Juan Gonzalez has an excellent piece in today’s New York Daily News: “Mayor Bloomberg’s Union Square Park Restaurant Deal Tasteless.” Gonzalez writes: A $7 million private donation to the project from an anonymous source is based in part on construction of the [restaurant] concession, a [Union Square] partnership spokesman confirmed yesterday. So why can a [...]
All posts for the month April, 2008
In the News… Daily News’ Juan Gonzalez: “Mayor Bloomberg’s Union Square Park Restaurant Deal Tasteless”
Posted by cathryn on April 30, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/30/in-the-news-daily-news-juan-gonzalez-mayor-bloombergs-union-square-park-restaurant-deal-tasteless/
Corrected NY1.com story: “Judge extends injunction against Union Square restaurant”
NY1.com corrected their initial story from yesterday (Monday, April 28th) which gave an incorrect version of what happened in court that morning. The expanded story, “Judge extends injunction against Union Square restaurant” states: “Last week, a state judge ordered a temporary stop to construction at the park after a community group filed suit against the [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 29, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/29/corrected-ny1com-story-judge-extends-injunction-against-union-square-restaurant/
NY1.com: “Judge ends injunction on Union Sq Park Construction”; Temporary Restraining Order Continues on Restaurant/Pavilion
Update: NY1 headline is misleading. Overview: Judge ruled NO work to be done by City on the Pavilion/Restaurant and NO cutting down of trees while Judge makes her decision. Temporary Restraining Order is still in effect on those aspects. No injunction on construction of the playground — the playground is the area the community would [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 28, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/28/ny1com-judge-ends-injunction-on-union-sq-park-construction/
My Conversation With Parks Commissioner Benepe: “It’s all the crazy bloggers spreading wrong information”
I spoke with NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe after the Morningside Park ceremony yesterday, Sunday, April 27th, commemorating 40 years since Columbia University was stopped from expanding taking over part of that Park from the community for a gymnasium. We had an interesting discussion. At one point, he said to me: “It’s all the crazy [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 28, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/28/my-conversation-with-parks-commissioner-benepe-its-all-the-crazy-bloggers-spreading-wrong-information/
Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe at Morningside Park Today, Sunday, 2 p.m.
From Joel Kupferman, lawyer extraordinaire: IRONY – Adrian Benepe, NYC Parks Commissioner, speaking at a ceremony commemorating the halting of Columbia University’s gym construction 40 years ago. (WSPB note: The University’s plans were to take over a large swatch of Morningside Park, and were stopped by protest and action, in court, and in front of [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 27, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/27/breaking-news-parks-commissioner-adrian-benepe-at-morningside-park-today-2-pm/
NYC Parks Dept.-2/3 cuts in workers and endless privatization schemes
According to New York Jobs With Justice: “Years ago, NYC’s public parks were administered by over 7,500 municipal employees of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Today, it’s only 2,500 municipal employees taking care of NYC’s public parks. This number continues to shrink as the years go by. Much of the labor has been privatized [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 25, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/25/nyc-parks-dept-23-cuts-in-workers-and-endless-privatization-schemes/
Spring in Washington Square Park – The Park is Bustling. What Happens Next?
There’s something about the spirit of Washington Square Park that even now, despite virtually HALF of the Park being closed for the City’s “renovation,” the open space is still filled to the brim with people commingling, creating music, art and conversation in new locations. (There’s no choice as the Fountain, its Plaza, and the Arch [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 24, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/24/spring-in-washington-square-park-the-park-is-bustling-what-happens-next/
New York Times: “Judge Blocks Overhaul of Union Square Park”
Today’s New York Times‘ article by Timothy Williams, “Judge Blocks Overhaul of Union Square Park, covers the latest at Union Square Park. As noted in the article, “The dispute over Union Square, one of the city’s most popular public spaces, is the latest in a series of disagreements between the parks department and neighborhood groups [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 23, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/23/new-york-times-judge-blocks-overhaul-of-union-sq-park/
Event: Stop Privatization of Public Space/Protect Our Trees – Arbor Day; Fri April 25 Union Sq Park
Street Artists, Activists, Community Members, Public Space and Free Speech Advocates (Everyone Invited) Gather to Protect Our Trees and Protest Privatization of Public Space In Honor of Arbor (Tree) Day Friday April 25th When: Friday, April 25th, 6-8 p.m. Where: UNION SQUARE PARK, 14th Street betw. Union Sq East and Union Sq West by Gandhi [...]
Posted by cathryn on April 22, 2008
http://washingtonsquareparkblog.com/2008/04/22/stop-privatization-of-public-spaceprotect-our-trees-arbor-day-event-fri-april-25-union-sq-park/
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