It is disgusting that Brookfield has ZERO regard for the residential community surrounding its building. The impact of opening an event space that can host up to 1000 people will be overwhelming at best on event days. Since Convene is a for profit company - their goal is to be booked 365 days a year. Brookfield as an investor and landlord is motivated only to allow them to do whatever they can to make more money - neighbors be damned. The sad thing is it will be successful in ways the other retail is not...because event spaces in Manhattan are in demand. — TM on Former Saks at Brookfield will become a massive events space

It looks like it will match like 24 Hubert Street matches, i.e. not at all... — Robert Ripps on Seven-story building coming to Lispenard and Church

thank you for raising the placard abuse issue. i have complaned to different agencies for quite awhile- my complaints fall on deaf ears — MADELINE LANCIANI on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

And what about the Mexican Restaurant facing Church St. That has been there like 40 something years with a large plate of yellow rice and black or red beans for $4.00 and all other plates equally tasty and o so reasonable.(plantains,avocado,pork etc)Just what we need another overpriced 5 unit condo with "retail" on the ground floor. Hasn't the developer noticed that market is slowing? — dianne talan on Seven-story building coming to Lispenard and Church

Congratulations to Frenchette, who is well-deserving, and has an excellent chance to win. Their next door neighbor, Batard, won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2015. — Tracy Nieporent on In the News: Honors for Frenchette

If it works as said, I see a lot of people in traffic court. Especially, when "mistakes" in ticketing are made by over zealous DOT ticket writers working on their quota. Then you'll have to police the administrative judges. This is a super light fix. — Pg on City will phase out parking placards starting now

If you look at the map above, you will see that there is only one on ramp for the Queens-Midtown tunnel that is congestion fee free, the 61st entrance. One will have to pay a fee to enter the congestion zone then another to jump in the tunnel. Also it looks like the George Washington will be the desirable bridge to get into town once this goes into effect. Maybe some relief from the Holland Tunnel? — Mrs M on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

Manhattan is becoming more and more of a gated community as we speak. I vote to have exemptions from tolls for car owners living in the congestion zones. — Mrs M on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

At least the rendering shows an architectural style which coheres fairly well with the neighborhood, from what I can tell. A sort of minimalist version of the Second Empire style? — Marcus on Seven-story building coming to Lispenard and Church

Did you see that the term/details of the congestion pricing won't be determined (released) until at the very earlier November 15, 2020? Hmmm, what happens a week before that date? Oh yeah, the next election. These clowns don't want the details revealed prior to the election so that voters can potentially hold them to account for it. Ultimately, I guess we have to pass congestion pricing before we get to see what's in congestion pricing. — Jeff on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

Re: Congestion Pricing There is much written online about the successes and failures, pros and cons, of congestion pricing as already tested in other cities like London. Here, for example: London congestion charge: what worked, what didn’t, what next https://theconversation.com/london-congestion-charge-what-worked-what-didnt-what-next-92478 Also, if this is accurate, at least some small business owners want congestion pricing: http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2019/03/12/nycs-small-businesses-want-congestion-pricing/ — Marcus on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

This place will be swell.... It needs a moment to adjust to the new surroundings etc. Never judge by the first few weeks... It will be even better than the old Max. — Faye Fisher on The Old Kids on a New Block: Max

Yep... and you never once hear anyone in authority/elected office confronting government waste, or increasing efficiency/reducing costs. Never. — Jeff on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

I’m going to the transportation committee meeting tonight. Hoping 5 Boro Bike Tour continues their noise control plan from last year. Would be frustrating if they go back to the previous 6 am multi block loudspeaker situation of past years. — S on CB1 meetings for April

Congestion pricing for NYC might eliminate traffic and raise money that who knows where it will ever go. One thing certain is that NYC will lose mom and pop restaurants and shops as they will not be able to pay the surcharges the suppliers will tack on to their already inflated prices to New Yorkers. Surcharges by food suppliers already exist for things such as every day towing and tickets while trying to deliver. On top of that shop owners will be paying the congestion fees for these deliveries. Rents are already exorbitant. Add to this more fees and city dwellers will pay the price. — Karen Glasser on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

