By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP Every year in June, West Village Houses (WVH) elects the entire board to a one-year term. This June 26th election saw several members leave and new members join the board. As our readers know, the issues facing the 420 shareholders, in the 42 buildings of WVH lining the west
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Feds To NYCDOT/MTA—Hold Up On 14th Street Plan! DOT Says—Do It Sooner!
The last month we saw lots of conflicting information released about the plans developed by the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), to address the impact of the April 2019 shutdown of the L Train for a (“planned”) 15-month repair of the Canarsie Tunnel between Manhattan and Brooklyn. The developments
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Mayhem in Little Tijuana
On Sunday, June 24th, after the 49th Annual Gay Pride Parade in the Village at midnight, at the corner of 6th Avenue and West 4th Street, a frightening and raucous mélee broke out. A large mob of loud, boisterous people, drunk or on drugs, acted out what the police sometimes refer to as ‘wilding.’ Everyone
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Correction
A reader residing in West Village Houses pointed out a phrase in the last paragraph of June 2018 article “West Village Houses Rally for Preservation” (Pg. 6) that needs correction: “In 2002, WVH was sold under the (HDFC) cooperative Programs to 380 of 420 tenants for about $150,000; the Program included a 25% “flip tax”
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Advocates Stop Mitchell Donian’s Eviction
Mitchell Donian, 87 years old, called George Capsis on May 30, extremely upset. After living at 204-210 West 10th Street for 60 years, his landlord, Village Rose LLC, an absentee landlord, was threatening him with eviction because his apartment was cluttered. George said: “call Arthur, he will help you.” So Mitch, who I have known
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Shelter Life and the Struggle to Exist
Living in a homeless shelter is as bad as one can imagine. It is a life of regimen, with often very little in return. As a caseworker, working in this environment has more let-downs than you can imagine. One client has done all that was required of him; he started working and obtained an open
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“A Magical Moment”
Ralph Lee takes the stairs whenever possible. At 84 years old, he climbs six flights from his own apartment on the 4th floor of WestBeth Artists Residency to visit a friend and collaborator on the 10th floor. There’s not a bead of sweat on his forehead, not even a hint of a gasp. He might
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Romo the Road Warrior, A.K.A Mr. Magic, Also my Dad
The following is a speech given at a memorial service for Ron Morris, longtime West Village resident: One of the things my dad valued most in this life was friendship, and I know he’d be delighted that such a wonderful community of friends convened here tonight to honor and remember him. He was a great
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Briefly Noted
Sylvia Ross-Epstein Sylvia Ross-Epstein, 82, resident of West 4th Street since 1968, passed away Friday, March 9, 2018. She was born August 25th, 1935, in Statesville, North Carolina to the late Clarence Ross and Sarah Johnston Ross. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Martin Epstein; sons, Jeffrey Ross
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Update on Caregiver Support Program
The Elderly Support Group is a self-help group which provides support, resources, and an opportunity to connect with other caregivers of the elderly. We are now pleased to provide additional contact information for caregivers who wish to join the Elderly Support Group. The group meets at Lenox Health Greenwich Village (Northwell), located at 30 7th
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End Robo Calls
Just out of the tub, soaking soapy wet, the phone rings and I step with pain-wracked knees in fear of falling to the demanding ring ring only to discover that it is a robo call. Okay, this has to end. The only way robo calls will end is if the sender must pay a penalty
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Donations Welcomed at the Church of the Village
For several years, on a weekly basis, I have been dropping off extra food to the Church of the Village. This began when I passed a long line of hungry New Yorkers awaiting meals at Daisy’s Food Pantry, which is offered by the church. Located at 201 West 13th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues,
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Can a Landmarked Church Be Turned Into Condos?
Hi, Andrew. I know this happens. I know of two examples. But I don’t know exactly how a developer can fill a landmarked church exterior with condos, even though it’s been done. Do you have knowledge of this? I am writing an article for WestView on the conversion of St. Veronica into a concert hall.
