By WSR Editorial Board
The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions is thought to have originated 4,000 years ago with the ancient Babylonians. During a 12-day festival known as Akitu, a new king was crowned and the Babylonians promised the gods that they would pay their debts and return borrowed objects.
According to Forbes magazine, the most popular resolutions for 2024 are improved fitness, improved finances, improved mental health, losing weight, and improving diet. (Forbes noted that commitment to these resolutions does not last very long.)
A guest essay in The New York Times last week suggested that these traditional, self-oriented promises amount to “chicken feed. What does the great wide world care if you lose weight, or work out, or work harder, or quit drinking or smoking?” Essayist Roger Rosenblatt suggests we come up with more selfless commitments: making regular calls to lonely friends, visiting hospitalized children. “The task of improving the world may seem impossible,” he writes, “but it isn’t. All it takes is the proper sequence of correct discrete decisions. Decisions are just resolutions with teeth.”
With that in mind, and with a focus on the Upper West Side, the Rag proposes that the neighborhood’s powers-that-be concentrate on making “discrete decisions” in 2024 to resolve some long-festering issues. We offer a short list here, but please use the comments section to suggest other UWS issues long overdue for resolution – or to share your own unique, personal resolutions.
Be it resolved in 2024:
The fate of the West 79th Street Dock House, out of commission since 2021 when it was deemed unsafe and vacated because of damage from flooding, ice, and mud accumulation on the river bed. WSR detailed the history of revival plans here; the June 2023 story showed fundamental disagreements continue between those who would rebuild a new marina, bigger and better than ever, and those who oppose planned construction as a gift to well-off boat owners at the expense of nearby residents and waterfront visitors. But plans for the rebuild are moving forward; the sticking point now is how to make a redesign that blends with the park’s historical context. May it be finally resolved in 2024.
The reopening of the Metro Theater. Shuttered 18 years ago, this UWS institution has been the subject of various reopening rumors over the years – none of which became reality. The latest setback for the 90-year-old landmarked building came with the death in October of owner Albert Bialek. Bialek had told the NEW Friends of Metro Theater, a group advocating for the theater’s revival, of his plans to finally reopen the space as a dine-in theater. As NEW Friends president Liza Cooper wrote for the Rag in November, the organization will continue to work with Bialek’s estate and “won’t slow down until Metro Theater reopens.” Perhaps before the end of 2024!
The landmark status of West-Park Presbyterian Church. A bombshell was dropped at the October meeting of the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, when independent consultants hired by the commission said it would cost a little over $9 million to restore the 133-year-old church. That number was about a third of the latest estimate quoted by those representing the church’s congregation, which ran as high as $50 million. The high cost is the basis for the congregation’s “hardship application,” in which it asks the commission to rescind the building’s landmark status so it can be sold for $33 million to a developer, who would tear down the church to make way for luxury condominiums. The commission first met about West Park in July, 2022. At that time, Chair Sarah Carroll said the matter would be decided “later [that] summer.” The numbers are in. How about a resolution?
Whether to build a “deliverista hub” adjacent to the West 72nd Street subway plaza. Few issues have drawn such strong community opposition as the city’s plans to build a rest and recharging station for ebikes, designed largely to support the many workers who deliver food orders throughout the UWS. Community Board 7 is on record strongly opposing the project and urging the city to find another location in a less-congested area. News in late 2023 that the city planned to move ahead anyway has inspired a new campaign to block the development.
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A growing array of non-car transportation—bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and others—have proliferated in recent years. They routinely ignore traffic regulations. Think of way to rein them in—perhaps requiring registration tags, using cameras at intersections that are routinely rotated so it is hard to know when and where pictures are being taken. Others?
All cars and trucks that enter NYC should be outfitted with speed governors so they cannot go over the speed limit. Every red light should have a camera to send tickets to drivers who run lights.
Fascinating comment Willy – I wouldn’t be surprised if “speed governors” (is that a real thing?) will be as standard in cars 15 years from now as GPS is.
Bikers should be required to wear light-weight reflective vest bibs, with 5-inch numbers front and back, like the ones worn by marathoners. Purchased in bulk, they would cost only a few dollars apiece. The City should require all cyclists to register with a simple photo i.d., and issue the bibs to cyclists free of charge. Cyclists who ride without registered bibs would face impoundment of their bikes, parallel to what happens to motor vehicles driven by unlicensed drivers.Otherwise, it is impossible to identify offenders. It is the rider, not the bike, that should be tagged.
