Piersay:
Arthur Schwartz called to say that, technically, there has not been an actual settlement on his Pier 40 lawsuit yet — though one is imminent, he quickly assured, since a court date is scheduled for this week. Schwartz filed the suit last year to force the Hudson River Park Trust to promptly redevelop the 15-acre pier at the end of W. Houston St. However, there’s strong support among local youth leagues and Stuyvesant High School for the Trust’s interim plan, which includes surfacing the pier’s mammoth inner courtyard with artificial turf for sports fields. We hear Schwartz will push for setting a firm timetable for redeveloping the pier — but won’t block the fields, recognizing the community’s sentiment.
Oops, she did it again?
Judge Kathryn Freed spoke at Downtown Independent Democrats’ meeting on March 22. We know, we know, under the judicial code of ethics, as a newly elected judge, Freed has a “window” during which she can still attend and speak at political club meetings. According to D.I.D. member Sean Sweeney, what Freed said was “pretty benign.” “Actually, she talked about The Villager and the controversy about how someone called in with misinformation and how she was allowed to do what she did under the judicial code of ethics,” he said. Sweeney said Freed only spoke during a lull to fill time. Sweeney, by the way, after a year as acting president, was elected club president — replacing (guess who?) Freed, who stepped down to run for judge. John Scott, of Independence Plaza, was elected vice president; David Reck was reelected treasurer; and Diane Stein was reelected secretary. D.I.D.’s annual fundraiser is planned for April 27 at A & M Roadhouse on Murray St.
Bloomin’ noisy!
The opening of the Soho Bloomingdale’s in the old Canal Jeans Co. space is behind schedule but the preparations are reportedly making plenty of noise. “They’re rattling trucks at 4 a.m.,” said Sweeney, director of the Soho Alliance. And there are other concerns. “They have a bar and restaurant in there,” he added. “We don’t know what’s going on with that.”
M. Lo on the go:
On Thurs., April 8, Councilmember Margarita Lopez will speak at Village Independent Democrats’ general membership meeting about throwing her hat in the ring in the Manhattan borough president race. The meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m., is at the N.Y.U. Bronfman Center for Jewish Life, 7 E. 10th St., ground-floor auditorium.
It’s a girl:
Congratulations to Rob Balachandran, former president of the Hudson River Park Trust, and his wife, Michelle, who gave birth at the New York University Medical Center on March 26 to their first child, a daughter, Isabel.
Flamm has flown:
The Historic Orchard St. Lower East Side Business Improvement District is looking for a new executive director to replace Andrew Flamm, who left the BID at the end of February. “We’re looking for someone with marketing experience, some finance skills and administration ability,” said Howard Slonim, president of the BID. “We hope to reinforce the programs that Andrew directed.” The parting with Flamm, who directed the BID for a little more than four years, was amicable. The BID encompasses the area from Houston to Division Sts. between Allen and Orchard Sts. A proposed expansion to Ludlow and parts of Essex Sts. along with some sites on Norfolk, Suffolk and Clinton Sts. has been put on hold, Slonim said…. In other news, Friends of the High Line, the group advocating for converting the disused elevated freight tracks in West Chelsea for pedestrian and park use, is seeking to fill two positions, including a community liaison and assistant. Contact olivia@thehighline.org.
Corrections:
In the March 24 article on Jane Wood in The Villager, Tim Gay was misidentified. He was unopposed as the male Democratic district leader in Chelsea and remains the district co-leader…. Also, in an article on Tio Pepe restaurant, Rocio Sanz was misquoted; she should have been quoted as saying her “civic duty” is being on Community Board 2, on which she is treasurer, as opposed to the Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, of which she is a vice president.
