David Czyzyk, of BP Stringer’s office, announces the LGBTQ Pride Celebration and Changemakers Award Ceremony, to take place at Macy’s Herald Square on June 25.
BY YANAN WANG | Noise pollution, the need for an affordable supermarket in Hell’s Kitchen, worker’s rights and concern for those who ride (and park) two-wheeled vehicles — of two different varieties — were all on the 29-item agenda of June 5’s Community Board 4 (CB4) public meeting.
When Superstorm Sandy hit West Chelsea hard, the storm’s winds and waters left many homes — and job sites — in ruin. One such location was the High Line Hotel (HLH). Formerly known as the General Theological Seminary’s Desmond Tutu Center, the HLH laid off over a dozen of its employees when the storm required the relatively new facility to close for repairs. But the move came only after the workers helped the hotel recover from the worst of the damage. After months of waiting to be called back, they were recently told they don’t measure up to the standards of employment.
Several former HLH workers were at the June 5 meeting to testify during the public comment session. Over the course of the meeting (which took place at the Hotel Trades Council (305 West 44th Street), discussion continued along this vein — with community and board members alike touching upon the difficulty of maintaining a balance between the development of emerging commercial enterprises and the preservation of local neighborhood mainstays.
PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION
Of the former HLH workers who spoke, many recalled that they had been employed at the seminary (180 Tenth Avenue) since before part of it was sold as a hotel six years ago. After the employees were initially laid off, The Brodsky Organization — the hotel’s management as of last October — came before CB4 pledging to return the jobs after the re-opening in May. It was under this condition that the board granted the establishment approval for their liquor license application.
“They gave us their word,” said Patricia Sims, a former employee. “They gave us hope that we would get our jobs back.” She added that during the storm, the employees worked in a variety of harsh conditions: “We had to go down to the basement in hazmat suits. We cleaned up all the mess.” The four former workers who testified iterated that their team had become “like a family.” At the meeting, they exchanged supportive glances as each person approached the microphone to speak.
Miguel Acevedo, a former CB4 member and the current president of Fulton Houses Tenants Association, noted that while CB4 does not have the legal authority to force HLH General Manager Osama Aduib to rehire the employees, he is hopeful Aduib will at least offer an explanation for his behavior on June 11, when he is set to speak before the board’s Business Licenses and Permits Committee.
“He used Hurricane Sandy as an excuse to let these people go,” said Acevedo. “These people got awards for the courtesy that they were giving their patrons. You can’t just tell me that across all the departments these people belonged to, there wasn’t a single one out of the 20 who was qualified for their job.”
The only possible explanation for the move, Acevedo guessed, was that Aduib’s new employees were working for lower pay (an accusation HLH has refuted). Acevedo expressed disappointment at having been deceived by the manager’s initial promises, and another worker, Angel Cortes, accused the establishment of putting up a “smoke screen” in order to gain a liquor license.
Later in the night, Agenda Item 29, a letter in support of the laid off workers, passed unanimously — with agreement across the board to strengthen the language and to forward it to National Labor Relations, as well as elected officials on the municipal, state and federal levels.
Council members expressed disappointment at the misconduct of HLH’s new management. CB4’s Walter Mankoff said he would like there to be some financial repercussions to their actions: “I hope that [the workers] are collecting employment insurance, because it’s going to cost the employer a pretty penny down the road.”
REPORTS FROM REPS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS
Several of the representatives from elected officials began their reports by condemning the recent slew of hate crime targeting LGBTQ individuals in the area, iterating the need to remain vigilant particularly as the city enters Pride month.
From the Manhattan Borough Office of Scott Stringer, David Czyzyk announced the LGBTQ Pride Celebration and Changemakers Award Ceremony to take place at Macy’s Herald Square on June 25.
The office of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, represented by Harriet Sedgwick, outlined its five-point plan for combating hate crime: Increased police presence in LGBTQ neighborhoods, a city-wide anti-hate crime initiative in schools, Friday Community Safety Nights Out, a public awareness campaign instituted by the city council and a Speak Out Against Hate Interfaith Weekend, in collaboration with 50 houses of worship.
Sedgwick added that in collaboration with Park Slope’s Center for Anti-Violence Education, the New York City Council will be holding free self-defense classes in a number of locations, where participants will be trained in violence prevention strategies. Speaker Quinn attended the first session (held on June 8, at West 13th Street’s LGBT Community Center) — and as Chelsea Now went to press, another was expected to take place on June 12, at the Hudson Guild Elliot Center. For more information, and to attend future sessions (reservations required), call 212-788-5613 or email events@council.nyc.gov.
