West 55th Street Block Association

CB4 Votes Against Bus Garage at Intrepid Pier

2011-11-05T18:32:00.001-04:00

Dear Neighbors,

Thank you for supporting our efforts to abate bus idling and its assorted health impacts in our neighborhood.

Many of you came all the way to Fulton Center to testify last night in favor of adding bus garage spaces to the Intrepid museum. Your strong voices showed the Community Board that Clean Air, Bus Idling and creating a Charter Bus Garage are very high priorities for our neighborhood. MMCC distributed to each board member a copy of your letter.

In spite of your speaking up and the whole neighborhood being close to 100% unified on this issue (8 block associations and two schools) the Community Board members voted against the wishes of its residents and rejected - by a slim margin (4 votes) - asking for a mere 20 bus spaces to be included in the museum expansion.

A few members of the board argued loudly that there is no idling problem (!) that a museum is so valuable we should feel lucky to welcome it (there is already a museum) and not encumber the project with any health considerations, and that the plan is to regroup all buses at the Port Authority bus garage, although we know that there is no funding, the Port Authority is not planning any space for charter buses and multiple small garages are technically preferable.

But in the end, as a result of your advocacy, the Intrepid Museum volunteered to study and build garage space for 14 additional buses as part of their project, bringing up the total number of bus spaces to 28 at this location.
It is not clear whether theses spaces will be open to all or just reserved for Museum space, but in any case, at least the neighborhood will not have to suffer additional idling due to the Museum.

This is the DNA article: http://www.dnainfo.com/20111103/chelsea-hells-kitchen/community-gets-first-look-at-proposed-space-shuttle-museum

Thank You again. We will keep you posted on new developments.
Best Regards

Christine Berthet
www.chekpeds.com

Notes from W55BA Meeting, September 13

2011-09-30T11:17:00.002-04:00

West 55th Street Block Association
Notes from General Meeting, September 13, 2011
340 West 55th Social Room
14 attendees

The meeting began at 7:05 PM and ended at 7:50 PM.
• Idling tour buses: Christine Berthet from Chekpeds (www.chekpeds.com) presented their group’s proposal for more parking for tour buses. Currently the buses idle on the streets of our neighborhood, adding to the pollution. This group has identified three sites for parking that would take those buses off the street. They asked us to sign a letter in support of their initiative, and individuals did so.
• Flags at the Vitamin Shoppe: We will find out the regulations regarding this, email an update to the BA, and alert residents if there is action to take.
• Falling tree branches: The Parks Department promised they would take care of it. [Note: they have since come and cleaned up dead limbs from several trees.] Gale Brewer got in touch with them when she saw that it was an item on our agenda—thank her if you see her!
• New tree guards: Obtained three at a good discount. One advantage is that they are modular—if one side breaks, it can be replaced. We’re asking some buildings and businesses for donations, and applying for a grant.
• Fall cleanup: Oct 15 for W 56 and Oct 22 for W 55. We’ll take out plants, clean the beds, and plant more bulbs.
• Fundraising: Our goal again is $20,000, and the fall fundraising campaign has begun. We have been approved to receive a $2000 grant from the Lily Auchincloss Foundation (www.lilyauch.org), and are applying for other grants as well.
• Bulletin board: We’d like a block bulletin board where we can post information. Possible sites are outside walls of new CitiBank or Hale & Hearty. Seeking grants for this too.
• Charley K and Sandra D. presented us with a banner with the Block Association’s name that was created in a town in Tanzania.
• Tee shirt designs and photos for postcards are invited. A calendar might be a nice possibility at some point as well.
• Shortage of litter baskets since hurricane, especially between the Westerly and Daily Soup. Christine or Carl will contact the Sanitation Dept.
• We’d like someone to take responsibility for the Halloween Pet Parade. Could keep it simpler, with no contest—just parade around.
• Complaint that the B&B can be noisy in the middle of the night. The manager, Katrina, will address it with visitors.

Note taker: Lisa P.

A Watering I Did Go

2011-08-24T09:20:00.001-04:00

By Michele Reisch

After weeks of receiving cheerful email reminders from the block association that the flower beds on West 55 Street were being mulched, then bulbed, or planted, I finally set my alarm for 6PM to remember to join the watering crew.

Gathered in front of 345, was Paul, the majordomo of the H2O brigade, surrounded by a small band of volunteers. They happily chatted as the oversized green cans were being filled. Today we would be feeding the plants with Miracle-Gro and each bed would get a full 2 gallons of fluid. My extra pair of hands was welcomed.

Paul explained that I should take my time as I work, so the water could begin to soak into the soil. During the heat wave, the beds get really baked. If you pour too quickly the water runs into the street, defeating the whole purpose. "Think of the soil as a sponge," he added, "when you wet it a second time it absorbs more."

Growing up in Florida, I had often set out the sprinklers in the afternoon, and regularly hosed the plants on the side of our house. Eagerly I grabbed a full watering can. "This should be a doddle," I thought. Nope. Scratch that. It was a waddle. Turns out a watering can filled with 2 gallons of liquid weighs close to 20 pounds. Slowly, with an awkward 2-handed carrying style, I shuffled toward my assigned bed. Praying not to trip.

Arriving safely I began the task at hand, gently splashing the blue tinted elixir onto flora and soil. I was joyously in my own little world, humming to the plants, encouraging them to grow. I am goddess. I am a fairy. I am Mother Nature incarnate, dancing among the trees!

Okay, so I got a little carried away.

As the agua trickled around the tree roots, I began to notice so many things. The variety of the plants as they stretched towards the sun. The treasure trove of trash hidden under the blossoms. Saddest of all was a withering impatiens, where a dog had been allowed to pee on it. I gave that plant an extra drink hoping it would bring her back from the brink. It often does.

Before I knew it we had traveled round the block, feeding 37 different flower beds. Along the way I made many observations and heard of different adventures in ye olde watering game. All of these episodes I'm keen to share on a regular basis with you. A Weekly Sprinkle, if you will.

New Plants in Two Tree Beds

2011-08-08T11:16:00.006-04:00

You may have noticed something a little different about our tree beds. Lorraine planted some hardy purple potato vines in front of Hale and Hearty. Michele and Christine planted some hosta and periwinkle perennials in front of 327. The watering brigade still meets most evenings at 6 PM, starting at 345. With your help the flowers are looking better every year.

July 4 Block Party

2011-07-04T09:28:00.002-04:00

July 4 is today! Weather will be great. 200+ people are expected.

Bring food for yourself and some to share.

Setup starts at 9:45 AM. Party is from noon to 4 PM. Cleanup from 4 PM to 5 PM.

July 4 Block Party

2011-06-21T08:20:00.004-04:00

The July 4 Block Party is less than two weeks away! Last year over 150 people came to celebrate. It's a low-tech way to have lots of fun on Independence Day in the City.

The Block Party starts at noon and goes until 4 PM--rain or shine.

West 55th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues will be closed to traffic. Bring your own food, blankets, chairs or tables to eat on. We'll provide the grills and grill chefs. There will be chalk drawing, hula hooping, wading pools and more.

Tell your friends and neighbors. Come join the fun.

Water Pipe Project Affects W48th-W51 Neighborhood

2011-06-21T08:04:00.006-04:00

The West 55th Street Block Association has just learned about a construction project that will have a significant impact on our neighbors a few blocks south of us.

The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DCC) is laying pipes at street level to meet up with the Third Water Tunnel Shaft at 48th and Tenth. The 48th Street Project (see flyer below) will primarily affect West 48th Street between Broadway and Tenth, West 49th between Ninth and Tenth, West 51st between Broadway and Ninth Avenue between West 48th and West 51st.

Construction is expected to take at least five and a half years.

Here is an official handout about the project from the DCC.

In Memory of Hank

2011-05-25T16:36:00.000-04:00

Hank was definitely an "acquired taste." He had fear-based aggression issues and probably growled at all of us at one time or another. But to know him was to love him. Hank passed away after a very sudden illness on May 3. This photo is from Hank's human companion, Jeff.

Who Is Dumping Garbage at W55th and Tenth?

2011-05-25T15:31:00.004-04:00

From a resident on West 55th between Ninth and Tenth:

On Saturday I noticed two overflowing large garbage cans on the north west side of the street close to 10th ave. With disgusting refuse spilled all around them. They have been there since then. There are no residential buildings there, it is the back of the school's entrance on W.56th. It is supremely disgusting, pigeons are always there, the garbage gets dumped and left. A complete health hazard and eye sore. Baby's with strollers and people with dogs constantly go past. I took pictures and called 311.

West 55BA response:

Keep calling 311 and Sanitation. We will ask the NYPD to ticket whoever is dumping garbage there if you get a vehicle plate number or other ID.

Update (May 26, 2011): We just heard from the Sanitation Community Affairs Officer -- they are sending a sanitation enforcement officer to 55 St/10 Ave to investigate. Will keep you posted.

Update (June 1, 2011): From CS: "Hey Guys....They cleaned up the block! I got a call from Sanitation department on Saturday when I was out of town saying that they picked up the abandoned barrels. I assume it was because of my calls to 311 since they had my phone number. Anyway, just wanted to let you know and thanks very much for your assistance and concern. . . . Thanks again!"

From Christine: Congratulations! Often times we find if we can get several people to call, email (and/or blog) about the same issue, we get a better result. Anyway, the point is, it worked.

Tag Sale Registration

2011-04-11T12:34:00.008-04:00

Please use the form below to pre-register for the May 14-15 Tag Sale and then click on the PayPal button to pay your $15 registration fee. ($20 on the day of the sale)

Vendor Guidelines: Tag Sale will be held on May 14-15 from 10 AM to 6 PM. This is the same weekend as the Ninth Avenue Food Festival.

You must be a resident of blocks in the 40s and 50s west of 8th Ave to participate.

All vendors must register before setting up.

Vendor spaces will be six feet wide and extend no more than three feet into the sidewalk. There must be room for pedestrians to pass through on the sidewalk. Under no circumstances can the street be blocked.

Vendors must provide their own tables.

No cooking of food or sale of used bedding will be allowed. Last year, jewelry, CDs, clothes, perfume and kitchen items were big sellers.

Reminder: In addition to being a fun event for the community, the Tag Sale is also a fundraiser for the West 55 St BA and made possible through a city permit that is issued to the Block Association. Otherwise, each individual would have to apply and pay for their own vendor permit.

Following registration, vendors will receive their vendor space assignment and a tag sale permit, which must be displayed at all times.

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Fire at 347 West 55th

2011-03-14T09:48:00.006-04:00

A fire broke out at around 9:20 this morning at 347 West 55th. Carlos from 345 said he saw flames at the back of the affected building. The New York Fire Department is on the scene with 5 trucks. A ladder has been deployed to the roof of the building. No reports of injuries. There is a strong smell of smoke. But the fire looks under control now.

One resident of 347 wrote this in an email: "What was truly alarming was waking up smelling smoke, looking out our 8th floor window and seeing firefighters run into our building, then opening our front door to a very smoky hallway. It was alarming to scramble to get dressed, grab our dog and some damp towels to breathe as we ran down the stairs. The entire building was smoky, it was not a minor incident."

Halloween Pet Parade

2010-12-29T13:01:00.001-05:00

Thanks to all who participated in the 2010 Howlin' Halloween Dog Event Contest. Held on Thursday, October 29th - fun was had by participants and spectators alike!

