—Happening Today: Don’t forget about tonight’s 65th Assembly District candidate forum, likely your last chance to see all four contenders in one place before the April 19 special election. Asian Americans for Equality, the Educational Alliance and Chinese American Voters Association have organized the event at the Manny Cantor Center, 197 East Broadway. It takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Our own Ed Litvak will be the moderator, joined by reporters from World Journal, China Press, Sing Tao Daily and SinoVision. We’ll be covering issues of specific importance in Chinatown, but will also address other general topics.
–More details about the subpoenas issued by the state AG in the Rivington House case. Metropolitan Valuation Services received a subpoena, said Martin Levine, the firm’s chairman. But Levine added that his company did not actually perform an appraisal to determine how much Allure should pay the city to have deed restrictions lifted. “We certainly don’t want the real estate community to think we came up with that price… That means the city came up with (the $16 million) number on their own. That’s kind of scary.” Also, a source in the attorney general’s office said Allure never sought permission from the state to sell the property. [Politico New York]
–After approving an interior demolition permit, the Department of Buildings has now placed a stop work order on 45 Rivington St., the former nursing home facility. [EV Grieve]
–The mayor came to Tompkins Square Park yesterday to announce a new program to help the homeless. During the news conference, a homeless man was removed from the park. [Observer]
–Judy Rapfogel writes a letter to a federal judge, asking her to go easy on Sheldon Silver, Rapfogel’s former boss. She wrote: “I realize that Shelly was convicted and that the nature of his crimes suggests that he cheated or betrayed New Yorkers (but) “In my years of working with him, I have never known him to do anything other than work for the best interests of the people. He has always cared for and worked to help all New Yorkers. I ask that you take all of his good works into consideration when you sentence him.” Silver’s sentencing has now been pushed to May 12. [Times Union]
–Two muggings occurred in Chinatown on Monday night. [Channel 4]
–“Why New York’s most important art district is the Lower East Side.” In the last couple of years, “a broad swath of galleries—blue-chip galleries, established Chelsea dealers, European galleries, artist-run galleries, young curatorial projects, and deep-pocketed self-starters among them—have taken the plunge and moved downtown.” [Artsy]
–Dealers are interviewed about why they chose to open galleries on the Lower East Side. [Mutual Art]
–Pete Wells reviews Le Turtle, the Lower East Side’s trendiest new restaurant; “Sit inside Le Turtle, and you can almost hear a new page in Manhattan dining turning over. ‘Almost’ because you can’t hear much of anything above the Eurodisco and the Francophone covers of Nancy Sinatra and the Beach Boys.” [New York Times]
