Horatio Street Blog

And the mystery is solved. The fireworks last night were part of the Stevens “Boken” celebration (that’s Hoboken to those of you no savvy in all things Jersey).

http://hoboken411.com/archives/11375

****UPDATE: Kitty successfully found! Thanks from Bryan to all who called with leads*******

My cat has escaped my apartment the morning of October 18th. Her name is Shusha, and she has a name tag with a telephone number to call. If you find the cat, please call Bryan. Please call even if you feel you saw the cat in the area.

As you can see she has mostly black fur on top and white fur on her under side. She is very friendly but may be a little shy. She is very similar in color to the cat seen at the bottom of the litter, except she does not have a dark marking under the chin.

I greatly appreciate any assistance you can provide.

Thank you.

Hi all - I know there are a few students about to hit college age in our little hood, and our awesome State Senator Tom Duane is hosting a forum that they should definitely take advantage of. If anyone can put together a panel to simplify and clarify one of those seemingly incredibly sticky, tricky, complex subjects, it is our State Senator Tom Duane. See below for details (or click here for a fun flier to post).

WHAT: State Senator Thomas K. Duane (D, WFP – Manhattan) is hosting a forum on “College Financial Aid: Where to Look, How to Apply, When to Start and What to Watch out For.”

WHEN: Tuesday, October 2, 2007, 6:30pm

WHERE: P.S. 19, 185 First Avenue (between 11th and 12th Streets)

WHO: Presenters will include representatives of the New York Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, the Office of New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association, the US Department of Education and New York State Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Deborah J. Glick.

Co-sponsors include Congressmembers Carolyn Maloney and Jerrold Nadler, Borough President Scott Stringer, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Assemblymembers Brian Kavanaugh and Richard Gottfried, and City Councilmembers Rosie Mendez and Dan Garodnick.

via GVSHP:

New Hearing on MTA ‘Emergency Ventilation Plant’ Project for Mulry Sq., 7th & Greenwich Ave.: The MTA’s plans to construct an emergency ventilation plant at this busy intersection has drawn great criticism from GVSHP and many others. The site is immediately adjacent to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where another large multi-year construction project is being contemplated, there are fragile historic buildings nearby which could be adversely impacted, the plan could require construction of a six-story tall ventilation shaft, and a recent similar MTA project nearby on West 13th Street involved years of delays and disruption. Additionally, GVSHP has raised the possibility of alternatives which it is unclear if the MTA has fully contemplated.

Prior public hearings on the proposal were scarcely publicized and attended. At State Senator Tom Duane’s request, a new hearing has been scheduled on the proposal for Monday, September 24th, giving the broader public an opportunity to find out more and provide feedback.

HOW TO HELP:

*COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th at 6:30 pm at St. Vincent’s Hospital’s Cronin Auditorium, 170 W. 12th Street. Go to www.gvshp.org/MTAMulrySqLet7-07.htm and www.gvshp.org/documents/MTAVntltnPlntMulrySq7-07.pdf for letters you can use to help raise questions and express concerns about the plan at the hearing.

via GVSHP:

DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE TRUMP SOHO ‘CONDO-HOTEL’

at its “LAUNCH PARTY”
WED., SEPT. 19th at 10:15 am
246 Spring Street, btw. Varick & 6th Ave.
*Impending legal challenge greatly strengthened by recent inconsistencies in City ’s statements on project

Anti-Trump SoHo ‘Condo-Hotel’ Demonstration next Wed., Sept. 19 at 10:15 am: Please join the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, the SoHo Alliance, and neighborhood, business, and civic groups as we demonstrate against the planned Trump SoHo ‘Condo-Hotel.’ Our demonstration will take place outside the project’s “launch party,” to be held at the site, 246 Spring Street, btw. Varick and 6th Avenue.

While the City has approved the gigantic 45-story tower, a potential legal challenge is gathering steam. Recent inconsistencies by the City, which now says the “restrictive declaration” signed by Trump to prevent illegal residential uses in the building is purely “voluntary,” makes the City’s case look pretty shaky. Sadly, the City continues to stubbornly insist upon defending its decision to approve this project. A court challenge will mean the City will use taxpayer dollars to defend Trump and his development partners, while average citizens and community groups will have to dig deep to cover considerable legal fees to get the City to treat Trump and Co. the same way under the law as everyone else.