Judges for the evening included Sarah Meier-Zimbler, Legislative Aide to NYS Senator Thomas K. Duane, neighbor, Danny Riscili and Kateri with Pet Smart's Corporate Office who had the tough job of picking this year's winners. All the dogs looked outstanding with adorable costumes with top prizes going to:

1st Place: Colby Levin with Olive dressed as an Olive Martini

2nd Place: Mike Mulvagh with Jasper dressed as The Olson Twins

3rd Place: Cecily Horner with Kevin dressed as Harry Potter

Honorable Mention: Sara Stein with Roman Aramis dressed as Chupacabra

A huge thank you to our sponsors including The Pet Market who provided super 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes and Al's Cycle Solutions who provided the honorable mention prize. We hope you'll support our neighborhood merchants who continue to support us and make live more enjoyable on West 55th Street! In addition, Rod Davis volunteered his time and talent capturing the magic of the night with fabulous photos. For photos of the event visit: http://www.rods-pix.com/galleries/seasonofthewitch.html or www.houndsofhellskitchen.com

Also, we could not pull off the event without this year's volunteers: Jen & Mitch Jacobson, Jack and Sue Herlihy, Carl Bevelmyer and Cara Vitolo. Interested in helping out next year? Let us know!

To wrap up the night, neighbor Steve Taft won a set of pewter magnets perfect for dog lovers, by guessing the closest number of Candy Corn in the first Candy Corn Contest! The magnets say it all...and so we leave you with this until next Halloween....CHASE DREAMS, CATCH LOVE and SHARE TREATS!

(Jen sent this a while ago but I somehow missed it)

Blizzard of 2010 on West 55th Street

2010-12-28T16:06:00.003-05:00

And the holiday lights shone brightly all through the night!

West 55th in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 2010

(Thanks to Carol P for the photos)

Mattresses and Bed Bugs: New Rules

2010-12-17T17:10:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday, November 30, 2010, the Department of Sanitation announced new regulations in an effort to help control the growing bed bug problem in New York City. Starting December 3, residents will have to place all bedding (mattresses and box springs) in a completely sealed plastic bag when left at a curb for collection regardless of whether there was bed bug infestation or not.

Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty also suggested that the bedding be placed in plastic bags before it reaches the curb to prevent any bed bugs spreading throughout the house when taking it out.

Failure to comply with the new rule will result in fines starting at $100. The rule goes into effect December 3, but summons won’t begin being issued until January 3, 2011.

The reports of bed bugs have been on the rise within the city in the past few years. According to an April 2010 report released by the Bed Bug Advisory Board (which Council Member Gale A. Brewer initiated), bed bug related 3-1-1 calls rose 54 percent from 2008 to 2009 in the city. The report also said that private residential rental housing bed bug violations rose 240 percent from 2006 to 2009. (as reported by City Council Member Gale Brewer)

Do You Know an Unsung NYC Hero?

2010-12-17T17:06:00.001-05:00

Every year, the New York Public Library awards the prestigious Brooke Russell Astor Award to someone who is an unsung hero in NYC. Any ideas? Let Council Member Gale Brewer know before Jan. 7, 2011.

Stringer and Brewer Attend W55 Holiday Party

2010-12-15T22:38:00.017-05:00

The West 55th Street Block Association had a grand Holiday Party at Characters Bar and Grill on Monday. There were a few flurries outside but it was nice and warm in the back room. At least 35 folks from the block attended. Linda was behind the bar serving up wine, beers and sodas.

We had several special guests who came at different times. (How do they figure these things out?)

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer did the honors and picked out the winning raffle tickets.

Jen H. from the Friends of the High School for Environmental Sciences found several potential mentors for some of the students there. (We are also sponsoring a travel stipend for an HSES student to go outside New York City to check out a non-local college or university.)

City Council Member Gale Brewer came and joined in several conversations, including one about the neighborhood's growing laundromat shortage and another about a citizen wire service for covering Community Board meetings.

There was plenty of great conversation and some stylish prizes. Many thanks to our business partners who provided gifts. Holly and Eddie won the dinner at the Nocello Restaurant. Claire won the bottle of Ciroc vodka (thank you Heather at the Blue Flame Agency) and the mystery package. Myrna received the Ciroc vodka Happy Hour for herself and 5 friends (thanks again to Heather).

Carl B sold a few W55 few iron-on transfers for T-shirts at $5 each. And the proverbial good time was had by all. Many thanks to Eddie for the photos.

Holiday Party is Dec. 13

2010-12-04T22:41:00.002-05:00

You're invited! The West 55th Street Block Association is holding its annual winter holiday party at 7 PM on Monday, Dec. 13 at Characters Bar and Grill, 243 West 54th Street. That's just nine days away.

There will be a cash bar and prizes, donated by local businesses. The BA will provide appetizers.

Come join the fun. Last year we had about 50 people.

Developer Fences off Public Ball Fields

2010-12-03T11:00:00.002-05:00

We've seen a lot of cases where public property is given to private contractors and real estate developers who promise to include low to moderate-income housing and publicly accessibly green spaces.

Here's an interesting article about public parks in the West 60s that are chained up and only accessible to people living in the adjacent hugh rise lux buildings.

Interesting how this pattern of private interest over public continues on a very local scale across the west side and elsewhere in the city. Yet another example of promises made during Community Board public input meetings that just don't pan out in the end.

--Carl B.

Holiday Lights and Party

2010-12-03T10:56:00.004-05:00

Hi All,

Lights. Hope you're enjoying the lights. You may have noticed a few on the north side that haven't been plugged in yet. A group of volunteers is going to make those connections (with supers and outlets) this Saturday (12/4/2010). Let me know if you can help or talk to your super if you are in an affected building.

Holiday Party. For simplicity's sake, we decided at the last meeting to hold the Holiday Party in a local bar. We will be at Characters in the back room on Monday, Dec. 13. There will be food and prizes. Stay tuned for more details.

Outreach to businesses. Lisa and Carl are reaching out to local businesses this weekend for donations. If you can help, please let them know in person or email them via west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com.

Outreach to local high school: Carl and I are meeting with the High School for Environmental Studies on Monday, Dec. 6 at 6 PM. If you have ideas or want to join, please let us know.

Fundraising. And if you haven't donated to the Block Association yet, please do so. Checks may be left c/o Jack Herlihy at 340 W55 or you can donate via PayPal at west55ba.org. And if you have donated, thank you! We will have a report soon on how much we have raised for our programs.

--Christine G.

24 Attend Demo of New Voting Machines

2010-09-14T09:31:00.009-04:00

Twenty four people attended last night's demonstration of the new voting machines. The paper ballots and optical scanners will be used in today's primary and the general election on November 2, 2010. Bryan and Stephanie from the Board of Elections did a great job demonstrating the process and answering all questions.

Bryan in front of two machines that will read and record your ballots.

A closeup of the scanner is shown above.

NYC Voting Machine Demo Tonight at 7 PM

2010-09-13T07:36:00.001-04:00

Second Wave Launder Center Closing

2010-09-03T17:31:00.005-04:00

The Second Wave Launder Center just put up a sign that they are closing their doors on Sept. 14, 2010. They have been great neighbors and provided excellent service for the past 20 years. Will post more if we learn any more details.

Update (9/6/2010): I emailed Gerry G., president of the Pembroke Co-op board to find out what was going on with the Second Wave Launder Center. He wrote back: "The Pembroke Board does not control store leases for our 9th Ave frontage. Sponsor has control over leases for the stores in accordance with original offering plan for the coop (1984). We do not gain control until about 2023.

We thought they were near an agreement and were dismayed to see the closing sign. We have asked our managing agent to contact the sponsor to find out what is up."

Gerry hopes to get more information by tomorrow, Tuesday the 7th.

Wrong Way Traffic on West 55th Street

2010-08-25T13:26:00.004-04:00

Watch out for traffic going the WRONG way for the next few days on West 55th Street. Look BOTH ways when crossing midblock or at the intersections.

Con Ed and the Department of Environmental Protection are digging up the street and diverting traffic while they search for a water leak. As a result, traffic is entering the block from NINTH Avenue, going the WRONG way to get to the parking garage. The Block Association has already received two reports of people nearly getting hit by cars going the wrong way.

Please watch out for vehicles traveling in both directions on the block for the next several days.

Source of W55 Water Leak Still Unclear

2010-08-24T11:04:00.003-04:00

I spoke with a couple of DEP workmen at 10:45 AM today. They say they still have not found the source of the leak, which has flooded the basement at 300 West 55th (on the south side of the block, not the north side as reported last night). They are now following the line down the block and are checking out the pipes in 329 and 330.

They still do not know whether they will have to turn off the water to the whole block or just to one building. Jeanette M says the cold water in her building (350) this morning was brown in color, which may or may not be related. If you hear any more details let me know and I will post.

Roadwork on West 55th tonight

2010-08-23T22:43:00.004-04:00

Was out walking the dog and saw that DEP had set up shop at the east end of the block. A DEP worker told me that water was leaking into the basement of one of the buildings on the northeast end of the block. They will know more after they finish jackhammering. The DEP guy figures they will be working until at least midnight tonight. Traffic has been detoured away from the block. Water service to the rest of the buildings on the block should not be affected, he said.

Update: Joe W says he spoke to a DEP worker as well, who told him the leak was affecting 300 W55 (the Westerly building) on the south side. So take your pick.

One Hundred People Expected at July 4 Party

2010-06-26T13:06:00.002-04:00

July 4 Block Party

2010-06-19T10:24:00.004-04:00

Hello Friends and Neighbors,

The West 55th Street Block Association is having a Block Party--it's first in at least 25 years--on Sunday, July 4 from 2 PM to 6 PM.

That's just two weeks away!

West 55th Street will be closed to traffic. Bring your own food and a chair or a blanket. If you have an extra chair, let us know. We will borrow/rent some grills as well.

There will be spoon relay races, face painting, a patriotic pet parade and more.

If you have a printer, please print the above flyer and post it in your building mail room, laundry room or an a nearby lamp post.

See you on the Fourth!

50 People Enjoy Characters Happy Hour

2010-06-19T10:12:00.003-04:00

We had a record turnout at the June 14 Happy Hour at Characters Bar on West 54th Street. Fifty people came and enjoyed the free pasta, Shepherd's Pie and good company.

One couple came from as far north as 97th Street. We also met new friends from 75th, 57th and 53rd Streets.

The back room of the bar is a great place for a gathering and owners Mike and Linda (she was behind the bar) served as gracious hosts the whole time we were there. The third owner, Finn, restored the beautiful 1930s bar.

The next Block Meeting is July 12 and the next Happy Hour is scheduled for August 9.

ALERT: Road Construction TONIGHT, TOMORROW And Friday

2010-06-02T09:56:00.003-04:00

Once again a set of signs has appeared on our trees giving us notice of night time construction tonight, tomorrow and Friday night. All cars are to be removed from 6 PM to 6 AM.

This time it looks like the DOT will be paving the street. A phone call to the DOT to find out about noise levels reveals that there will be rollers to smooth the gravel that they unload, trucks backing up and jackhammers.

Click here to look up street construction permits issued for our block (or any block in the City).

And here for the road resurfacing schedule. It looks like the paving crew might be three days ahead of schedule.

Notes from May 10 Block Association Meeting

2010-05-23T23:18:00.016-04:00

Notes on West 55th Street BA Meeting
May 10, 2010

18 people in attendance. Two guests: Julia from Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal's office and Carole L from the West 54-55 Block Association. We started at 7 PM and ended at 7:50 PM. A number of folks stayed afterward to talk, eat cookies and drink soda.

Here are the highlights of the meeting:

1. Thank You, Sherwood. Many thanks to the co-op board of the Sherwood for continuing to let us meet in their social room. The new paint job looks very nice!

2. Spring Planting, May 22. Gerald Palumbo from Seasons (888 Eighth @ 53rd) is helping us out again this year. He is giving us a great deal for 75 flats of impatiens plus 15 bags of mulch and 15 bags of soil. Total cost around $1200. Some volunteers from Midtown Community Court will join us.

3. Tag Sale, May 15-May 16. The permit has come through. Stephanie will create signs and the donation table will probably start in front of 345 W55. Charley has volunteered to tape signs to light poles in the neighborhood to advertise the sale.
Update: We had eight tables and made $343. We've learned a lot of folks were waiting to see signs in their buildings and so were unprepared. We will make sure to have signs up in the buildings next year.

