Today is Labor Day, Monday, September 7th, 2026
Summer 2026 looks like it’s going to wrap up on a high note, at least when it comes to the weather: Today’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, with a high of 78 degrees — perfect weather for end-of-summer celebrations. The rest of the week looks pretty good, too: Mostly sunny tomorrow and Wednesday, with highs in the low 80s, then back into the upper 70s for Thursday and Friday, with a possibility of a thunderstorm on Thursday.
On this date in 1914, the New York Post Office — later renamed the James A. Farley Post Office after FDR’s former postmaster general — opened its doors on Eighth Avenue; at its heyday, it operated 24 hours per day, seven days per week. (Opening hours were cut back during the 2009 recession.) Today, the building’s facade remains, and a much-reduced post office continues to operate there, but what was once the mail-sorting area is now criss-crossed by thousands of passengers boarding Amtrak trains each day, and all 730,000 square feet of the office space is leased by Meta.
Notices
Our calendar has lots of local events. Click on the link or the lady in the upper righthand corner to check.
Tomorrow at 4:30 p.m., the Center at West Park presents a summit on women in sports leadership, including a networking cocktail party; a panel discussion featuring female athletes; the New York premier of the documentary Mighty Mary about the first all-women’s sailing crew to compete in the America’s Cup; and a post-screening discussion with director Mary Mazzio and what the center is calling “other special guests.” The summit will be held at St. Paul & St. Andrew Church, 263 West 86th Street. Tickets are available — HERE.
News Roundup
Compiled by Laura Muha
The St. James Gate bar may be gone, but it has not been forgotten. In a video posted to YouTube last week, regulars discuss their memories of the popular Irish pub and describe what it meant to them.
“St. James Gate has an aura that invites and then it holds you,” says one woman in an interview apparently filmed shortly before the pub closed two years ago. “All the staff are Irish and they hold you. This is a home.”
The pub, located at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 81st Street, opened in 2008 and closed in 2024 for reasons that were not made public. “It was just a brief moment of magic in the time space continuum that made something that may never happen again, but it was just perfect the way it was,” another regular tells filmmakers in the video
The film was created by Tipo Studio, a commercial studio that describes its mission as “crafting modern digital media with soul.”
“The film is a small tribute to the pub, the people who filled it, and the memories that still live on,” the filmmakers state in a description of the video on their YouTube channel. “It’s about a pub that felt like home to so many, and the emptiness that lingers when a place like that is gone.”
To many Upper West Siders, the name “Extell” brings up images of ultra-tall skyscrapers, and the controversies that often surround them. But there’s a real person behind the development company, and he was the subject of a profile published last week by The Real Deal.
Under the headline, “What’s Gary Barnett’s next big move?” author Rich Bockmann looked at what appears to be a more conciliatory approach of late on the part of the developer, who once drew ire for including what was dubbed by the West Side Rag a “poor door” — a separate entrance for residents of rent-stabilized units — in one of his projects. Although there is no requirement that he include such units in the Extell tower going up on the former ABC site on West 66th Street, Barnett has offered to do so anyway.
It remains unclear, though, how many of the building’s units will be made affordable, and how affordable will defined.
“Would I do it on my own if I didn’t have some ulterior motives? No, I wouldn’t,” Barnett is quoted in the piece as saying. “What I’m getting out of it really … is just peace. I’m not interested in a fight.”
What Bockman calls “Barnett’s new Zen outlook” comes on the cusp of the developer’s 70th birthday.
“But he doesn’t appear to have a succession plan in place,” Bockman wrote. “Barnett has at least 10 children, but none of them seem to have ever worked at Extell or have any involvement in the business.”
Read the full profile — HERE.
Pressure on Columbia University to reopen its campus to the public is ramping up, The New York Times reported last week, with the city recently filing paperwork in State Supreme Court stating that it supports a reopening.
The letter, signed by New York City Law Department Assistant Counsel Rachel Moston, states that the administration has changed its legal position on a class action lawsuit filed last year against the university by residents and community groups objecting to the ongoing the closure of the campus. Under Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, the city took no position on the campus closure.
“City Respondents with to advise the Court of a change of position in this matter,” the letter reads. “City Respondents withdraw the portion of the City’s papers that took no position on the opening of the walkway through the Columbia University Campus to the public. The City supports reopening of the walkway.”
Dave Robinson, president of the Morningside Heights Community Coalition, called the city’s change of position “a welcome development.”
“This shift in position by the mayor will provide needed momentum to the growing movement of students, faculty and neighbors to open the gates,” he told the Times. The coalition is planning a protest on Tuesday, the first day of fall-semester classes.
