Buy after August. — Pam Frederick on Construction update part one: Warren Street

Wow! I flew to NYC to look at apartments in TriBeCa and this information which you are sharing is amazing. Especially since one of the units we were looking is on Warren Street. Thank you all!!!! — Alaska Kimble on Construction update part one: Warren Street

Interesting idea -- moving the courts too. But I think that would mean even more construction. So yes, to point 1, they are trying to get defendants closer to the court, and the Manhattan courts happen to be here with us. I am kind of with you on 2 -- that the culture will have to change more than the physical space. The Peters quote nails that. But advocates argue that changing the habitat -- adding light, more space, more flexibility -- changes the tone and culture too. This is of course a discussion with school buildings as well, but I long ago got over that. I have known amazing schools in sucky physical plants, and vice versa. I think the main way they are reducing the population of the jail (note jail, not prison, so pre-sentencing) is by bail reform. And I don't think there are many arguments to be made against that. — Pam Frederick on Community Board says no to the White Street jail proposal

Thank you for the thoughtful comment. Regarding point 1, that seems reasonable, although a less remote location does not necessarily entail putting it in the middle of this particular community. It could be a less populated area. Another consideration would be that, wherever the jail is located, at least some of the courts are moved close to there as well. Not sure if that idea is possible; has it been considered? Maybe it's important for the courts to be close to other city offices, which would make that untenable. As for point 2: It's unfortunately still debatable what effects the move will have on jail reform. Some argue that the corruption and violence problems will just be moved, not mitigated. For example, "Mark Peters, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation, which has been investigating conditions at Rikers Island, is concerned that relocating inmates and jail personnel to smaller facilities across the city could simply spread the problems around instead of solving them." https://www.cityandstateny.com/articles/politics/new-york-city/closing-rikers-won’t-solve-underlying-problems,-doi-commissioner-says.html I (and surely others) are also concerned about how the goal of reducing jail and prison populations, and therefore supposedly reduction in crime, will be achieved. If those are real reductions in bad behavior -- i.e. people are actually behaving better towards one another -- along with real justice system reform, then this is wonderful and laudable. If instead it's just a game of selective reporting and spinning of statistics, choosing not to enforce certain laws, etc., then there is a concern that crime (from quality of life issues all the way to serious violent crimes) will actually increase, despite the "numbers" saying otherwise (lies, damn lies, statistics). I, for one, am not nostalgic for a return to that kind of "gritty" "authentic" NYC. I grew up in that kind of environment, and have no desire to re-live it. — Marcus on Community Board says no to the White Street jail proposal

Northeast corner of Thomas Street and West Broadway, 1928 https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dd-5f08-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 — James on Seen & Heard: Before it was the Odeon….

Prior to 1940, showing the dismantling of the 6th Avenue El down West Broadway: http://digitalcollections.nyhistory.org/islandora/object/nyhs%3A14727 http://digitalcollections.nyhistory.org/islandora/object/nyhs%3A14722 http://digitalcollections.nyhistory.org/islandora/object/nyhs%3A14726 — James on Seen & Heard: Before it was the Odeon….

as a troll, i give you a C-minus, as a human, you get a big red F.. — deb on Baked Tribeca is closing

1940 tax photos: http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/workspace/handleMediaPlayer?lunaMediaId=NYCMA~5~5~245018~545119 http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/workspace/handleMediaPlayer?lunaMediaId=NYCMA~5~5~245019~545116 http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/workspace/handleMediaPlayer?lunaMediaId=NYCMA~5~5~245020~545113 — james on Seen & Heard: Before it was the Odeon….

Oops. Haha, thanks. — Komanoff on Lennon’s Nutopian Embassy reborn at 1 White

I live across the street. They want to be open until 2am on the weekends. I'm not too charmed. — Heide Fasnacht on Lennon’s Nutopian Embassy reborn at 1 White

Look at the Odeon, everything's the same except the cars and the cobblestone streets — AJ on Seen & Heard: Before it was the Odeon….

