Bravo for the Blotter
To The Editor:
My wife and I are delighted by Sean Egan’s Police Blotter column in Chelsea Now. We’ve taken to reading it out loud to one another and it never fails to entertain.
You’ve taken what is typically a grim subject (especially in other local papers) and turned it into entertainment. So, thanks for that.
Best wishes,
George Scott
Landmarks’ shocking stance
To The Editor:
Re “LPC Pans Gansevoort St. Design Plan” (news article, Feb. 18, 2016):
This article doesn’t emphasize enough the height restrictions imposed on the developers by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). Also, the LPC emphasized that penthouses and setbacks were inappropriate and should be removed from the proposal. So, there was some good news for the community.
That said, it is shocking that this entire low-scale landmarked block of Gansevoort St. will be destroyed by developers, with the aid of the LPC. By the LPC chairperson’s own count, she received 820 messages in opposition to this plan and only 30 in favor. There were also a huge number of people who signed a petition in opposition.
Isn’t this another example of how developers are supported by government against communities? Bernie, where are you? Go to savegansevoort.org for a video at “news and reports.”
Elaine Young
Young is a founding member, Save Gansevoort
Citibank ATM shortage
To The Editor:
I’m surprised and dismayed that Citibank closed all the ATMs within close walking distance of my home in Westbeth. In December, Citibank closed the ATM at W. 16th St. and Eighth Ave. In January, they closed the one in Sheridan Square. Now the nearest one is at Sixth Ave. off W. Eighth St. That is not close when you live on West St. across from the Hudson River.
I contacted City Councilmember Corey Johnson, and his office has been very responsive, getting back to me twice, indicating they are looking into this. I suggested to the councilmember’s office that Citibank consider one of the many empty storefronts on Hudson St.
Citibank customers in the West Village need to be able to get cash easily, without paying an added fee.
For many reasons, it would be a big hassle for me to switch banks, and I’m definitely not into online banking. But if this is how Citibank treats loyal customers in an affluent neighborhood — filled with other banks — I may have no choice but to take my business elsewhere. I hope this can be resolved.
I’d much rather have Citibank near my building than Citi Bikes.
Kate Walter
FEEDBACK FROM FACEBOOK
Re “CITYarts Seeks Support for Chelsea Mural Projects (news, Feb. 18 2016):
This whole business about putting a mural inside Clement Clarke Moore Park has been a big terrible mess from the get-go:
1) First, CITYarts says the park “feels abandoned!” All of the children in the area have heavily used this playground, including my own four kids, going back to 1970 when the trees in the Park were as big as broomsticks. One of my daughters was married in the Park. I spent a great deal of time, with other members of our Block Assoc., getting the Parks Dept. to renovate the Park and put in the cast iron fence in 1980.
2) What kind of a reputable organization mixes up a Community Board with a Block Association? Are they kidding? This is just unbelievable until one assumes they were trying an end run against the local community.
3) So CITYarts managed to get “permission” from the owner of the wall they want to decorate. Well this owner has been here about five minutes. No one here would give “permission” for something like this without consulting with the Block Association.
So I just want us to say goodbye to this ridiculous organization. They are either sneaky or stupid, and their working here does not bode well for our community.
Carolynn Meinhardt
Re “A Tale of Two Tenant Associations” (news, Jan. 28, 2016):
Great to learn that tenant associations are formed all over New York! And yes, you are stronger in a group, than an individual would be. Next step perhaps would be to form neighborhood tenant associations; borough tenant associations; a citywide tenant association; statewide tenant associations. Where I am writing from, Sweden, the one and only national tenant associations has 530,000 members.
Good luck over there!
Magnus Hammar, International Union of Tenants
