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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
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Volume 5,
No. 13
Sept. 7, 2018
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"By putting an expiration date on every community board member, we will be strengthening the already-strong hand of developers whose job it is to build as high and as densely as possible."
- Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer commenting on the term limits for Community Board members proposed by the New York City Charter Revision Commission
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 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: NEW YORK STATE PRIMARY ON SEPT. 13
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| Terese Loeb Kreuzer, editor |
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Vote! Primary election on Sept. 13
In the Democratic primary, incumbent Andrew Cuomo is running for a third term as New York State governor. Cynthia Nixon, former "Sex and the City" star and an ally of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, is Cuomo's major challenger.
Also in the Democratic primary, Jumaane Williams is running for lieutenant governor against incumbent Kathy C. Hochul. Williams currently serves on New York City Council, representing the 45th district, which includes East Flatbush, Flatbush, Flatlands, Marine Park and Midwood in Brooklyn.
The Republican candidate for New York State governor, Marcus Molinaro, was unanimously nominated at the Republican state convention in May. Since he has no challengers for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, there will be no Republican primary election.
There are four candidates in the Democratic primary for the State Attorney General position previously held by Eric Schneiderman. The four candidates are Letitia A. James, Sean Patrick Maloney, Zephyr Teachout and Leecia R. Eve. James is currently the New York City Public Advocate. Maloney is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing New York's 18th Congressional District. At one time, he was a senior advisor to former president Bill Clinton. Teachout is a law professor at Fordham Law School. She ran unsuccessfully for governor of New York in 2014 and for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016. Eve, a graduate of Harvard Law School, is an attorney in New York and was a candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006. She serves on the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
In the 65th Assembly District, which includes parts of Battery Park City, the Financial District and the Lower East Side, Christopher Marte is running against Joseph N. Garba for Male State Committee person on the Democratic ticket.
For a complete list of all candidates whose names will appear on the ballot in the September 13 primary election,
click here.
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www.DowntownPostNYC.com.
Terese Loeb Kreuzer
Editor
The emailed Downtown Post NYC newsletter is appearing less frequently than formerly, however,
Downtown Post NYC's website (www.DowntownPostNYC.com) is updated daily. That's the place to check for urgent messages, breaking news and reminders of interesting events in and around Lower Manhattan. When heavy rain and thunderstorms caused cancellations for scheduled performances at the Battery Dance Festival this past week, this information was immediately posted on the Downtown Post NYC website along with news of other canceled events in Lower Manhattan. So be sure to look at the website every day, especially if you want to know about breaking news.
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HOW TO FORWARD DOWNTOWN POST NYC
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Benefiting the South Street Seaport Museum,
help celebrate New York's connection to the water - past, present and future at
Pier 16 aboard the museum's 1885 sailing ship Wavertree
89 South Street
Tickets include full bar, hors d'oeuvres and food stations.
For more information, click here.
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NEW YORK STATE LEADS LAWSUIT TO SHIELD MIGRATING BIRDS FROM WEAKENED FEDERAL PROTECTION; BIRD WALKS IN THE BATTERY
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A ruby-throated hummingbird perched on salvia in Battery Park City. Most of these tiny birds spend the winter as far south as northern Panama and their summers as far north as southern Canada. During their migration, many of them cross the Gulf of Mexico, a non-stop flight of up to 500 miles that can take from 18 to 22 hours, depending on the weather.
(Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
In spring and fall, more than 300 species of birds migrate through New York State during journeys that can span thousands of miles between their summer and winter homes. The trip is always dangerous, but this year, more so than usual.
The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), enacted in 1918, made it unlawful to "take" or "kill" any migratory bird "at any time, by any means, or in any manner" unless permitted by regulation. The Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) were given the responsibility for implementing and enforcing the MBTA. For decades they have recognized that the prohibitions in the Act encompass all activities that both immediately kill or could foreseeably result in the death of migrating birds - whether or not that was the actor's intention.
Now the Trump administration has weakened these protections. A legal opinion issued by the Trump DOI late last year prohibits enforcement of the MBTA against industrial or other human activities such as spilling oil or failing to cover chemical waste lagoons that are known to kill or foreseeably could kill migratory birds, but are not specifically intended to do so.
In response, New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood is leading a coalition of eight state attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Department of the Interior. The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, calls the Trump opinion "arbitrary and capricious and contrary to the law" and asks the court to vacate it.
"The Trump administration has gutted the Migratory Bird Treaty Act," Underwood said. She noted that the 300 species of migratory birds that travel through New York State "provide critical ecological, scientific, and economic value to New York."