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Memory As a Bureaucratic Tool
When Corey Johnson was first running for City Council, he came to 69 Charles Street and asked if WestView would support him. I explained that we did not support candidates but that he could write an article expressing his views. He did just that and then, to our surprise, his mother and aunt showed up.
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In Memory of Joan Simons Constantikes-Agnew
Summarized by Anne Olshansky When I started in corporate communications at IBM, they gave me a secretary to share, Joan, who announced that she was dating a Greek lawyer, whom she later married. Joan discovered my brother, John Capsis, in the Westport Phone Book, and the two families became fast, number-one friends. –George Capsis Joan
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Exhibit on Race Riots
By John Gilman In 1967, there were major race riots in over 40 cities across America, including Newark, Detroit, Chicago, and Oakland. An unusual exhibit commemorating these devastating events, and also the 50th anniversaries of the founding of the Black Panther Party (1966, in Oakland) and the White Panther Party (1968, in Detroit), opened in
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Developers Shrug Off Debris at 11 Jane Street
Dear Editors: Several months have gone by since the scaffolding appeared at the 11 Jane Street Garage. This has led to an accumulation of garbage, rat traps, dog feces, plastic bags, leaves, and other detritus, plus the occasional sleeping homeless person. The sidewalk is unhealthy, unsightly, and disgraceful. Thankfully, the superintendent from 31 Jane Street
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A Serious Mistake
We made a serious error in the October 2017 issue of WestView News, which warrants several comments. In “Jim Fouratt’s Have You Heard?” article, he stated: “While St. Vincent’s Hospital was on high alert that day, not one injured person was brought to the hospital during the 9/11 disaster.” This statement was incorrect. After publication,
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Corrections
We need to correct two image credits in the October 2017 issue of WestView: In “Diller Island is Dead” (page 1), the composite rendering is by © Joel Gordon 2017. In “Your Own Concert Hall” (page 1), the photo triptych is by © Joel Gordon 2017. In the October 2017 issue of WestView, the photo
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Obituary: Bernadyne M. Pape
Bernadyne M. Pape (née Eckl), 96, passed away in her sleep at home on Sunday, September 3, 2017, surrounded by her loving family. Mrs. Pape is the mother of Brian J. Pape, a Westview News contributor. She married Norman E. Pape (1919-1994) at Zion Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 17, 1941. They moved
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Legal Thriller Explores the Gritty World of Brooklyn’s Criminal Justice System
Woken in the middle of the night by a call from a panicked woman whose husband had just been arrested, Ken Williams, an African-American attorney based in Brooklyn, is drawn into a murder case that turns out to be more complex and dangerous than he bargained for. Powerful political forces are at work, sending innocent
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Thoughts on the Skeletal Remains of the City’s Abandoned Bikes
An interesting quality-of-life matter in the Village concerns the enormous amount of abandoned bicycles all over the City—and particularly the Village. One does not need to walk far to witness the unsightly empty shell of a bicycle where most accoutrements have been stripped. Often only the frame remains—no chain, no pedals, no seat, no handle
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Tax the Rich
Oh my, how easy! Our very tall (six-foot-five) mayor came up with an exquisitely simple way to raise money to fix the subway—tax the rich. If you, as an individual, make over $500,000 per year (or over $1 million as a married couple) you will discover an increase on your taxable income above that amount
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George Complains
I have the feeling that our WestView readership tends to be older. I mean, I get calls from people who do not have computers, or even a nearby friend who has one, and we still get subscriptions by mail. My tech savvy production people lecture me on revamping the online edition for “younger readers” and
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Congratulations, You Just Won a Scam
A West Village resident recently told me, “George, I just got this crazy call that I had won money and all I had to do was go down to Rite-Aid…[S]omebody was waiting to give me a check if I would just pay him.” She gave me a number and I called it and reached a
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Ben Benson, Our Graffiti-Buster, Gets City Response
