As we reported a short time ago, parents from several schools that
could be impacted by Girls Prep's expansion plans held a news
conference earlier today. They were joined by State Assembly Speaker
Sheldon Silver and Councilmember Rosie Mendez. Here are some of the
highlights – first Sheldon Silver, then P.S. 20 PTA
President Monica Harris.
         
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State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and City Councilmember Rosie Mendez offered their support a short time ago to parents battling the Department of Education over a charter school's desire for more space. They were both on hand for a news conference called by parent activists from P.S.20, P.S. 188, P.S. 94 and P.S. 184. They are among the schools the DOE has been studying, as it determines where to locate the Girls Prep Middle School, which wants to expand. P.S. 184, the Shuang Wen School, was told today it is no longer under consideration. Parents from the school say, in spite of their victory, they will stay in a coalition fighting for an alternative that won't negatively impact any LES school. Silver, Mendez and the parents in attendance emphasized they're not opposed to Girls Prep's expansion plans – they simply don't want the charter school to grow at the expense of traditional public schools. Continue reading Silver, Mendez Stand with Parents Battling DOE
The Bowery Alliance of Neighbors has a meeting at the Department of City Planning today — to present its proposal for rezoning the east side of the Bowery. When the Lower East Side was rezoned last year, the west side of the historic street was included, but curiously, not the east side. Continue reading City Planning Hears Bowery Rezoning Proposal Today
Here's the latest on the controversy surrounding Girls Prep Charter School's expansion plan. Today, there will be dueling news conferences/rallies by parents on both sides of the contentious debate. A coalition, led by parents from several neighborhood schools that could be impacted by the expansion, go first — at 1pm. Then Girls Prep takes its turn, at 430pm, on the steps of City Hall. Meanwhile, the DOE has notified P.S. 184, the Shuang Wen School, that it is no longer being considered as a possible location for the Girls Prep Middle School. Continue reading Girls Prep Controversy: Shuang Wen Spared, Shelly’s Letter to Parents
The fallout from the City Council's defeat of the Kingsbridge Armory development deal. A reality check for mayor Bloomberg, says te Times:
Continue reading Bloomberg 3.0, More Girls Prep Chatter, Roaches Love the LES
Rep. Carolyn Maloney came to the Lower East Side this afternoon to present the Community Healthcare Network with a $1.3 million stimulus check. Catherine Abate, the non-profit organization's president, accepted the grant, saying it would enable the clinic to serve more than 4-thousand additional patients. Continue reading Maloney Presents LES Health Clinic with $1.3 Million Stimulus Check
By Traven Rice in Community Organizations, Politics on December 14, 2009 4:57 pm |
 Traven Rice in Community Organizations, Politics on December 14, 2009 4:57 pm | .3 Million Stimulus Check">0 Comments Just a couple hours away from CB3′s monthly melodrama, otherwise known as the SLA Committee meeting, it’s a good time to check up on New York’s most maligned state agency. Last month, Senator Daniel Squadron got an earful from Community Board 3 about continuing administrative problems at the State Liquor Authority.
But CB3 District Manager Susan Stetzer told Squadron, “we’re not even getting answers to operational questions… we appreciate that they want to be more efficient… but they can’t be too busy for us, because we’re part of their work.” David McWater, a member of CB3′s SLA committee and a bar owner, believes red tape at the SLA is still a huge problem. Nine months after he sold a bar on Houston Street the license still hasn’t been transferred to the new owner. Squadron said technological upgrades he’s been pushing would make a big difference. He promised to talk with Rosen if things don’t get better soon or, if necessary, call a hearing to grill the SLA about responsiveness.
The Post reports State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is backing Governor Paterson's unilateral budget cutting:
Pier 36, near Montgomery Street, the future home of Basketball City UPDATED 12/17, with additional remarks from CB3 member Anne Johnson. The 20-year battle for the future of Pier 36 on the East River is taking another strange turn. At issue: an agreement between Community Board 3 and Basketball City, a private company that signed a long-term lease for a section of the pier three years ago. Last week, three community organizations went before CB3′s parks committee, outlining changes to that deal they have independently negotiated with the company. Committee members were not receptive. In the original agreement, Basketball City owner Bruce Radler agreed to offer certain concessions to the community, including discounted court fees and access to public meeting rooms. The organizations, including GOLES and the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, became alarmed when the community board’s “stipulations” were not included in the Pier 36 lease (city policy bars their inclusion). They met with Radler on several occasions during the summer. Thursday night, GOLES organizer Joel Feingold walked the committee through a tentative, legally binding “Community Benefits Agreement.” Continue reading CB3 Committee Dubious of Proposed Changes to Basketball City Deal
Governor Paterson is cutting $750 million in scheduled payments to schools and social services. The MTA is set to announce drastic service cutbacks today. Pardon Me For Asking reports from Sen. Daniel Squadron's F Train town hall in Brooklyn. The Post: Regents expected to vote today on measure urging the Legislature to raise the charter school cap. State Assemblyman James Brennan critiques the mayor's education reforms. New York Magazine looks at Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein's "data troubles." New York Magazine asks: "What's wrong with gentrification?" Caught on tape: the Shelly & Dave show.
Open bar sponsored by Hornitos Tequila
The CB3 committee responsible for coming up with a plan for the redevelopment of the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area (SPURA) got back to work last week. Chairman David McWater (pictured) led the group in a conversation about largely uncontroversial urban design issues, pushing the most contentious topics into the background. Last month, he threatened to suspend the talks, raising concerns about a protest organized by affordable housing advocates on the committee. Having agreed to restart them, McWater vowed to focus first on the areas of agreement, as a way of building trust and a spirit of collaboration. The debate about affordable housing, the subject that has derailed so many other SPURA plans, will not be taken up until the end of the process, he said. Continue reading SPURA Talks Resume: Toughest Issues Set Aside, For Now
The number of stalled construction sites in New York City dropped slightly last month, from 531 (in October) to 515. We found out a bit more this week about one of those idled sites, 183 East Broadway, a project stopped by the Department of Buildings due to zoning violations. The developer, listed in city records as Wai Sun Realty, planned a 12-story/21 unit apartment building on a very narrow lot, just three doors down from the historic Forward Building. The owner sent a representative to CB3′s zoning committee Monday for a preliminary presentation, in conjunction with an application to the Board of Standards and Appeals. A “stop work” order was issued in the spring, after the DOB apparently concluded the “sliver building” would have exceeded height restrictions. Continue reading Owner of 183 East Broadway Seeks Zoning Exemption
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