By Arthur Z. Schwartz On August 30, 2017, as promised, a lawsuit was filed to block the further closure of Beth Israel Hospital, and to restore the services already cut. The lawsuit, titled George Capsis et al v. Howard Zucker as Commissioner of the N.Y. State Department of Health, addresses the ruse pursuant to which
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Where Were You on 9/11?
By Dusty Berke “Juliana Valentine McCourt Age 4 VA flight 175 flew into God’s arms 9/11/2001” “Poppy was killed here” “This is for all the unsung heroes” “The silence of your absence is still hard to hear” These words are all inscriptions taken from Tiles for America, the makeshift community memorial that grew out of
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West Village Houses Today: The Garage Struggle
By Brian J. Pape, AIA Attending Community Board 2’s (CB2’s) full board meeting on July 20th gave me an earful of local news. Following up on previous West Village Houses (WVH) articles for our readers, the debate over the parking requirement for WVH at their 738 Greenwich Street Parking Garage at Perry Street was a
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Kill the Zombie Park Already Part IV: Put the Garden on the Roof
By Alec Pruchnicki Yes, put it on the roof. This is a complicated but not impossible process if both sides work together. There are rooftop farms (e.g., Rosemary’s restaurant), rooftop gardens (e.g., P.S. 41), and extensive green roofs with potential public access proposed for Essex Crossing at Essex and Delancy Streets. These and many others
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The Last Newspaper
By George Capsis Newspapers are quite naturally interested in other newspapers so, when one of them makes news, they all report it. That was the case with the demise of the print version of the Village Voice. On August 22nd, the new (only two-year) publisher, Peter Barbey, announced that they would stop printing on paper
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Amazon Buys Whole Foods and Cuts Prices
By George Capsis Oh wow! Amazon’s Jeff Bezos bought Whole Foods for $13.7 billion and, in days, he cut prices. What does that mean for us here in the West Village? I mean, I went to Whole Foods on 14th Street only once and found the prices forbidding (a jar of asparagus juice with three
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VID Leaders Forget Roots
By Arthur Z. Schwartz The Village Independent Democrats (VID) was born, nearly 60 years ago, out of a revolt against machine politics and the lack of democracy in the Democratic Party. One of their earliest moves was to run a fellow named Ed Koch against then-District Leader Carmine DeSapio for Democratic District Leader, a successful
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Why Do the Elderly Move?
By Alec Pruchnicki, MD I’ve worked at the Lott Assisted Living Facility (ALF) for over 14 years and have been involved in the care of probably over 500 elderly individuals. They all faced increasing difficulty staying in the community but did not need to be in a nursing home. At the urging of family members,
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The Riviera Cafe Dies but it is Not the Rent
By George Capsis “Oh no, not the Riviera,” was the reaction to the closing of this 47-year-old landmark defining the corner of West 4th Street and 7th Avenue, with its outdoor tables and the funny-leaning front door. So, Dusty and I went there to share a hamburger and asked the waiter to send over the
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Historical Commercial Rent Controls in New York City
By Brian J. Pape, AIA Contrary to common belief, there is still rent control for historic commercial buildings in New York City, as was reported at a recent Community Board 2 (CB2) meeting. Under discussion were applications for variances to allow Group 6 ground floor and cellar uses in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District, both
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Department of Buildings Shrugs as Megatowers Take Over New York City
By Nan Victoria Munger If you want to get to Carnegie Hall, you could practice a whole lot. Or, you could simply raise your eyes to the City skyline and head toward the ‘Billionaire Building,’ a 1,005-foot luxury condominium across the street from the legendary concert venue. One57 is one of many megatowers springing up
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Landlord of the Flies: Steve Croman’s Social Diary Is Empty
By Joseph Turco, Esq. Let’s gather what we know about the ever-sinking fortunes of the ‘Bernie Madoff of Landlords,’ Steve Croman. 1. In May 2016, just as his despicable son Jake went viral after calling an Uber driver “a minimum wage faggot,” little Jake’s dad, Steve Croman, was indicted on 20 felonies for lying on
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Pier 40 and Human-Powered Boating
By Sally Curtis The future of Pier 40 in Hudson River Park is once again on the table following the sale of its air rights to a developer for $100 million. The money will be used to replace the badly deteriorated piles, so the pier will no longer be in danger of collapsing into the
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Serve the Students, Not the System
By Sarah Quane Smyth In high school, I had a friend whom I greatly admired. She had a tenacious, almost ruthless drive towards success while maintaining a wickedly funny sense of humor and a bustling social life. She racked up debate trophies, got straight A’s, played sports, took on leadership roles, and had the general
