Contractors finally started pouring concrete at 80th street and Broadway, after digging a hole that appears to be 40-50 feet deep. A 20-story building is set to rise there. Thanks to Arif for the photo.
May 16, 2016 Weather: Partly cloudy, with a high of 66 degrees.
Notices:
The start of the SummerStage season and dozens of other local events are on our calendar.
Theo, a chihuahua-shiba inu mix, was stolen from outside a pizza shop on Lexington Avenue between 78th and 79th street. There’s chance he’s on the UWS, a friend of the owner said. See the flyer here.
DegreesNYC, a grassroots project to close the racial and economic gap in higher ed, is looking to hear from locals. They’re meeting at 647 Columbus Avenue from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday. More here.
It’s the 5th anniversary of West Side Rag! Our little newsboy mascot has grown so much, but he’s still basically immature. We’re planning to throw an event to celebrate and meet some of our lovely readers, but probably not for several weeks.
News:
As a national debate about transgender rights plays out around the country, a notice placed in a unnamed Upper West Side locker room at the Gertrude Ederle Rec Center on 61st street has caused some uncomfortable moments. “Girls from a swim team in New York City’s Upper West Side are too scared to use the women’s locker room at a Parks Department swimming pool. In March, a sign appeared noting that everyone has the the right to use the restroom or locker room consistent with their ‘gender identity or gender expression.’ Around the same time, the girls, who range in age from about seven to 18, became concerned after they saw a ‘bearded individual’ in the women’s changing room. They are now using the family changing room to change in and out of their swimsuits, but it is not big enough for all 18 girls.” Mel Wymore, a former community board chairman who is transgender said that there needs to be more dialogue around this issue.“I can say from my own personal experience transitioning that it’s uncomfortable to be in a restroom where you know people are uncomfortable.”
A landlord has sealed the windows of a building on 95th street as workers fix balconies, but tenants feel suffocated after waiting since August. “The owner of the building, which is being converted to condos, says drastic measures are needed to protect tenants from dust caused by repairs to crumbling balconies. But tenants, many rent-regulated, say enough is enough. Their apartments are sealed, and dust is getting in anyway.”
Fairway’s bankruptcy should play out in an orderly fashion, with only its lenders getting hit. But the company will probably have to consider what stores to close in the longer-term. “After filing for Chapter 11 on May 2, the grocer pledged to continue paying in full all employees, suppliers and landlords. The only parties who figure to suffer big losses are Fairway’s lenders, most of whom have already have agreed to swap their debt for shares in the reorganized company…Fairway executives intend to use its sojourn in bankruptcy court to cut its $279 million debt burden in half and free up resources to invest in its business and win back the shopping carts of New Yorkers. Wish them luck.”
Co-ops, a mainstay on the UWS, are going the way of the Dodo. “Since 2000, developers have moved to create a mere 75 new co-op projects, and no more than seven total in any given year, according to a new analysis by The Real Deal…Compare that 75 number to 6,155, which is the number of new condominium plans filed over the same period.”
A local police officer is suing the city. “A cop who made headlines three years ago when she was written up for speaking Spanish at work in violation of the NYPD’s English-only policy is suing the city for violating her civil rights. Jessenia Guzman says in court papers filed Monday that her bosses in the 24th Precinct in Upper West Side have been on her case for years.”
Rosalee Grable, an Upper West Sider who fought for impoverished people to be buried with dignity at New York’s potter’s field at Hart Island, died last week and will be buried at Hart Island herself.
That locker room story in Time is disturbing. Why can’t a bald, bearded person who wears men’s swim trunks be kept out of a women’s locker room?
Re: Building on 80th – Bedrock was hit at 60’ below street level; contractor carved the rock to form its foundation for the elevator & sump pit; foundations walls are being formed with rebar, pored with concrete. Kudos to the contractor for doing its best to minimize the inconveniences to the neighborhood. They’ve been teaching safety by issuing hardhats & safety vests to neighborhood kids, and adding extra Flagmen to assist with crosswalk safety. I’d like to thank CB7 for assisting with this – things are much better, quieter, and safer on West 80. One issue left, can someone use their DOT contact to get the Streetlight repaired! (Been out since January & complaints have gone unanswered)
Re: Reconfiguration of Amsterdam Ave. – what a disaster! Big difference between Columbus Ave and Amsterdam Ave. Several delivery trucks have no option but to double park to unload for businesses along Amsterdam resulting in two operable lanes (the same situation arises when a car attempts to legally park along the West side of the Ave.) – just last week I saw an ambulance use the bike lane as an emergency lane, in order to avoid the bottleneck that arises. Traffic patterns vary tremendously from Avenue to Avenue and at various hours – this reconfiguration should have been tested for 12 months (through a snowstorm as well), before being implemented.
Don’t expect any help from the NYPD on this. Today at 84th & Amsterdam I watched an NYPD School Safety van double park with the engine running for over 20 min. within feet of 2 empty parking spaces. The two officers effectively bottlenecked the avenue from 3 lanes to 2 with the expected resulting congestion and honking.
