News & Updates

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1/23 at 1:00 pm: City Council hearing on rebuilding East River Park

Councilmember Carlina Rivera has called a City Council hearing for Wednesday, January 23 at 1:00 pm to discuss the East Side Coastal Resiliency project that would completely rebuild East River Park for flood protection.

There are many unanswered questions about the current plan. Anyone interested in the fate of our local park is encouraged to attend and to testify.

Following superstorm Sandy in 2012, federal funds were allocated for flood protection along this stretch of NYC shoreline. Much of the East Village is built up on a flood plain, and, as we learned that fall, is particularly susceptible to rising sea level and tide surges that we should expect more of as climate change makes an impact.

A design process over four years produced a plan that would maintain the park’s primary recreational facilities and protect residential areas with berms and flood walls along the FDR Drive.

Last fall, the Mayor presented a revised plan that would also protect the park itself from flooding by raising the entire park with landfill above the flood line. As presented, the project would close the entire park for the duration of construction, estimated at 3.5 years. This new plan was designed to take less time but cost more money, and for many people in the neighborhood the radical nature of the park reconstruction finally hit home. (The headline in this weekend’s New York Times neatly summarized the crux of the problem: “To Save East River Park, the City Intends to Bury It.”)

You can see the City’s recent presentation deck to CB3 here.

The city council hearing on Wednesday is an opportunity to let the City know how vital this park is to East Village and Lower East Side residents, and raise questions about how the project will impact our lives. Is such a dramatic rebuild really necessary to protect the neighborhood from floods? Is complete closure of the park necessary for construction? How can we believe the City’s accelerated timetable when all other construction projects along the waterfront have been many years behind schedule?

If you are able to come out on a workday for this important hearing, please do.

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Alan van Capelle to moderate Downtown Forum for Public Advocate candidates 1/29 at Manny Cantor

We’re pleased to announce that Educational Alliance President & CEO Alan van Capelle has agreed to moderate our forum on 1/29 with candidates for NYC Public Advocate.

Alan runs one of the most significant community organizations in the city, lives right in our neighborhood, and has participated in many important progressive movements in New York and nationally.

As president of Bend the Arc, Alan launched that Jewish action organization to the forefront of the national progressive movement. As executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, he helped pave the way for marriage equality in New York State.

Update: Alan was not able to make it on Tuesday, but Joanna Samuels, Executive Director of Manny Cantor Center, stepped in and did a fantastic job moderating the candidate forum.

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Join Rep. Velázquez Sunday for a Rally to #EndTheShutdown

Sunday, January 13
11:00 am
Gouverneur Health Auditorium
Clinton Street entrance, between Madison and Henry

This weekend, as the current government shutdown officially becomes the longest in U.S. history, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) will join with affected workers, labor leaders, and other advocates to discuss how New Yorkers are being personally affected by the Trump Shutdown.

In addition to hearing from furloughed workers and those reporting to work without pay, the event will showcase how nutrition, housing, and other programs are being impacted by the Trump Shutdown.

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Mayor and Governor take charge and unleash uncertainty

Two important neighborhood initiatives have moved steadily through the process of community input over the past few years only to have plans upended recently by our elected executives. For the upcoming L Train repairs and East River Park rebuild, what we are left with right now are a lot of questions.

East River Park

Photo: Kevin Case

After Superstorm Sandy in 2012, federal funds were allocated to build flood protection for lower Manhattan. Because of the vulnerability of Con Ed at East 14th St, and flood-prone neighborhoods of the East Village, the waterfront from East 23rd St. to Montgomery was prioritized and plans were developed over years with plenty of community involvement.

But at the end of last year, the Mayor’s office announced some significant engineering changes to the plan and, for the first time, proposed a real timetable for the project, which included the entire park being closed for the duration of new construction, estimated to be three years.

The immensity of this project is finally hitting home, and community members are demanding more answers. Council member Carlina Rivera has pushed for a hearing a City Council hearing on the project on January 23, starting at 1:00 pm at City Hall.

L Train shutdown

Andrew Cuomo by Pat Arnow
Photo: Pat Arnow

Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared there will be no L Train shutdown, instead proposing repairs take place on nights and weekends. New York City Transit president Andy Byford told CB3’s Transportation Committee this week that Cuomo’s plan needs to be vetted through independent engineers and a full safety review before getting approved. So the fate of the shutdown is still unknown.

