Photos of the Week

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A $400,000 Maybach

BPCA Chairman Bill Thompson abruptly resigns

May 11, 2012 By Steven Greer

The BPCA notified it’s friendly media arm, the Broadsheet, that BPCA Chairman Bill Thompson resigned  yesterday to focus on his run for New York City Mayor in 2013.

Bill Thompson

This move is sooner than most insiders we spoke with had expected. We spoke with a source close to the BPCA who said, “This seems abrupt, strange. Normally, there would be a final BPCA meeting with congratulatory comments.”

The question remaining now is what will become of the CEO of the BPCA, Gayle Horwitz, and the newly hired staff, such as Anne Fenton? The major projects under the responsibility of Ms. Horwitz, which are Pier A and the Asphalt Green, are far behind schedule and over budget. Her approval ratings are low, according to BatteryPark.TV polls and feedback.

Governor Cuomo will appoint a new BPCA Chairperson. A new CEO could possibly be selected thereafter as well.

Dogs of the Month

In full screen 1080i HD

Photo tour of Pier 25 and the Waterfront Museum

In full screen 1080i HD

The JP Morgan trading loss disaster could trigger serious global consequences

May 11, 2012 By Steven Greer, MD

The news today of JP Morgan losing at least $2 Billion from a few people on a trading desk loading up on synthetic derivatives could trigger another global collapse, ala 2008. The European Union and the Euro are on life support, Spain and Italy seem ready to default on sovereign debt just as Greece has done, and the “Too Big to Fail” banks such as Bank of America and Citigroup are still carrying bad debt on the balances sheets that was never cleaned up after TARP. To make matters worse, the traders at JP Morgan were dealing in complex credit derivatives similar to the infamous CDO’s of 2008.

According to the Wall Street Journal, “The losses stemmed from wagers gone wrong in the bank’s Chief Investment Office, which manages risk for the New York company. The Wall Street Journal reported early last month that large positions taken in that office by a trader nicknamed “the London whale” had roiled a sector of the debt markets…The bank, betting on a continued economic recovery with a complex web of trades tied to the values of corporate bonds, was hit hard when prices moved against it starting last month, causing losses in many of its derivatives positions. The losses occurred while J.P. Morgan tried to scale back that trade…The bank’s strategy was “flawed, complex, poorly reviewed, poorly executed and poorly monitored,” Mr. Dimon said Thursday in a hastily arranged conference call with analysts and investors after the stock-market close. He called the mistake “egregious, self-inflicted,” and said: “We will admit it, we will fix it and move on,” he said.”

In December, Bank of America (BAC) was trading below $5 when rumors were flying that the balance sheet was worse off than the company was letting on. Citigroup (C) was so bad off in 2008-09 that President Obama ordered Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to break it apart into a “Good bank” and “Bad bank”, but Mr. Geithner essentially ignored those orders (according to author Ron Suskind). The stock markets have made artificial gains on  low volume trading only because of the Federal Reserve’s Quantitative Easing programs, like heroin to a junkie. Unemployment remains sky high and housing is still at rock bottom. Finally, almost nothing has been done to reform Wall Street. Very little of Dodd-Frank has been enacted. All of this makes for a dry tinderbox situation in the global markets.

The JP Morgan crisis will likely get worse over time, as the CEO said on the call today. $2 Billion is the tip of the iceberg. It could very well trigger a market collapse like 2008 all over again. If the once thought rock solid JP Morgan is in that much trouble, then what is behind the curtains at the other more struggling American and European banks?

Totonno’s Pizza: Best in New York, Zagat 2012

(In full screen 108i HD)

We took a road trip to Coney Island to taste “The best pizza in New York” per Zagat 2012

(718) 372-8606

Sasha Baron Cohen makes fun of Bloomberg’s Restaurant letter grade system

To learn more about the tax scam masquerading as a letter grading system, click here.

Harry’s Italian opens, sort of

May 10, 2012

Harry’s Italian has made a soft opening. The liquor license is pending but the full food menu is available.

The phone number to place an order is

(212) 608-1007

April 7, 2012

BatteryPark.TV has learned that the opening of planned Harry’s Italian in the Goldman alley has been delayed again. The city inspected the establishment yesterday, and no approval was given on the spot. Usually, the results of a passed inspection are given immediately after the inspection, according to other restaurant managers in the area that were allowed to open in January.  A representative of Harry’s told BatteryPark.TV that they are still awaiting approval to open.

The paper on the windows had been removed in preparation of opening. The windows are now blocked off again.

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Update: December 29, 2011

The store front now has floor to ceiling brown paper in the windows to prevent photos being taken, such as the ones we snapped. No one from Harry’s Italian has yet replied to any of our questions.