The university began closing the gates intermittently in response to campus protests after the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel. They have been closed full-time since April 2024.
A university spokeswoman told the Times that Columbia could not comment on pending litigation.
Read the full story — HERE and read the letter filed with the court — HERE.
It seems like we’re writing about carriage horses almost every week in this newsletter, and today is no exception, due to yet another incident in Central Park last week.
According to amNY, a 17-year-old Percheron named Snowman tripped and fell in the late evening on Saturday, August 29th, and video circulating on social media shows him struggling to get to his feet. (He eventually succeeded.)
Groups pushing the city to pass legislation banning horse-drawn carriages immediately jumped on the incident.
“This horse could have caused another fatality had he collapsed while carrying passengers,” Edita Birnkrant, executive director of the animal advocacy group New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets. “The public deserves a real explanation about the condition of the horse and what steps are being taken to ensure the horses’ safety and health. We demand an immediate investigation by relevant authorities, and the City Council must pass Romanch’s Law as soon as possible to end this dangerous, outdated industry before the next preventable catastrophe.”
Romanch’s Law, named after 18-year-old tourist Romanch Mahajan, who died after falling from a carriage in Central Park in May, would ban horse-drawn carriages in the city.
But a spokesman for the union representing carriage industry said Snowman became “antsy and impatient” because he hadn’t had many rides that night. “He stepped up and down the curb and tripped,” the spokesperson told amNY. “Following protocol, he was unhitched so he could more easily get up, re-hitched and taken back to the stable,” where he was examined by a veterinarian and found to be uninjured.
Read the full story — HERE.
In Other UWS News
- The week of August 17th was another busy week for the UWS’s luxury real-estate market, Patch reported, with a five-bedroom, four-bath co-op topping the sales with a closing price of $6,495,000. See the full list — HERE.
- On September 11, 2001, Education Week deputy managing editor Kevin Bushweller was trailing a teacher at Fiorello LaGuardia High School for a story; recently, he reflected the scene at the school that day. Watch his conversation with EdWeek managing editor Sean Cavanaugh — HERE.
- Central Park will be going to the dogs this fall — at least artistically, Art News reported in an article about a dozen canine sculptures by artist Camille Henrot that will go on display in the park this Wednesday. Read about the exhibition (which runs through next August) — HERE.
ICYMI
I’ll Be Sorry When the UWS Construction Crew Next Door Bids Adios
Beloved Upper West Side Broadway Farms Fishmonger Passes Away
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The City must station NYPD outside the Columbia gates and monitor people going in and out and take responsibility. Policing the area cannot continue to be all at Columbia’s expense with non students disrupting campus.
Thank you for your concern for those of us who study, live, and work at Columbia. As a staff member, I strongly oppose reopening the campus gates. (Note to Robinson: Columbia’s community includes students, faculty AND staff!) While I wish the campus was open as it once was, keeping the gates closed is necessary for our security at this time. We live in a volatile political environment marked by far-left and far-right extremism and an ongoing gun violence epidemic. Opening the campus would expose us to people unaffiliated with the university who will abuse access for their own purposes, guaranteed. Are Robinson, McSweeney, and Golick that unaware of the risks? The lack of concern for those of us who are on campus regularly is really disappointing. A neighbor’s convenient shortcut or an alumnus’s desire to pop on to campus whenever they happen to be in the neighborhood should never supersede the physical safety and mental well-being of current students, faculty, and staff. Today’s students have already suffered major disruptions to their education during the pandemic. They should not face further disruptions simply so a neighbor can avoid walking a few extra blocks to Amsterdam from Broadway. None of us should.
Nobody is disturbing the campus, what are you talking about?
… Since the gates were closed.
I wish those who highlight their concerns about carriage horses cared as much about concerns related to bicycle accidents with pedestrians in Central Park.
It is not an “either/or” situation. One can be concerned about both.
True, but unfortunately not the way it is
Actually, bassed on the comments I’ve seen on WSR, on NextDoor and elsewhere, it very much is that way; people are concerned about both. In fact, they are concerned about many things simultaneously. It’s a form of multi-tasking.
The horse was “antsy and impatient” -because they are sensitive to the coachman’s moods.
The driver dozed off and the horse veered off and tripped on the curb.
What a shame!
Excuse me, where does anyone say that the coachperson dozed off?
Editorial Note: Please note that any reference to a lawyer should be spelled “counsel,” not “council.” A council is a group of people. Your calling NYC Law Dept Rachel Mostin council was incorrect.