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Market-less in the Village
By Robert Widmann My M14A bus pulled up to the light at 8th Avenue and—seated as I was, on the north-facing side—I found myself gazing into the darkened, empty frontage of the former Associated Supermarket. A quick twinge or two shot across my brow—guilt (two heavily laden bags of Trader Joe’s stuff sat beside me
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In the Dark: An Adolescence in Greenwich Village Movie Houses
By Barbara Riddle Apparently, Edward Hopper and I have something in common: We both loved going to the movies at the ornate Loew’s Sheridan, constructed on a triangle of land opposite St. Vincent’s Hospital. This movie palace, built in 1921 and ignominiously torn down in 1969, was often Hopper’s afternoon refuge and the subject of
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An Overview of Traditional Tibetan Medicine
By Helen Weisman In 2014, The Rubin Museum of Art presented Bodies in Balance: The Art of Tibetan Medicine. The show focused on visual representations of Tibetan medicine, from its earliest applications in antiquity to its presence in modern societies. Elena Pakhoutova, Curator of Himalayan Art at The Rubin Museum, says that Tibetan medicine is
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The West Village – Lookin’ Good on the Web
By W. Russell Neuman Have you ever wondered what the West Village looks like to the outside world? We know that the tourist buses stop at Carrie Bradshaw’s imagined home on Perry Street, at the very real Magnolia Bakery, and at the fictional ‘Friends’ apartment above the Little Owl on Bedford Street. But, if you
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London Terrace: A Brief but Storied History
By Alan Cohen Clement Clarke Moore acquired the land along 23rd and 24th Streets, between 9th and 10th Avenues, when his family estate—known as ‘Chelsea’—was divided among the separate clan members. By 1845, Moore built a row of Greek-style, individual town houses on the land. It was made to look like a single complex of
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George Schwarz – Doctor and Restaurateur with Strong Village Ties
By Caroline Benveniste I am sorry that I never met George Schwarz. From everything I’ve learned about him, he sounds like someone I would have liked quite a bit. Unfortunately, George died in December 2016. Recently, WestView Publisher George Capsis asked me to write an article about the man who had been a doctor at
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Urban Myth: Landlords Save Money by Keeping Spaces Empty (Part One)
By Steve Wilson Passing by empty storefronts and restaurants, Villagers can often be heard uttering the widely accepted urban “truth”—They (landlords) make money by deducting the high rents which they no longer receive. Leading local commercial real estate broker Brian Kanarek insists that landlords don’t make money on empty storefronts: “Landlords cannot claim a deduction
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Remembering Arlene Gottfried
By Ede Rothaus The life and death of Arlene Gottfried affected many people. In her work as a photographer she documented and chronicled the City she lived in and loved. Her work reflected her awareness of her hometown’s surroundings—who was living where and what they were doing. It was complicated, diverse, soulful, joyous, painful, spontaneous,
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George Capsis Adores Upbeat Author Moorea Seal!
On Saturday, August 19th, George Capsis celebrated Pink Olive’s Meet & Greet event series with featured author Moorea Seal. Over Molly Moon’s scrumptious ice cream, Seal signed copies of her third book, which arrived on the heels of her Oprah-endorsed bestsellers The 52 Lists Project and 52 Lists for Happiness. With a desire to empower
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Italytime Brings Cultural Events to the Village
By Jane Heil Usyk The basement of Our Lady of Pompeii Church is a vast, cavernous space where the Senior Center meets. In the summer, there are talks on great painters of the past and classes on painting restoration. Local political clubs and community boards also meet there. Now, there is a new addition, with
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Comic Gets to Keep Apartment
By Arthur Z. Schwartz For 40 years, David Heenan, who lives on West 8th Street, near 6th Avenue, has entertained people all over the world with his comedy routines. For 10 years, he was the house emcee at Dangerfield’s, and at NYC Improvisation. Heenan worked with Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and many more. Then, for the
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Bleecker Street in the 1950s
By Naomi Sager You didn’t have to speak Italian but it helped. The open-cart Italian vendors had their fruits and vegetables (very fresh, picked early that morning, or the day before) on display in wooden crates stacked on pallets tilted toward the sidewalk. It was okay to just point, pack the produce in your bag,
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Diller Island: The Continuing Saga
By Michael Gruen Opinions vary as to whether Pier 55 (a.k.a. Diller Island) is a desirable project. Does it benefit the public, and if so, do the benefits outweigh the harms? Many of us at The City Club of New York (City Club) have strong, negative feelings about the design and location of Pier 55.
