Will Fox Studios or Wall Street Journal move Downtown?

Crain’s has an article that mentions once again how News Corporation, parent company of Fox Studios and The Wall Street Journal, might move into some office space in the World Trade Center. Of course, the Dow Jones offices used to be in WFC Building 1 until a few years ago. The studio views high atop the Freedom Tower would be unprecedented.

(BatteryPark.TV collaborates with News Corp newspapers and TV)

Gypsy cabs illegally soliciting people crossing Vesey Street by Goldman Sachs

January 13, 2012

If you have been harassed lately by gypsy cab drivers, out of their car and soliciting clients, as you walk across Vesey Street from the WFC toward Goldman Sachs, you are not alone. As the new restaurants open, they have increased in boldness. A pedestrian can be hustled with the secret “Pssst, need a cab?” four to seven times on one crossing. The scene reminds one of a third world country.

The NYPD are aware of this problem and will be cracking down. Notify the First precinct community affairs officers if you have any problems.

In this photo, all of the people are cab drivers. There are at least seven of them whispering and soliciting fares.

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Gypsy cabs illegally soliciting fares in front of Goldman Sachs on Vesey Street

Photo of the Week

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Statue Liberty by Steven Greer

Is the new Harry’s Italian a stalled project?

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

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.

Photo of the Week

December 28, 2011

No filters or Photoshop were used.

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By Steven Greer

Fresh Cleaners

Post your opinions and experiences with this business in the comments section

(This shop is not rated)

300 Rector Place  New York, NY 10280-1416

Halleluiah. Rules for the grass field posted

October 8, 2011

By Steven Greer, MD

This simple sign might seem like a small thing, but it is the result of months of effort, starting with this story, then this story, then this CB1 meeting, then this second CB1 meeting, then a rules committee met, then nothing happened and this story was written, and many more stories.

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Rules sign posted on West Thames Park grass lawn

Photo of the Week: A stop Gap measure

September 30, 2011

The Gap clothing store in WFC closed up

Photo by Steven Greer

A Lotus Batmobile at the Motorexpo

September 16, 2011

The annual MotorExpo will be held this weekend in the Winter Garden and esplanade. We spotted this Lotus before they drove it in. It looks like a Christopher Nolan style Bat-vehicle. Total list price was $70,000.

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Photos by Steven Greer

What a beautiful day if only we had a field to play on

August 11, 2011

New York is experiencing picture perfect beautiful day: 73 degrees, low humidity, bright blue sky. However, the luxurious green grass playing field, a rarity for urban kids that has cost at least $200,000 of taxpayer money, remains locked up behind a hideous construction fence, being held hostage by the DOT until the BPCA assumes control. Note the lost sports balls kicked over the fence that the children cannot access.

This is a disgrace that falls squarely on the shoulders of BPCA’s CEO Gayle Horwitz [(212) 417-2000 gayle.horwitz@batteryparkcity.org], Tess Huxley, and the DOT’s Region 11 Director Phillip Eng [(718) 482-4526 peng@dot.state.ny.us].

A new West Thames Park Conservancy is needed

Correction: August 8, 2011

The previous update from today, below, was based on an erroneous Tweet by the CB1 referencing an old article. However, we can only assume that the DOT and BPCA are still bickering based on the fact that DOT spokesman Adam Levine uncharacteristically refused to give us a comment.

We also were able to reach BPCA media relations person Leticia Remauro who said, “You have to speak to DOT. They are handling then this.” We then replied, “That is not acceptable. The BPCA is an equal party in this. You cannot simply punt this to the DOT”, then Ms. Remauro hung up the telephone.

The bottom line is that the opening date for the grass field has been postponed yet again. It was supposed to open today, which was a week delayed. Should this area be controlled by a new conservancy and take funds away from the BPCA and Hudson River Trust? Read below.

Update: August 8, 2011

The opening date for the grass field has been postponed yet again. The DOT estimates that Monday, August 15th will be the date. It was supposed to open today, which was a week delayed. Should this area be controlled by a new conservancy and take funds away from the BPCA and Hudson River Trust? Read below.

Update: July 14, 2011

Well, nothing motivates a bureaucrat more than the threat of losing funding. Did our proposal, below, cause the BPCA to stop the squabbling and assume control of the grass field?