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December 27, 2011  By Steven Greer, MD

In the restaurant alley between the Goldman Sachs building and the Conrad Hotel is a restaurant site under construction that was scheduled to be “Harry’s Italian” and run by the Poulakakos family (They also own several establishments in the Financial District, including another Harry’s Italian). While most of the nearby restaurants, such as Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack and Blue Smoke, Beans&Greens, Wei West, Payard Bakery, etc have either already opened, or are planning to open this month, the Harry’s Italian unit seems to be a stalled project.

There are no construction permits on the front door (to the right of Wei West) and no crew is actively working inside. A manager of a neighboring restaurant told us that he thought Harry’s Italian was scheduled to open in January, but that now March is the tentative date. No one from Harry’s Italian would reply to our questions.

Front of Harry's Italian with no construction permits

Directly across from the proposed Harry’s Italian is a wine shop owned by the Poulakakos family that is making construction progress and has a crew actively working. That crew knew nothing about the Harry’s construction status.

Ironically, the Poulakakos family was given the rights to develop the Pier A in south Battery Park, much to the consternation of some in the Italian community who had wanted the historic site turned into an Italian heritage museum. George Calderaro, a member of the Battery Park City division of the Community Board 1, generated some local news stories when he mentioned during a recent meeting that the Pier A project was also stalled. He stated that the Poulakakos family had fired the architect of the Pier A proposed restaurant.

The BPCA was the agency that gave the development rights to the Poulakakos family for Pier A without proper public comment. Neither the BPCA nor the family have answered questions posed to them about Pier A, and the topic will be discussed at the January 3 CB1 meeting.

It us unknown whether any delays with Harry’s Italian up by Goldman Sachs is related to the architect contractor problems of Pier A in south Battery Park City. More should be learned on January 3.

The Harry's Italain (unit with with no sign) next to the other restaurants that have opened

No construction crew evident

Viva la ducklings!

The brand new ducklings of 2012 recently introduced into the pond

 May 6, 2012

In a surprise to those who follow the wildlife in BPC, the ducklings have returned this year, six of them. There was no indication of nesting to most of the PEP and park staff interviewed.

The next six weeks will be crucial for their survival. Last year, Tess Huxley of the Parks Conservancy raised the water of the pond, drowning one batch of ducklings. Then, a second nest was introduced and the ducklings slowly disappeared as a predatory bird ate them.

The pond is not a self contained ecosystem large enough to support the ducklings. The birds require food and care in order to survive until they can start flying (read more here). If you see any signs of sabotage or tampering with the ducklings, please email us immediately.

Fruit shanty shack doubles overnight

Fruit shack prior to doubling

May 6, 2012

The owners of the fruit shanty schacks in BPC and Tribeca keep trying to pull fast ones on the police and community. After behaving for a brief period of time, they decided to double in size overnight, on the weekend, without permission.

For a complete history of the shanty shack, you can read more here.

Same owners running an even more unsightly shack in Tribeca, where BatteryPark.TV does not patrol

What is your opinion of the art chosen by Brookfield Properties?

May 5, 2012

Brookfield Properties’ director of the arts programs, Debra Simon, has been in a slump lately. Most of her recent choices for the public displays have been poorly received. Most notably, the outdoor art by Adrian Villar Rojas, Before my Birth, seemed to have been displayed before it was completed. The current art display is a giant chandelier of trash hanging on the Winter Garden.

What is your opinion of the art and performing art chosen by Brookfield? Take our quick survey here.

Exclusive: Lack of demand and problems with Brookfield likely kill the Green Market

May 2, 2012 By Steven Greer, MD

At the May 1st meeting of the BPC division of the CB1, Lela Chapman, a representative from “Grow NYC“, the organization that runs the farmer’s markets (officially called a Green Market) around the city, informed the committee that only two farms have expressed interest in participating in the market this year. As a result, she was skeptical that the market would exist this year.

As a last ditch effort to salvage the market, Ms. Chapman proposed to relocate the market to either the Brookfield upper deck patio near the old Southwest NY restaurant, or to the South side of Vesey Street close to the American Express entrance. Neither locations seemed feasible or ideal to the CB1 committee.

Ms. Chapman explained that the demand for the farmer’s goods had been too low since it was started in 2010, resulting in the low participation rate of farms this year. She speculated that the location, on the South side of the WFC, hidden from the North residents of BPC, might have been the cause. Contributing to the problem, she said, has been the closure of the ground level hallway thoroughfare of the WFC caused by the renovation of the WFC (a project making little progress and unlikely to be ready by 2013).