Among other things, migratory birds control insect and rodent populations, pollinate plants, spread seeds, and provide recreational opportunities. Birdwatching turns out to be a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Lower Manhattan is on the migratory route traveled by many birds at this time of year. During the spring migration, Gabriel Willow, an educator from NYC Audubon, led bird walks in The Battery during which participants saw 74 different species. He will again be leading bird walks in The Battery starting on Wednesday, Sept. 12 and continuing on Wednesdays through Oct. 10. The free bird walks start at 8 a.m. and meet at the Netherland Memorial Flagpole on the northeast corner of The Battery where Broadway, Battery Place and State Street converge. For more information, and to register,
click here.
- Terese Loeb Kreuzer
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SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 COMMEMORATIONS IN LOWER MANHATTAN
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Tribute in Light is a commemorative public art installation first presented six months after 9/11 and then every year thereafter, from dusk to dawn, on the night of September 11. Assembled on the roof of the Battery Parking Garage south of the 9/11 Memorial, the twin beams reach up to four miles into the sky and are comprised of 88 7,000-watt xenon light bulbs positioned into two 48-foot squares, echoing the shape and orientation of the Twin Towers. On the anniversary of 9/11, the Memorial Plaza at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum is open to the public from 3 p.m. to midnight for the viewing of Tribute in Light. The installation can also be viewed from a 60-mile radius around Lower Manhattan. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer)
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Sept. 11:
Remembering 9/11: Words and Music in Commemoration, and Calling of the Names: Trinity Wall Street in collaboration with Calling of the Names commemorates 9/11 with words and music including Duruflé's "Requiem" and Herbert Howells' "Take him, earth, for cherishing," followed by a ceremony honoring deceased first responders and rescue and recovery workers. Place: St. Paul's Chapel (on Broadway at Fulton Street). Time: 3 p.m. Free. For more information,
click here.
Sept. 11:
The Lower Manhattan Skyline, With & Without the Twin Towers:
In conjunction with the Skyscraper Museum's exhibition "Skyline," two noted photographers of New York will discuss their work over several decades of documenting the evolving identity of Lower Manhattan. Richard Berenholtz and Camilo José Vergara will each show a selection of sequences that capture the lower Manhattan skyline from the same position over time and in many temporal conditions, recording in images that are authentic, poetic, and, ultimately, poignant. Visit the Skyscraper Museum on the evening of September 11 to remember the Twin Towers and pay tribute to what was lost and to the resilience of the city. Place: 39 Battery Place. Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free. All guests MUST RSVP to programs@skyscraper.org to assure admittance to the event. For more information,
click here.
The 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial and Museum: Starting at 5 p.m. on Mon., Sept. 10, the Museum will be open exclusively for people from the 9/11 community, including 9/11 and 1993 family members, 9/11 rescue and recovery workers, active duty first responders, 9/11 survivors, and Lower Manhattan business owners and residents. On the morning of Tues., Sept. 11, the Museum will be closed to the public for a private ceremony on the Memorial plaza for 9/11 family members. At 3 p.m. on Tues., Sept. 11, the plaza will open to the public and remain open till midnight, allowing visitors to view the Tribute in Light. Members of the 9/11 community can reserve free museum tickets by
clicking here.
The 9/11 Tribute Museum: On Tuesday, Sept. 11, the 9/11 Tribute Museum will hold its 10th Annual National Day of Service & Remembrance at The Oculus. Volunteers, first responders and more than 500 employees from companies that were impacted by 9/11 will assemble bicycles for children of active duty soldiers and first responders. Donate $45 to sponsor a bike. For more information or to volunteer,
click here.
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Renuka Pinto, an Australian trained physical therapist with over 18 years experience, is now offering "quality care at an affordable price" at her new location, 915 Broadway, Suite 1106. She is a sports and spine specialist using technology, intensive hands-on therapy and custom-based exercise to help patients meet their needs.
A mother of three, she offers specialized services to pregnant and post-partum women to help them achieve their individual goals.
