Seaport Riot
The community knew that Canadian rapper Drake would cause commotion when he performed at South Street Seaport, but not complete chaos.
“They promised 7,000 people, and there were close to 18,000” in the crowd, Julie Menin said. The 1st precinct police were only prepped to handle 7,000. They didn’t have enough rifles handy to temper the rest.
“You couldn’t make your way up Fulton Street,” Hovitz said. He turned the corner and fled.
Board members suggested that even the pre-event should be ticketed. “Before the event, I was walking up Fulton St. I was bombarded by young people and almost stampeded,” said one Community Board 1 member. Little did she know that it would only get worse.
“People got angry and started throwing chairs and bottles,” John Fratta said. The brouhaha was over when the crowds began to disperse after the concert was cancelled.
Cordoba Initiative, again
As if the five-hour-long May meeting wasn’t enough, some angry C.B. 1 Board members spoke out against its own resolution that supported the construction of the Cordoba House.
“The language of this resolution that was passed was misleading and disingenuous,” said Board member Allan Tannenbaum at the June 22 C.B. 1 full-board meeting.
“We felt the need to stand up on this issue, and in doing so, we created a resolution that was disingenuous,” C.B. 1 member Paul Hovitz agreed.
Board Chair Julie Menin calmly but sternly asserted that the resolution be discussed during the July 7 Financial District Committee, and not during the full-board meeting. Apparently, it’s against Community Board policy to question a resolution that has already been voted on during a full-board meeting. Bill Love even cited the Board regulations.
“Taking another bite out of the apple makes no sense,” several C.B. 1 Board members commented during the meeting.
“It was deceptive!” Hovitz cried out towards the end of the meeting. Session adjourned—this time, only three hours later.
No P.A.C. at Tower 5
On Tuesday the Port Authority board approved an agreement with NYC whereby the city will reimburse the authority for $44 million worth of work happening below grade on behalf of the Performing Arts Center. When asked if the action killed any hope of having the P.A.C. constructed at the Tower 5 site, home to the old Deutsche Bank Building currently being demolished, spokesperson Steve Coleman said, “I assume so. It’s going to be built on the site where it was intended.”