4. Linda Rosenthal. Julia from Assembly member Rosenthal's office has come to a couple of meetings now. She left us with a newsletter about the Assembly member's activities and an invitation to contact her office if we need any help.

5. W55BA logos. We looked at and gave feedback on four different designs, drawn by a friend of Andrew's. Eventually, we hope to put the logo on T-shirts, baseball caps, maybe even stationery. Most folks picked design #3 below. They liked its double-deck layout and taller image of the Statue of Liberty.

6. Donnell Library. Carol L from West 54-55 told us about the continuing fight to save the Donnell Library--or really to have a substantive library where the old Donnell used to be. She asked how many of us had ever used it and about six people raised their hands--or one third of the room.

7. May 18. Midtown North Precinct Community Meeting. Next meeting is at 7:30 PM on May 18 at Fountain House, 425 West 44th.
Update: our own Jack Herlihy was elected on May 18 to be the Correspondence Secretary for the Council. Congratulations, Jack!

8. June 14 Happy Hour. We discussed a number of options: Rumours, Kennedys, Bar 9, McGees and the new bar on W54th, Characters.
Update: Happy Hour on June 14 will be at Characters, north side of W54 between Eighth and Broadway, in the back bar. We'll start at 7 PM and go at least until 9 PM. One of Character's owners, Mike, also owns Rumours, which has helped to support the Block Association financially for several years.

9. July 4 Block Party. Thank you to the 10 residents who responded to the call to testify before Community Board 4 on May 5 in support of our application for a block closure of West 55th between Eighth and Ninth so that we can have an old-fashioned Block Party on Sunday, July 4th. The full CB4 approved our application and now all need is to hear from the Street Activities Permit Office. We will put out the word as soon as we hear.

10. Hell's Kitchen Chronicle. Several folks are going to see the documentary the evenings of May 15 and May 16.

11. Street cleaning. Several people have asked and several have called to see about getting the street sweeping machine down our block. We also discussed alternatives, like organizing volunteers to pick up some of the litter, talking to fast food places where a lot of the litter comes from--particularly towards Eighth Avenue.

12. July 12 General Meeting. The next general meeting of the Block Association is July 12 from 7 PM to 8 PM.

Be sure to check the West 55th Street Block Association calendar for upcoming events www.west55ba.org/calendar, follow us on Twitter at w55ba, or read this blog, of course.

Attack of the Pavement Milling Machine!

2010-05-23T08:49:00.023-04:00

Jack H sent some photos he took at 2 AM on May 15 during the first night of pavement milling of West 55th Street. As we all learned that night, pavement milling is LOUD--even with the noise abatement controls the City says it has in place on all pavement milling machines.

The West 55th Street Block Association found out about the milling operation on the street the same way everyone else did, on Friday. A bunch of signs mysteriously appeared on the trees saying that West 55 was due for "pavement milling." The first signs said it would begin on Monday, May 17. Then late in the afternoon, new signs went up saying it would begin three nights earlier, on Friday evening. (Thanks Carl for sending an update about the second set of signs!)

A quick Internet search revealed that "pavement milling" prepares an already paved road to be repaved. Basically, a big machine removes the old asphalt and cuts grooves in the bed so that the new asphalt adheres better.

The New York City Administrative Code allows street construction at night under a few basic rules, including the use of noise abatement technology. (See Title 24, Chapter 2, Sub-chapter 4, Section 24-223.) The Department of Transportation schedules routine street maintenance at night because it says it is less disruptive to city traffic and business and workers can get more done at night. Not surprisingly, the second most popular question on the DOT's list of Frequently Asked Questions is "Why are they always doing road construction work at night?"

Christine is going to call the Department of Transportation to see if we can get better notification of when street repairs/other construction are scheduled to happen on our block.

Pictured above is the milling machine or cold planer that chewed up the old asphalt on West 55th.

A conveyor belts transfers the asphalt into a dump truck.

The dump truck carries off the broken up asphalt

Quiet returns to the block

Good thing pavement milling happens only once every ten years. The street is scheduled to be resurfaced in the next two weeks.

Jack H Elected to Community Council

2010-05-19T09:04:00.006-04:00

At last night's meeting of the Midtown North Precinct Community Council, our own Jack Herlihy was elected Correspondence Secretary. Congratulations, Jack!

Here is Jack's report from the May 18 meeting:

I am pleased to report that tonight I was elected to the Midtown North Community Council! I will serve as the Correspondence Secretary.

I must thank all of you for all your hard work and support.

This is an executive committee position and the great yield is we now have a direct line with Midtown North and other community organizations.

Other news from the meeting:

Bicycles still a problem on sidewalks.
Some suggestions included delivery person rules being distributed by community service persons and a lady blinded in a bike accident, to all merchants that deliver.
Another was to enforce ID etc.

Crime declining in our precinct continues to out pace all city wide stats by 11 % !

No new news on Times Square attempted bombing, except to say all they know only what we all know from the media.

There will be a new club opening on 50th and 12th that can accommodate 2,000 patrons! Police were not aware of it and were asked to look into the safety precautions. A few in attendance thought the name would be "Eden."

There were some complaints regarding loud clubs with doors open and music blaring in the 40's.

Tag Sale, Street Paving, Spring Planting and More

2010-05-16T22:49:00.004-04:00

Lots has happened in the neighborhood in May--and the month is only half over!

1. May 10 General Meeting. 18 people came to hear the latest news, plan the Tag Sale, provide feedback on a possible new logo and get an update on a possible Fourth of July Block Party. Detailed notes from the meeting will be posted on the website soon. Late update: CB4 approved the application for a street closure on Sunday, July 4. Now all we are waiting on is the okay from the Street Activities Permit Office downtown.

2. Tag Sale, May 15-16. We had eight tables with jewelry, clothes, CDs, DVDs and other treasures. The Block Association raised $343.05, which will be used to defray the costs of the Spring Planting. We also met a lot of people from the surrounding neighborhood and several signed up to receive regular email notices.

The BA broadcast the word about the Tag Sale ahead of time through email and signs on the mailboxes. However, several people said that they depended on seeing notices in their buildings and so missed out on putting up a table. That's great feedback. It tells us that people do print up the signs and hang them in their buildings and other folks read them. So, next year, we'll be sure to email the posters out to everyone so they can tack them up in their building's basements and mail rooms.

Also, several folks offered to help carry items up and down stairs next year for some of the older residents to sell. So don't throw out your treasures. Save them for next year's Tag Sale! Remember, it's always the same weekend as the Ninth Avenue Food Festival!

3. Repaving the Street. The BA learned about the milling operation on the street the same way everyone else did on Friday. A bunch of signs mysteriously appeared on the trees saying that West 55 was due for "pavement milling." The first signs said it would begin on Monday night. Then late in the afternoon, new signs went up saying it would begin Friday evening. (Thanks Carl for sending an update about the second set of signs!)

A quick Wikipedia search revealed that "pavement milling" prepares an already paved road to be repaved. The Wikipedia article made no mention, however, of how LOUD the process would be.

Jack and Susan H gave up trying to sleep and headed out at 2 AM to take photos and talk to the work crews. They learned that the street is paved once every 10 years.

Also, it looks like we are in for another night of loud machinery noises on Monday night. So be prepared! I'll post photos as soon as they come in.

4. May 17. Annual Open House at Council Member Gale Brewer's office at 563 Columbus Ave at 87th Street, NYC from 5:30-8:30pm. All residents of the District (and that means both sides of West 55th between Eighth and Ninth) are invited.

5. May 22 Spring Planting. We'll start taking out worn out soil and putting fresh new soil in selected beds and planting all the beds with impatiens at 10 AM on Saturday. Bring you sun hats, gloves, trowels and cool drinks and prepare to have a blast!

6. May 23 Shredfest. Bring your documents to Columbus Circle from 10 AM to 4 PM and they will be shredded for free. Sponsored by New York's Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Sanitation New York, Department of Parks and Recreation and the Office of Criminal Justice Coordinator. (Thanks to Carol L and Declan O for finding out the details!)

7. June 14. Block Association Happy Hour starts at 7 PM. Location to be determined.

Hell's Kitchen Chronicle: May 15 and 16

2010-05-09T21:28:00.001-04:00

Our friends at West 44th Street say tickets are going fast to "Hell's Kitchen Chronicle," a new documentary about the neighborhood. See below for details . . .

Special Screenings of HELL'S KITCHEN CHRONICLE
Saturday, May 15th & Sunday, May 16th - 5pm Showings
The Tank - 354 West 45th Street btw 8th & 9th
RSVP: http://bit.ly/9NH4wO
Venue details: www.thetanknyc.org

HELL'S KITCHEN CHRONICLE, is an award winning, hour long, 1984 documentary film by Maren and Reed Erskine. Screenings May15th and 16th with the filmmakers in attendance, will premier the release of the film's 25th Anniversary DVD edition. More than 30 years ago Maren and Reed came to live among the tenements and factories on mid-town Manhattan's far west side. They documented the life and rich history of the neighborhood around them as it faced the rising tides of development and gentrification threatening to make it, in the words of a New York Times editorial, "a disposable community". Originally released as a 16mm color film, four years in the making,

HELL'S KITCHEN CHRONICLE has been described as a visual narrative that "makes you think -- doesn't tell you how to think." The Daily News called it "...an urban American drama...", The Hollywood Reporter proclaimed, "trenchant and eye-opening".

Tree Bed Clean Up and General Meeting

2010-05-07T16:10:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder about two upcoming events.

Tomorrow, May 8, starting at 10 AM. We're cleaning up the tree beds. Meet in front of 345 and we'll fan out from there. Bring litter grabbers, gloves, hammers (for fixing borders). We're fixing borders and preparing tree beds for the May 22 planting.

Monday, May 10 from 7 PM to 8 PM. General Meeting. 3 agenda items that I know of:
1. Planning the May 15 Tag Sale
2. Planning the May 22 spring planting
3. July 4 Block Party. Report from CB4 meeting (10 people testified in support! Hooray!) Planning events: patriotic pet costumes anyone?

May 5 CB4 Meeting: Volunteers Needed

2010-05-04T10:21:00.006-04:00

:Please come to the Community Board 4 meeting on Wednesday May 5 at 6:30 PM to speak in favor of the West 55 BA's request to close off West 55th (between Eighth and Ninth Avenues) on July 4.

We want to have a pre-fireworks Block Party that day. The CB4 meeting is at the Fulton Auditorium (119 Ninth Avenue between 17th and 18th). It starts at 6:30 PM and you only have to speak for 30-60 seconds.

If you come early to the meeting, you'll get a high spot on list of folks to speak and can say your piece and leave right after. You do NOT have to stay for the whole meeting.

We already have an okay from CB4's quality of life committee and the Midtown North Police Precinct. Now we need to go before the full board and ask for their support. We have been told that since this is a new event, there may be some skepticism and we should show up in force to show that the community really wants this.

The picnic will be BYO food and blankets and the first Block Party we've had in many years. We'll organize some silly races like a relay race to fill a glass of water using just a teaspoon. We'll need volunteers to handle setup and cleanup and other stuff but right now we need people to testify on Wednesday evening that they want this to happen.

Please email Christine at west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com with how you'd like to help.

UPDATE: Ten residents from West 55th Street showed up and CB4 approved our application for a block closure on Sunday, July 4. Next--and final step as far as permission goes--hearing from the Street Activities Permit Office of the Mayor. Stay tuned!

Volunteers Needed for Four May Events

2010-05-03T06:46:00.002-04:00

We have a couple of immediate needs for volunteers, starting with giving 30-second testimony at this Wednesday's Community Board 4 meeting at 6:30 PM in support of the West 55th Street July 4th picnic. Please take a look below and send an email to the Block Association at west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com to say whether you can help with any or all of the items below.