It was announced on Friday that the DOT, Hudson River Trust, and BPCA have made an agreement whereby the BPCA would tend to the grass while the Hudson River Trust will pay for the PEP security.

The Dot wrote in a statement, “In a collaborative effort, four agencies have come together and divided responsibility for delivering, maintaining and managing the well-loved and well-used park for the enjoyment of the public over the long term.”

July 15, 2011

By Steven Greer, MD

BatteryPark.TV has extensively reported on the squabbles between the State DOT and the BPCA that have led to the BPCA refusing to accept responsibility for the newly sodded, highly valued by the community, grass playing field in West Thames Park. Most recently, we broke the story that the BPCA had still not yet assumed responsibility for the daily care of the lawn despite it being re-sodded by the DOT.

As a result, the opening of the field will be delayed in order to prevent another mud-field incident caused by overuses and neglect. Your children will be forced to stare at the tempting green grass concealed by a hideous construction fence.

Real estate in Manhattan is extremely expensive, and to have open natural grass for a community is extremely rare. Our neighbors on Brooklyn, Harlem, The Bronx, etc must be envious and disguusted.

If the bureaucrats of the BPCA, led by CEO Gayle Horwitz and her Director of Parks Tess Huxley, do not want this gift which is being handed to them, despite the fact that it would increase the relevance and power of the BPCA (that some say should be dismantled and handed to the city), then a new solution is required.

BatteryPark.TV calls for the creation of The West Thames Park Conservancy to be established and run as a non-profit much like the Battery Conservancy to the south is established. The boundaries of the new conservancy would start at the “Pataki Highway” promenade by the Ritz Carlton on Battery Place and extend all the way north to the community gardens at Albany Street.

Funding for maintenance of the area would be derived from existing funds that now go to the BPCA, as well as fundraising events. The current funds going to the BPCA are being squandered and mismanaged by the BPCA, according to a report by the New York State Office of Inspector General.

If you support this idea, and think that our park (and tax dollars) can be better managed by a board of volunteers comprised of local residents rather than career bureaucrats of the same DNA as the MTA, please email us at info@batterypark.tv

BPCA CEO Gayle Horwitz

A new BPC world Record

July 24, 2012

There is a new world record for the tallest sunflower grown in Battery Park City. These are now an estimated 12 feet tall and growing. No fertilizer was used. The seeds are heirloom from 2009 and were first purchased at Burpee by mail order.

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Grass field opening delayed

July 12, 2011

BatteryPark.TV has learned that the DOT will delay the opening of the West Thames grass lawn. It was scheduled to be open next week on July 22, but due to the Battery  Park Conservancy still refusing to assume control of maintenance, the DOT will prevent the neglect that occurred last year which led to a rundown mud field.

As a result, local residents will be without use of the field for picnics, sun bathing, Wiffle Ball, small groups of T-ball, etc.

To voice your protest over this bureaucratic squabbling, contact:

Director of the Parks Conservancy, Tess Huxley thuxley@bpcparks.org

and/or

CEO, Battery Park City Authority, Gayle Horwitz gayle.horwitz@batteryparkcity.org

BPCA Phone (212) 267-9700

If these public officials ignore your letters or calls, you can relay your experience to the New York State Office of the Inspector General.

Photos of the Week

May 8, 2011

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All photos by Steven Greer

Joplin tornado by Twisterchaser

Nothing is off limits to cash-strapped NYC: Cyclists ticketed

January 24, 2010

The New York Post is reporting that the city has issued a record 1000 tickets to bicyclists in the month of January alone, for benign infractions that normally went unnoticed, such as cycling on sidewalks or going through red lights. It is debatable whether motor vehicle laws apply to bicycles. Moreover, with the snow from the unplowed streets, many of the bike lanes have been impossible to use, forcing cyclists onto sidewalks.

The budget deficit of the city is causing all sorts of egregious secret taxes, it seems. The city is charging for emergency responses to accidents. Now, it is going after cyclists in the depth of winter.

A new species: Polar Mallards

January 20, 2011

Is this a new species: the Polar Mallard? Amazingly, some mallard ducks have either stayed over for the winter, or are ducks migrating south from Canada. Either way, it is unclear what they survive on for food and how they lived through the blizzards.