I meant to live! In other words, they never lived in the embassy. (And who knows how you kept it together that night.) — Pam Frederick on Lennon’s Nutopian Embassy reborn at 1 White

Another lovely post, Pam. You're on a roll! But ... if "[John and Yoko] never left the Dakota," how is it that one weekday evening in the mid-seventies they sat down two tables from me in Souen on the UWS? (And how did I have the cool to just eat and not gawk?) — Komanoff on Lennon’s Nutopian Embassy reborn at 1 White

Dustin is also an owner of Verve Wine on Hubert St. We’re thrilled to welcome Nutopian Embassy to the neighborhood! — Taste of Tribeca on Lennon’s Nutopian Embassy reborn at 1 White

Hip and being a tenant at WestField, Brooklyn Field, whatever field you want to call it do not go together. — TG on In the News: The Oculus has a leak

First, Au Cheval destroys quaint, out-of-the-way Cortland Alley. Then it puts quotation marks around itself by creating false bridge-and-tunnel waiting lines, and serving bloated food. This ain't no Mudd Clud. Au Revoir, Au Cheval. — Bruce Ehrmann on In the News: New gallery on Franklin

The streets are a mess. Potholes everywhere. Bikes everywhere except the bike lanes. Delivery trucks blocking lanes. Homeless people on sidewalks all over. Mayor running for President. — perryo on In the News: New gallery on Franklin

Carol and all her staff were delightful and incredibly helpful. She had a small store that was chock full of treasures. So sorry to see this news. — Jenny on More bad news: Torly Kid will close mid-summer

Good luck — Amy B. on Laughing Man to expand into next-door space

Good luck to the LM team! — Mike on Laughing Man to expand into next-door space

Oh my! I will be at loss on where to find the best fitting pants ever and the neatest t-shirts for my boy! I’ll be visiting you in Brooklyn for sure. — Yvonne Villiger on More bad news: Torly Kid will close mid-summer

This is me being a messenger, not an advocate of the move. The plan is two-fold: 1) to make the jails more accessible for families to visit and advocate, and for defendants to get to their court dates easier, by siting them in a less remote location and 2) to rebuild the physical plant to make it more open and rehabilitative -- in the progressive notion of jail reform. From a system-wide approach, getting people on and off Rikers was time consuming and costly. I think it is also safe to say that after the imprisonment, abuse and death of Kalief Browder, the connection between his experience and the actual physical place -- Rikers -- pushed the issue along. — Pam Frederick on Community Board says no to the White Street jail proposal

Excellent report. Glad CB1 is holding firm against this plan. However, I think the concerns go deeper. At least I have still not found a good answer to the question: If the goal is criminal justice system (including jail system) reform, why can't all that be done at the existing Rikers location? That would be a solution where everyone "wins" (as much as anyone can win in such an unhappy topic). I just don't see why the goal of reforming the justice and jail systems has anything to do with changing the location. The move seems to be totally separate unrelated project, which will cost the city billions, not to mention all these other neighborhood/community concerns. So what's the real motive for this move? — Marcus on Community Board says no to the White Street jail proposal

Ruben, you are correct that is me in the article a while back and to answer Jenny's question dated May 20th I am in residential/commercial real estate and work for Douglas Elliman located at 140 Franklin Street in Tribeca as a real estate sales agent. Hence I spend an incredible amount of time walking the streets of Tribeca and as I also live here I remember things that most people would probably just walk by and pay no attention to especially to the minor details of the buildings that surround us. It is no secret I put in a lot of hours walking and jogging. Above all I have always liked a challenge! If for some reason I might not know the "Where in Tribeca" I would simply never give up until I found it. I call it the "Winston Churchill approach" but that might have something to do with being English born and my upbringing.. Hope that answers your question Jenny and Reuben. — Sonia F. Stock on Where in Tribeca?

The Oculus is easily the biggest waste of space and money I have ever seen in my lifetime. What a shame we are all stuck with it now and forever. — PeterD on In the News: The Oculus has a leak