1. Wednesday, May 4 at 6:30 PM. The West 55th Street Block Association is asking Community Board 4 to support us in a street closing permit so that we can have a pre-fireworks picnic on West 55th Street on the Fourth of July. We need people to show up at CB4 meeting, register to speak and in 30-60 seconds say why they want W55th street closed on July 4. I'll send out the place where CB4 is meeting as soon as I learn it.

If you come early to the meeting, you'll get a high spot on list of folks to speak and can say your piece and leave right after. You do NOT have to stay for the whole meeting.

We already have an okay from CB4's quality of life committee and the Midtown North Precinct. Now we need to go before the full board and ask for their support. We have been told that since this is a new event, there may be some skepticism and we should show up in force to show that the community really wants this.

The picnic will be BYO food and blankets and the first Block Party we've had in many years. We'll organize some silly races like a relay race to fill a glass of water using just a teaspoon. We'll need volunteers to handle setup and cleanup and other stuff but right now we need people to testify on Wednesday evening that they want this to happen.

2. May 8, starting at 10 AM. We're fixing borders and preparing tree beds for the May 22 planting

3. May 15, Tag Sale. The permit came through for us to have a Tag Sale on May 15 and May 16. We need volunteers to help make signs, organize buildings, collect items to sell, etc. Reminder: this is the weekend of the Ninth Avenue Food Festival so there will be lots of foot traffic on West 55.

4. May 22, Flower Planting. We need volunteers to help plant flowers in our 37 tree beds. We had a blast last year when we did it. It's a lot of fun.

Please email west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]come to let us know which activity you can help with.

Midtown North Precinct Wins A Tony Award

2010-04-21T19:57:00.008-04:00

Jack and Susan H. and Christine G. attended the regular monthly meeting of the Midtown North Community Council at Fountain House on West 47th Street on April 20th. We learned many things, but perhaps the most dramatic thing we learned was that the Shubert Organization says a Tony Award will be awarded to the Midtown North and Midtown South Precincts for "theater excellence." The awards will be presented on June 12th and there will be a statue for each station house. The big televised Tony Award ceremony is the following day, June 13, the same day as the National Puerto Rican Day Parade on Fifth Avenue.

Although the Tony is usually awarded for Broadway productions and not for crime-stopping, it just so happens that overall crime in Midtown North is down 12.3% year-to-date, compared to a drop of 1% for New York City as a whole, as reported Tuesday evening by Inspector Matusiak, the commanding officer of Midtown North. The burglary rate was cut in half in Midtown North after an alleged burglar was arrested for a series of burglaries of restaurants. Unfortunately, the Inspector reported, rapes continue to be a problem--mostly in the hotels of the midtown area.

The West 55th Street Block Association extends its warmest congratulations to Inspector Matusiak and the men and women of Midtown North Precinct on their Tony-Award-winning performance.

The Community Council meets every third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at 427 West 47th Street. Meetings are not held in July / August.

Happy Hour at Kennedy's

2010-04-13T06:40:00.003-04:00

About 30 people came to the April Happy Hour in the "library" at the back of Kennedy's. Turns out the library is named "Flanagan's." We're sure there is an interesting story about that!

There were lots of good conversations. It was especially fun to meet new folks from Sixth and Seventh Avenues. The next Happy Hour is June 14. Stay tuned for announcements on time and place.

Followup on Fire at 326 W55

2010-04-10T08:27:00.002-04:00

Several people have asked about the cause of the fire in Billy' Alston's apartment.

Ann N reports: "I am not positive about the specifics of the cause of the fire but it originated at his stove. We don't know if he was cooking and something caught fire or if he forgot something that was cooking and it caught fire. The fire was confined to the area around his stove. We believe (but again aren't sure) that Billy summoned the fire dept. He suffered 2nd degree burns on his neck, chest and stomach and complications arose with his heart. He was taken to the Cornell burn unit where they induced a coma.

Although Billy was a devoted pet lover he no longer had any animals. He was a very gentle, sweet man and a great neighbor. He will be missed."

W55 Liquor License Survey response

2010-04-10T08:05:00.006-04:00

Two weeks ago, we asked all the folks on our mailing list to take a short six-question sponsored by the West 55 Block Association to determine if we should become more active about this issue. The main conclusion: Survey responders were split on the questions, with the majority leaning towards NOT getting involved with the movement to decrease the number of liquor licenses. Here are the results:

Of the 260 people on our email list, 27 responded to the liquor license survey. Of these 27, 25 said they lived on West 55th Street.

1. Are you concerned about the growing number of places serving alcohol in Hell's Kitchen?

Yes, very much: 22.2% (6)
Yes, a little 22.2% (6)
I don't care one way or the other 11.1% (3)
No, not at all 44.4% (12)
Rating Average 2.78

Conclusion: Most of the people who answered the poll don’t care one way or the other or are not at all concerned about the growing number of places serving alcohol in Hell’s Kitchen.

2. Have you noticed an increase in noise in the neighborhood?

Yes, and it bothers me a lot 18.5% (5)
Yes, and it bothers me a little 18.5% (5)
Yes, but it doesn't bother me 11.1% (3)
No, I have not noticed an increase in noise 51.9% (14)
Rating Average 2.96

Conclusion: Most of the people who answered this poll have not noticed an increase in noise in the neighborhood.

3. On a scale of 1-4 how much of the noise in the neighborhood do you think is caused by people drinking alcohol at restaurants, bars, clubs, on the street? (1 is a strong link between alcohol and noise level, 4 is no link between alcohol and noise level.)

1- strong link 25.9% (7)
2- somewhat of a link 40.7% (11)
3- weak link 22.2% (6)
4- no link 11.1% (3)
5- Rating Average 2.19

Conclusion: Most of the people who answered the poll this there is somewhat of a link between noise and people drinking alcohol at restaurants, bars, clubs, on the street.

4. Do you think the West 55th Street Block Association should get more involved in trying to decrease the number of liquor licenses that are approved for the Hell's Kitchen area?

Yes, absolutely 18.5% (5)
Yes, why not? 25.9% (7)
No, it's no big deal 37.0% (10)
No, absolutely not 18.5% (5)
Rating Average 2.56

Conclusion: Survey responders were split on these question, with the majority leaning towards NOT getting involved with the movement to decrease the number of liquor licenses.

About 45% of the people who answered the poll think the West 55th Street Block Association should get more involved in trying to decrease the number of liquor licenses that are approved for the Hell's Kitchen area.

About 55% of the people who answered the poll think the West 55th Street Block Association should NOT get more involved in trying to decrease the number of liquor licenses that are approved for the Hell's Kitchen area.

5. How much would you PERSONALLY commit to supporting an effort to decrease the number of liquor licenses granted in the Hell's Kitchen area?

I would help a lot -- 3 or more hours a week 0.0% (0)
I would help some -- 1 or 2 hours a month 11.1% (3)
I could help from time to time 33.3% (9)
I would not be able to help 55.6% (15)
Rating Average 3.44

Conclusion: Most of the people who answered the poll would not be able to help on this issue. But several said they could help from time to time.

A sample of written comments:

>>>“a couple of months ago I counted 4times as many liquor licenses being granted in Clinton as ten years ago. CB4 should be able to give a year by year count of the number of applications and approvals they've dealt with.”

>>>“Address the noise, kitchen smells and exhaust fan noise coming from three business on west side of 8th ave between 55th and 56th sts. These issues affect residents at the backs of buildings near the corner of 55th st and 8th ave.

Many trucks delivering to Westerly Market are idling beyond the legal time, while parked outside 310 W 55thSt. Can the store owner/manager have some affect on them.”

>>>“Most of the noise we hear is from large groups of young people traveling west on 55th street between 8th and 9th. I'm not sure where they have been or, for that matter, where they are going. Usually this occurs between 1:00 and 3:00 AM. I don't think there is anyway that limiting future availability of future liquor licenses is going to solve the current problem.”

>>>“It's NYC. Peoples who live here and visit here enjoy local bars and restaurants. BA should get involved with specific bars and restaurants that are not respectful of residents or are creating nuisance issues.”

>>>“Neighborhoods need restaurants and restaurants need alcohol, places were friends and neighbors can gather ,,,,,people can drink on 34 street and walk up to 55 St ,,,some can just drink in the street ,,,,,more important than trying to restrict liquor licenses, that would compromise businesses,,,,,in an already depressed economy ,,,,,,

This is NYC . . . not the country . . . you want peace, quiet and tranquility move to the country and drive 10 minutes to go out for dinner.

How about doing something about the homeless that live on the streets between 54 - 62 Street . . . on 9 Avenue . . . the homeless who have passed out from over consumption of alcohol . . . and goodness knows what else . . . medically concerned . . . those who may even be dead . . . as we continue to step over their bodies . . .

and rest assured they were not drinking in any neighborhood establishment.”

>>> “I think nightlife makes this neighborhood great, and if anything, additional liquor licenses should be encouraged to add to the vitality of the neighborhood.”

>>> “Obviously, this is a very tricky situation. We want to keep the area quiet and SAFE for residents, yet still encourage real estate development. This is a conversation that should be held with sensitivity to both sides of the issue.”

>>> “We're really enjoying all the new wine bars. And they're so packed, we could use a few more, so we could get a seat! ;-)”

>>> “Something odd is going on in the area. Many yuppie people hanging out, don't seem like neighborhood people. I have noticed in the last few months that neighborhood is changing and the people seem more suburban than city people.”

>>> “Since these restaurants are making good cash money, ought to be enough to fund foot patrol from our police in the early morning hours.?”

>>> “As a group, I think we should keep the focus of the block association on the BLOCK itself (and its IMMEDIATE environs) and not get involved with battles over liquor licenses for establishments in other parts of Hell's Kitchen. 1) We might lose our 501(c)3 if we get involved with causes that are not necessarily "charitable" 2) One of the great things that define NYC are its energy and nightlife. I'm appalled at the Disneyfication of NYC that started under Giuliani. I'm not opposed to new clubs, per se. And I'm definitely not opposed to new clubs that are far away from where I live 3) There are so many more POSITIVE ways to channel our energies as a group. Beautification and mentoring should be the GROUP's focus, not fighting the state liquor board. I have NO PROBLEM if people want to protest new liquor licenses on their own. And I have no problem with the Block Association serving as a vehicle for advertising these protests. But I don't believe it is appropriate for the W.55th Street Block Association as an organization to get involved.”

NOTE from CG: 501(c)(3) status for the W55 BA is still pending with the IRS. We are not official yet. We will let you know when we are. DO NOT DEDUCT YOUR DONATIONS FROM YOUR TAXES.

West 55 BA starts How-To Guide

2010-04-09T16:00:00.005-04:00

Every organization has a story and the West 55 Street Block Association is no exception. But sometimes it’s hard to pick just one story to tell.

So today, I’ll start with the one about our near-death experience and how it taught us that we could become a different kind of group.

The time was Fall 2008. You may recall that that’s when it looked like the entire financial infrastructure of the United States was going to crumble. Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy. The stock market tanked. The President and the Presidential candidates debated what should be done.

The scene was not Wall Street, however, but our humble little block in the Hell’s Kitchen section of New York City. For 30 years, the West 55th Street Block Association had strung holiday lights in long crazy loops in the trees on the block, delighting residents and the many pedestrians and others who travel through the area on their way from or to work, school and other activities.

But we had our own crisis in the Fall of 2008. The trees had gotten so tall and the volunteers who hung the strands of lights had gotten old enough that it was no longer safe to put up lights from the tops of ladders with long poles. We needed to hire a cherry picker—and that meant money.

Several people said it was impossible. It looked like the trees would have to stay dark. But a small group of us got together to give it one more shot. We didn’t want to let a 30-year tradition die.

We had a couple of meetings, a few people volunteered to contact professional crews, put up signs, ask for donations. We followed up with each other via email and text message. Within three weeks we had raised $7,000—enough to hire a professional crew to light half the 36 trees on the block—and have a little left over.

