By Albert Amateau
Congressmembers Jerrold Nadler, Carol Maloney and Nydia Velazquez secured more than $20 million in federal funds for projects in their districts, which cover parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
Institutions and projects in the Village, Chelsea and the Lower East Side that received appropriations include New York University, the High Line, The Center for Jewish History, water taxi docks, Callen-Lorde Health Center, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Beth Israel Medical Center, Loisaida Youth Leadership Project, Lower East Side Business Improvement District and GOLES (Good Old Lower East Side).
The big winner was New York University, which received $4 million from Nadler for human genome sequencing being conducted by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Currant Institute and the School of Medicine.
Nadler also secured $1.3 million for the Brademas Center for the Study of Congress at N.Y.U. The High Line project — conversion of the 1.5-mile unused railroad viaduct on the West Side between Gansevoort and W. 33rd Sts. into a park — received $1 million from Nadler. Callen-Lorde, the health center on W. 19th St. that serves the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population, received $90,000 in federal funds secured by Nadler. A grant of $600,000 to improve piers on Manhattan’s West Side and in Brooklyn for water taxi landings also came at Nadler’s behest.
The Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St., received two grants totaling $600,000 for preserving its archives and for education programs at the request of both Maloney and Nadler. The center is in Nadler’s district. Nadler took the lead in getting the allocation, but Maloney signed on to a letter supporting the request.
Maloney secured $200,000 in federal funds for Beth Israel Medical Center, at First Ave. and E. 16th St., to expand and improve its Rape Crisis Intervention Center. The Lower Eastside Tenement Museum, 91 Orchard St., received $121,250 in federal funds secured by Maloney for “An Irish Family in America,” which will be the first exhibit of the Irish immigrant experience and which will include a restored 1860s apartment.
The Lower East Side Business Improvement District’s proposed Greenmarket project in the Grand St. area received a $37,500 federal appropriation sponsored by Velazquez. The Loisaida Youth Leadership Program, 153 Rivington St., received $100,000 at Velazquez’s request to prepare at-risk youth for future leadership roles. GOLES received a $300,000 federal grant sponsored by Velazquez to help small business owners and low-income residents develop technology centers and receive video and other media training.