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Bits & Bytes
PROPOSED CITY CHARTER REVISION; REAL ESTATE FIGHT; JOHN LENNON'S TOWNHOUSE; MORE ABOUT THAT OYSTER NAMED 'BIG'
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Christopher Curry, who was then senior executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corporation, making a presentation to Community Board 1's Seaport/Civic Center Committee about a "minor modification" to plans for Pier 17, which was then under construction in the South Street Seaport. Anthony Notaro, now chair of Community Board 1, and Paul Hovitz, vice chair, are in the foreground. The photo was taken on Sept. 20, 2016. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer 2016)
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Four borough presidents oppose hurried and 'reckless' City Charter Revision proposals: On Aug. 21, 2018, four borough presidents sent a letter to Cesar Perales, chair of the New York City Charter Revision Committee, opposing term limits for members of the city's community boards and other "drastic" proposals that are now scheduled to appear on the ballot in the November 6 general election.
In their letter, the borough presidents of Manhattan (Gale Brewer), the Bronx (Ruben Diaz, Jr.), Queens (Melinda Katz) and Staten Island (James Oddo) said that the proposals had been rushed through the Charter Revision Commission process with "little to no public review or discussion of draft charter amendments" and would have "unintended negative consequences." They were particularly concerned with how the proposed term limits and a proposal for a Civic Engagement Commission to provide "technical assistance services, including urban planning" would affect the land use process, which the borough presidents called "perhaps the single most important function of community boards."
"Borough Presidents appoint the members of New York City's 59 community boards, we work more closely with the boards than other elected officials, and we are the boards' first and most direct source of advice and technical support," Manhattan Borough President Brewer said in her monthly newsletter. "We know what it takes for boards to do their job well, and we know how important that job is - because community boards are neighborhoods' early-warning system and advocate during high-stakes land use and real estate negotiations."
Brewer went on to say that, "The term limits component is especially worrying. Community boards need to be able to rely on experienced members with know-how and institutional memory if they're going to properly scrutinize complicated land use proposals and negotiate effectively with real estate power players over the fate of projects in their neighborhoods. By putting an expiration date on every community board member, we will be strengthening the already-strong hand of developers whose job it is to build as high and as densely as possible."
The four borough presidents acknowledged that given the short time period until the November election, it was unlikely that there could be much in the way of public review of the proposals' specifics. They asked at the end of their letter that the Charter Revision Commission reconsider these proposals rather than rushing to send them to voters.
Meanwhile, another Charter Revision Commission is at work, resulting from a local law co-sponsored by Brewer, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, and Public Advocate Letitia James (introduced before the Mayor's proposal even surfaced). This version will spend a full year examining all aspects of the City Charter and will propose changes on the 2019 ballot.
Brewer stated that the logic in proposing a fresh look at the city's main governing document was that a full-scale review hadn't been conducted since 1989 (except for minor tweaks).
The 2019 Charter Commission will kick off its inclusive process with a first series of public hearings this month in each of the five boroughs. The hearing in Manhattan will take place on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at a location to be determined.
'It's critically important that New Yorkers attend these hearings and let commissioners know what areas of city government can be improved upon," Brewer said. For updated information on these hearings,
click here. -
Terese Loeb Kreuzer
"Downtown hotel developer sues neighbor for extortion,"
Crain's New York Business, 8/31/18. "The developer of a downtown hotel is suing its neighbor, alleging attempted extortion of hundreds of thousands of dollars to build the 28-story project," says Crain's New York Business. "Trinity NYC Hotel LLC purchased the vacant development site at 50 Trinity Place in 2012 with plans to build a 173-room Aloft-branded hotel. According to a suit filed in Manhattan State Supreme Court on Thursday, the developer hasn't been able to secure permissions from its neighbor, a three-story building owned and occupied by the diner George's New York, to begin the work. Trinity NYC Hotel claims that the owner of 11 Rector Street has asked for exorbitant sums of money to allow the developer to protect the property with equipment such as netting as it erects the hotel." For the complete article,
click here.
"It's the Biggest Oyster Found in New York in 100 Years. And It Has Stories to Tell,"
New York Times, 9/2/18. Its name is "Big," and it's an oyster, named by its "people" at The River Project. "Big's people rave that it is a record-setter, the largest oyster found in New York Harbor in perhaps 100 years," says The New York Times. "Big's people, from the River Project, a group that works to restore the Hudson River Estuary, had to buy a scale big enough to weigh it. The one they had when Big arrived was too small for the job. Big tipped the new scale at 876 grams, or 1.93 pounds, which was a big letdown. Big's people had taken it for a two-pounder." For the complete article,
click here.