Everyone on the block rallied. When the lights went up, it brought a little hope to many hearts in the neighborhood. Sure the economy was in the toilet. Many of us had lost jobs. But at least we got the lights up.

We started to think that maybe we had done something kind of interesting. We worked together as a group—with no designated leaders. We took a quick inventory of our own skills—we had a photographer, a lawyer, a web person, a writer, a producer, a couple of artists, some entrepreneurs and several long-time residents. We divided up the work in the way that made the most sense. And we made sure to have some fun while we were doing it.

The lights went up. People in the surrounding are were cheered. We started to wonder what else we could. We expanded the email list. We created a website that was easy to update through RSS feeds from Twitter, Blogger and Flickr. We started reporting on a few Precinct meetings and other public fora. We talked about new projects and plans.

Only later—especially after some folks from the Parks department and other blocks come to us for advice—did we realize that maybe we had created something new.

Only later did we find out that maybe what we had done was to form something that management consultants call a “learning organization.” We were pretty informal and no one was getting paid, of course. (We’re still all volunteer.) But we had new ways and new tools and new approaches for organizing people and sharing information. And what we were learning could benefit lots of people well beyond a block or two of Hell’s Kitchen.

That’s when we decided maybe we should keep track of everything we’re doing and start reaching out to others more intentionally so that the larger public may benefit. That’s when the idea of creating a How-To book was born.

This is the first entry. It gives some background. We’ll tag each related post “how-to” and eventually gather them all together into some kind of online guidebook for other community groups.

Do you have ideas? Would you like to contribute to the guide? Send an email to west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com.

Let the journey begin!

Easter Mayhem in Times Square

2010-04-09T08:00:00.008-04:00

Easter Mayhem in Times Square. Inspector Dennis DeQuatro, the new commander of the Mid-Town South Police Precinct, gave a report to the April 7 meeting of Community Board 4 about the recent disturbances in Times Square. He said that for the past several years in a row, a number of people have gathered at Times Square late on Easter Sunday and some have gotten into fights with each other. The NYPD knows about this and had 200 officers in the area of 40th to 47th and Seventh to Eighth Avenue on the night of April 4, 2010.

By the next morning, 50 adults and 10 juveniles had been arrested on various charges. Two of these arrested had gang affiliations, according to the police database on gangs.

By 11:30 PM Sunday night, DeQuatro said, the police saw that the crowd had significantly grown in size. They also believe it was much larger than possible in past years because the Broadway pedestrian mall allows more people to gather in one place.

At around midnight on 41st between Seventh and Eighth, two groups crossed paths--one was walking east and the other walking west. Witnesses told police that words were exchanged and someone pulled out a .380 caliber handgun. Three rounds were fired and one individual was hit in the sneaker and the top of the foot. The third shot missed. None of the injuries are life-threatening. No one has been arrested, as of April 7, in this case.

At 2:10 AM, a group that had been dispersed by police from Times Square walked south towards 34th Street. Once again, two groups crossed each other, DeQuatro said, this time near Macy's. Words were again exchanged and a .380 caliber handgun was pulled. Two rounds were fired. A 19 year old woman was hit in the elbow and leg. Subsequent ballistic reports show this was not the same handgun as at the midnight incident.

Those involved fled eastward on 34th Street. Four arrests were made on charges of "gang assault."

Inspector DeQuatro was on the scene that night. He admits that the volume of people was larger than what the NYPD had anticipated that night--possibly because of the new pedestrian malls. But he believes the incidents of "wilding," as described by some press accounts, are inaccurate. There was no property damage, he noted, and large groups of people were not terrorized.

Reported by Christine G.

RIP, Billy

2010-04-02T07:22:00.002-04:00

The BA is saddened to report that Billy Alston, the elderly man who was injured in the fire at 326 West 55th on March 15, passed away several days ago. Funeral services are this morning at 9am. Details are posted on the door at 326 W. 55th St.

Our condolences to Billy's family and friends.

It is with sadness and great fondness we remember Billy. A fixture in front of his building, Billy's warm smile and ever positive attitude always made our days and block a little bit brighter. --Joanna and Michael Rose

We are saddened by the loss of our neighbor Billy. He always had time for a friendly smile and to give Maizie a pat hello when we saw him on the block. We will miss you! --Jennifer, Mitch & Maize

I did not know of Billy, until reading this tragic news. I am sure he was a great man who represented sky high standards. His commitment to respond and to help people during extreme and dyer situations. I am greatly saddened to hear of the news and my heart goes all out to his family friends, and to his fire engine family throughout our New York City, state and country. --Fred Stepkin

I am so sorry to hear about Billy's demise and also about any other victims of the fire. My thoughts are with and about him, and his family, and his dog. Who's taking care of his devoted companion...My sincere thoughts are with all of us in this time of tragedy at our doorstep--Antonio Carobine

Notes From March 8 Block Association Meeting

2010-03-28T22:50:00.010-04:00

Notes on West 55th Street BA Meeting
March 8, 2010

28 people in attendance. Special guest: Gale Brewer, New York City Council Member. We started at 7:05 PM and ended at 8:10 PM. Many people stayed afterwards to talk, eat cookies and drink soda. Here are the highlights of the meeting:

1. Update on 501(c)(3) status. The IRS has asked for more information about the BA’s application. We are sending it. But to be safe, do not deduct donations to the Block Association from your taxes until further notice.

2. MTA cuts. Marilyn K. reported on the public hearing regarding MTA cuts that was held at the Fashion Institute on March 4. The MTA wants to cut lots of services and lay off employees to fill a $400 million shortfall in the budget

The issues that generated the greatest audience response and interest were proposed cuts to the student passes and Access-A-Ride. There was no interaction between the public and the MTA board. The board just listened to testimony without comment. One young student was, however, able to get the MTA chairman to agree to meet with a group of students on March 17, 2010.

Several people wondered why the MTA wasn’t using federal stimulus money for operating expenses, as other municipalities have.

Gale Brewer said later in the meeting that she suspected some kind of compromise may be worked out on the student fares. She was less sure that something could be worked out for Access-A-Ride.

See these links for more information:
MTA synopsis of the problem: http://www.mta.info/news/stories/?story=11
NYTimes on 12/14/2009 summarizes proposed cuts: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/nyregion/15mta.html
WNYC on 2/3/2010 says proposed cuts still won’t be enough: http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/149558

3. Winter holiday lights. The lights are coming down on March 18, 2010. The City will not let us keep the lights up year-round. [UPDATE: Due to all the tree damage during the recent nor'easter, Sav-A-Tree is busy with emergency cleanups north of the City. So they had to postpone taking down our lights. We'll keep you posted.]

4. Treasurer’s Report. Send an email to west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com for this report or ask Christine or Jack when you see them.

5. T-shirts. There was consensus that we should create and sell T-shirts to promote the BA. If you have design ideas, contact Christine G.

6. Tree Bed Cleanup. Calling all volunteers to help clean out the tree beds, remove the pine boughs this Saturday, March 13 at 10 AM. Meet in front of 345 W. 55. [NOTE: This event was canceled due to rain and rescheduled for March 20 at 10 AM]

7. Happy Hour. We will try Kennedy’s at 327 W. 57th for the next Happy Hour. Monday, April 12 from 7 to 9 PM. There is a room in the back they call the Library, which we have booked. Cash bar. Frank F. says that if you eat dinner there before or afterwards, he can recommend the chicken pot pie and the fish and chips.

8. Trash cans mid-block. Mary B. did some research and found some pole-mounted trash cans for sale on the Internet. The next step is going to be figuring out who would be responsible for emptying the trash and what permits/permissions we might need to put the cans up.

a. Global Industrial (888-978-7759) has a pole/wall mount receptacle in black or green. 10 gallon capacity, 12" diameter x 24" height. #T9AB53238 $84.95. http://www.globalindustrial.com/searchResult?q=T9AB53238

b. Trash Can Source has an outdoor 10 gallon open top steel one dimensions not given. Towne series $108
http://www.trashcansource.com/ Search for “Towne Series”

c. They also have a pet station with wood slat exterior on a pole with sign and bag dispenser $257. They have these in Belmar, NJ but don't think they suit our purpose -- too small
http://www.trashcansource.com/ Search for “Pet Station”

9. Alcohol Licenses. The West 44th Street Block Association would like more people to attend CB4 committee meetings on the granting of liquor licenses to the many bars and cabarets that are opening up in the area. You can download a .pdf monthly calendar of all the CB4 committees at http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb4/

The committee that awards alcohol licenses is the Committee on Business Licenses & Permits (North of 32nd Street), chaired by John Owens and Chuck Spence. The Committee regularly meets on the second Tuesday of each month, beginning at 6:30 PM, at Westin Hotel, 270 W. 43 Street (near Eighth Avenue).

We will also start adding pertinent CB4 meetings to the W55 block calendar at http://www.west55ba.org/calendar

10. Census Jobs. Jack H. says the Census bureau is hiring folks for around $15 an hour and they have plenty of jobs where you don’t have to go door to door.

11. Gale Brewer, New York City Council member. Brewer began by recognizing Mary B. as a friend in the neighborhood. She also passed out flyers with some events she is sponsoring and gave out her card and contact information. She spoke for about half an hour, answered questions and stayed during the social time to talk further with folks.

a. MTA cuts. Brewer agrees that transportation issues are way out of whack. She hopes the student passes will get saved somehow. She’s not so sure the Access-A-Ride cuts will be successfully pushed back.

b. New York Public Interest Research Group. Brewer says this is a good group and that Gene? (didn’t catch the name) from NYPIRG is a good advocate for NYC and he believes the MTA books are finally honest.

c. High School for Environmental Studies. Brewer is glad to hear we are reaching out to them. Says they are particularly interested in internships.

d. The Windemere (the hulking big building at the SW corner of 57th and Ninth). Brewer gave a history of the tenant harassment that occurred at the Windemere. Says that the last 7 tenants have finally reach a settlement. The building (which is really two buildings) has been sold and is going to be developed as a hotel and apartments, with 20% of the apartments reserved for affordable housing.

e. Riverside South. Brewer says the parking lots from 59th to 61st are going to be developed and we should all pay attention to this. They really need a school there; it would help alleviate congestion at some other public schools. This is under Community Board 7’s jurisdiction but the meetings are open to all.

f. New voting machines. NYC is going to be using new scanning machines instead of the old lever-action machines in our next election in the fall. Brewer is on the technology committee that is dealing with this and is ready to work with us to have voting machines demonstrations at our meetings. Says we can get someone from the Board of Elections to walk us through all this.

g. Electronics recycling. Per Scholas will be recycling used electronics (cell phones, laptops, computers) on Sunday March 21, 2010 from 10 AM to 3 PM at Brewer’s District Office, 563 Columbus Avenue at 87th Street. Per Scholas then places the refurbished equipment in public schools or sells the electronics to support schools. http://www.perscholas.org/

h. Make Music New York. On the summer solstice every year (June 21), Make Music New York sponsors free public concerts on the streets of New York. This might be something fun for use to arrange for our block. Any volunteers want to contact them? www.makemusicny.org

12. Questions for Council Member Brewer. We spent the remaining time asking questions and listening to Brewer’s responses. It looked like everyone who wanted to ask a question was able to do so.

Q: Have you heard the new police sirens (The Rumblr)? They’re really loud and could damage people’s hearing.
A: No, Brewer has not heard them. She will look into it.

Q: Who is responsible for the condition of the sidewalks?
A: The owner of the property is responsible for the condition of the sidewalks. The City’s Department of Transportation is responsible to the condition of the streets.

Q: Have you seen the graffiti “9/11 Ha! Ha! Ha!” on Eighth Avenue?
A: No Brewer hadn’t. But she suggests calling 311 to report it. There is a graffiti team that paints over and removes graffiti.
A: Jack H says the Midtown North precinct is aware of it. Also advises calling 311 to get rid of graffiti?