BatteryPark.TV has previously reported on the low quality of so-called “farmer’s market” produce. In fact, much of the goods sold were not locally grown at all. With better quality produce available at Whole Foods, this was likely a reason for the low demand of the produce by the community. In contrast, genuine locally grown vegetables can be found at the Urban Farm.

When the BPC Green Market was opened, virtually every local official rushed to be in the ribbon cutting ceremony photo-op. To understand why New York politicians are interested in any event or organization, one must follow the money. According to the 2010 financial report for GrowNYC, the non-profit took in $5.76 Million in revenue and dolled out an astonishing 70% ($4 Million) in the form of “salaries”. With so much cash flowing, the Green Markets seem to be a pork market more than a farmer’s market.

The failure of a simple farmer’s market in BPC is indicative of the inept out-of-touch management of the BPCA, run by CEO Gayle Horwitz and Chairman Bill Thompson, and the leaderless CB1. It seems that at no point since the Green market opened, did any official monitor the progress of the farm or ask the appropriate questions.

Whac-A-Mole episode 9: XYZ and Vital dispatchers busted on the sidewalk

Picture of the Week

(Click image to expand)

Spring sailboat races

Liz Conner interviews Manhattan Sailing Club Director Emily Whipple about the Tuesday evening Spring series J24 class races.

(Viewable in full screen 1080iHD)

Whac-A-Mole with town car drivers: Episode 11: XYZ driver refuses to leave, second driver busted sleeping goes nuts

Letter to the Editor: Whole Foods not assisting a trapped bird in the store

Bird trapped in Whole Foods, click image to expand

Hi Dr. Greer:

Love your website…adds some “fire” to BPC.

You have always taken an interest in dog owners and their pets, the Koi, and Ducklings.  This problem I think you will appreciate – and I hope you can help.

I eat in the Tribeca Whole Foods just about every day. For the past nine weeks a poor sparrow has been trapped in the seating area on the 2nd floor.

After about six weeks, and I just assumed the store would do something, I phoned their main office in Austin, Texas. The person who spoke to me was kind, and she said she would contact Regional HG, and the store.

The next day, one humane trap was put on the catwalk in the West & Warren St. corner where the bird usually is. With such a large area to cover why put up one and not more?  In any event the bird is still flying around and frantically, and sadly, flying into the windows trying to get out. And needless to mention when birds do their “business” watch out below.  In fact, and I have a photo if you want, I went to sit down and came face to face with “bird doo” on the table. Besides the “cheerful” appearance, bird droppings can be a health risk. I also have a photo of the bird.

Last Tuesday I phoned the Regional HQ and left a voice mail message that was not returned. I then called Austin last Thursday, spoke to someone, and she said she would pass the word along.  This Monday I called and asked for a call back – of course they did not.

Its now nine weeks for this poor creature.  I guess they are waiting for it to die: its cheaper to sweep it up than to catch it.

Its ironic, and infuriating, that Whole Foods spends so much time talking about the ethical treatment of animals that will eventually be slaughtered – and I agree totally with that position – but when they have a living, terrified, creature they could not care less about it. Maybe if you can embarrass them into action that bird can find its freedom.

Thanks, John

TLC undercover sting arrests livery cab drivers on North End Avenue

May 1, 2012 By Steven Greer, MD

Perhaps caused in part by BatteryPark.TV reporting and our communications with Deputy Commissioner of the TLC, Ray Scanlon, undercover TLC officers made arrests of livery cab drivers (in the black town cars) on North End Avenue and Vesey Streets on Monday, April 30th.

April 26, 2012

We captured a TLC undercover car in action patrolling and ticketing illegal town cards on Vesey and North End Avenue. BatteryPark.TV has been working with Deputy Commissioner Ray Scanlon and it has made a big difference so far (Along with the efforts of private industry, such as the Conrad Hotel, Goldman Sachs, and American Express). In addition to tickets, some drivers have been towed away, and at least one was arrested and taken to Rikers Island. We will have a full story on this success at tackling a major community threat.

Whac-A-Mole episode 10: Driver goes nuts in front of NYPD

Building managers now getting involved and calling PEP for issues

PEP officer Hill responding to calls from building staff about problems in the parks nearby

May 3, 2012 By Steven Greer

In a new development, a building management company is now taking the advice of BatteryPark.TV and calling the PEP for problems they see nearby their entrances, such as teenagers smoking substances in Rector Park or dunking on the 8-foot children’s basketball rim in the Tire Swing Park. The new and improved PEP will also respond promptly in electric cars for more serious complaints with aggressive loitering livery cab drivers, etc.

The number for the PEP dispatcher is (212) 417-3114