^^^what (s)he said^^^ — Makes You Go "Hmm-m-m" on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

They are breaking the law by defacing our property. — Karen on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

Where is the NYC Police Commissioner? Why is destruction of city property okay? That is not what I call “peaceful demonstrating” or “peaceful protestOmg.” Get some handcuffs and buses, load them on and get rid of them. What’s wrong with our mayor? — Karen on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

Instead of spending valuable time trying to get local politicians and law enforcement to clean up a "mess" that you think is now in "our own backyard", I think it is a better use of everyone's efforts to advocate at the city, state and national level for policies that will fight homelessness and target communities in which young people become "disaffected." Protest gets messy and ugly when people feel they have been harmed or unheard for much too long. Why not be a neighbor advancing social justice instead of complaining about how ugly it looks when our institutions constantly fail a lot of people? — Amy Goldstein on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

Gov’t run homeless camps are in LA now. Guessing we’ll be next. — Cordcutter on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

I emailed our city councilwoman: Margaret Chin at chin@council.nyc.gov — G on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

Deepest condolences to Steve, Lloyd, and all Tribeca Hardware’s problem-solvers. They seemed to know something about everything — from epoxy to voltages to mulch. No matter how dire the emergency, they calmed you down and often told you a cheaper way to fix it, even pointing you to a competitor if they were out of something. The death of the neighborhood hardware store has been happening all over America. Customers would rather order online or drive to Home Depot to save a few bucks, even though you can’t find anyone there to answer a question. But this is also the evolution of a micro economy that puts more value on a $300 onesie than a convenient socket wrench. Remember George Taylor Specialties on Franklin Street? Founded 1869. Closed 2016. Thank you, Tribeca Hardware. — George on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

Well said! — Robert Berger on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

Being followed into my building by homeless people occupying the encampment and having my neighbor attacked is not a "minor discomfort." We live here and pay property and income taxes. They do not. Get a permit and stage a protest. That's your right. You do not have a right to disrupt taxpaying citizens' lives. I'll check my privilege if you check your anarchism. I emailed our city councilwoman: Margaret Chin at chin@council.nyc.gov — G on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

I am a citi bike key holder and use them often, but the current bike station needs to be relocated- Charles Komanoff has suggested an excellent location, but there are other spots that will work and NOT impede our neighborhood restaurants from trying to stay open for themselves and for us. re the complaint about garbage-- i totally agree that those of us businesses here on Duane Street MUST be responsible for keeping things tidy. i pick up empty cups everymorning tht have drifted in front my my bakery- but it is getting better! as far as closing the street to through traffic- i am not on board with this for several reasons: Duane St is the only main eastbound street, besides chambers that can accommodate trucks- which deliver all our "stuff"-not just mine. (think FEDEX, UPS ) If Duane Street is closed, then eastbound traffic will have to shift to Reade St (which would have to be configurred to an esstbound sgtreet all the way), which is too narrow to handle all the traffic- even if the parking were removed -or to chambers st. but if there is strong community sentiment to close duane st, i propose an impact study .that way everyone one should be completely informed about the short/long term impact of closing.. — madeline c lanciani on Duane Street restaurants petitioning to get Citi Bike dock removed

I will miss Tribeca Hardware. It was my go to place for everything I needed to make small repairs in the building's I manage. There is no question that high rents make it extremely difficult for small shops to make it here. Let's understand why retail store rents are so high. There are two major causes: 1. Rapidly escalating real estate taxes. Under this mayor, real estate taxes have increased by over 50%. Real estate taxes now cover 47% of the City's ever expanding deBlasio budget. 2. Residential rent freezes. Under this mayor, rent stabilized apartments, which make of 50% of all apartments, have had multiple rent freezes, despite escalating building operating costs and real estate taxes. Who pays for ever higher real estate taxes and ever frozen residential rents? That's right - retail store owners. — Robert Berger on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

i am so sad. what'll i do without you? — madeline c lancianiam so sad on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

So sad. 19 years I have been a patron. They are one of the best stores I have ever shopped at. Period. — Jennifer on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

Even the Mayor of ATL is decrying Enough is enough. DB? Anyone? Anyone? #useless — Cordcutter on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