Q: Can we get rid of the small freebie paper newsstands? They create litter and provide a surface for graffiti.
A: Brewer says she’ll have to think a while on that one. First Amendment freedom of the press makes it tough to get rid of newsstands.

Q: What’s happening with the construction site at West 55th and Eighth?
A: Several people in the group said they had heard the development company ran out of money. Brewer says there are regulations about so-called “stall sites” and how they should be capped off to make them safe.

Q: When will the new school in Riverside South be built?
A: It will likely take at least five years.

Q: What can we do about traffic at 57th and Ninth?
A: Brewer says she can help bring it to Dept of Transportation’s attention. There was discussion about whether the BA could write a letter asking for signage to turn the traffic onto 11th Avenue.

Q: Can you tell us more about the possibility of a hotel going up at the Windemere?
A: The Windemere is actually made up of two buildings. One will likely be apartments and the other a hotel. But the work that’s being done now is to shore up the structure and insides.

Tree Bed Clean Up

2010-03-28T21:23:00.011-04:00

We had a great time clearing the tree beds, collecting litter and watering the newly sprouted flowers last Saturday (March 20, 2010). 17-20 people came and we finished the whole block in under two hours. Thank you Charley K for donating the bulbs last fall!

Here’s what we’re hearing from folks on the block:

“Gary and I were glad to help. We appreciate so much what you guys are doing. The south side of our block went well and fast; cleaning out the tree beds. We thank you for your efforts to organize our efforts. Count on us for future projects.” -- Diana G

“Thanks for the fun.” -- Charley K

“Friends on the block, thank you for the tree bed clean up. It looks great. Sorry I was not able to attend.” -- Marilyn K

“The tree beds look great!!! Thank you.” -- Fred S

Check out some more photos at west55ba.org
Thanks Steph and Nick for the pix!

Billy hospitalized after fire

2010-03-17T12:09:00.004-04:00

The BA has learned that the elderly man who was injured in the fire early Monday morning was Billy, a block favorite especially if you had a dog. He is in the Cornell Medical facility with 2nd degree burns and smoke inhalation. He is critical but stable. We can all pray.

Smoky Fire at 326 W55

2010-03-15T01:21:00.003-04:00

At around 12:30 AM on Monday March 15, at least six FDNY fire trucks, including one from ladder company 4, responded to a smoky fire at 326 W 55. Residents who evacuated the building said there was lots of smoke in the hallways. No one heard any alarms. The FDNY helped an elderly man down the stairs and gave him oxygen. He was taken by paramedics to the hospital.

Sewer Collapse on Ninth Avenue

2009-11-14T12:42:00.003-05:00

Have you wondered about all the construction on Ninth Avenue between West 56th and West 55th? We talked with one of the construction workers, who said there was a sewer collapse beneath the street. They hope to have repairs finished in another couple of days. Meanwhile, all westbound traffic on West 55th must turn south on Ninth Avenue.

Hell's Kitchen Thieves Target iPhones and Aldo Shoe Stores

2009-11-11T08:44:00.001-05:00

NYPD Midtown North Community Affairs Meeting – Tue 10/20/09

Crime Report

Over all crime is down; however there are two areas of crime increase

-- Organized iPhone theft ring

-- Organized purse thefts targeting Aldo shoe stores

+ Solution: Be conscious of where you put your iPhone, purse and other personal belongings. Don’t leave items out where others can easily snatch them. Keep your eyes on personal items at all times. NYPD officers say perpetrators intent on committing crimes often look at potential victims like hunters tracking prey. So be aware of people around you.

NYPD Community Programs

The NYPD Community Affairs Council offers a number of outreach programs including:

-- Counter terrorism tutorials

-- Anti-graffiti and vandalism campaigns

-- Civilian observation patrol training

-- Youth programs

+ NYPD representatives are available to attend BA meetings to instruct residents on tailored solutions for increasing security and safety.

Midtown Community Court

Midtown Community Court targets quality-of-life offenses, such as prostitution, illegal vending, graffiti, shoplifting, fare beating and vandalism. As part of their sentences, low-level offenders are ordered to pay back the neighborhood through community service. The court works with local residents, businesses, social service agencies and community organizations.

+ Midtown Community Court is interested in partnering with the W 55 St BA and the Spring Planting could be an ideal opportunity.

Community Concerns – Traffic

-- New green spaces on Broadway and Times Square could be increasing traffic on side streets and avenues west of Broadway.

-- DOT green spaces survey does not adequately address community issues.

-- Too many commercial trucks and buses on residential side streets.

-- Honking.

-- Pedicabs illegally parked and chained on residential streets.

-- Cars and trucks double parking in bicycle lanes.

+ Solution: More traffic agents and ticketing means more revenue for the city.

+ Solution: Contact DOT, call 311,

+ Solution: Idling and Tour/Charter Bus Town Hall meeting, November 12, 7:00-8:30 pm, Hudson Guild, 441 W 26 St between 9/10 Aves.

Community Concern – Nuisance Issues

-- Bars are too loud, unruly patrons on sidewalks, urination, vomiting, illegal sidewalk cafes.

+ Solution: Call 311, Call NYPD, Call owners, Call liquor licensing boards. Call in volume and document efforts

-- Problem corner between Hale & Hearty Soup and parking garage

+ Solution: Contact owner about installing light

The Midtown North Precinct Community Affairs meeting is every third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM at the Fountain House, 425 W 47th Street

Remember to Vote On Tuesday, Nov. 3

2009-10-28T21:15:00.004-04:00

Help make West 55th Street a block to be reckoned with. Go to the polls next Tuesday.

A phone call to the New York City Board of Elections shows that 12% of the eligible registered voters on our block voted in the primary on September 15. In non-Presidential general elections, our turnout has usually been about 25% of registered voters. We can do better.

Politicians pay attention to regular voters. If more of us vote, we will have a stronger voice in the many decisions that come up after the election.

The mayor’s race is not the only contest that will be decided on Nov. 3. We are also being asked to vote on two amendments to the constitution of the State of New York—one has to do with building a power line in a forest preserve and the other would allow prisoners to work voluntarily for non-profit organizations.

If you live on the south side of the block, you will be voting on in the race for the 3rd City Council District with candidates Christine Quinn and Brian C. Merritt.

If you live on the north side of the block, you will be voting in the race for 6th City Council District with candidates Gale Brewer and Joshua Goldberg

We will also be voting for Borough President, Public Advocate, City Comptroller, District Attorney, a Supreme Court judge and two judges for the 3rd municipal court district. You can download a pdf listing all the candidates and proposed amendments by going to this url: http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/pdf/documents/boe/2009GeneralElection/CandidacyList.pdf

So no matter who you want to see as mayor of New York City, please vote on Tuesday!

The polling booth for the south side of the block (ED 006) is PS 111 at 440 West 53rd. The polling booth for the north side of the block (ED 007) is the High School for Environment Studies at 444 W. 56th. The Board of Elections has a handy poll finder on the web if you have any doubts.

And for those of you who are curious about the actual numbers . . .

West 55th between Eighth and Ninth Avenues is split between two election districts.

ED 006 is made up of the south side of West 55th, the west side of Eighth Avenue from West 54th to West 55th, the north side of West 54th and the East side of Ninth Avenue from West 54th to West 55th.

ED 007 is made up of the north side of West 55th, the west side of Eighth from West 55th to West 56th, the south side of West 56th and the East side of Ninth Avenue from West 55th to West 56th.

Go to http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/maps.html and click on Assembly District 67 to see a map of Election Districts for our neighborhood.

ED 006 had 1211 registered voters as of April 2009—of whom 725 were registered as Democrats and 160 were registered as Republicans.

ED 007 had 1205 registered voters as of April 2009—of whom 768 were registered as Democrats and 172 were registered as Republicans.

If you want to double-check these numbers or get the numbers for your own Election District, call the Candidate Records Unit at 212-487-5418 for the number of people who voted and 212-487-5315 for the number of registered voters.

Holiday Lights XXXI!!

2009-10-19T11:22:00.002-04:00

Thank you to all residents of West 55th who have donated so far to maintain our 31-year tradition of having lights in the trees to brighten the dark winter nights. As of Oct. 14, we have raised nearly $4,500 from 80 residents. Our goal is $20,000. We need about $12,000 to put up and take down the lights in half the trees on the block. The rest of the money will be used to pay for tree bed improvements, to plant flowers and for other projects that have been discussed at the general meetings. We are reaching out to co-ops and businesses in the neighbhorhood for donations as well.

Please make checks payable to THE WEST 55TH STREET BLOCK ASSOCIATION and send to Jack Herlihy (Treasurer), 340 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019. Or checks may be left with the doorman at 340 W. 55th, attention Mr. Jack Herlihy.

(We are working on getting a Paypal account so that we can get online donations in the future. A few details with the 501(c)(3) status need to be worked out first.)

Hounds of Hell’s Kitchen Pet Parade

2009-10-19T11:19:00.001-04:00

Be sure and come to the Hounds of Hell's Kitchen Pet Parade on West 55th at 6:30 PM on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. Jen and Mitch J. are organizing a great event and are looking for judges to hand out prizes for the best Halloween costumes.

Several volunteers came forward at the Oct. 8 general meeting to help out, but they can always use more help. They are especially looking for anyone who can lend them a portable stage. Contact them at jen[AT]houndsofhellskitchen[DOT]com

General Meeting Notes -- Oct. 8, 2009

2009-10-09T12:17:00.004-04:00

Notes from General Meeting: Oct. 8, 2009
West 55 Street Block Association
28 people attended

The meeting began at 7 PM and adjourned at 8:03 PM. Christine G moderated.

1. Treasurer’s Report (Jack H.):
$4891.59 – amount in bank
$3650.21 – amount raised since Sept. 23, 2009
$ 75.33 – petty cash
=======
$8617.13 – total

The donations so far are just over 18% of our $20,000 goal. We are going to do another solicitation wave in the hopes they pick up.

We also talked about transferring the Association bank account to Chase or Capitol One. The consensus was in favor of Capitol One.

2. Tree Lights – Nov. 16
Carl B. reported that we received the permit for hanging the lights and we have a proposal from SavATree with pricing for 18, 20 and 36 trees. 36 trees is probably too expensive.The idea behind lighting 20 trees is to be able to light both trees at either entrance to the block.

3. Hounds of Hells Kitchen Pet Parade. Jen and Mitch talked about plans for the Pet Parade on Oct. 29. Festivities start at 6:30 PM. They are planning for 45 pet contestants.
A couple of people had ideas for celebrity judges.
One person offered to lend some electrical equipment.
Jena and Mitch are still looking for a stage and volunteers to help.
They will make flyers available to building captains to put up in buildings.
Also, they invited the Block Association to have a table at the event.
Mitch wondered if maybe next year we might turn the HKK Halloween pet parade into a block party.

4. We gave Christy R a certificate of appreciation and a round of applause for all her work in filing for 501c(3) non profit status. The application has been filed with the IRS and we’re just waiting to hear back from them.

5. The general consensus was that we needed more information before weighing in on the issue 1291 B and B at 337 West 55th. The question was raised whether the building was certified for furnished rooms and if that allowed it to operate as a B and B.

6. We reviewed the latest developments about the MTA site at W 54th and Ninth. [See September 25 post on CB4 meeting for more detail or click on "MTA site" tag for all postsl.] The basic message from our 9/21 meeting with Community Board 4 members and others was that we may have more input on the type of building that gets put there but if we hold out for a park, we will get nothing. In response to this overview, residents said there were two things we should insist on: the building should be faced with Clinton red brick and not white brick or glass. The consensus was that there were already enough supermarkets in the area. Declan O, Steve L, Charlie K, Christy R all volunteered to help attend official meetings to keep us informed on this issue.

