As a developer, Steve Witkoff spoke before the Charles Street Association guests in the elegant 150 Charles showroom. He smilingly confessed that he was indeed a “Villager,” living here after law school, frequenting the Bagel Shop on West 4th Street and now will be returning as a tenant to what may be the most elegant condominium in the West Village.
He repeated that he wanted to be a “really good neighbor” and that he was open for meetings, even in his new apartment, and was receptive to all suggestions as to how Charles Street might be improved.
Witkoff has already agreed to a matching grant of $1 million to stimulate gifts, from the several billionaires that now live or are moving into the West Village, to build a new hospital.
I was allowed to repeat my arguments that on average, in Manhattan we have six hospital beds for every 1,000 residents. However below 14th Street, all the way to the Battery, we have only half a bed and perhaps only 15 minutes to live after a heart attack. Many West Villagers will not, in traffic, make it to a distant, overcrowded emergency room.
Witkoff has requested a clinical argument for a new hospital that can be shown to major donors, which is in the works.
“Hey, I may be in need of that emergency room,” offered Witkoff.