Sure…let’s add another layer of bureaucracy in a city that’s already drowning in rules and regulations that are enforced unevenly. If the police don’t enforce any infractions now, what makes you think the lack of a registered bib will be the tipping point?
Have you been hit by a delivery bike?
If not – you might not understand
Picking up a free bib does not produce not a bureaucracy. It simply provides police with something previously lacking: a means to readily identify cyclists who whoosh through red lights, ride up one-way streets, and zip down sidewalks. Big bib numbers reveal the identity of the violators. The tiny tags on bikes are useless for this purpose.
Thank you Stan – I have come close to hitting cyclists at night several times now because they were completely invisible.
For those who use the bicycle lanes, I think there should be speed bumps *every* block.
Love that! How about no electric bikes too
Why not for cars too? They go faster and do more damage when they hit people.
The number of bikes going through red lights is far greater.than the number of cars doing so. And with no licence plates there is no way to hold the bikes accountable.
Yep. I was hit by a bike going the wrong way through a red light. He did not stop. Left me in the middle of the road at night.
Not necessarily. Bikers are more of a threat because they are far less considerate.
What is truly inconsiderate is walking into the bike lane without looking and then being upset when a biker in the bike lane, respecting traffic rules, nearly hits you. It happens all the time. Pedestrians have to be considerate too.
Is this a fact, or perhaps representative of a bias you harbor against multimodal transit and micro-mobility? Either way, I think we would all appreciate it if you kept your opinions (not facts) to yourself.
Sam,
I don’t drive or bike.
I walk, use bus & subway
Truly find bicyclists – especially Citibike – ignore traffic rules and to be menacing to pedestrians.
Also worth noting – bicycles and micro mobility siphon from bus and subway mass transit.
Thank you Mat – it is a myth that cyclists cut down on cars. A myth promoted by a certain special interest group. Looking at you Transp. Alt.
It is a fact. I ride bike down Amsterdam on the UWS all the time and people walk in front of me (particularly in the 80s. Why would you thik this is not a fact? I think your pedetrain bias should be kept to yourself, very rude comment. I have no bias against any mode of transportation, but safety is a two-way street. Or a one-way bike lane….
Sam I always look and obey traffic signs as a pedestrian. Still I got hit by a bike. Running a red light. Wrong way. Pretty biased as he didn’t stop and I had pretty high medical premiums and lasting pain. I am a senior citizen. Called Gale Brewer’s office – crickets.
Excellent!
Thank you for your more ambitious reporting this past year. Tackling controversial topics as well as showing courage in comment moderation. Constructive discourse is how we will resolve issues and differences of opinions. The UWS continues to evolve as a neighborhood and all voices should be welcomed and heard. You can choose to disagree but there are no wrong or right opinions of what this neighborhood is or should be for residents who choose to live here. Nothing ever stays the same. Thank you.
I think these are great resolutions for 2024.
Can I request the WSR for periodic follow ups on these issues? Especially the Church on 86th and Amsterdam. We need to hold Brewer and Co accountable for the progress on funding, construction plans, project schedule, etc … the scaffolding needs to come down after 22+ years!
Thank you WSR for all the reporting.
I believe that not having resident parking permits is an issue that you have left off your list. Nothing could be more important to people along this corridor with everyone from NJ taking up the few spaces that remein.
Second this, especially once the congestion pricing tolls kick in. We’re going to find the UWS above 60th Street turning into a parking lot for cars coming in from Westchester and New Jersey. Resident parking permits will preserve priority in parking for those who live here.
The deliverista hub is another example of the city ignoring the realities on the site they want to plunder in order to give away a nice fact contract to a favored group. Why when the individuals who will be served by this facility work for billion $$$ companies must the tax payers pay for this facility. Why must residents bear the burden of the dangers presented by this facility when the employers could well afford to provide a safe and clean facility for their employees.?
Anyone who objects is painted as racist or unfriendly to the largely Hispanic delivery personnel….typical of today’s new way to shut down any discussion on any topic. The site is inappropriate. It is unsafe. It is wrong for taxpayers to pay for it. These are facts. They have nothing to do with the race or ethnicity of the delivery personnel.
The City needs new leadership that is interested in governing not grandstanding or handing out contracts or shaking hands with billionaires to the detriment of the people who live here.