BRING SIGNS AND POSTERS TO THE DEMONSTRATION SHOWING YOUR OUTRAGE OVER THE PROJECT!
*
SPREAD THE WORD — pass this e-mail along, and go to www.gvshp.org/documents/Trump9-19-07demoflyer.pdf for a flyer you can distribute to your neighbors and pass along.

For more information on the effort to fight the Trump SoHo ‘Condo-Hotel,’ see the GVSHP website.

Update: 2nd (re-scheduled) scoping to take place October 15th at 6.30pm as part of the CB2 Parks & Rec meeting at the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center (on Carmine Street).

For those of you following the redesign of the Seravalli Playground/Park, please note that Chris Crowley has been assigned to the project and he will do a formal scoping walk-through on Thursday, September 20th at 10am (in the park).

To catch up on this process - - click “Seravalli Playground” on the right or at the bottom of this tag to read all the previous posts about this project.

Unfortunately, I write with sad news. Over the past few weeks, Horatio Street residents have reported two muggings (one in the morning in Seravalli Park, one in the evening on the corner at Greenwich) and at least one robbery.

A suspect was apprehended (and is out on bail) in the case of the evening mugging, I don’t know the status of the others.

Please be aware, not afraid, but aware.

via GVSHP:

GVSHP just found out that tonight Community Board #2’s Landmarks Committee will be hearing a proposal by the owner of 675 Hudson Street to legalize the illegal south-facing billboard on the rooftop of this building. This is one of many billboards in the Meatpacking District which GVSHP and many neighbors have been fighting. While the north-facing billboard on the building is considered legal because it was permitted before the Gansevoort Market Historic District was approved, the south facing billboard was added later without permits. This is one of several illegal billboards in the neighborhood which Hotel Gansevoort owner Michael Achenbaum pointed to as reason for why his billboards shouldn’t be singled out; in fact, GVSHP has been fighting this, and many other billboards in the area, since they appeared.

GVSHP has already gotten this billboard served with violation notices from the City. The owner can apply to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to “legalize” the billboard. We think it’s important that the LPC be urged NOT to legalize the billboard, especially as illegal billboards are so rapidly proliferating in the Meatpacking District.

Community Board #2’s Landmarks Committee will hear this item tonight at 6:30 in the cafeteria at St. Vincent’s Hospital, 170 W. 12th Street. It is currently scheduled to be the 2nd item on the agenda. While the applicant or a representative usually appears at these hearings, it is not uncommon for applicants for legalizations not to show up. Also please know that the Community Board’s vote is only advisory (though it is given weight by the LPC), and that the Community Board is usually pretty sympathetic to our cause on these issues. GVSHP will be there to oppose the application, and will let you know when it comes before the LPC for a vote. However, you can also come to the Community Board meeting tonight to express your opposition to the legalization of the billboard. If you expect to attend, please just let us know (Melissa Baldock will be there for GVSHP), and we will keep you posted of the progress on this.

Best,

Andrew Berman, Executive Director
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
212/475-9585 x38
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003

Flickr Photographer Triborough has immortalized our street through his photography - he’s been posting a really cool series of photos of the Empire State Building, all taken on our street entitled View from the Corporal John A Servalli Playground.

And here’s a fun Photo Essay of Greenwich Villager with music by Bob Dylan posted by blogger Et Cetera.

And of course, thanks to all of you who shared your photos on the Horatio Street Blog!! There are TONS of Horatio Street Photos up on the Horatio Street Photo Page
- so go check ‘em out if you haven’t yet done so.

Click here for instructions on uploading your favorite Horatio Street Photos!

Horatio Street Business “Lucy Sykes Baby” recently made an exclusive round-up of “Where the Celebrities Shop” …

That explains the recent increase in pregnant bellies we’ve all seen wandering westward…

Lucy Sykes Baby
Lucy Sykes is no stranger to the fashion world. As the former fashion director at Marie Claire in New York and the sister of Plum “Bergdorf Blondes,” she was well poised to launch a range of children’s clothing. Lucy Sykes Baby. The look is clean cut, sophisticated and stylish. Shoppers can pick up tiny, raspberry coloured pouf skirts, embroidered dragonfly tshirts, and for boys, white trimmed navy blazers and cargo shorts. Lucy also designs a line of shoes for Stride-Rite, as well as a collection for New York stalwart, Best & Co. Top buy: the Lucy Sykes Hobo canvas-luxe diaper bag was recently featured on Oprah and sparked a buying frenzy.

Lucy Sykes New York
95 Horatio Street, #233
New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212)242-0860

www.lucysykesnewyork.com