Is this Naples, Italy or New York?

January 3, 2011

The unions and mafia in Naples, Italy, caused a year-long slowdown in trash cleanup resulting in piles of trash. Here in New York City, it seems the sanitation unions are mimicking Naples.

The New York Post and BatteryPark.TV have reported several stories about intentional slowdowns by the NYC sanitation union. Now, the New York Times is reporting on the trash that is piling up. It seems that our waste management is being run more by Tony Soprano than the City or State.

Time for Time to go away

December 15th, 2010

It’s that time of the year again; when the old print media issues bogus awards. It starts with the People Magazine “Sexiest Man Alive” award, which rarely coincides with actual public opinion. Then, Time Magazine inundates the web with “Best of” lists, culminating in the Time “Person of the Year” award. Whoopee!

With the demise of Newsweek, US News and World Report, and many other print magazines, Time remains one of the few standing in print form. If it were not for the backing of its large parent company, Time too would have bitten the dust.

In order to garner attention, Time has been selecting increasingly controversial people to be “Person of the Year”. The tabloid used to go for the politically esoteric oddball choice like “The Whistleblowers” of 2002, “Vladimir Putin” of 2007, or who can forget, the “You” of 2006. Now, as the revenue of Time Magazine dries up, desperate times mean the outlet is reaching for the masses; no more highbrow tooting falootin’ stuff.

This year, Time went for maximum mass appeal and picked the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, as “Person of the Year”. Mr. Zuckerberg has been on a whirlwind public relations character-repair blitz this year. It started ahead of the film “Social Network” that portrayed him as an unlikable thief of intellectual property. He then adorned the stage of Oprah, with a bogus donation of $100 Million to Newark, New Jersey schools, contingent upon many things, including the broke city matching the funds. Then, and only then, would the opaque donation be delivered years later.

More recently, Mr. Zuckerberg and his PR firm tried to gain similar press by claiming that he was giving away the majority of his wealth to philanthropy, along with true billionaires like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. This imaginary wealth that Mr. Zuckerberg is giving away is based on his private equity shares in Facebook, which are worthless until there is an IPO. The IPO has not happened. Moreover, the entire business plan of Facebook will go down the drain if the FCC and congress institute laws prohibiting the gathering of personal information of online users and selling it to marketers.

Yet Time Magazine chose Mr. Zuckerberg to be Person of the Year. To be sure, 2010 was the year that Facebook gained critical mass, at least in the press. If one believes the Facebook-supplied data, “500 Million users” are on Facebook, and an Academy Award film is based on his life. However, who are just some of the people that were far more popular and/or important this year?

A creepy skinny guy named Julian Assange succeeded in taking on the most powerful country the world has ever seen, rightly or wrongly, and has made possible for other internet hackers to do the same thing. Foreign policy will never be the same. If information is power, then the small individual gained leverage against the countries that own the militaries.

The Tea Party, or better yet, the pissed-off-struggling-regular-dudes, who were responsible for the landslide midterm elections were also a wee bit more important than Mark Zuckerberg.

How about the leaders of Greece, Ireland, or the UK trying to implement austerity and salvage the Euro? Those men and women were covered more in the press and were more relevant than Mr. Zuckerberg.

Public relations firms have a strong influence in who is named “Sexiest” or “Person of the Year”. Mark Zuckerberg likely transferred some of his wealth through middlemen PR firms to garner this award. Anyone who does not believe that assertion can contact us for some hot CDO’s packaged in a financial instrument called Abacus to purchase. We also have a bridge from London in our inventory.

Time Magazine has become a tabloid now, struggling for readership and advertising revenue. The lists that it spews out with ever increasing volume are irrelevant. It is time for Time to go away.

Big decline in apartment prices

July 7^th, 2010

The WSJ is reporting today an update on apartment sales prices and number of units sold. The good news is that the number of units increased 179% yoy to 383 units (137 in April of 2009), and a 20% increase from last month. However, the bad news is that prices are way down. Compared to 2009, the selling price of apartments in Battery Park City and the Financial District had the largest drop of Manhattan: down 17%.

Red areas represent the largest price declines.

Keep in mind that 2009 was the bottom in the economic recession in NYC. Despite the ample bonuses paid out in 2010, it has not seemed to impact selling prices.