This will get built and three months later just like always none of the horrible things people predicted here will happen and life will go on. Just like bike lanes and Citibike and left turn lanes and every other street or safety improvement project in the neighborhood that a core group of people complain about.
What burdens? What dangers? This “facility” going to be a couple of bike racks and some charging stations and maybe a bathroom. I don’t think people are racist, I think they have anxiety.
Try visually transporting the image of the parked bikes on Amsterdam Avenue between 70th & 71st Streets to the space south of the subway entrance with all the pedestrian traffic. And a bathroom? Give me a break (and not a bathroom break).
I also totally agree. The taxpayers mean nothing anymore to this state and city administration.
Is it any wonder NYC has lost over 101,000- residents?
I don’t understand how Mayor Adams and Gale Brewer can so flagrantly ignore the UWS feedback on this issue.
I could not agree with you more. I also could not have said this better. It makes me physically sick to think about what is happening here bc I can see it for what it is. Thank you for articulating it so perfectly.
It is also interesting that people forget and media discussions ignore s that just a few years ago – before apps like Uber East – food delivery was local typically within 20-25 blocks of the restaurant, more limited and with food delivery workers who worked for the restaurant.
Why do so many people order in these days? Terrible situation for us on the UWS trying to avoid being knocked over by their delivery bikes … What’s wrong with going to the dozens of supermarkets on the UWS !?? Loads of food to be found there .. much of it already prepared. Crazy.
MTA needs to get on making the subway accessible. Taking 20 years to make even half the stations ADA-compliant isn’t nearly enough, and they’re only committed to that schedule because they lost a court case.
There are 90 steps from the lowest platform to the street at my local subway station. The closest accessible station is either 30 blocks or 13 blocks away. 90 steps are not easy for most people, not only those with disabilities. Inexcusable – and we will be the last to be served because we’re not in a sexy neighborhood.
yes. Rein them in! Take them OFF our streets!
What is more important food delivery
or safe streets???
Regulation of any kind only says we agree
snd support their existence
We do NOT.
It’s like the Wild West out there snd it has
to stop
Where is our Mayor!!
It sure will be great if these things are resolved in 2024. But like the removal of scaffolding that’s been up on some buildings for more than a decade (looking at you, corner of 104 and Broadway), I’ll believe it when I see it. But I’ll also try not to be cynical until at least July. 😉
Happy New Year, WSR! Thanks for all you do to make this a better neighborhood.
The City is responsible for the renovations at 104/Broadway and they claim the project will be completed by the end of 2024. Like you, I will believe it when I see it!
Re: ebike rest/charge station:
The City originally proposed the first to be at a closed news stand near City Hall – no work has been done. City should see if that works.
Many people don’t order delivery.
Corporate Uber Eats should develop a site with its money.
71-72 is busy, complicated, dangerous – pedestrians, bus riders and subway riders will be negatively mpacted
Other places with more space should be used – like 62nd St sidewalk by Damrosch Park. Few pedestrians, little traffic and a garage on the block
The dock house could be rebuilt with public space and accommodations so it doesn’t only benefit boat owners. A friend of mine was once living on a boat there as a sub-let.
I love this article and as a member of the New Friends of Metro Theater i can tell you that this essay will serve to strengthen our resolve to reopen the Theater! Thank you!!
We at NEW Friends of Metro Theater are working hard to make that wonderful New Year’s resolution come true- reopening Metro! With the sad passing of Albert Bialek, his holdings and real estate are going through the intricate probate legal process.
Our group remains in touch with the new tenant as well as the folks who are handling Bialek’s estate. We are dedicated to reopening as well as to launching some special Metro-inspired events this coming year!
Follow us on Facebook at NEW Friends of Metro Theater.
And Happy New Year! Here’s to films at the Metro once again!
As a longtime member of New Friends of the Metro Theater I know that we are thrilled that 2024 is the year construction begins for the project and are excited to see it (finally!) move ahead.
Wondering where tourist bike shops, Citibike and Amazon ebike delivery get their ebikes recharged?
Please, please reopen the Metro theater.
ALL modes of transportation, from bikes to scooters, as well as the drivers, should be registered and licensed! Two friends of mine were hit by such “vehicles” in 2022, essentially victims of hit & run. They are still struggling to recover. Not only should such victims be able to sue (impossible without knowing who they were) but the operators of scooters and bikes who run into pedestrians should , if shown to be repeat offenders, lose their licenses.