They are on the agenda for the meeting on the 10th. I think they *may* be the guys I met last meeting, who were planning to open a place where you pay for a shift to play bar games. But that's a guess... — Pam Frederick on CB1 meetings for April

The politicians should stop calling it Congestion Pricing. It is a punitive tax on drivers. Congestion has nothing to do with it. It's just another way to squeeze more money out of drivers for the "luxury" of driving in NYC. Please consider the following: 1- The highest tolls at the GW Bridge, Holland, Lincoln Tunnel, etc. are imposed when the volume is most dense. It doesn't reduce congestion. 2-- To generate the most revenue for the MTA, logic dictates that you would want more people paying the fees, not less. Therefore, with fewer vehicles, the financial goals will not be reached. 3-- In the event that congestion is reduced, that also translates to less business for NYC restaurants, stores, theater, museums, etc. There comes a point where the tariff becomes too onerous, and guests find alternatives elsewhere. If you really want to reduce congestion, add more traffic agents to keep traffic flowing, and remove bike lanes in areas where there is low usage. Draconian measures are not needed. — Tracy Nieporent on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

I'm a fan of Jones at Kings Pharmacy too. Very knowledgeable and helpful. Glad he has other fans! — Cory Robbins on Seen & Heard: A goodbye and two hellos

Regarding the cobblestones on Greenwich (south of Vestry) — I absolutely agree! How has this not been fixed for a year? And it keeps getting more dangerous. This is an accident waiting to happen. Please, CB1, make this repair a priority. — Meg on CB1 meetings for April

I interned for her manyyy years ago when the office was on Bleecker in the west village. She picks the best locations for her design offices! Happy to hear she chose our neighborhood this time. — krm on Neighbor Report: Cynthia Rowley sets up corporate office on Jay

Great CB coverage. Thanks — G on CB1 meetings for April

Having been downtown for decades I have seen the growth in congestion and the loss of affordability in all areas of life downtown. The onus of additional fees for residents with a car for work or family are HUGE and potentially even crippling for small businesses. History has shown increase for costs for business get passed onto the consumers - everything from groceries/green markets to medical care & anything shipped into NYC. Yes we have a hospital downtown but they do not have all that is needed to serve the community and patients are sent uptown to their "main campus". Having had 3 family members with treatments at Sloan Kettering and all of our doctors uptown adds more burdens. So yes Downtown Residents who own a car will be taxed by this. Other cities carved out exceptions for residents, why not NYC? Because this is a revenue model: This does nothing about placard & other abusers who illegally park in loading zones and local no standing/parking anytime zones on streets too narrow to have legal parking, the fleets of city cars parked on the streets, the hundred of thousands of FHV roaming the streets or the double parked trucks/vans. Where is the money for enforcement? Who wants to bet that all of the placards, city vehicles and government workers will be exempt even though they are a major player in congestion downtown? — TK on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

i am a proponent of congestion pricing as a way to mitigate actual congestion and air pollution. i hope this actually happens. However congestion pricing comes at a price we will all have to pay. we here in Manhattan will pay more for everything we consume/ use. the price of everything we eat and use will go up- all the raw materials come from somewhere else and so the production cost for any business in Manhattan will increase. most Businesses have no choice but to pass these costs on to the consumer along with the higher delivery charges. Get ready for the $5 croissant. Coda: i'm not so sure that the MTA deserves this taxpayer bailout. i suspect chronic, systemic mismanagement is mostly responsible for the current mass transit woes. — MADELINE LANCIANI on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

Make no mistake, this is nothing more than a gigantic cash grab to try and help paper over a mismanaged MTA who wastes more money than it spends wisely. The pols are taking advantage of well intentioned people who would love a cleaner and less congested environment... they know this will barely make a dent in behavior that will have any meaningful results... because if it did, then all the revenue assumptions they are making would be dramatically reduced. They don't want people not to drive in lower manhattan, they just want to be able to collect a fee from them. — Jeff on In the News: Digesting congestion pricing (say that five times fast)

The Ring Ding Bar is honored and excited to be part of this fun event! — MADELINE LANCIANI on Smorgasburg comes to the Oculus for good