"111 Murray Street Nearly Complete As Facade Installation Wraps, Tribeca,"
New York YIMBY, 8/24/18. "Nearly four years after permits were filed, 111 Murray is almost entirely finished," says New York YIMBY. "The 792-foot tall structure will add 157 condominiums to the Lower Manhattan and Tribeca market. After applications were approved in May of 2015, construction was quick to start. Now, the development by Fisher Brothers, Witkoff, and New Valley is nearing completion. All that remains to be installed of the facade are two glass panels on the southwestern edge." For the complete article,
click here.
"John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'embassy' sells for $8M,"
New York Post, 8/15/18. "A Tribeca townhouse linked to John Lennon and Yoko Ono has sold for $8.12 million. While the couple never lived in the landmarked home at 1 White St., they listed its address as the embassy of their self-proclaimed country, Nutopia, in 1973," says the New York Post. "The sellers still got letters addressed to Lennon and Ono, brokers say." For the complete article,
click here.
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Downtown bulletin board
OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK SEEKS VOLUNTEERS; NEW LOWER EAST SIDE FERRY SERVICE; AUDITIONS FOR WRITERS IN PERFORMANCE
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The Downtown Boathouse on Pier 26 in Hudson River Park finishes its weekday evening sessions on Pier 26 with a "Moonlight Paddle" on Sept. 13 so people can go kayaking by moonlight. The Downtown Boathouse will continue to offer free kayaking on Saturdays and Sundays through mid-October. For more information about the Downtown Boathouse, click here. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
Open House New York Weekend seeks volunteers: On Open House New York weekend, this year from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14, buildings of historical and/or architectural interest all over New York City are open to visitors. Many of these venues are ordinarily closed to the public. The staffing for the weekend largely comes from volunteers. Volunteer registration for the 2018 OHNY Weekend is now open. Sign up by Sunday, Sept. 9 to join the team of more than 1,000 volunteers who help make OHNY Weekend one of New York City's most exciting events. Volunteer for one four-hour shift on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, Oct. 12, 13, or 14, and:
* Meet others who share your interest in architecture, design, history, and New York City
* Receive a volunteer Passport that gives you and a friend expedited access at all sites that do not require advance reservations
* Get a limited-edition 2018 OHNY Weekend tshirt
For more information and to sign up to be a volunteer,
click here.
Auditions for 'Writers in Performance': The BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center is seeking a diverse group of writers and actors for the 2018 Writers in Performance workshop and public presentation. The free 12-week writing and performance workshop culminates in performances to be held Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. We are looking for voices of all ages, ethnicities, styles and levels of experience.
The workshop will explore writing exercises, theater games, improvisation, movement and ensemble work in a safe, creative environment resulting in a theater piece performed by all participants.
Auditions by appointment only will be held at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St. (Between Greenwich and West Streets) on
Wednesday, Sept. 12 and Thursday, Sept. 13. To schedule an audition, contact Mario Giacalone at mgiacalone@tribecapac.org between Sept. 4 and Sept. 10. Professional actor, director and teacher, Mario Giacalone, is the facilitator and director of the Writers in Performance program. Giacalone, the former Program Director at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, has taught acting in New York City for over 10 years and has directed both stage and film
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New Lower East Side ferry service: On Aug. 29, NYC Ferry added a Lower East Side route to its roster of ferries connecting New York City neighborhoods previously underserved by transit. The Lower East Side Route runs from Wall Street/Pier 11, to Corlears Hook, to Stuyvesant Cove, East 34th Street, and ends at Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City, Queens. The trip takes about 32 minutes from start to finish and costs $2.75 for a one-way ticket. This is the sixth NYC Ferry route. For more information,
click here.
Culture Pass: Culture Pass is a new service for holders of a New York Public Library card that enables free admission to dozens of museums and cultural institutions around the city. Participating institutions include the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Frick Collection, the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, the Museum of the City of New York, Wave Hill, the Whitney Museum of American Art and many more. You must be at least 13 years old to reserve a pass. To get a Culture Pass, go to www.Culturepass.nyc and follow the prompts. You can obtain passes for dates up to three months in advance and can have two pending reservations at any time. Each pass is good for two to four people.
Most of the Downtown Post NYC bulletin board listings are now on the Downtown Post NYC website. To see the bulletin board listings,
click here.
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CALENDAR: September 2018
Spotlight: Fall schedule for Battery Park City
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The Battery Park City Authority's newly released fall calendar includes two guided tours of Battery Park City's public art collections. "The Real World" by Tom Otterness is one of the highlights. (Photo: © Terese Loeb Kreuzer) |
The Battery Park City Authority has released its Fall 2018 Parks Programming Calendar with more than 450 public programs and events between September and December. The full calendar of mostly-free programs includes movie nights, concerts, tours, tournaments and games, art and nature events, fitness and exercise classes, and much more.
