Excellent summary, thank you. So much to look forward to and great to see Tribeca and down town continue to evolve. What can we do to support your point on reversing Rikers and and stopping the building of a new prison on white ? is this a possibility ? — Will on 55 Reasons to be excited about the future

Please shut this HHC development down. — Tom on Howard Hughes Seaport building is green-lit

Black Seed was “temporarily closed” yesterday at lunch time. The security person I spoke to was vague about when they would reopen. — Hudson River on A few updates from the Brookfield Place mall

"As of November 25, 2022, foie gras may become persona non grata at upscale restaurants and gourmet groceries in New York City. It all started in 2019, when the New York City Council passed a law banning the sale of 'force-fed products or food containing a force-fed product,' on the grounds that force-feeding animals is – in the words of Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, who sponsored the legislation – an 'inhumane process.' (Ms. Rivera has not responded to our interview requests.) The law, which passed by a vote of 42 to 6, imposes fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 dollars per violation. [...] " Foie gras producers and their supporters first tried to persuade the City Council members that their farming practices were acceptable from an animal-welfare standpoint. But to no avail. 'We invited them to visit our farms or send representatives to see for themselves how the ducks are raised,' says Marcus Henley. 'Nobody came.' After the vote, the battle escalated into an open conflict between New York City and state, with the state’s Farm Bureau taking the side of the producers. For a while, the producers were also counting on the support of the then state governor Andrew Cuomo. But his ignominious downfall (he resigned in August after sexual-harassment allegations) dashed their hopes. The next act will likely play out in the New York courts. 'One of our arguments,' explains Michael Tenenbaum, the lawyer for the foie gras producers, 'is that a city or state in the United States does not have the right to ban the sale of a wholesome product made in another state or country on the grounds that it simply does not like the way it was produced. Such a ban violates the Commerce Clause in the U.S. Constitution.' Michael Tenenbaum is also representing the producers against the State of California, which banned the sale of foie gras in 2012. In 2015, a federal judge held that the California law infringed on federal laws regulating poultry products, and the sale of foie gras became legal again. But that decision was overturned in 2019. "Currently, it is illegal to sell foie gras in California, but the case established that it is legal for private consumers to buy online if the seller ships it from another state. 'This is a small victory, but it’s nowhere near enough for my clients, because virtually all foie gras in America is consumed in restaurants,' says the attorney. A new decision is expected in the coming months, and the case could end up before the Supreme Court. Back in the Hudson Valley, Marcus Henley is determined to fight to the end. 'We’re not going to give up, because this is our life.' ” https://france-amerique.com/en/will-this-be-foie-gras-last-christmas-in-new-york-city/ — james on In the News: More rats!

Please do pay attention. If this is enacted, we will be sacrificing our quality of life to enrich Bill Ackman/ Period. — Diane Brown on Howard Hughes Seaport building is green-lit

Foie gras? Wasn't that banned in NYC (and rightly so)? — Marcus on In the News: More rats!

I'm glad they're getting rid of so many of the ageing, decaying jails in NYC. It should have happened LONG time ago. Rikers is the WORST of the lot. I hope they can create a much more stable correctional institution in its place. They should close down Attica, too — Jared Parker on Construction is starting soon on the White Street jail

Nice to have a movie theater w/o unaccompanied minors. — Kim on Seen & Heard: New nail salon on Chambers

I met Scott in seventh grade at Souza Junior High having just moved to Port from LA. He had a Hobie skateboard and I thought that was really cool. We did a photo shoot for S&H Green Stamps and another at Gilgo Beach for Fiat. I happened to meet up with him at the Indianapolis airport while attending different colleges in Indiana and had a great flight home. Good memories of a really nice friend! Too young my friend. Too young. — Frank Meyran on Scott Geyer, local artist and dog walker, dies at 69

