The boundaries of the new region extend from Lafayette to the
Bowery and from East Houston to Worth Street.National designation is expected by December.The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and
Historic Preservation approved the designation
in an effort to recognize the unique contributions of Italian and Chinese
immigrants to the city as well as to provide financial stimulus to an area
still feeling the economic impact of September 11.“These two communities have been besieged since 9/11 and
have not yet recovered,” Papa said.
The district itself is not landmarked and there are no additional
building or height restrictions to adhere to, but the organizations expect the
new status will help guide future planning. It will also, they believe, attract
attention and hopefully contribute to an economic turnaround in the form of new
tourism and educational programs. There are already two museums in the neighborhood highlighting the duel
ethnicities: the Italian American Museum and
the recently opened Museum of Chinese in America.
The shared designation also honors the unique fact that while
there are other Chinatowns and Little Italys around the world, there is no
other integrated neighborhood like Chinatown and Little Italy in New York.
In honor of the consolidation of Chinatown and Little Italy as one official historic district, Two Bridges is
planning a celebration on October 18th to honor the ultimate symbol of Chinese
and Italian multiculturalism: Marco Polo Day.As Victor Papa pointed out, “Italians don’t know Marco Polo is Chinese; Chinese don’t know
Marco Polo is Italian.He was so
integrated into Chinese culture that the Kublai Khan used him as an emissary.He then went back to Italy to spread what
he knew.” Governor Paterson will read a
proclamation and the streets will be temporarily renamed “Silk Way” for the
day, a title meant to emphasize a cultural relationship that dates back over 700
years.
This afternoon, The Lo-Down stumbled upon Anthony Fontana, getting ready to open Stuffed Artisan Cannolis on Stanton Street (between Clinton and Attorney). You can follow the progress leading up to next Thursday's opening on their "sweet" blog, as well. Our mouths are already watering. We can't wait for cannolis!
In today's edition of the Downtown Express, City Councilmember Alan Gerson, defeated in last week's Primary by Margaret Chin, talks about his future plans. Gerson still has not conceded – and apparently won't do so until next week. There have been rumors in downtown political circles that he could run as an independent. Here's how Julie Shapiro reported the story:
Gerson… said many people have asked him to run in the general election on a different party line, “but I have no plans to do that.” He did not rule out the possibility and said he would have more specifics when he makes a formal statement on the election sometime next week. As Gerson greeted supporters after a City Council hearing Monday, he reassured people who said they would miss him. He appeared to be accepting his defeat and said he would remain active Downtown. “No, you’re not going to miss me,” he told them. “I’ll be around.” Gerson, 51, told Downtown Express his only definite plan for the future is to take his first vacation in eight years. After that, he is considering opening a community-based legal practice, working for a foundation or nonprofit or possibly joining a city agency. Gerson said earlier this year before his campaign began that he was most interested in agencies focusing on housing, the environment or education. Gerson said his exit from the Council will give him more time to focus on the issues facing Lower Manhattan because he won’t be so bound by politics. But he also added, “I would not be surprised if there are future campaigns on the horizon.”
Last night, State Senator Daniel Squadron
held the first of four conference calls to update constituents on
progress made pursuing his top priorities in Albany. It was a followup
to the district-wide community convention he held back in March. During the
call, Squadron said the MTA's review of the F Train, which he
requested, will be released next Thursday.
The New York Post picked up the story today, noting that one
constituent in particular made a rather strong case to our new senator:
Elizabeth Weinstein — Squadron’s better half — was among the many
constituents who complained to him about the often interminable wait
and overcrowding on the F train. “My wife, actually my fiancee at the
time, made a big point about highlighting how the F train has gotten a
lot worse,” Squadron revealed. Where once it was a bearable
commute, the past decade has seen a steady ridership increase along the
F line, making rush hour a test of will, and the limits of bodily
contortion.
During the conference call, Squadron gave updates on various
transportation and open space issues. He mentioned his support for the
community-driven effort to give Luther Gulick Park on Delancey Street a
facelift. Constituents who took part in the call were able to ask
Squadron questions. The next call takes place next Wednesday at 530pm.
Among the issues to be addressed: challengers posed by nightlife,
public safety and construction – as well as zoning, neighborhood
preservation, worker rights and jobs. Click here for information about how to call in.
