DOT Fails Enforcement of Open Restaurants
By Brian J. Pape, AIA,LEED-AP In a damning report issued by Council Speaker Cory Johnson’s office in August, the long-standing safety rules for street rights-of-way […]
BikeThief Strikes Again
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP On a clear Wednesday afternoon, outside my apartment, I locked my ebike with a U-bolt lock. When I came […]
City Planners Become Enemies of Historic Preservation
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP Never before have we witnessed such a callous attitude about historic preservation exhibited by city officials and department heads. […]
CB2 Discusses Washington Square Park
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP Washington Square Park (WSP) and Community Board 2 (CB2) meetings are manifestations of the agora, literally meaning “gathering place” […]
Open Restaurants: Assault on Quality of Life
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP Once upon a time, city residents worked with their city government to protect the quality of life for all: […]
Then&Now: Pier 54, 55, and Little Island
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP Then: The Pier 54 gate header has the faint lettering CUNARD WHITE STAR, dating back to the pier’s heyday […]
How to Renovate An Apartment While Recycling
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP When it comes to renovating rental apartments, saving money and time is key. The sooner the work can be […]
Stop the Soho/Noho Rezoning Debacle
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP In an unprecedented attempt to destroy a world-famous historic area of NYC, a major income-generating tourist magnet, the city […]
Sneak Preview of Gansevoort Rehearsal Space
By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP At the corner of Gansevoort and Washington Streets, diagonally across the intersection from the Whitney Museum and the High […]
Police Reform: NYC Breakthrough
By Brian J Pape, AIA The city’s newly adopted laws to combat sex traffickers, but avoid entangling their victims or those selling sex in the […]
A Church Named Graffiti—What’s That?
By Brian J Pape, AIA Friends of mine living near Tompkins Square Park gave me a tour of prominent graffiti in their area, pointing out […]
Gansevoort Peninsula Progress By Brian J Pape, AIA
By Brian J Pape, AIA The David Hammons sculpture “Day’s End” has finally been assembled after a long year of preparation. The concrete pilings had […]
Police and Public Wield the Same (Anti-Graffiti) Brush
By Brian J Pape, AIA It was a perfect day for street activities, cloudy but mild with temperatures in the 60’s. Just like dozens, perhaps […]
CB2 Nabs Community Rehearsal Space
By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP The Community Board Two of Manhattan (CB2) has announced the creation of an Arts Advisory Panel Task Force to […]
SoHo-NoHo Rezoning Could Be Applied to The West Village
By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP Who will benefit from the Envision SoHo/NoHo Neighborhood Plan’s rezoning and housing proposals? The Department of City Planning (DCP), […]
540 Hudson Street Finally Gets LPC Nod
By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP The familiar Caribe vans and delivery vehicles parked at the corner lot of Hudson and Charles Streets, a former […]
Manhattan’s First Public ‘Beach’ Is in the West Village
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP News outlets are atwitter with excitement for the “first public beach” in Manhattan, and it’s going to be right […]
First Skyscraper Coming to West Village
By Brian J Pape, AIA, LEED-AP Plans have been approved for the first ever skyscraper in the West Village. At an ‘unprecedented’ height of 420’, […]