This is sad to hear! They were my go to for all sorts of things and always helped with advice to buy what was truly needed. Everything a hardware store should be! — Deb on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

So sorry to hear this. I’m sure the pandemic made it very difficult to stay afloat .. but I can’t help thinking that all these very high rents are affecting our community in the worst way. Our businesses are closing little by little. This is obviously not regular times but the high rents do not help at all. Will stores ever come back? We lost do many small businesses and of course in the small store fronts that’s all who can fit in them. Small Businesses with the odds against them. Smaller towns protect their stores and restaurants. But we are victims of our own making here very often. I wish Steve luck. Maybe some good turn of events can keep our nabe businesses here and thriving... — Diane Lapson on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

I was always surprised that they lasted as long as they did with gentrified rents in the neighborhood. But they will be missed. — LYNN WALSH on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

Duane & Warren - Not sure who you are or where you hail from but I was born in the inner city, where I lived through college (which I put myself through), and had close friends of every color & creed. I’ve lived in TriBeCa since Jan of 2000 and I earned everything I have, including my home in the neighborhood. I’m a libertarian, and while BLM, so does my right to a safe and sound city and neighborhood, where rents, taxes and the cost of living are among, if not, the highest in the city. I understand and appreciate the BLM plight but, as we’re all painfully aware, there are a number of insurgent groups of ‘protestors’ that have infiltrated the BLM movement and are infecting the cause, thus infecting our environment. I’m all for peaceful protests, as was Dr. King, it’s our right as Americans. But I’m certainly not for destruction of neighborhoods, storefronts or other property, where innocents are treated as criminals and criminals are treated as victims. That’s anarchy and it has no place in our neighborhood or society. As for your convenient, race-baiting utilization of the word privilege, you can pack that up and back that up with this cordial invitation to move yourselves into City Hall with the troops and assume your fair share of the struggle. Either way, enjoy the summer! — Reade Street on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

If the Mayor can’t get police offers to wear masks in the middle of a pandemic, do we really expect enforcement of perk abuse? And the “defund” budget includes $350 million in overtime cuts, which the Mayor assured us would actually happen because the NYPD is so well managed. Ha! Check back at the end of the fiscal year. — A. on In the News: City budget cuts include placard enforcement

As a resident of Duane St near the park, I oppose moving the citibike rack and closing the street. The bikes are indeed used despite what the petition says and there is a need for eastbound traffic. the current outdoor drinking has caused an excessive amount of trash left on people's stoops and in the park. I have picked up litter nearly every morning and have seen others doing the same. I am not in favor of increasing this. — mark on Duane Street restaurants petitioning to get Citi Bike dock removed

Few people can disagree that the NYPD needs serious reform and this might be a more acceptable slogan than 'defunding'. A look at the statistics for shootings in the City over the past few weeks https://newyork.cbslocal.com/new-york-city-shootings/ shows a clear need for some sort of law enforcement if the City is not going to become like Chicago. 9 people shot and killed over the last weekend. I do not know how or why this outbreak of gun violence has happened but quite a number of innocent people have been caught in the cross-fire and some neighborhoods are becoming no-go areas after dark. I do not think this is the New York City that anyone wants to see. — Bob on City Hall Park occupation still going strong

Below the first ad in the right column and in the bottom nav bar under "email newsletter." — Tribeca Citizen on Seen & Heard: Tribute at Tribeca’s Kitchen

Say it ain’t so. — Larry on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

The other day I went into Tribeca Hardware for Goo Gone, but only the larger size was in stock. A nice staff person handed me the store's own small bottle and said, "Use what you need and return the rest when you can." I was tickled by the small-town trust and friendliness. This terrific store, so full of character and history, will be missed by many in our community. — Jane on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer

A real loss, like are all small retail stores, to the neighborhood but, like many Tribeca people, we have left the city "for the duration" and while we are helping the economies of the Hamptons, etc we have dramatically decreased store traffic in our nabe which is too bad since the staff at Tribeca Hardware were always helpful and friendly/ — Richard Kurtz on Tribeca Hardware is closing at the end of the summer