Thank you for this article, however there are some details that should be noted, on top of the political maneuvers that have allowed a Texas corporation to take advantage of New Yorkers! You've included in your deets that there will be Community space. Originally, was 5,000 sq ft, reduced to 4,600 now 1,600 sq ft. With a back door entrance (poor door for the affordable apts)coming thru the middle of this paltry space for the Community. Once this construction starts there will be no streets for the children of 2 Elementary schools to play in, and with the rats that will come up from the disturbance of the ground, and the garbage from the site, noone in the neighborhood will be able to walk the streets. The shadows that will fall on our neighborhood, year round, from the brick walls of this building that sits edge to edge of the property is closer to 28 stories tall and 365 ft., once mechanicals are added, on property that has 120 ft height limitation. We are all for supporting the precious Seaport Museum and we're for affordable housing, but at the expense that falls on taxpayers. With the amount of money the city is giving away to HHC, the city could build 100's of affordable apts. From experience with HHC, what has been promised will slowly be changed and will not resemble what was presented for approvals. Neighbors are standing strong to stop this out of character development for our Nations' Historic Seaport District Thank you again for publishing this information. — Concerned Seaport Neighbor on Howard Hughes Seaport building is green-lit

Thanks, Pam. Happy and Healthy New Year! — Michael Kramer on Howard Hughes Seaport building is green-lit

Ford, what a great piece! So good to read. I too am a fan. — Cathy on Portrait of the Artist: Ford Crull

Yes, those are the problems....but how will new locations fix those? Won't we just be moving the problems around? Reform of most of these issues does not seem connected with location. As for structural problems with the facility itself, can't that be replaced and upgraded on Rikers island itself, rather than in the borough locations? That would presumably be far less expensive, and would not disrupt the communities forced to host the proposed new complexes. — Marcus on In the News: Marte on the Brian Lehrer Show

Yes, there really must be some other motivation here, because there is no evidence that moving the puzzle pieces around at enormous expense ($10 billion? $20 billion?) and disturbance to communities will actually reform the criminal justice system in any meaningful way. — Marcus on In the News: Marte on the Brian Lehrer Show

because it wont line property developers pockets........ — nyc on In the News: Marte on the Brian Lehrer Show

I have had two sips -- one was on a dare and one was by accident. — Tribeca Citizen on New Kid on the Block: 787 Coffee

Read NYT's article: Behind the Violence at Rikers, Decades of Mismanagement and Dysfunction — G on In the News: Marte on the Brian Lehrer Show

13. Why should Whole Foods employ people to do check-outs when when customers can do the work themselves? Oh please, please bring back a proper supermarket to Tribeca! — George Bacon on What Tribecans cared about in 2021

Oh Macus, don't be silly! That is a much too obvious solution for anyone to espouse. — George Bacon on In the News: Marte on the Brian Lehrer Show

I used to work at 120 Wall Street and after Hurricane Sandy, they renovated the seating areas on that block. They put in beautiful "marble" and not long after, the kids (not adults) started using them as a skateboarding park. People would come out of the buildings and have to watch where they were walking to avoid getting hit by some idiot doing a stupid trick, WITHOUT a helmet! Personally speaking, there were 3 instances where I almost got hit by one of those idiots. I got in touch with the Downtown Alliance who sent security to watch the area. That didn't last long and neither did the feeling of safety. I would leave sometimes after 8 and they were still there. Their parents shouldn't wait for the Parent of the Year Award. — Sara Ross on Skateboarders discover Bogardus Plaza

Is there any info about two construction sites that have stopped work. The lot on W Broadway between Warren and Murray and the building on Park above the mosque. Both have stood quiet for quite some time. — LGThomas on Community Board 1 agendas for January

I lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years and NEVER knew that was a JCrew store. — Sandra on J. Crew on Duane Park is closing

Everything in my neighborhood is closing. I’ve been living here for 15 years, since my college days at NYU, and so much about this city is suddenly sad. Even the school closures. What is happening to our NYC? We all work hard here - everyone. We pay our dues. Can we get a reward for supporting business? Or are we going to be all corporate ? I know Jcrew is corporate but I mean Black Rock, FB, Amazon and the other “top 5). I am a black woman and “woke” but the woke is starting to be a joke. — A. Morris on J. Crew on Duane Park is closing

Will definitely make my way to this little secret! Now they really need to finish worth Street construction!! — Sandra on New Kid on the Block: 787 Coffee

So...Why not just update Rikers to bring it up to a proper standard , instead of closing it? — Marcus on In the News: Marte on the Brian Lehrer Show