As for the status of the hate crime cases themselves, Edgar Yu of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said he could not comment about open investigations. He stated, however, that it is important for all citizens to be aware of their rights.
“Most of the people in this room are protected under the hate crime law,” Yu said.
Jeffrey LeFrancois of State Assemblymember Richard Gottfried’s office cautioned community members to “stay safe during a month that is usually celebratory.” Given the “rash of hate crimes,” LeFrancois said, it is necessary to stay informed about recent events and to remain connected with friends.
In his report, LeFrancois also announced that the use of medical marijuana in the state of New York passed in the assembly by a wide, bipartisan margin, including support from a Republican senator who, after having been arrested for possession, is now in favor of decriminalization. The statement was met with chuckles from the crowd.
CB4 District Manager Bob Benfatto provided an update on the Chelsea Flatiron Coalition’s lawsuit against the Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC). After three years of legal and fundraising efforts to decrease the size of the BRC’s 328-bed residency, the New York Supreme Court dismissed the coalition’s appeal for changes. On a lighter note, Benfatto added that the musically-inclined members of the community board will be performing “My Big Fat Irish Wedding,” in honor of (and featuring) former State Senator Tom Duane (June 13, 7pm, at the Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st Street).
Christine Berthet (who moderated part of the evening) spoke about planned changes to the city’s phone booths, which will soon be Wi-Fi-enabled. The bad news, Berthet noted, was that the bulky design of the booths may be harmful to the sidewalks. She said the Transportation Planning Committee hopes to make the removal process similar to that which is currently in place for newsstands, allowing for easy movement of the booths in inappropriate locations.
To end the committee reports, CB4 Chair Corey Johnson announced the resignation of Evangeline Gomez, who is having a baby. In light of her absence, Delores Rubin will be filling Gomez’ role as co-secretary of the board.
“This is a glamorous, sexy position,” Johnson joked to Rubin. “I appreciate you taking it.”
CB4 supports Big Apple Meat Market’s desire to relocate into the former Project Find space (Ninth Ave., directly across from Port Authority).
BEEFING UP BIG APPLE
There were 29 agenda items up for review that evening — but the issue that ignited the greatest amount of discussion arrived at the tail end of the agenda, on Item 26: a letter regarding the relocation of Big Apple Meat Market (529 Ninth Avenue, between West 40th and 39th Streets). In line with residents’ desires, the Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Land Use Committee hopes to encourage the Port Authority to secure the currently empty Project Find site (Ninth Avenue, between West 40th and 41st Streets) for the grocery store, which board members identified as offering “affordable, local” products.
In response to concerns that the language in the letter was not strong enough, CB4’s Joe Restuccia suggested that they “Western’ beef it up,” making reference to Western Beef — a supermarket under the same owner.
The board members discussed the letter’s singling out of a specific retailer to fill the Project Find space. Johnson acknowledged that the move is “not typical,” as the board generally avoids advocating for specific businesses. However, J.D. Nolan pointed out that in this case, it is appropriate to identify Big Apple because of its history within the community.
“It’s not about singling out a tenant,” Nolan said. “It’s about supporting a long-term resource and community asset.”
Kathleen Treat, chair of the Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association, called the grocery store “a constant friend to the community,” noting that it would benefit greatly from a larger space. The current location, Treat said, cannot accommodate wheelchairs or strollers, and the steep staircase makes entry very difficult for seniors and disabled shoppers.
Treat added that residents in the neighborhood have been rallying around the cause, as demonstrated by the signatures she showed the CB4. Given the community activism around the issue, Rubin suggested that the letter mention residents’ support. The motion for a “beefed up” letter passed with one member opposed — Brad Pascarella, who was wary about pinpointing one company for the site.
“We don’t need another Duane Reade,” Restuccia concluded.
IN THE INTEREST OF INCLUSION
The Housing, Health and Human Services Committee’s Item 16, a letter concerning a lower income housing plan application for the development at 551 Tenth Avenue, caused many board members to speak up in favor of more inclusionary housing. The letter recommended that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development deny the application unless certain stipulations, outlined by the board, were met.
Discussion centered around the opportunities the new housing development could offer its low-income tenants, as well as equal access to the various amenities within the building. As 551 Tenth Avenue will include both affordable housing units and retail units, the board requested in its letter that — contrary to Extell Development Group’s original intentions — all bathroom finishes be made the same, and that certain amenities, such as the rooftop deck and pool, be available to all residents in the spirit of integration.
