May Day 2013 Union Square Park
Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
Free seed bombs from the People’s Puppets. Throw them in a vacant lot and maybe get a sunflower to grow.
Yo Soy 132 is a Mexican protest movement centered around the democratization of the country and its media. It began as opposition to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Enrique Peña Nieto and the Mexican media’s allegedly biased coverage of the 2012 general election.[1] The name Yo Soy 132, Spanish for “I Am 132″, originated in an expression of solidarity with the protest’s initiators. Wiki
Gandhi statue is in the background.
Stealing the American Dream.
A World War II veteran who has observed May Day since 1937.
The rally centered around imigrant rights.
Jeffrey Berman sketching the scene, for a painting.
May Day 2013 TSP
Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
Around the Temperance Fountain in Tompkins Square Park around 1 PM.
Dawn Redwood
Monday, April 29th, 2013
Another leafy icon for my map. Drawn from the just emerged leaves of the Dawn Redwood dedicated to Steve Jobs in Tompkins Square Park’s central lawn. tsptip.org/ This is mostly rendered in Inkscape, a vector based drawing program similar to Illustrator. It’s labor saving for drawings like this in that I can create one element of it and duplicate and warp it into shape, as opposed to drawing them over and over again. Also you can do things like change the colors globally or individually. It’s a very deep program, you could spend years learning all that it can do. And it is free.
Tulip Poplar Illustration
Sunday, April 28th, 2013
An icon I made today for my tree map of Tompkins Square Park. There is a new tulip poplar tree in the dog run, its leaves have just appeared. This illustration emphasizes their shape and vein structure. The map is going well. I will post an update soon. I’ve been extremely busy keeping up with all the Spring activity, photographing close-ups of all the emerging leaves on just about every tree in the park. I haven’t shared many of them on the web, it’s taking all my energy just keeping the photos organized.
Woolworth Building at 100
Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
It’s the 100th Anniversary of the Woolworth Building. I love the carved faces decorating the outside of the building.
A view from an East Village roof. WTC 4 is in the background.
Friends of Meltzer Park at CB3 Land Use Committee
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
A large turnout for CB3‘s Land Use committee meeting last night.
Fred Harris from NYCHA came to say that public housing is in financial difficulty as Federal support is drastically down in these political times where support for public anything is difficult to obtain. NYCHA wants to grant 99 year leases to commercial developers to their parking lots, playgrounds and parks (or as he called them “seating areas”. They propose that this is the only way that they can obtain the money to make needed repairs and preserve public housing. The proposal is here Only one person from the public spoke in favor of the leasing plan at this meeting.
Skeptical onlooker.
The council members for the most part seemed to agree with the opponents of NYCHA’s plans.
Rosie Mendez. District 2 – City Council Member was also critical of NYCHA.
An advocate for trees and sky.
Notes from Kathy von Hartz: I am speaking for Friends of Meltzer, which is a
group of neighborhood residents who live near Meltzer Tower and are opposed to the NYCHA
Infill Plan, especially as it relates to Meltzer with its 250 low income seniors and its adjacent
park.When Meltzer was designed over forty years ago, open space was left to compensate for
the 20 story tower in a low rise area. NOW NYCHA PROPOSES TO TAKE THIS OASIS AWAY
AND LEASE IT TO DEVELOPERS TO BUILD A LUXURY RENTAL TOWER.
Our opposition is based on issues of environmental justice. The senior residents deserve to be
able to enjoy their last years breathin fresh air and walking and exercising and sitting in the
shade of the trees. At Meltzer, the Infill Plan would detroy this park with 30 five story high trees
that are over 50 feel high. THESE TREES AND THE FRESH AIR AND SUNLIGHT AND OPEN
SPACE ARE NOT REPLACEABLE.
Moreover, there are environmental issues for the neighborhood. This is a community with a
high population density. Meltzer Park is an oasis for the residents and the entire community.
When you walk by the park in summer, the temperature of the air is lower by several degrees.
Friends of Meltzer would like your committee to make a motion to oppose NYCHA’S current
plan because it will diminish the quality of life for Meltzer’s residents and the entire community.
Why should a large ungainly structure be imposed on paark space that was designed to make a
plaza for people’s use? This is not compatible with zoning that makes the City more livable.
We love the mayor’s Million Trees Initiative. So why cut down 31 trees in their prime?
Friends of Meltzer would like your committee to include a motion to require NYCHA to hold a
public meeting….as was requested in a letter by most local, state and federal officials. They
also requested that the Infill Plan follow ULURP requirements so that the community can know
the specifics of the NYCHA Infill Plan and have the opportunity to comment, especially as
regards to environmental concerns.
Friends of Meltzer opposes the loss of Meltzer Park because it will affect public health, public
safety and air quality.
I didn’t catch their names but they are environmental lawyers who provided a list of questions that NYCHA needs to answer. The conclusion of the Land Use committee was that this leasing project need to be slowed down and studied and that they need to have answer for many environmental problems.
Maiden Lane – Life Saver
Sunday, April 14th, 2013
I was invited to the pre-opening party of Maiden Lane on the northeast corner of Tompkins Square park, Avenue B and 10th Street, at the former location of the Life Cafe. The view of the park is great. They are scheduled to open this Wednesday.
My friends Dave and Liz.
Dave used to hang at the old Life Cafe. He’s invested in this place and is hoping that it will have the same mellow vibe as that legendary establishment. Their logo, as you can see, is a lifesaver.
I’m not sure if they are going to preserve the painting on the brick, which was Life Cafe decoration.
Nialls Fallon (center behind the bar) and Gareth Maccubbin (far right near the blackboard. They are the founders and will be managing the place on a day to day basis.
No 7-11 with Rev Billy
Saturday, April 6th, 2013
I was in Tompkins Square Park checking details on my tree map and I heard a ruckus and headed over to find the Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping preaching about the evils of the corporate take-over of our neighborhood. Poet Bob Holman favors the absurd to bring home his points.
Good Friday in the East Village
Friday, March 29th, 2013
Coming from the Church of St. Brigid – St. Emeric, just east of Tompkins Square Park, this procession of Roman soldiers beat Jesus as he made his way around the neighborhood and back to the church. The loud whip cracks were made by striking the cross not the actor.