Dear Mr. Benson: I am writing in response to your e-mail dated July 26, 2017 regarding handbills posted in the vicinity of the West Village, Manhattan. On August 8th and August 10th various members of the Department of Sanitation’s Enforcement Division inspected the area outlined in your complaint and sighted a total of eighteen handbills
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Reflecting on NYCHA
I recently watched a show called “History of China” and it ended with images of how China is doing today. The show included a shot of several beaming Chinese people who said that they pay no rent and that food is free. That is the ultimate form of socialism that Dr. Lenora Fulani would like
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The Alumni of Caffe Cino
Every year on April 2nd, a group of people known as the ‘Cino Alumni’ gather at the Cornelia Street Café. The original Caffe Cino—the birthplace of ‘Off-Off-Broadway’—was located at 31 Cornelia Street from 1958 to 1968 (it later became Po Restaurant, which also recently closed). The Cino Alumni gather to commemorate the passing of founder
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Arthur Z. Schwartz Re-Elected as District Leader
With petitioning completed on July 13th, only one candidate filed for Male Democratic District Leader for Greenwich Village: Arthur Z. Schwartz, longtime WestView contributor, civil rights lawyer, and anti-establishment Democratic Party activist. Schwartz was first elected in 1995, and also served on the New York State Democratic Committee from 2006 to 2013. — WestView News
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Remembering Kevin Charles Berger
Kevin Charles Berger, of Needham, Massachusetts, passed away on July 8, 2017. He was a resident of the West Village for over 35 years. His love for the neighborhood and the City could be witnessed in the enthusiasm he showed when guiding visiting friends and family through the City streets. Kevin had a passion for
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Bernal-Gonzalez Landlord Backs Off Threat to Evict
Humberto Bernal-Gonzalez, who has lived in his 88 Horatio Street apartment since 1959, was threatened with eviction by his landlord back in April. District Leader Arthur Z. Schwartz jumped in to defend him and showed the landlord that the allegations against the 87-year-old tenant were baseless. As of July 1, 2017, the landlord confirmed that
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Ruth Berk Turns 94!
On August 20th, Ruth Berk, who has lived at 95 Christopher Street since 1959, will turn 94. Ruth was recently released from a stay at Riverside Nursing Home, where she recovered from a fall. Her daughter, Jessica, is planning a party for the occasion at a local restaurant. With the help of District Leader Arthur
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Reflecting on Gardens and Housing
Dear Editors: In writing about and photographing the gardens at the Church of St. Luke in the Fields and Jane Street, Justin Matthews touches on two gardens where I have worked as a volunteer with great joy and love for over 40 years. (See his article “Parks and Gardens of the West Village” in the
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The Jane Jacobs School?
Dear Mr. Capsis: It was very nice to speak with you. We are excited about the new school at 75 Morton Street, and understand from the principal, Jacqui Getz, that it may not be named The Jane Jacobs School. No reason was given. The decision was not 100% confirmed but it didn’t sound hopeful. Do
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Correction
The caption for Tom Lamia’s “Notes and Perspectives from Away” column within the June issue is incorrect. The photo is of the bridge and bridge house in South Bristol, Maine, not the Town Hall.
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Honoring Village Artists Lost to AIDS
The Last Address Tribute Walk is an annual event that honors artists who lived with HIV and/or were lost to AIDS-related complications. The walk took place on June 3rd, after Ira Sachs’ nine-minute film Last Address (2010) was screened at the IFC Center at 3:00 p.m. that day. After emotional comments by the filmmaker, the
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Mount Sinai Continuing to Axe Medical Services
On June 11, 2017 at 7:00 a.m., the Mount Sinai/Beth Israel Medical Center closed its Center for Labor and Birth (L&B), and they did not have New York State’s permission to do so. To avoid having ambulances bring women in labor to the hospital, the hospital’s administrative staff must call the Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
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Commemorating Playwright H. M. “Harry” Koutoukas on Christopher Street
On Sunday, June 4th, a ceremony was held for the dedication of a bronze plaque celebrating the life of H. M. “Harry” Koutoukas at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Christopher Street. St. John’s Pastor Mark Erson blessed the plaque, which is now affixed to a tree well between 85 and 87 Christopher Street. Harry was