Also, Squadron will be holding a back-to-school forum this coming Tuesday at:
Saval Auditorium, St. John's University
101 Murray Street (between Greenwich and West Streets), 6pm.
His web site says: "Come out and talk with
Senator Squadron along with parents, educators, and community members
about our local schools and to highlight challenges and priorities for
the coming school year. Please RSVP to: wuest@senate.state.ny.us, as space may be limited."
Check out the video below if you'd like to hear last night's conference call:
This one might not bring a tear to your eye, but hopefully you'll be amused by Mitch Weinstein's sad plight. I know I was. You see, perched 15 stories above Seward Park, Mitch (our food contributor) might be losing something very precious.
By Mitch Weinstein/tastytravails.blogspot.com
New Yorkers are fairly fond of their views. At least those who have
some. But views in New York can be fleeting. And they're certainly
always changing. That's why when I'd heard that Gouverneur Healthcare Services was getting ready to undertake a rather massive expansion program, I started to get nervous about one of our four teensie views of the East River.You
see, Significant Eater and I live on the 15th floor of our building. We
fell in love with our apartment when we first walked into it six years
ago, because of the views and "the light." SE and I can see four slivers of the
river from our bedroom window. Slivers, mind you, with the Manhattan
Bridge just visible in the background. This is a view that
over time is likely to change, just as the skyline all around the lower
east side is changing. Tall buildings, Blue building, Gertel's building, every time I hear of a new project, I wonder how our "light" is gonna change.
So, after looking at the renderings for the new expansion, I started to get really worried. I mean, take a look see…
That
thing is huge. So, I got out my protractor (yeah, like
anyone uses one of those), and started calculating vectors and shit,
just to figure out if one of (maybe my favorite) slivers was going
to disappear. And for a
year, all they were doing was foundation work. But then, it started to
grow up…and here's a diary of photos…
Margaret Chin, the Democratic nominee for City Council/District 1, endorsed two candidates who are battling to win the Democratic runoff election next Tuesday. In a midday rally at Chatham Square, she announced her support for Public Advocate candidate Bill de Blasio and Comptroller candidate John Liu, the first Chinese American elected to the City Council (representing Queens). The event was another indication of Chinatown's growing importance in New York City politics. Chin, 4'11", got off the line of the day, standing next to de Blasio, 6'5".
There will be an opening reception for an exhibition featuring documentarian and community activist Clayton Patterson this evening at Alife Presents (7-10pm at 157 Rivington Street). The exhibition, in association with KINZ + TILLOU FINE ART, focuses on Patterson’s 30-year documentation of the Lower East side and it's dramatic transition. The exhibition features select photographs; a digital showcase of Patterson’s Front Door portraits; “The Documentarian”, and a short from the widely acclaimed recent feature-length documentary, Captured. From documenting the 1988 Tompkins Square Park Police Riot—which earned him both jail-time and "Oprah airtime" — to photographing individuals posed in front of his gallery door on Essex Street, Patterson is known as the "eyes of the Lower East Side".
In a feature on the city's ideal neighborhoods, Time Out New York says the LES is the city's ideal arts community:
Right now at least, the Lower East Side’s art scene is recapturing the
excitement of Soho circa 1978, according to Matthew Lyons, curator of
the Kitchen in Chelsea. “What sets the neighborhood apart is that there’s a truly collaborative
spirit that builds partnerships and creates synergy as an artistic
community,” he says. “This is rare among artists.” And thankfully, he
adds, the area has a long way to go before it’s as gentrified as Soho… As far as our experts are concerned, this is artistic
community at its best.“For a neighborhood on the cusp of
discovery, the artistic flavor has an old ring to it—artists have lived
here for a long time,” says (Anne) Pasternak (of the non-profit, Creative Time), pointing to a history of Beat
poets and theater communities. “Now the old energy of places like the
Bowery and other fringe areas is converging with the new.”
The Knickerbocker Village blog has a photo gallery from last night's book party celebrating the revised edition of Joyce Mendelsohn's, The Lower East Side Remembered and Revisited." Lee-Sean Huang's Flickr page also has some pictures from the event.
Serious Eats pens a love letter to Bacaro on Division Street.
"Tenement Talks", hosted by H.R. Britton this evening, includes four professional storytellers
who will recount their experiences as urban children or tell us how they raised
their own kids in the big city. Performers include Robin Bady, Jane LeCroy, DJ Hazard, and Tracy Rowland. Audience members are invited to
share their own three-minute tales." The talk starts at 6:30p at the Tenement Museum (108 Orchard). FREE
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