Leichter: Pier55 will be great
To The Editor:
Re “Court sinks Pier55 lawsuit; City Club foes vow to appeal” (thevillager.com, Sept. 8):
It is puzzling why the few opponents to Pier55 are threatening to pursue their lawsuit after the Appellate Division not only denied their injunction but dismissed the suit. The lack of merit is seen in the Appellate Division rendering its decision 36 hours after argument was held. This is almost unheard of.
It is particularly striking that the plaintiffs go on about the project causing environmental harm to the river, when they themselves scrubbed this claim from their lawsuit.
As co-author with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried of the Hudson River Park Act and serving on the Hudson River Park Trust’s board of directors for almost 18 years, I am very comfortable that the Trust acted in the public interest. It followed the required review process, adhered to every environmental requirement as advised by counsel, and did not violate the rarely relied on Public Trust Doctrine — facts now affirmed by both the state’s Supreme Court and Appellate Division.
Gottfried and I sponsored the park act to protect the river, avoid threatened commercial development on the waterfront and create a great park. We would never support a project that violates these principles. Pier55 will be a welcome addition to what is becoming the greatest waterfront park anywhere.
Franz S. Leichter
Leichter was state senator for the Upper West Side’s 30th District from 1975 to ’98.
This is no longer home
To The Editor:
Re “ ‘It’s good for valuations’: Witkoff says huge new luxe condo helps Village” (news article, Sept. 8):
“Native” New Yorkers will not be able to live here in the near future. The Village was never meant to have “huge” buildings. There is change — and then there is change. These monstrosities ruin the whole ambiance of the Village.
Good for the neighborhood? Not when all the small shops are closing or have closed. We have almost no grocery shops on my side of the Village. There are plenty of banks, chain drug stores and nail salons, though.
Walk down any block and there are many empty stores. The “little guy / gal” can’t afford the rents that have skyrocketed due to the greed of landlords. Some storefronts have been empty for two years or more.
I am a born Villager. But if I could move, I would, as this is no longer my quaint home.
Norma Courrier
High-rises vs. healthcare
To The Editor:
Re “ ‘It’s good for valuations’: Witkoff says huge new luxe condo helps Village” (news article, Sept. 8):
Witkoff’s 150 Charles St. has a marvelous view — that is, if you don’t need to get to a real trauma center to treat an aneurysm or stroke in time to save your life, or be maimed.
Barbara Ruether
The Bagel? How dare you!
To The Editor:
Re “ ‘It’s good for valuations’: Witkoff says huge new luxe condo helps Village” (news article, Sept. 8):
Look, Mr. Witkoff, I understood that you built this thing and got it done. That is a major accomplishment. Kudos, in a city that fights such things tooth and nail.
The West Village is not totally different than 20 years ago in one major respect — the cost of housing. I lived half a block from The Bagel restauraunt, a real cute eatery, but a total “dive,” a totally quirky relic that lasted until 2003. I find it reprehensible you mention it in any way to promote your ultra-luxury building — as if to give yourself street cred. The Bagel lost its lease to the owners, who forced them out after decades because they wanted to expand their other restaurant into its space.
It’s dog eat dog. There are no The Bagel restaurants left in the Village. None. It is all too expensive. There are too many day spas and private indoor pools for the few. N.Y.U. is incredibly expensive now, when before it was a poor kids’ school.
Donnie Moder
Heart-health reality check
To The Editor:
Re “Bob McGlynn, linked Tompkins protests and glasnost” (obituary, Sept. 8):
Just finding out that Bob has died of a heart attack at age 60. He was a legendary bike messenger activist, and I actually met him when I also was working as one long before the Tompkins Square Riot.
I’m very sorry to hear this. I suggest that those of you who are 50 and up get a blood pressure and cholesterol check. There are cheap statin, as well as blood pressure, drugs available that can help you avoid an early death.
John Penley
Green gets it wrong
To The Editor:
Re “Green won’t bash Bashar” (letter, by Mitchel Cohen, Sept. 8):
In his letter in response to my quote in The Villager’s Sept. 1 article on third-party presidential candidates, Mitch Cohen writes: “Weinberg conveniently ignores Clinton’s involvement with the bombardment of Assad’s regime!”
Mitch is entitled to his own opinions but not his own facts. The U.S. has never dropped a single bomb on any Assad regime target. Indeed, the U.S. has only assisted Assad by bombing his enemies ISIS and Nusra Front.
If Cohen wishes for his Green Party to be taken seriously, he should develop at least a modicum of familiarity with the facts before commenting.
Bill Weinberg
Save the cherry trees!
To The Editor:
Re “Cherished cherry trees chainsawed on Bleecker” (news brief, Sept. 8):
New York City keeps breaking my heart.
It is hard to believe that New York University’s plan could not include these precious historic trees. We have seen too much of this over the years, with historic trees cut for construction, or replaced by common or even invasive species.
I know money is important, but heritage has even more value. I wish the city would learn that lesson at long last.
Lawrence White
The cruelest cut
To The Editor:
Re “Cherished cherry trees chainsawed on Bleecker” (news brief, Sept. 8):
Horrible, simply horrible. N.Y.U. has murdered the soul of our neighborhood.
John D. Kruth
Probiotic or antibiotic?
To The Editor:
Re “Cherished cherry trees chainsawed on Bleecker” (news brief, Sept. 8): R.I.P., cherry trees.
For those who believe all biotic beings have souls, that was not the sound of a chainsaw — it was our trees moaning and crying.
Judith Chazen Walsh
Sticks in reader’s craw
To The Editor:
My copy of The Villager this week came with a “Vote Don Lee” sticker slapped across the front page. Does this constitute an endorsement by The Villager? I have no problem with Mr. Lee buying ad space in the paper, or The Villager endorsing him, but this seems highly inappropriate.
Jean Albert
Editor’s note: That is what is known as a “front-page sticker ad.” It was not an editorial endorsement. All candidates were offered the option to advertise in The Villager.
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