If Cuomo’s plan does go through, a lot of local questions will have to be answered again. Will the Williamsburg Bridge still be limited to HOV and bus traffic? Will the Clinton Street approach to the bridge still be closed?

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Sprint for NYC Public Advocate starts … now!

With Letitia James becoming New York State Attorney General on January 1, there’s an opening for her old job, NYC Public Advocate.

A special election will be held on Tuesday, February 26 for this city-wide position. The list of candidates may be long and turnout will be low, so your interest and involvement in this race carries a higher degree of consequence than usual.

Grand Street Democrats will be hosting a candidate forum at Manny Cantor Center on Tuesday, January 29 (after which our voting members will decide whether or not to endorse any candidate for the special election).

If you would like a preview of the race this week, you can attend another candidate forum hosted by Village Independent Democrats on Sunday, January 6 at 2:00 pm. You can RSVP for that event here.

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Holiday Party #1: Success!

Thanks to everyone who came out Tuesday night to Eastwood — you made our first holiday party a big success!

We were so proud to be able to honor Linda Jones and Michael Marino, two local heroes who have donated countless hours on the Community Board and in the neighborhood. We particularly wanted to acknowledge their contributions to Seward Park and Corlears Hook Park, which have never looked better and are in store for more improvements thanks to their hard work.

  • Linda Jones
  • Michael Marino

Thanks also to our Hosts for the evening, who contributed more than absolutely necessary to help us close out our first year:

  • Councilmember Margaret Chin
  • District Leader Caroline Laskow
  • District Leader Paul Newell
  • Daria Segalini
  • Diego Segalini
  • Judith Wind
  • Jeremy Sherber
  • Courtney Allison
  • Ian Rosenberg
  • Laure Travers
  • Kenny Wind
  • William Rockwell

We were honored to be joined by elected officials from our neighborhood — Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer — plus a few not from our neighborhood, along with many of the judges and candidates for civil court and supreme court we were able to meet during the year.

Happy holidays!

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RSVP for GSD Holiday Party

Join us as we celebrate our first full year and honor two local citizens who inspire and motivate us.

Grand Street Dems Holiday Party

Tuesday, December 4
6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Eastwood (E. Bway & Clinton)

Ticketholders will receive free Eastwood appetizers and 1 drink ticket. A cash bar will be available all evening. Reserve your place at our holiday party by making a contribution below. 

Member

$25 per person

Qty:

Supporter

$50 per person

Qty:

Silver Host

$100 per person

Qty:

Gold Host

$200 per person

Qty:

Platinum Host

$300 per person

Qty:

Online payments processed by PayPal. Political contributions are not tax deductible.

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Did you know? Voting for Governor on the Democratic line strengthens our neighborhood’s political voice

Andrew Cuomo will appear as the nominee of four different parties on Tuesday’s ballot. But only by voting for him on the Democratic line can you help increase the number of delegates our neighborhood gets to Democratic Party conventions, increasing your influence on important local elections.

For example, when there is a vacancy to fill in the NY Assembly or State Senate (as has happened for us twice in the last three years), delegates to the convention to select a successor have a weighted vote based on how many votes were cast for Governor on the Democratic line in their election district. Something similar is true for delegates to the judicial convention for NYS Supreme Court.

So more votes for Governor on the Democratic line give our neighborhood a stronger voice at these decisive party conventions.

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Vote Tuesday for NY Democrats

Grand Street Democrats endorsements for 2018 general election

Governor and Lt. Governor — Andrew Cuomo & Kathy Hochul

Comptroller — Thomas DiNapoli

Attorney General — Letitia James

United States Senator — Kirsten Gillibrand

Representative in Congress — Nydia Velazquez (NY-7), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12)

State Senator — Brian Kavanagh

Member of the Assembly — Yuh-Line Niou

Justices of the Supreme Court — Alexander Tisch, Lynn Kotler, Mary Rosado (vote for 3)

Judge of the Civil Court – County — Shahabuddeen Ally, Ariel Chesler (vote for 2)

Judge of the Civil Court — Wendy Li