Volume 18 • Issue 13 | August 19 – 25, 2005
Green day
Governor George Pataki is jumping with both feet into the national arena for his imminent presidential bid. At a ribbon cutting this week for Tribeca Green, a new environmentally friendly development in the not-so-Tribeca neighborhood called Battery Park City, Pataki said that projects like this one will help to “reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” When asked how he felt about the Bush administration’s environmental policies, he told reporters the Bush “energy bill that was passed was a positive step forward” adding, “we just need to do more to incentivize the American people… to invest in green technologies.” Hmmm, “incentivize,” he’s sounding like W. already.
Border truce
Councilmember Alan Gerson says he is not going to endorse in the crowded Democratic primary to replace Councilmember Margarita Lopez, whose district borders Gerson.
Alphabet city
Now that there is a Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center, what to call it? Stefan Pryor, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation president, is opting for “LM triple C,” but not everyone is on board. John Whitehead, L.M.D.C chairperson, is not afraid of three Cs in a row and likes saying “L.M.C.C.C.” Perhaps Whitehead, a staunch Republican who has received appointments from President Reagan and Gov. Pataki, thought Pryor’s phrasing was too reminiscent of the “D triple C” — the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The silver-haired octogenarian bravely read an L.M.D.C. resolution at last week’s board meeting where he had to say the five letters no less than 11 times — often right after saying “L.M.D.C.” (The resolution formalized the connection between the two agencies.) One impressed L.M.D.C. board member, Tom Johnson, said Whitehead’s vocal dexterity was reminiscent of Bing Crosby’s scat singing. Party animal.
Holland Tunnel hotel
Tobi Bergman reports that neighbors were surprised to learn about a plan to build a 17-story hotel at 52-56 Watts St., between Sixth Ave. and Varick St., a major Holland Tunnel approach street. The developer is John Lam, who made his name in the Chinatown garment industry and has built a few hotels. However, this may not be the best location. Bergman notes that the bus lane for the tunnel goes right by the curb at the planned hotel’s front door. “No one can even get a taxi in there between 3 and 7 every evening,” he noted.
Post’s traumatic disorder
Assemblymember Deborah Glick still hasn’t answered whether, as the New York Post reported, she warned Margarita Lopez not to take campaign contributions from Scientologists. So we asked her about it. “I think the New York Post story is a totally bogus story. I don’t respond point by point to everything that a propaganda machine does,” Glick said. “They’re not journalists — they are a propaganda machine and should not be dignified by repetition of their inaccurate, malicious gossip. And it’s not facts for the most part — they throw a kernel of truth into something and then distort, misrepresent and outright lie…. They’re liars.” Yes, but did Glick or did she not tell Lopez not to take money for Scientologists?
Movin’ on up
Michael Haberman will be leaving as New York University director of government and community relations at the end of this month to become a vice president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the agency devoted to post-9/11 rebuilding projects Downtown. He isn’t taking spokesperson Joanna Rose’s gig (she’s now Governor Pataki’s flack), John Gallagher will be filling her shoes instead. Haberman, who once upon a time wrote for Downtown Express and The Villager, fills the vacancy left by Jennifer Brown, the corporation’s former V.P. of community relations.
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