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Stop the Closure of Beth Israel by August 11th OR WE WILL SUE
By Arthur Z. Schwartz The following is a copy of a letter sent to Howard Zucker, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, threatening suit over the closure of Beth Israel Hospital. (Note: The content of the letter has been slightly edited.) _________ Howard Zucker Commissioner New York State Department of Health Corning
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The How, When, Where of Joan McAllister
By Nan Victoria Munger “If I was a mayor,” wrote seven-year-old Shemarc, “all the homeless people would have a place to live.” In 2008, Joan McAllister created an anthology of poetry and artwork by homeless children in New York City, and Shemarc was one of the children featured. The anthology complemented a monthly publication Joan
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District 1 Council Contenders Wrangle on Development
By Nan Victoria Munger If politics is “war without bloodshed,” then the race for District 1 City Council is pure politics. Eight-year incumbent Margaret Chin is opposed in the Democratic primary by Aaron Foldenauer, Christopher Marte, and Dashia Imperiale, who suggest that she is too pro-development. (According to a Common Cause New York report, the
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Get to Know Your Neighbors – There are Heroes Among Us
By Ede Rothaus Next month marks the 50th anniversary of my living on Morton Street. So, I decided to try to get to know some of the people I have passed on the block or while climbing the stairs in my building. Recently, I sat down for the first time with my neighbor, Phyllis Jenkins,
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Tribute to Segovia
By Catherine Revland I had the pleasure of hearing Andres Segovia perform in 1977, when he was 84 years old. Although I was sitting toward the back of the concert hall, I heard every note he played. “How does he do that?” I thought, “this little old man?” Not by playing loud, I have learned.
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Down with the South! (Seventh Avenue South)
By Allyn Freeman Joyce Carol Oates once wrote, “She stayed in a loft on Vandam Street, below Houston; they’d met, for drinks, in a restaurant on Seventh Avenue.” Hoo-hah! No, they did not walk blocks uptown to find one of the few dining places north of West 14th Street on Seventh Avenue. Oates’ fictional character
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Air Bird & Birth
By Mary Alice Kellogg The cooing of Mourning Doves was the sound of my childhood, spent in the desert Southwest. I called them ‘Morning Doves,’ as their sound was not mournful to me, but sweet music. Moving to New York four decades ago, I missed that. But, as I adjusted to the City symphony, I
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The Play That Goes Wrong – A Gut-Busting Broadway Laugh Riot
By Robert Heide When I first arrived at the historic Lyceum Theatre for a Thursday evening performance, I headed straight to the box office to pick up my tickets. There, I was greeted by an attractive, smiling lady who, after a few minutes of searching and grumbling, told me that she had nothing, anywhere under
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From Hollywood to the West Village:A Homeric Journey
By Gordon T. Hughes, Jr. This article was born on a Monday morning when I met George Capsis in his wonderful backyard. And what a delight it was. After getting acquainted, George said, “You need to write a story for my paper.” That was quickly followed by, “and I don’t pay.” I was hooked by
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Remembering a Sculptor, and a Father’s Life in the Shadows
By Barbara Riddle As a born-and-bred “childhood survivor” of Greenwich Village in the 1950s, often engulfed in an almost-paralyzing nostalgia, I am drawn to any book title that promises revealing anecdotes or a new take on life in any Village subculture from the 1900s to the present. (A personal favorite is Anatole Broyard’s Kafka Was
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Why Destroy the Elizabeth Street Garden When a Vacant Lot Will Provide More Housing?
By Jeannine Kiely The City wants to destroy a park used by thousands of downtown residents and visitors in order to build a small number of affordable housing units. The Elizabeth Street Garden, which hosts hundreds of free community events, including movie nights, yoga, children’s crafts and story time, and an annual Harvest Festival, is