I am often quick to criticize Mayor Mamdani but I believe in trying to be fair. I commend him for supporting the re-opening of Columbia’s campus. It has been too long. Thank you for getting involved and putting some pressure on.
And hopefully it will open soon and the City will provide Columbia with additional resources to police its campus and deal with those who behave in a way that interferes with others peacefully going about their daily business and being treated with respect. I am very supportive of peaceful protest but not the way it was being done. The protestors crossed the line and should have been dealt with swiftly.
“…the union representing carriage industry” is none other than the Transport Workers Union, Local 1 – one of the more powerful unions there is. I totally disagree with them on this one – give the drivers training to do something else and get rid of the horses in Central Park.
Holding a protest to try to convince them to open the gate seems like the opposite of a good idea. That’s why they closed them in the first place.
Nonsense. They would take any excuse to close those gates, and because non-affiliates were involved with taking over a building, they closed them three years ago. Not because of a little neighborhood protest outside.
“But a spokesman for the union representing carriage industry said Snowman became “antsy and impatient” because he hadn’t had many rides that night.”
This is a damning admission by the union that the horses are NOT fully and properly trained, or entirely “happy” with the work they are doing.
Now that even the union had to admit failure, that should be the final nail in the coffin of the H&C industry. It needs to be ended NOW!!
Yes, the horse could have caused another terrible accident. But how about a little sympathy for the horse, who was helplessly forced to schlepp a carriage? Not to mention a sleeping one. The horse and carriage rides, however visually charming are paid for by tourists and others who unwittingly put both riders and horses at risk. It is wrong in every possible way.
Am I missing something? Where do you see anything saying that the coachperson was sleeping? One commenter seems to have fabricated that, but the article says nothing of the sort.
It is also worth noting that the amount of revenue that the H&C industry provides to the City is miniscule – especially as a percentage of the total budget. The highest estimate I have seen is ~$25 million. (And most estimates are under $20 million.) Given NYC’s ~$125 BILLION budget, that repreents 0.02% of the budget. The City does not need that paltry amount (or can find it elsewhere), particularly given that, since 1982, we have had THIRTY dead horses, many other horses injured, many injured drivers, and now one dead tourist. The cost is just too high – even were it not for the general non-necessity and increasing incidents in this hopelessly anachronistic industry.
From the time that Gary Barnett unveiled the renderings for the two buildings on opposites sides of Broadway at 99th Street (and the huge collective gasp that was heard from the entire audience – including every member of the Community Board, of whom I was one at the time – he has been referred to as the Darth Vader of development. This was cemented by his “starting the race” on West 57th Street with its first “supertall,” and it has continued in everything he has done: always hyper-sized, always out of context with the neighborhoods, etc.
A leopard cannot change its spots. I don’t believe Mr. Barnett as far as I can throw him. He has lied and bamboozled his way through the real estate industry since those first two buildings.
Take whatever he says with a grain – no, a whole shakerful – of salt.
Tall buildings mean more people can leave here.
He hopes this minor act of penance will clear his record in old age. Nope! We know who you are and what you have done, Gary Barnett.
Despite his commercial success, he’ll probably go down as second most reviled developer in NYC history (behind Robert Moses).
The incoming and new President of Columbia, Jennifer Mnookin, has had reopening the Gates, alongside rebuilding the school’s overall trust and care for everyone, among the top of her to do list. That, combined with her past experience running UW-Madison (and managing protests and conversations with students there), makes me optimistic about this year.
As both a CU alumnus and UWSer, I’m excited about our open campus becoming open again. For everyone.
Columbia is at risk of losing the lawsuit regarding opening the walkway.. At this point let the court make the determination.
Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause also would be applicable.
The Federal Government can take the land back for “public use”,, which is the desired outcome of the public.
Depends on how the government at the federal level feels about the situation with Columbia
St. James Gate was a treasure. It was one place on the Upper West Side where you could count on a warm welcome, in good times and bad. I feel the loss to the neighborhood whenever I pass the now-empty corner. Paul, Siobhan and the whole team—you are missed!
Wondering where St. James Gate regulars have migrated to. I wasn’t a regular but loved going there whenever I was in the area and would love to find a place with a similar vibe. Would love to hear if anyone has recs!
Aperture is finally opening at 380 Columbus Avenue ( 78th Street) on September 18!
https://aperture.org/editorial/aperture-welcomes-the-public-to-its-new-home-this-september/
Where did all of the St James crew go??
I just posted a similar question and then saw yours. Would LOVE to find another place like St. James Gate nearby, though I know it can’t be replicated completely.