High time N.Y.U. gave back
To The Editor:
Re “ ‘It’s gone too far’; Broderick brings down the N.Y.U. house” (news article, July 5); and “Chin must reduce N.Y.U. 2031 project’s scale” (editorial, July 5):
After repeated, unequivocal “no’s” to Community Board 2 on the same topic, N.Y.U.’s Alicia Hurley, under pressure, muttered a vague and dubious “We’ll work with Councilmember Chin’s office” in response to Councilmember Comrie’s question at the City Council public hearing regarding whether the space allocated for the Bleecker building would remain permanent space for the community if a school isn’t constructed there.
No matter what the result is of the N.Y.U. 2031 plan, the space for the Bleecker building must not revert back to N.Y.U. As you stated in your editorial, this space must be designated as permanent space for community use.
After nearly 50 years of inappropriate, bulky buildings and broken promises to the community that has provided the setting for N.Y.U.’s success, the time is long overdue for the university not only to receive far less than what it is asking for, but for the university to give the community the space it rightfully, and unequivocally, deserves.
Robin Rothstein
Rothstein is a member, Community Board 2 N.Y.U. Working Group and Social Services & Education Committee
You gave Chin the road map
To The Editor:
Re “Chin must reduce N.Y.U. 2031 project’s scale” (editorial, July 5):
I’d like to praise your editorial staff for finally seeing how out of proportion N.Y.U.’s grandiose 2031 ULURP proposal really is. Definitely, Councilwoman Chin should take your editorial seriously.
Thank you also for suggesting the elimination of the Mercer St. Boomerang building and the downsizing of the Zipper building.
The so-called public school site absolutely should be deeded over to the city for either a school or community facility, otherwise it will again revert to N.Y.U. and not be built.
As for 505 Laguardia Place, its affordability is already being affected in current negotiations in which N.Y.U. claims it can ask for an annual rental of up to $3 million. The property was “given” to N.Y.U. by the city at a very low cost and should be transferred to the 505 co-op at a reasonable cost.
Again, thanks to Matthew Broderick, our Village hero, for his strong support.
Sylvia Rackow
Write on! Thanks a lot!
To The Editor:
Re “Just Do Art!” (July 5):
Thank you, Scott Stiffler and The Villager, for the nice write-up in the “Just Do Art!” section. It’s nice to be featured in arguably the finest weekly in all of New York!
Dan Davies
O.K., let’s take a deep breath…
To The Editor:
Re “LUNGS breathes new life into local community gardens” (news article, July 5):
Thanks to The Villager for calling attention to garden activism in our neighborhood. It was a pleasure to be interviewed, along with photographer Shell Sheddy and LUNGS founder Charles Krezell, in our community garden, De Colores.
That being said, I have a few important clarifications to make. First, membership in LUNGS (Loisaida United Neighborhood Gardens) and membership in GreenThumb community gardens in New York City are two different things. It is not in the spirit of LUNGS to collect any fees or dues from participants. There are no requirements per se to participate in LUNGS — no fees, no contracts to sign and no work required, though volunteerism is welcome.
LUNGS is a neighborhood group united to support the diverse life of all the gardens through workshops, cultural events and gatherings.
LUNGS does not have a treasurer. I am the treasurer of De Colores Community Yard, a GreenThumb garden that receives small monetary contributions from gardeners for general maintenance, and asks gardeners to commit to a couple days per season of watching and caring for the garden during open hours and work days. But, again, there are no contracts involved in garden membership at De Colores.
Finally, the future of the gardens is a constant concern, which is one of the reasons we formed LUNGS, a group that spreads awareness about the latest developments in garden preservation.
Elizabeth Ruf-Maldonado
More on Colombo shooting
To The Editor:
Re “Shooting that shocked the Village and made headlines” (Flashback, July 5):
Get a copy of the book “Resistance: A Radical Social and Political History of the Lower East Side,” edited by Clayton Patterson. Read the article “Documenting the Italian-American Civil Rights League,” by Aldo Tambellini. Aldo had permission from Joe Colombo to document the events that day. Aldo got there just as the shooter was running away. He captured some of the madness. Aldo’s position is Joe Colombo was a courageous man helping the Italian-American community. According to Aldo, many Italians loved and supported Joe Colombo for his political message.
Clayton Patterson
E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to lincoln@thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 515 Canal St., Suite 1C, NY, NY 10013. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. The Villager does not publish anonymous letters.
