MORNING BULLETIN: DOORMEN RALLY, FARE HIKE, VERDI SQUARE HISTORY
Photo by Lynn Austin on Columbus Avenue.
December 20, 2012 Weather: Cloudy, High of 42 Degrees.
Notices:
A Kwanzaa celebration in Central Park, free concerts and more today on our calendar.
We hear that: “From December 21 till January 1 works by talented photographers and designers from Russia, Anastasia Evseeva, Naira Avison and Yana Yartseva will be on view in the Parlor room of St. Paul & St. Andrew on West 86th st. between Broadway and West End Ave.”
We’re getting lots of solicitations from local charities these days. Let us know in the comments: To whom do you donate and why?
News:
Doormen at 1 Lincoln Square rallied last week, complainingthat the condo board is keeping them from joining the union and giving them crappy benefits. Some building reisdents agree. “Resident Heather Albert (wife of famous sportscaster Marv Albert) called the board “a five-member dictatorship.” The board didn’t respond to requests for comment. (NY Press)
Single-ride Metrocard fares are going up to $2.50 per ride, and $112 for a monthly pass. Also: “For subway and bus riders, the cost of a seven-day pass will rise by $1, to $30. And the bonus on pay-per-ride MetroCards will decrease to 5 percent, from 7 percent, but will be available to anyone who places at least $5 on a card. Currently, the bonus applies only to purchases of at least $10.” They take effect in March. (NY Times)
Siblings will still get priority for gifted & talented programs, a policy the city had considered scrapping. (DNAinfo)
Verdi Square at 72nd street was once a hangout for musicians, including Enrico Caruso, Toscanini and the Gershwin brothers. (Ephemeral New York)
Just in case you care, $18 million worth of maple syrup was stolen from a Canadian warehouse! Is there a maple syrup black market? (NY Times)
The comment in the article regarding the 5 member dictatorship running 1Lincoln Square raised an issue that needs some serious attention from local legislators, that is the virtually absolute and unchallengeable power of coop and condo boards. Many buildings on the UWS are run by deeply entrenched boards whose members rarely change and whose members view their positions as adversarial to the shareholders of the coop. As a result shareholders are virtual prisoners in their buildings who cannot challenge any decision of the board for fear of retribution. It is time legislators leveled the playing field and gave shareholders the right to meaningfully challenge decisions of coop and condo boards in court.