Could not disagree more about the reconfiguration of Amsterdam Ave. To my eyes, traffic is speeding less. There is no enforcement yet that I’ve seen for clueless drivers who park in the bike lane. Cyclists are using the lane already, to the extent that confused drivers haven’t parked in it. It is a HUGE win for the Upper West Side and will only get better as it’s built out with street trees, pedestrian refuges, and the green paint.
Honking is a real problem, and it’s caused by taxi drivers who have forgotten the laws apply to them, and honk every time they brake instead of when necessary to warn of an imminent collision, and by drivers who double park on the side streets, backing up drivers behind them.
I hope your right Margaret. Only time will tell. Lets hope the end result is a positive for all Upper West Siders: cyclist, drivers, and pedestrians!
ps: Happy Cinco Anniversary West Side Rag!!!
🙂
Regarding the locker room person: He’s probably a “savvy” New Yorker who wants to get kicked out of the locker room so that he can sue the facility, the city and anybody else who has a buck for violating his human rights.
It’s worth reading that whole article. The top is clickbaity, but deeper down the locker room is named (Gertrude Ederle rec center), the parent’s concerns are explained more fully, and there are good, thoughtful quotes from Mel Wymore on the challenges that transgender folk face.
There are quotes from Mel Wymore on the challenges that transgender folk face. What isn’t explained is why anyone would think this person is transgendered. By all appearances it is a man. A bald, bearded man in swim trunks. The staff isn’t allowed to ask any questions.
This “transgender” issue is nonsense. The bearded man is a man…stay away from the women’s locker room….this is his issue—why frighten everyone?? Does society at large have to accommodate every behavioral issue? Why do we have to be intimidated -enough!
Good point. We added some more to the excerpt and corrected the part about the locker room. WSR
In Philly, many neighborhoods would be happy to grant the gentleman exactly what he wishes. Some local gentry waits until he exits the building and they give him the beating he deserves. They’ll happily ignore all his rights for 10-20 minutes. Funny thing is the police will too when the get there “Officer he kept smashing his nose into my fist” Officer “sounds about right”
Yeah, that would be a hate crime.
“Better here than in Philadelphia.”
Happy 5th, West Side Rag!!
Thanks!
Happy 5th Anniversary, West Side Rag! You’re a daily stop in my Web Surfing…and especially cherished when I’m out of town and want to keep an eye on my ‘hood! You’re excellent work is greatly appreciated, Neighbor.
Thanks Nelson!
…and apologies for the typo. Misspellings like You’re/Your are a pet peeve of mine, which just reminds me I can be hoisted by my own petard LOL! (The curse of Nimble Fingers on a keyboard)
The bathroom/locker room debate will continue to be an issue because someone is going to feel discriminated against either way. The only way to avoid any discrimination would be a redesign of all public bathrooms where they are all one stall unisex rooms similar to your local Starbucks restrooms. Obviously that solution would cost a ton of money and cause other problems. In reality, how big of an issue is this? That may be an unanswerable question but is this a situation where many trans people simply use the bathroom that matches their outward appearance anyway and have always done so without anyone giving a care and would continue to do so? Clearly a bearded person in a women’s restroom/locker room will raise some suspicion regardless if said bearded person identifies as a woman. I am as progressive as they get and care less about who uses what restroom but common sense states that a men’s bathroom would kind of mean individuals that have the appearance of a man would use that restroom and those that have the appearance of a woman would use the women’s restroom. That may seem a bit mean to those that identify differently from their appearance but we all face some level of discrimination in many aspects of life.
You’re smart and patient-not confused at all. I admire your answer and agree.
Happy Anniversary! Love the West Side Rag.
Fascinating site I just discovered:
4thWaveNow
https://4thwavenow.com/
“A community of parents & friends skeptical of the “transgender child/teen” trend”
( https://4thwavenow.com/about/ )
https://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/gender-ideology-harms-children
Happy anniversary, West Side Rag. You’ve been a swell addition to the neighborhood.
Happy Anniversary! Happy to have been a part of it!
When are people going to stop tying their dogs up outside stores, and not expect that something bad could happen to them? Not only is it cruel to the animal, but as this incident illustrates, YOUR DOG CAN BE TAKEN!! Why would anyone be so stupid to leave anything of value–especially a “beloved” dog outside on the street? Would you tie your purse up outside? Shame on any dog owner who does that–maybe people will wake up and stop being so stupid.
Many dogs are okay being left for a couple of minutes, but certainly not small, defenseless breeds. My lab-mix will sit and wait and not allow anyone to move him. But your point is well taken.
My heart goes out to Theo’s family. Hope your fur-baby returns home safe and soon!
Congratulations on achieving your 5th anniversary! I enjoy reading much of the news, humour, and shenanigans of the UWS in the Rag.