The morning rush was a nasty one. Flooding in several subway stations caused train delays… city buses are running behind… flights are backed up at all three airports. On the bright side, forecasters say the rain will taper off around noon and we might even see the sun this afternoon. Tomorrow: sunny with a high near 70.
With any luck, the weather will cooperate with our friends at the Hester Street Collaborative, who are unveiling their temporary art installation on the Allen Street pedestrian malls today (see above). UPDATE 1038AM: We just heard this event is postponed!
In the news, Curbed digests third quarter reports from Manhattan’s big real estate firms. The bottom line: more apartments are selling at a higher price (the median price for a Manhattan home ranged from $890,000-914,000). The Wall Street Journal discovers a “newly trendy pocket around Hester and Essex streets.” The Times reports: “The number of New York City public schools earning an A on the city’s A-to-F school report cards has plunged.” Accompanying the story is a handy web tool allowing you to look up the “report card” from any neighborhood school.
EV Grieve says neighborhood activist John Penley is planning a protest against Community Board 3’s push to limit concerts in Tompkins Square Park. Scoopy writes about a guy we’ve been seeing at community meetings lately, Matt Viggiano (Councilmember Margaret Chin’s new director of land use and planning).
Rep. Carolyn Maloney is one of City Hall News‘ winners of the week: After defeating challenger Reshma Saujani in the Democratic Primary, “…she finished the month by celebrating the long-awaited passage of the Zadroga Act, which she has championed almost since the Towers fell… Maloney made clear… she’s not going anywhere and that she’s not, in fact, a slouch when it comes to getting legislation passed.”
DNA Info talks with Victor Osorio, owner of Inwood Dominican restaurant/night spot Mamajuana, who’s opening a second location in the old Tonic space on Norfolk. Noting that there have been noise complaints uptown, he said of the Lower East Side location, “Down there, from what I see, there’s a lot of nightlife activity… So we’re not expecting to have any problems with the community.”
Business Week looks at the rivalry between Groupon and Open Table, focusing on LES restaurant, The Essex: “To fill his 150-seat restaurant in an economy that can spoil anyone’s appetite, The Essex’s owner, David Perlman, has turned to Internet coupons.”
Coming up today, the latest on the Chinatown Working Group, which will likely choose new interim leaders next week, and may very well take the rest of the year to focus on restructuring, rather than on submitting a long-range neighborhood plan to the city. Plus we’ll have our Weekend Guide.
Enjoy the weekend – and stay dry!
