Posts from — March 2008

Traffic on Flickr.

This evening the City Council voted 30-20 in favor of a home rule message requesting that the State Legislature approve a congestion pricing plan for New York City. The plan in its current incarnation would charge those with E-ZPass $8 to drive below 60th Street in Manhattan on weekdays from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M. and $9 for those without it (Mayor Bloomberg had originally pushed for the northern boundary to be 86th Street).

With the ball now in Albany’s court, it will be up to state legislators to move ahead with the bill. The big question will be where does Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver stand on the measure? Governor Paterson and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno have expressed support and rumor has it that Speaker Quinn wasn’t going to call a vote until she had received assurances that the plan would get the go-ahead in the state legislature.

However, the Times reports that “Mr. Silver said that he had made no such assurance. “I told her it’s not before us until they vote on it,” he said. “And we will deal with the issue after we pass a budget.”

As the calendar gets closer to the April 7th deadline for the city to receive federal transportation funds (only if the State agrees to move ahead with the congestion pricing plan), we’ll have to see whether Shelly Silver is looking to screw up Mayor Mike’s grand plans yet again.

Avella Announces by tonyavella2009 on Flickr.

City Council Member Tony Avella (D-Queens) officially announced his candidacy for Mayor on the steps of City Hall yesterday. Surrounded by supporters, he spoke about his hopes to curb overdevelopment, reduce taxes, and reform the Department of Education.

Avella is in his second term as City Council member (term-limited out in 2009) for the 19th District, which includes Auburndale, Bayside, Beechhurst, College Point, Douglaston, Little Neck, Malba, and Whitestone. He worked as an aide to City Council Member Peter Vallone, Sr., Mayors Koch and Dinkins, and as Chief of Staff to the late State Senator Leonard Stavisky and to State Senator Toby Stavisky.

A vocal opponent of out-of-scale real estate development, Avella is also Chair of the Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee of the City Council. He will face a crowded field that will most likely include many well-funded Democratic hopefuls like Council Speaker Christine Quinn, U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner, and City Comptroller Bill Thompson. Released before his formal announcement at City Hall, below is a YouTube clip of Avella explaining some more of his rationale for running:

St. George Slays Queens West on Flickr. 

!Caution! on Flickr.

Today Reggie Jackson will throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the Yankees home opener, marking the final season of play at Yankee Stadium. Over in Staten Island, the Staten Island Yankees will be marking their tenth season of minor league play this year.

In part to celebrate the occasion (and to sell some new merchandise), the Baby Bombers recently unveiled new uniform designs–the first significant change since the team’s second season in 2000. Most striking is the new patch which will be worn on players’ sleeves and features an oversized SINY logo with five stars representing the five boroughs, with Staten Island as the gold star in the center. The SI Yanks will begin their season on June 17th with a game against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Brooklyn Public Library by LemonSunrise on Flickr.

Less than one year after city officials celebrated increased library service throughout the city, looming budget cuts could yet again reduce those hours of operation. Back in July about $10 million had been secured in the city budget to increase library service from 5 days to 6.

The executive director of the Brooklyn Public Library system recently stated that libraries could again be closed two days a week if the cuts in the city budget were approved. The cuts would also mean the loss of many library workers–pink slips would likely go out to those in 127 of the 129 new positions which were added just this year.

Also on the chopping-block are numerous summer and after-school reading programs which take place throughout the Brooklyn library system. Libraries are only one of the many city services that will feel the brunt of the new cost-cutting measures which the city exploring to remedy forecasted budget shortfalls.

Last week the City Council approved Sheldon Solow’s $4 billion plan to construct six new residential towers and an office tower on the old Con Ed site south of the United Nations. Also included in the plan is a lot of ground-floor retail spaces. The signs ringing the construction site pictured above boldly proclaim “Coming in 2008″ and feature images of some brightly-colored Whole-some Foods. We’re still waiting for the new locations at 220 3rd Street in Brooklyn, and Greenwich/Warren Streets and 97th Street in Manhattan, so we’ll have to see.

Endangered Church by mercurialn on Flickr.

Those fighting to save St. Saviour’s Church in Maspeth are expressing a renewed sense of hope about the church’s future. The Juniper Park Civic Association has been working on an agreement with the current property owner to give the group 30 or 40 days to remove the entire church building from the site. All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village has also recently announced that it would agree to house the church structure on its grounds as long as others foot the moving bill.

The next hurdle will be securing the funding to transport the church. Several local politicians have pledged resources for the move, but it is still unclear from where the bulk of the necessary cash will come. The church, built in 1847 by Richard Upjohn, will most likely be moved in sections if the entire structure cannot be transported intact.

There will be a press conference tomorrow at 1:00 P.M. at the St. Saviour’s site (57-40 58th Street) to announce the tentative agreement to move the church to All Faiths.

St. Saviour’s Church’s current location (A) to All Faiths Cemetery (B).

Con Ed Tower on Flickr.

Christ the King: 65 - Curtis High: 60

The Lady Royals were victorious over Curtis in the Class A semifinals: Jael Pena was a sophomore on the Christ the King squad that defeated Epiphanny Prince and Bergtraum for the New York State Federation Class AA championship here two years ago.

Even playing with a sinus infection, Pena showed her experience Friday as she scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Lady Royals to a 65-50 victory over Curtis in the Class A semifinal at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The Lady Royals will face Franklin Academy (Malone, N.Y.) for the Class A championship at 12:15 P.M. Saturday.
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The rapid weight gain of NYC residents has been highlighted recently, and it seems that the New York Mets have taken that fact into strong consideration as they planned their new stadium. Promotional mailers sent out earlier this month tout the final season at Shea and the opening of Citi Field.

If you take a closer look, you’ll find that there is a strangely consistent theme running throughout most of Citi Field’s “improvements” listed in the mailer:

State-of-the-art, open air ballpark specifically designed for baseball = Okay, sounds good for everyone…

Seating lower and closer to the playing field with superior sightlines = Wider fans who don’t want to walk up those long ramps.

Wider seats angled toward the infield = Wider fans.

More spacious rows and aisles, with additional legroom between rows = Wider fans.

New restaurants and clubs = Wider fans.

Spacious concourses with full field views = Wider fans.

More concession areas and restrooms = Wider fans.