Chris Bors and Ketta
Ioannidou, Cuz Opposites Attract, 2009,
oil and acrylic on canvas, diptych, 43” x 68”
The Educational Alliance Art Gallery will open their show, The Better Half: Artist Couples on Display this evening at 6pm. The show represents young artist couples who are balancing careers, creating art and being married to another artist. A diversity of backgrounds and artistic approaches are represented.
Artist couples featured in the exhibit include: Chris Bors and Ketta Ioannidou, Daniel Davidson and Tricia Keightley, Jennifer Burbank and Chris Coffin, Linda Ganjian and Jesse Lambert, Liz-N-Val, Donald Porcaro and Leslie Wayne.
The Lo-Down will have a video feature tomorrow with some of the artists and the curator, as well as footage from the opening this evening.
City officials updated members of Community Board 3 last night on the ongoing transformation of the Allen Street pedestrian malls. The Parks and Transportation Departments are in the process of installing new benches, landscaping, bike lanes and turn signals. The project spans from Houston Street all the way to the East River.
DOT spokesperson Colleen Chattergoon said new signals are being installed this week – and that it would take about two weeks to finish that part of the job. Members of CB3's transportation committee agreed that it didn't make much sense to evaluate the effectiveness of the changes now – they asked the city to come back six months from now for a full review.
Some CB3 members and LES residents did express concerns about the project. Among the complaints: the planters that have been moved into place between the islands, preventing some streets from automobiles seeking to make turns. One CB3 member was concerned that these mall "connectors" make it impossible for emergency vehicles to get through. Chattergoon countered that firetrucks and ambulances are permitted to cross Allen by driving up on the curb. Saying "we have revisited this issue again and again," she declared "the mall connectors will remain."
There was also some discussion about changing the hours in which trucks are allowed to make deliveries to businesses, especially in the vicinity of Hester Street. Some business owners have said trucks have no room to unload because the expanded bike lanes have reduced the amount of room they have to maneuver.
Chattergoon dismissed the suggestion that the DOT has not done enough to communicate the changes to the community. A check of the DOT's web site turns up a rather confusing document (Download Allenpike-1), outlining the project's details. There's a somewhat less bewildering explanation accessible on the community board's web site.
City Council candidate PJ Kim has picked up the endorsement of New York Press:
This
district—which includes the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Battery Park
City, Tribeca and the Financial District—has seen some of the most
intense development (as well as conflicts) since Councilmember Alan
Gerson took office in eight years ago. While the incumbent has tried to
effect change during his tenure—and remains supportive of many progressive
developments affecting nightlife, affordable housing and schools—there
have been too many stalled projects, divisive decisions and a lack of
leadership or vision to benefit the area’s diverse populations.That is
why we feel it is time for a new era in Downtown politics, and why we
support Jin “P.J.” Kim for City Council District 1.We applaud Margaret
Chin, the most seasoned competitor in the race, who has spent close to
40 years as an activist for many of the neighborhoods, but we feel she
is still mired in the politics of the past. Kim, a South Korean
immigrant with degrees from Princeton and Harvard Business School, is
the face of the changing district. Although he has lived in the
district for a smaller amount of time than the other candidates, he has
broad knowledge of the issues facing many of the residents and brings a
professional and disciplined approach to fixing these problems. He’s
worked in the private sector and recently used his skills to assist
antipoverty programs. Many of the historic rifts between ethnic and
economic factions stand a chance to be reconciled with Kim, a new face
in local politics whom we feel has a long and bright future ahead of
him. We wholeheartedly endorse PJ Kim for City Council District 1.
Crain's looks at how New York's family-owned businesses survive. Among those profiled: Moscot Opticians, which started with a pushcart on Orchard Street.
Are they serious? A new HBO show is casting (via Craigslist) "Tattooed Hipsters, Indie Rockers, and Lower East Side Hispanic Types."
Five days away from the New York City's Primary Election, City Council candidates are missing no opportunity to meet potential voters. Now that the summer is over, they have many new venues in which to press the flesh: the city's public schools. Yesterday, Margaret Chin stopped by P.S. 142, The Amalia Castro School, on the Lower East Side.
At the very same time, the guy she's trying to unseat, Councilmember Alan Gerson, was touring the school with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. A news release from Chin's campaign emphasized, "Margaret is the only female candidate running in District 1, and the only one who put a child through public school. She is also the only candidate with a background in education. Only 17 of 51 members of the City Council are female, and that even fewer have children in our public schools."
A day earlier, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, visited the Manhattan Charter School, which shares the building with P.S. 142.
Yesterday on the steps of City Hall, District 1 City Councilmember Alan Gerson won another endorsement, that of Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum. They were joined at the event by members of Workers United, Local 23-25. A press release from the campaign said, “The New York Times described (Gerson) as an “honorable public servant.” True – yet the Times endorsed one of his four challengers, PJ Kim. Here’s what Gotbaum had to say:
We’ve been following the campaign by a newly formed community group to give one of Manhattan’s most blighted public spaces, Luther Gulick Park, a face lift. Sunday afternoon, they’re hoping to draw a broad cross-section of the neighborhood to the park (Delancey and Willett Streets) for a “Community Day“. There will be activities for the kids, entertainment and tree maintenance demonstrations. One of the organizers, Dave Russo, says the underlying message is this: it’s time to reclaim the park after decades of neglect.
Diseased trees were cut down 10 years ago. Benches and tables were removed due to complaints from residents about late-night noise. Weeds are now protruding from the cobblestone. During a meeting back in June, about 75 residents tossed around design ideas. A few weeks later, Councilmember Alan Gerson contributed $400-thousand of the $2 million it will take to complete the project.
Grand Street resident Dave Bolotsky is the driving force behind the group – Friends of Gulick Park. Earlier this summer, he told me the project isn’t just about sprucing up a dreary urban space. After years of witnessing contentious battles in the neighborhood over countless issues, he was convinced of the need to help galvanize the community. He believes the park project is something everyone can get behind.
The group is now 120 members strong. It includes co-op residents but also people who live in other areas, including the Baruch, Wald and Riis housing projects. The organization wants to be as inclusive and diverse as possible. Sunday’s event is a step in that direction. Dave Russo says there will be handball and basketball tournaments, face painting, oragami, gardening demos, free bike checkups and live music. Numerous elected officials have been invited to attend.
A few weeks ago, we asked Councilmember Gerson about funding for the park. He vowed to push the project through, saying it is important to end “years of neglect.” The Parks Department signaled to the community that they needed at least $1 million before design work could begin. But Gerson said city officials told him they could get started right away.
If you would like to join the Friends of Gulick Park, you can be part of their Google Group.
Here are the details of Sunday’s community day:
Sunday, September 13th
1-4pm
Luther Gulick Park (on Delancey Street, at Willett Street)
Follow the Discussion