Ambiguity in some of the letter’s language stirred debate among board members. Some argued that the need for identical bathroom finishes should be more explicit.
“Don’t we usually advocate for parity across the board?” Johnson asked. In response, Restuccia suggested that the board should tread carefully with its requests, so as not to alienate an applicant who has already made a few concessions. The item passed with the agreement to make the letter’s tone consistent throughout.
David Pincus introduced Item 14, a letter on After-Hours Variances (AHVs), by thanking Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, as well as CB4’s Paul Seres and Berthet, for “adding meat and potatoes” to the letter. While one board member pointed out that a meeting has already been held in Councilmember Gale Brewer’s office on the same issue, Johnson interjected that given the severity of the problem, it would not be inappropriate for CB4 to request a meeting with the Department of Transportation as well.
“I think it’s a very important movement going on,” Lee Compton agreed. “It’s been the bane of our existence for a long time.”
After-Hours Variances, which allow developers and landlords to perform construction work late at night, early in the mornings or on the weekends, have been the cause of “a deluge of complaints over the last two years,” the letter said. It noted furthermore the health risks of extended noise exposure, including high blood pressure, migraine headaches and consequences for children whose mothers were pregnant under the circumstances.
The item passed unanimously, with a friendly amendment to include mention of the ongoing development of Hudson Yards and West Chelsea — two areas of the neighborhood that may likely suffer the most grief as a result of after-hours variances in coming years.
“[AHVs] should only be issued for emergencies,” said a representative of the 50-51 Block Association. “If they can’t get the work done in five days, then hire more people, and they’ll get the same amount of work done in five days that they would otherwise do in six or seven.”
CURBING NOISE, TRAFFIC
In the Business License and Permits Committee’s bundle of letters recommending stipulations for liquor license applications, Item 2 stirred some discussion among council members regarding the status of noise complaints for XL Nightclub (512 West 42nd Street). Lisa Daglian announced that the establishment’s parties and festivities have raised a number of noise complaints from people who live or work in the area, including concerns about long line-ups outside of the club. The letter passed with a motion to make the language stricter.
Where noise-makers are concerned, up for debate were Items 22 and 23 — both regarding parking reserved for motorcycles. Pamela Wolff said she sent out the letter in support of “motorcycle only Parking” signs to her constituents, and has received a number of positive responses. Considering the disruption created by the vehicles, Wolff said, the proposed corner location would contribute to curbing the noise.
Brett Firfer took issue with the letter’s aim to “encourage more commuting by motorcycle instead of cars.” Firfer pointed out that motorcycles have a tendency to “bleed into” pedestrian areas, and because few of them are quiet, it becomes a quality of life issue for residents. He questioned whether increased motorcycle use would have a positive effect on the neighborhood.
The letter passed with council members agreeing to add that the proposal would prevent motorcycles from invading the pedestrian areas.
The board also discussed the newest — and seemingly most contentious — form of transportation: the now-ubiquitous Citi Bike. Johnson recognized Berthet for the work that she has put into responding to complaints regarding the placement of docking stations, recalling that she had remained on call by her phone and email during “the initial days of people having strong reactions.”
Item 21, which requested the relocation of six different Citi Bike racks across Chelsea, had already been sent to the Department of Transportation due to the letter’s associated immediate concerns. Johnson noted that it would not be difficult, however, for the board to re-send the letter, with the modifications discussed at the meeting.
After other board members pointed out that many bike racks in the neighborhood were empty (a sign of the program’s success), Frank Holuzbiec noted that while Citi Bike has been generally well received, little work has been done towards creating a public awareness program that serves to instruct cyclists on the rules of the road.
“I see people in the bikes pulling out of bike lanes when a red light comes on,” said Holuzbiec. “This has caused a lot of serious safety issues.”
COMMUNITY BOARD 4 serves Manhattan’s West Side neighborhoods of Chelsea and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. Its boundaries are 14th St. on the south, 59/60th St. on the north, the Hudson River on the west, 6th Ave. on the east (south of 26th St.) and 8th Ave. on the east (north of 26th St.). The board meeting, open to the public, is the first Wednesday of the month. The next meeting takes place on July 31, 6:30pm, at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital (1000 10th Ave., btw. 58th & 59th Sts.). There is no August meeting. Call 212-736-4536, visit nyc.gov/mcb4 or email them at info@manhattancb4.org.
