were a big part and still live forever in our hearts of Tribeca. I can remember way back when I first moved down here 1992. my husband use to tell them to go next door which was a little new stand. They would pick up the newspaper and various things beside the food we order. Old School waiters! Your dad, Andy was kind hearted and always very welcoming to us and everyone in his diner. May his memory live on forever! God bless you and the family. We will continue to support Tribeca Kitchen and Gee Whiz which is a little piece of the original neighborhood which is disappearing each and every day. I pray we all make it through this very hard time. — New York on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

The cut-outs are gone and it's back to full planks again. Not sure why? — Jessica on Seen & Heard: Bull balancing act

Dear Andy Jr., Your father was a wonderful man: generous, ebullient, kind and hardworking. He was always good to the schoolchildren and teachers of P.S. 234 across the street and all the artists, actors, writers, and families of Tribeca. After 9/11, he and his partner Mr. Panayiotou at Gee Whiz fed the first responders and recovery workers at Ground Zero just a couple of blocks away. He then brightened dreary Church Street with his Tribeca's Kitchen and I was sorry that some people gave him so much trouble when he was trying to have a few outdoor tables -- ironic now. His only flaw is that he would run low on Black+White cookies. I know you at Tribeca's Kitchen and Chris Panayiotou at Gee Whiz [and let's not forget Teddy further north at the Square Diner] will remain the spiritual anchors of the neighborhood and keep the Black+Whites stocked! All good wishes, Joanna Molloy — Joanna Molloy on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

Wonderful family, heartfelt thanks for sharing and inspiring. I first sat in Gee Whiz in 1990, working close by at a brokerage firm, and ordered breakfast daily. I can still remember the delivery man. 15 years later, I moved to the neighborhood and now have 2 first-rate diners. As a native Staten Islander, my family is with you. Always. — Mbcg on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

I fully understand your exasperation, and recommend Brooklyn Fare as an antidote. It’s a great grocery store/food market, and for real! If you’re near the northern end of Tribeca, it’s an easy reach. No further than Whole Foods. 666 Greenwich St. at Barrow. — jp on New bakery coming to the Maison Kayser space

What’s missing is the fact that Century 21 is partially owned by a private equity firm, as were other notable retail businesses that went bankrupt. When the pandemic struck, they received, and then exhausted, Federal CARES funds. They approached their private equity backers, to to raise money from them. Their backers refused, forcing them into bankruptcy. The insurance issue is separate from that. Business interruption insurance is for physical damage only. Assuming they could have gotten insurance for some thing like the pandemic, it would’ve been extraordinarily expensive. Even if they win their insurance lawsuit, the 15 stores they own nationally will have been long closed, and their 4,000 employees unemployed. — A. on Century 21 will close all stores; declares bankruptcy

Apparently Century 21 will move its lawsuit against the insurers into Bankruptcy Court, to gain leverage. The policy will now be treated as an asset of the debtor, and the Bankruptcy Court will have greater powers and "influence" to push for payouts in order to fulfill the Bankruptcy Court's mission to pay off creditors. From its press release: "To accomplish an orderly wind down in the most efficient manner to maximize the value of its assets for the benefit of its stakeholders, the Company voluntarily filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Concurrently, the Company is removing to the Bankruptcy Court a lawsuit pending in the Supreme Court of the State of New York against several of its insurance providers based on their failure to compensate the Company for its losses under the policies. The Company is requesting that the Bankruptcy Court expedite the adjudication of the suit for the benefit of its stakeholders." https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/century-21-stores-to-commence-wind-down-of-retail-operations-301127393.html — James on Century 21 will close all stores; declares bankruptcy

Beautiful letter, Thank you. Your Folks raised you very well. — DANIEL L DUFFANY on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

There's a phone app called Black Wallet, but so far they don't have any Black Owned retail / dining / etc in Tribeca on the map in their app, but might be good to keep an eye on the app or contact the people that run it. — Amy Goldstein on Nosy Neighbor: Where are the Black-owned businesses of Tribeca?

Yes, it was wishful thinking on my part to think it was reopened for good. It is all being controlled by the NYPD and not Parks, and over the past months they have not been willing to tell me when the park will open. — Tribeca Citizen on City Hall Park is back online (well, almost)

Thanks. I know what a bankruptcy reorganization plan is. When you enter into a bankruptcy reorganization plan and hope to re-emerge, you don’t close all your stores and announce you are going out of business and liquidating everything. Obviously. — BobR on Century 21 will close all stores; declares bankruptcy

Chapter 11 is a reorganization plan that protects the entity from all creditors while it is reorganizing. So maybe, maybe, they will find a way to emerge from this. But I doubt it given the blows brick and mortar retail has suffered since the onset of the digital age. — Jane on Century 21 will close all stores; declares bankruptcy

Perserverance and hope. Never forget, always remember and just keep swimming......just Imagine if we all come together and keep pushing forward at the face of adversity?!!! Well said Andy, keep that fire alive! — Irene on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

Andy was a dear friend who made a profound impact on our lives. Not a single day where we do not think about him, how giving and kind he was, how he persevered and believed in continuing his business, how he kept us close just like family....we admire the strength and perseverance you have and the hope you give us for the future. Your family is loved! — Reade it on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

Great to know! — marthe on Nosy Neighbor: Who’s open for breakfast?

A big management issue in bike sharing programs is "re-balancing." Riders need both bikes at the start of their rides and empty docks at the end of their rides. Neighborhoods differ by whether they are largely commercial or residential, and so they have different patterns of supply/demand throughout the day (or weekends vs weekdays) for bikes and docks. Re-balancing means CitiBike physically moving bikes en masse from station to station. The purpose is to balance supply of and demand for bikes throughout the day and to balance the supply of and demand for empty docks to receive bikes throughout the day. Expanding a station allows one to either add more empty docks for incoming riders or add more docked bikes for outgoing riders. See for example: https://medium.com/@Urbica.co/city-bike-rebalanced-92ac61a867c7 https://urbica.github.io/citibike/ https://www.citibikenyc.com/blog/rebalancing-the-citi-bike-system https://builtin.com/data-science/bike-share-rebalancing — James on Citi Bike on Duane continues to cause troubles for businesses

A beautifully told history of perseverance and dedication. May your Dad's memory be eternal. May the memory of all who perished from the 9/11 attacks be eternal. God bless America ???????? — Flora on Open Letter: 9/11, the virus, my dad and his legacy

I don’t know about the south end of the park, by the fountain, but the Warren St. passage continues to be locked AND barricaded. I know because I live nearby. Chambers Street is generally open, occasionally barricaded, but the sidewalk is half barricaded, for no apparent reason. Since many people don’t wear masks, that makes social distancing impossible. Of course, the police don’t care because they never wear masks - but I resent it. — A. on City Hall Park is back online (well, almost)