Some highights include:
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Fall Movie Nights - Fridays in September at 7 p.m., Rockefeller Park. Free screenings of great feature films and shorts made in or featuring New York City:
◦ Sept. 7: The Wiz - Ease on down the yellow-brick road with this 1970s classic, featuring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! Relive the magic of this beloved musical where Dorothy is whisked away to the enchanted wonderland of Oz and embarks on an adventure with her new friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion.
Also: One Froggy Evening (Short)
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Sept. 14: Muppets Take Manhattan - Broadway-bound, the Muppets take Manhattan by storm in this magical musical about breaking into show business! Fresh out of college, Kermit, Fozzie and the entire cast of Kermit's musical Manhattan Melodies head for the Big Apple with dreams of turning their little play into a big hit!
Also: Mighty Manhattan, New York's Wonder City (Short)
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Sept. 21: Men in Black - Agents Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) are members of a top-secret organization established to monitor alien activity on Earth. Together they take on a mission to track down an intergalactic terrorist (Vincent D'Onofrio) bent on destroying Earth. It's all in a day's work for the Men in Black.
Also: A Hare Grows in Manhattan (Short)
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Sept. 28: Spiderman - After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, Peter Parker vows to put his spider-like abilities and superhuman strength to help fight crime. The web-spinning superhero has a mission to save New York from his nemesis, the Green Goblin, and to win the heart of Mary Jane, the girl next door. Go for the ultimate spin with Tobey Maguire in Spiderman.
Also: Baseball Bugs (Short)
* Hummingbird Hootenanny - Saturday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m., South Cove. Kick
off the fall season with a celebration of our small but mighty friend, the hummingbird. The hootenanny will include: Hummingbird watchzone, making bird wings and masks, weaving a life-size nest, and a birdwatching and guided nature tour with a naturalist/horticulturist team. Plus: a live performance and hum-a-long with Astrograss.
◦ 10 a.m.: Art Projects
◦ 11 a.m.: Bird Watching / Nature Tour
◦ 12 p.m.: Astrograss Family Concert
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Mixmag - Thursday, Sept. 13, 6 p.m., Wagner Park. Mixmag, the British-born electronic dance and club magazine, brings trendsetting DJs to spin in iconic places from the Great Wall of China to Battery Park City. Come savor one of the city's most majestic vistas at a sunset funk and soul party featuring New York City's own Natasha Diggs and friends.
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Go Fish! - Select Saturdays, 10 a.m., Wagner Park. Join experienced anglers for catch-and release fishing and learn about life in the Hudson River through art projects, nature walks, and live music.
◦ On Sept. 22 - A performance by The Suzi Shelton Band with their award-winning signature hits and new tunes from their latest album Hand in Hand.
◦ On Oct. 13 - The River Project, fellow stewards of the Hudson River and New York Harbor, will share their innovative work in environmental education. And don't miss the kindie rock and reggae tunes of Brooklyn based king of the dance party Father Goose!
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Dockappella - Sunday, Sept. 30, 1 p.m., Wagner Park. This is an annual autumn celebration of intricately woven harmonies along the Hudson River. Many of the finest college a cappella groups in New York and beyond - including those from Harvard, Yale, Columbia, New York University, and more - will showcase their pitch-perfect vocal renditions from a diverse variety of musical genres. Bring a blanket and a picnic lunch for music with the Statue of Liberty as backdrop!
* BPC at Fifty: Public Art Retrospective - Select October Sundays. In 1968, Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller signed the Battery Park City Authority Act, seeding the ground for what would become a neighborhood like no other. Join contemporary art historian, Dorothea Basile, on two
walks highlighting the public art that was originally commissioned to celebrate the threshold where city meets Hudson River waterfront-park landscapes and the more recent installations which have continued that vision.
◦ Part One: Oct. 14, 2 p.m. - North Cove to South Cove; meet at Waterfront Plaza entrance to Winter Garden
◦ Part Two: Oct. 28, 2 p.m.- The Real World, Teardrop Park, and Irish Hunger Memorial; meet at The Real World
For the complete calendar of Battery Park City events between September and December, click here.
For more calendar listings, go to the Downtown Post NYC website.
Click here.
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Downtown Post NYC is emailed to subscribers twice a week.
Editor: Terese Loeb Kreuzer
All articles and photographs in Downtown Post NYC are copyrighted and
may not be reprinted or republished without written permission.
© 2018
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