7. Christy R. met Borough President Scott Stringer, who said he would be happy to come to the tree lighting ceremony. Everyone agreed that was a good idea but we should also reach out to other elected officials and/or their representatives to come to meetings, e.g. Council member Gale Brewer, Speaker Christine Quinn, Sen. Tom Duane and Assembly member Linda Rosenthal.

8. Excessive honking on Ninth Avenue in spite of $350 fine. We will bring this up at the next meeting of the Midtown North Community Affairs meeting (every third Tuesday of the month) at Fountain House, 425 W 47th.

9. Jen J. and Stephanie S. volunteered to lead efforts to plan the holiday party on Dec. 9. We will also have non-religious caroling beforehand. Antonio C has the songbooks that were used in past years.

10. Andrew S. reported on the business flyers that he is developing. Steve L agreed to help with the layout and Carol P will provide feedback as a business owner. We might also consider having some events at local restaurants. If everyone has a special relationship with any of the businesses in the neighborhood, please let us know at west55ba@gmail.com if you would be willing to contact those businesses about possible donations.

CB4 Meeting on MTA site at W54th and Ninth

2009-09-25T10:29:00.004-04:00

On September 21, 2009, three members of the West 55th Street Block Association met with various government representatives to discuss the proposed development site at what is now the MTA parking lot on West 54th and Ninth. The City has asked to put a 115-foot building here. CB4 has proposed a building with sections that are 85 feet and 99 feet tall. Here are the notes Christine Gorman took from that meeting.

WHO:
Carl Bevelhymer – West 55th Street Block Association
Christine Gorman – West 55th Street Block Association (also recorded these notes)
Lisa Pinto – West 55th Street Block Association
Danielle DeCerbo – City Council, Land Use
Seth Berliner – State Sen. Thomas Duane’s office
Elisa Gerantianos – Community Board 4, Hell’s Kitchen Land Use committee co-chair
Robert Benfatto – Community Board 4 office
Kate Seely-Kirk – City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s office
Joe Restuccia – Community Board 4, Housing committee co-chair
Greg Monte – NY Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal’s office (District 67)
Lindsey Allison – NY Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal’s office (District 67)

WHERE: Community Board 4 (CB4) offices, 330 W. 42nd St., 26th floor

A. OVERVIEW
Carl, Lisa and Christine met with the people listed above to express the West 55th Street Block Association’s many concerns regarding the MTA site at West 54th and Ninth specifically and the larger issue of the development at the Hudson Yards and in New York City generally. Joe Restuccia did most of the talking and outlined the history of the project and gave us some background on what the zoning rules for the Clinton special district allow and don’t allow. His bottom line: “If we had advocated for a park here [at W 54th and Ninth], we would have gotten a much taller building instead.”

Carl, Christine and Lisa talked about:
• Our support for affordable housing
• How our block felt blindsided by the decisions CB4 made over the summer
• The way our block is increasingly being surrounded by tall buildings
• The worrisome precedent CB4 set in agreeing to a taller building to replace the MTA parking lot at West 54 and Ninth
• The need for more affordable housing at Hudson Yards
• Our environmental concerns about the MTA site.

With respect to how much happened over the summer when people were away, Elisa Gerantianos said that a lot of that timing was out of CB4’s hands and that by having the meetings in June and July, they hoped to reach as many people as possible. She apologized that we felt blindsided by the timing. Joe Restuccia pointed out that most of the big decisions about what to do with the site were made in 2005, when the Block Association was in a more quiescent phase.

B. UPCOMING DATES WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF
Oct. 5: The City Planning Commission is having a review session on the Hudson Yards that may include decisions about the MTA site. We need to check with CB4 to make sure.
Oct. 19: The City Planning Commission votes on zoning issues.
Date TBD in November: City Council decides whether to have a hearing
Date TBD in December: City votes on City Planning Commission’s recommendations

C. OTHER INPUT WE CAN HAVE

CB4 wants to know if we have any suggestions on
• Whether to push for a supermarket on the ground floor of the new apartment
• The shape of the building – which will have one section that is taller in the mid-block than on the avenue

D. BACKGROUND ON CLINTON ZONING RULES
We didn’t get into the variations that are allowed in the perimeter areas vs. the heart of the Clinton Special District, but here are the basic rules on height limits to keep in mind, according to Joe.

On Ninth and Tenth Avenues:
85 feet – height allowance for buildings
115 feet – height allowed if granted a special permit

Mid-Block residential areas
66 feet -- height allowance for buildings
99 feet – height allowed if granted a special permit

As a city agency, the MTA by right does not have to follow zoning regulations. However, it is difficult for them to bypass the zoning regulations from a political point of view.

Affordable middle-income housing means income from around $50,000 or less per year (single person) to $103,000 (for a family of four)

E. BACKGROUND – TIMELINE
2004 Fall – a map of potential affordable housing sites in Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton area is drawn up
2005 – Proposal to build West Side stadium fails
2005 – New Memorandum of Understanding for West Side rail yards includes MTA (54th and Ninth) and DEP (48th and Tenth) sites for affordable housing.

F. WHAT HAPPENED THIS SUMMER
The City’s Housing Department asked for a special permit that would allow it to put a 115 ft building on the MTA site. CB4 voted in July to recommend a building that is 85 feet on the Avenue and 99 feet for the midblock portion. The vote was not unanimous: about two-thirds of the 40 members in attendance voted for the motion and one-third against.

[For more on the July meeting, see notes taken by Block Association members at http://www.west55ba.org/node/35; http://www.west55ba.org/node/36 and http://www.west55ba.org/node/37; also Chelsea Now: http://chelseanow.com/articles/2009/07/30/news/doc4a71ca79bb121597774730.txt]

Height issues. Joe explained that CB4 asked for the higher portion of the building to be in the midblock area –immediately adjacent to the MTA building that is already there – in order to preserve the low-rise character of Ninth Avenue. They looked at the height of the buildings at 340 W. 55 (the Sherwood) and 350 W 55 to make the determination.

Precedent. Joe says this is the first time that CB4 has agreed to back the issuing of a special permit in Clinton. There were two other times in the past (1990s?) that they voted and fought against applications for special permits.

Developer. He says that no developer has been chosen to build on the MTA site. That’s a whole other process.

Other issues. The things CB4 is fighting against:
• The City’s original desire to build to 115 feet
• The shape of the building – with all the height on the Ninth Avenue side
• MTA’s surprise request to ask for 30,000 sq. ft in the new building for their own purposes.

G. POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY

The 2005 Hudson Yards deal (including the minimal affordable housing makeup) was pushed by then Governor Eliot Spitzer and Mayor Mike Bloomberg. The memorandum of understanding was signed by Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff.

H. OTHER

Robert Benfatto said he would send us a .pdf of the map showing the neighborhood and available areas for affordable housing that Joe kept referring to.

The Windemere (corner of W 57 and Ninth) has been sold and the five remaining tenants have all agreed to settlements in consideration of the harassment they were subjected to for staying. The new developer has agreed to 20% permanent affordable housing but will probably ask to add floors to the top of the building as part of a hardship case. This is allowable even though the building is landmarked.

Transportation Meeting and Report Tonight!

2009-09-22T09:58:00.004-04:00

From Council Member Gale Brewer's office --

WHEN: Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 6PM-8PM

WHAT: NYC Department of Transportation presents:

West Side Transportation Study Findings (from West 55 Street to West 86 Street)
* Existing Conditions Analysis
* Major Findings
* Community Issues &
* Preliminary Recommendations

WHERE: 899 Tenth Avenue (between West 58 and West 59 Streets.

Sponsored by the Office of Council Member Gale A. Brewer and Community Board 4 & 7, Manhattan.

For more information, contact Council Member Brewer's District Office at 212-873-0282.

Illegal Hotel -- Meeting on Oct. 1

2009-09-20T20:13:00.008-04:00

Tom Cayler sent the West 55th Street Block Association an email about the illegal hotel on our block. He gave us permission to reprint it on our blog:

"I work with the West Side Neighborhood Alliance Illegal Hotel Committee. Our mission is to close the rash of ill-hotels, as we call them, that have been cropping up all over town.

You have one at 335-337 West 55, we call it the Swiss Miss. I have been there several times. The Ill-Hotel Committee has placed several complaints through 311 on this location. It was given a violation for ill-hotel use back in 2007, but ECB, the adjudicating body has not heard the case yet. This is typical. I know the name of the person at ECB that you have to contact to stop these endless adjournments. A letter would be a good idea.

If you have the time, actually going to the hearing is a good idea, I have
been more times than I care to remember.

We have met with the Department of Finance (DOF) and are trying to get them involved in this location which is operating as a commercial venture with a residential Certificate of Occupancy. And I just asked Bob Benafatto at CB4 to please forward a complaint to the Department of Buildings from his office.

Our next meeting is on Oct. 1, Thursday, at HCC, 777 Tenth Ave.

It is a difficult problem, but we have now closed ill-hotels at:
460 West 46
461 West 43
354 West 39
526 Ninth Ave.
517 West 45

we have gotten violations placed at :
311 West 48
320 West 49

572 Ninth Ave., 336 west 46, and the Swiss Miss have resisted our efforts.
We are hopeful that DoF will be helpful as that will hit them where they
live, their pocket book."

The Best,
Tom Cayler

Annual Tree Lighting Campaign Kick-Off

2009-09-20T20:07:00.002-04:00

The West 55th Street Block Association is officially kicking off our annual fund-raising drive. Our goal is ambitious: $20,000. That’s $20 per person times the 1000 people we estimate live on the block. Your contribution will not only light the trees, but also fund the flowers in the spring and make new projects possible down the road.

Last year we faced a crisis – the loss of a tradition 30 years in the making. We launched a desperate Save the Lights fund-raising campaign. Neighbors came together, local businesses contributed, and collectively we raised enough money to meet our goal. By early December, the trees on West 55th Street were aglow. Three thousand tiny, energy-efficient incandescent lights added luminescent warmth to our community throughout the winter season.

This year we continue our effort, our tradition and our commitment to reshaping and improving the space in which we live. Our goal is to have the lights up by November 16-18. Professional arborists from SavATree, who worked with us last year, are eager and excited to continue our partnership. The West 55th Street Block Association will be organizing fund-raising activities and social events in the upcoming months culminating with a Tree Lighting Celebration on December 9th. If you love the tree lights, if you love living on this very special block in Hell’s Kitchen, please contribute to making your block even better. Light up the Block! –Carl Bevelhymer

Burglaries Down, Prostitution Up

2009-09-20T17:47:00.001-04:00

While burglaries are down in West Midtown, sex workers have become more visible in the morning in Hell’s Kitchen, according to NYPD statistics and eyewitness testimony from community members presented at the Community Affairs meeting of the Midtown North Precinct on September 15th.

Two factors account for the sudden increase in visibility: First, the police night shift that monitors much of this activity changes around 5am. Sex workers, clearly cognizant of police patrols, have adjusted their working hours accordingly. Second, there is an increase in high-rise construction developments in the vicinity and sex workers view construction workers as a perfect pool for clientele.

So what can be done? The Midtown North Precinct has organized a special task force to target sex crimes and will be altering patrol hours. If you notice nefarious activity, contact the West 55th Street Block Association (west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com), call 311 or attend a Midtown North Precinct Community Affairs meeting every third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM at the Fountain House, 425 W 47th Street. –Carl Bevelhymer

Development, Zoning Laws and West 54th and Ninth

2009-09-20T17:42:00.003-04:00

This is a short primer about real estate development, zoning laws and the MTA Site at West 54th and Ninth that has stirred up so much concern on our block. If you have anything information to add to our knowledge base, please let us know in the comments below. Or email us at west55ba[AT]gmail[DOT]com.

Our neighborhood is caught up in a development fight over what is going to happen at the Hudson Yards more than 20 blocks away in the West 30s. Over the summer, Community Board 4 acted to chip away at special zoning rules that make Hell’s Kitchen more livable. They voted in favor of granting a variance so that a 12-plus story building can go up at West 54th and Ninth (806 Ninth Ave.), which is now the site of an MTA parking lot.

What Happens Next. The West 55th Street Block Association testified against the changes at the public hearing of the Department of Planning on Sept. 9, 2009. The Planning Commission will issue a ruling later this year, then the Borough President comments on it and the City Council votes on the variance.

Zoning Preserves Our Neighborhood’s Character. Back in 1974, special zoning regulations were passed in order to preserve the low-rise, working and middle-class character of the buildings in the “Clinton Special District” (Eighth to Tenth Avenues, W 42nd to W 57th Streets). Those rules generally limit new buildings to six stories (66 feet) in midblock residential areas and seven stories on the Avenues.

The Attacks Begin. During the real estate boom, a developer sought to build an 11-story building at the site of an old chocolate factory at 321 West 54th Street. Community Board 4 and the West 55th Street Block Association successfully fought that bid. Today, Beta West is just six stories high. A few years later, a different developer quietly cobbled together air rights from other buildings in order to erect the 18-story Nicole building at 400 West 55th Street. All Community Board 4 could do was negotiate better setbacks and close the air rights loophole.

The Hudson Yards. This is the last big piece of land – about 26 acres – that can be developed on Manhattan’s West Side. The yards run west from Penn Station to Twelfth Avenue. By building a platform above the rail yards, you can put buildings on top of them. Naturally building such a platform is expensive. That is where the MTA site at West 54th and Ninth comes in. By putting affordable housing there (and at W 48th and Tenth), the Related Companies (the developer) hopes to avoid including much affordable housing at the main site.

Environmental Concerns. The soil and water under the MTA parking lot, which used to be a bus depot, is contaminated with petroleum, benzene and other volatile compounds. There is an open complaint (DEC Spill Case 96-13939) for the lot.

Breaking the Clinton zoning rules sets a terrible precedent. We want affordable housing but not at the cost of the height restrictions. What the neighborhood really needs is a park at 54th and Ninth! You can get updates on this and other neighborhood issues at www.west55ba.org/blog –Christine Gorman

Testimony on MTA site and Zoning Changes

2009-09-17T14:12:00.005-04:00

Four things to let you know about the MTA site at West 54th and Ninth and the plans for putting up a 12+ story building there.

-- Christine G. testified before the NYC Department of Planning last week against the zoning changes that would be needed to build where the parking lot is now. See below.

-- A couple members and staffers from community Board 4 have agreed to meet with Carl B. and Christine G. on Monday, Sept. 21 to hear the Block Association's concerns.

-- Christine G talked with both Gale Brewer (who represents the north side of West 55th street) and Christine Quinn (who represents the south side of West 55th street) about the MTA site.

-- Environment: The site is what's known as a brownfield site and is contaminated with petroleum and other organic products, including gasoline, benzene, xylene etc. An environmental impact study was done on the whole Western Rail Yard project (of which the MTA site is a tiny part) -- See especially chapter 12 with respect to MTA site at this link: http://nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/env_review/western_rail_yard.shtml

Caption: Members of City Planning Commission on Sept. 9, 2009

Testimony before the New York City Department of City Planning (September 9, 2009)
Christine Gorman, President, West 55th Street Block Association

Good morning. My name is Christine Gorman and I am the president of the West 55th Street Block Association. We have a wonderful community between Eighth and Ninth Avenues with 1000 residents and we have had a Block Association for the past 31 years.

We are fed up with the Clinton Special District zoning laws being continually chipped away at – not just in our neighborhood, but throughout the Hell’s Kitchen area. The latest example is the attempt to shoehorn much-needed affordable housing into an extra-dense, over-tall apartment building at West 54th and Ninth instead of making affordable housing a large and permanent part of the main Hudson Yards site.

Here is why we’re so angry:

• In 2002, a developer wanted to build extra stories at 321 W 54th near Ninth Avenue. Community Board 4 successfully fought that and no variance was issued.

• In 2004, the Nicole at West 55th and Ninth asked for a zoning variance. This time, the neighborhood lost an air rights battle and an 18-story building was built – although CB 4 managed to negotiate a setback.

• Now, just 5 years later, we’re hearing about plans to lift both height and density restrictions at the MTA site at West 54th and Ninth. The strategy is clear – if at first you don’t succeed in gutting the rules, try, try again.

• We are also very worried about the soil and water contamination that has occurred over the years at the Ninth Avenue site, which used to be a bus depot. Longtime residents remember when gasoline actually filled up the basements in buildings that were downhill of the site. A spill was discovered in 1997 and has been registered as DEC Spill Case 96-13939.

The City’s own environmental impact study cites extensive contamination with petroleum, benzene, xylene and other volatile organic compounds at the Ninth Avenue site. This will require soil removal and “appropriate vapor mitigation systems” –whatever they are – to protect workers and residents. And why should we believe that stirring up all those chemicals won’t cause a health problem?

Time after time, we are told it is better to cover up brown field sites like this one with plastic, clean dirt, grass and trees – not to stir up the chemicals underneath them. Why is the Ninth Avenue site any different?

We have seen what happens when regulators in the banking and insurance industries get too cozy with the groups they are supposed to regulate. Our nation’s entire economy nearly collapsed and still hasn’t recovered. We’re seeing the same problem now with developers and city planners.

There was a reason to preserve the Clinton Special District in 1974 and there still is one today. We strongly oppose granting any zoning variances for the site at W 54th and Ninth Avenue. What we need there is a park, NOT another overgrown apartment building that is too tall and too dense and doesn’t fit into the architecture of the surrounding neighborhood.

Zoning Hearing -- Sept. 9, 2009

2009-09-02T09:05:00.004-04:00

The Department of City Planning is holding a hearing about the Hudson Rail Yards development plan, which includes putting a 12-to-18 story apartment building with few-to-no setbacks on the site of the parking lot at W54th and Ninth. Folks from the West Side Neighborhood Alliance plan to testify at the meeting.

Sept. 9, 2009 from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Department of City planning hearing about the Hudson Rail Yards plan (including W 54 and Ninth).

Where: 22 Reade Street (Manhattan).

We have asked for more information from both Speaker Christine Quinn's office and the Housing Conservation Coordinators group that is trying to preserve safe, decent and affordable housing in Hell's Kitchen/Clinton area.

Related link: Testimony at Sept. 9 hearing on MTA site

Dog Abandoned on West 55th

2009-08-21T13:17:00.000-04:00

We are sorry to report that a small, black dog--about the size and look of a French bull dog--was abandoned on our block earlier this week. The dog was placed in a canvas bag with wheels and left in front of 305/309.

A small group of neighbors found him on a scorching hot afternoon and Jack H took him to the vet on W. 55th and Ninth. But alas, nothing could be done. The dog was either already dead or passed away shortly after arriving at the vet's office.

One person reported seeing a woman earlier on the block with a dog in a canvas bag but no one knows who she is or why she came here.

Sneak Peek at Our New Block Association Website

2009-08-19T12:37:00.004-04:00

Steve L has been teaching himself a computer language called Drupal, bless him, and has come up with a new homepage for our Block Association on the Web. We haven't launched it officially yet, but you can check out what Steve has done so far at west55ba.org. Thanks, Steve!

CB4 Asks City to Keep W 54 Building to 85 Feet

2009-07-29T21:46:00.005-04:00

Jane C went to the Community Board 4 meeting on July 15 as well and writes:

"Joe L and I went to the Community Board meeting last night and I was disappointed that only about 4 people were from this area....Most were from 49 to 29 St. The discussion was solely on 2 properties upon which the city intends to build low to moderate income ($40,000 to $60,000) housing. The meeting was about how high the buildings should be and how many apts could be gotten from different heights.

Joe, its head, and a gal who chaired the meeting were both fabulous and have been working with C. Quinn on keeping Hell's Kitchen (Clinton)'s buildings low to preserve a neighborhood with parks, light, etc. The 2 properties are West 54 St , 9th Avenue east to the MTA Building, and 10th Avenue, between 48th and 49th.

The discussion was in keeping the buildings on all Avenues at 6 stories and then increasing the height in the middle of the blocks. There were many configurations drawn up by the City* hoping that the Board would agree to 2 of these....the City Council meets this Wednesday and the Community Board will tell them that we would prefer a maximum of 66 ft high for 10th avenue and an 85 ft building maximum for the 54 St site.

They ran out of the proposed building heights' sheets so neither Joe nor I were able to get one...We each shared with others to look at them as they spoke. The City wants more affordable housing on the west side and obviously the lower heights takes away apts....About 70 people showed up. Everyone was allowed their opinions to be heard and a straw vote was taken of the Board which favored 85 ft for 54th and 66 ft for 10th ave."

More On Building at West 54 and Ninth

2009-07-29T21:35:00.006-04:00

Steve L attended the July 15 meeting of Community Board 4 regarding the proposed buildings at West 54 and Ninth and 48th and Tenth. He writes:

"I attended the first 1.5 hours of the meeting and have a few notes regarding the conversation on the MTA property at 54th st and 9th ave.
The buildings are to be 100% affordable housing. One building on 54th and 9th and one on 48th and 10th.
Affordable housing in this case is for moderate to middle income people - 80% to 50% of the median income, which in this case would be $45K-$85K for a single person or $70K-$103K for a family of 4.
The rules for this area allow 85' facing 9th ave and 66' on 54th st. Special permit allows 115' on 9th ave and 95' on 54th. (Ailey is 85'). The special permit has only been used twice since it was introduced in 1973.
There was a "surprise" request for 30,000 sr ft of MTA office space in this building. CB4 is requesting this be dropped in order to get more affordable housing units.
CB4 is requesting that the retail space designated for the ground floor on 9th ave be used for a grocery store.
CB4 is working with the neighborhood groups on a compromise that will get the maximum number of affordable housing units with minimal impact to the feel of our neighborhood and the 48th st/10ave neighborhood where the other building ins planned.
CB4 asked the city planners to provide some more options (attached) that illustrate the proposed buildings in different configurations at different heights. The illustrations attached also indicate the number of units estimated in the buildings.
Several of the attendees commented that the board and community at large should pressure for more of the units to be placed on-site in the rail yards developments (to much applause) and not to pressure the off-site buildings to be so large as to accomodate all the desired units.
Everyone is taking very seriously the height restrictions in the comminuty. The goal is to compromise and come up with a solution so that the city won't completely disregard us and just build what they want.
MTA is using sales from the rail yards project to fund NYC transit, so CB4 feels they have a "trump card" to argue for not having all the affordable housing units on site (they need to get the most out of their asset).
I'm sure there are some points I'm missing, but perhaps someone else who attended can fill in some gaps."

Extra Tall Building Planned for West 54 and Ninth

2009-07-29T21:31:00.003-04:00

Marily K writes:

"On June 16, I attended a Community Board 4 meeting regarding the Westside Rail Yards and Offsite affordable Housing in our neighbourhood. It turns out that there is very little affordable housing planned for the Rail Yards. Instead the city is seeking special permits at two other sites to raise the height limitation beyond what is allowed in the Special Clinton District. The first is the DEP site, bet 48th & 49th on 10th Ave, where they are proposing an 11 storey building with reduced green space in order to allow a larger access to the little used DEP tunnel.

The second site is the MTA site , at 54th and 9th Ave, where they are proposing a building 30 ft higher than the District allowance in order to accommodate more office space and parking for the MTA. For more and updated information contact CB4 at manhattancb4.org or call 212 736 4536."

NYPD community affairs meeting Sept 15

2009-07-29T21:09:00.003-04:00

The next NYPD community affairs meeting will be held at Tue 730pm Sept 15 at at 425 West 47th Street.

Hello World!

2009-07-29T19:35:00.003-04:00

This is the blog for the West 55th Street Block Association in New York City.