Saturday Night 12/19, The Scene at the Washington Square Arch

Thank you to Geoffrey Croft from NYC Park Advocates for sending this in!

Photo: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates

Santas Converge at WSP

Santas Just Want to Have Fun

Well, I wasn’t there but it looks like fun! Dozens… hundreds…? A lot ! of Santas converged at Washington Square Park Saturday afternoon (12/12) for SantaCon NYC (it’s part convention, part pub crawl). They met at 10 a.m. at different locales throughout the five boroughs and wound their way throughout the city (and its pubs) before descending upon Washington Square Park’s Fountain Plaza.

SantaCon began in San Francisco in 1994 but there are now events throughout the world.

If you’d like to join in next year, here are some of the rules from SantaCon.info, you will need to follow:

* You MUST address everyone as “Santa.”
* You SHOULD “ho-ho-ho” like Santa.
* You OUGHT to give out gifts like Santa.
* You MIGHT want to drink like Santa.
* Santa doesn’t talk to the press. Even “Ho-ho-ho” is too dangerous these days.

Photos: Katie Killary

Dying Tree Lining Fountain, Since Removed

Updated

On last week’s meeting: The Washington Square Park Task Force/Community Board 2 Parks Committee meeting on December 2nd provided minimal new information about Phase II (currently in progress) and Phase III of the Park’s redesign.

There was one item of note: A brief discussion on why two of the new trees planted around the Washington Square Park Fountain died earlier this year. Landscape designer George Vellonakis insisted that there is “no drainage problem” and that it was just a result of the construction (which is troubling, if so, also).

I encountered a landscape architect at the park one day in August when the two trees were being dug up and removed who informed me that the (new) design is not appropriate for proper water drainage with structural soil and that this diminishes (perhaps eliminates) the tree’s ability to survive.

Seven of the trees that lined the Fountain (close to forty years old) were axed because of the Bloomberg Administration’s desire to relocate the Washington Square Park Fountain 22 feet east so that it would align with the Arch at Fifth Avenue. The Fountain had been in its previous location since 1871.

The true test will be if the new trees planted survive. If they don’t, let’s hope that the Parks Department will take some corrective action.  It seems wrong to sacrifice living trees for a potentially flawed design.

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Note: There will be another meeting of the WSP Task Force in which the NYC Parks Department will be prepared to present information on Phases II and III in February 2010.

Posting will be a bit sporadic throughout December, blog readers!  I’ll post 1x a week for the next few weeks.  I will update shortly about the Washington Square Park Task Force/Community Board 2 Parks Committee meeting last week.  Check back!  Cathryn.

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IN WASHINGTON SQUARE WITH THE ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING AND CAROLING * Two Events: Thursday, December 10th and Thursday, December 24th

Washington Square Park will hold its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony under the Arch on Thursday, December 10th at 6 p.m.  This will be the 83rd year the tree has been lit.  The Washington Square ceremony is older than the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting!  That tree lighting tradition began in 1931 making it now 78 years old.

On Thursday, December 10th, after the tree is lit at 6 p.m., song leader Mary Hurlbut, accompanied by the Rob Susman Brass Quartet, will sing holiday songs.  There will be a Santa Claus present. 

On Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24th at 5 p.m. – celebrate the holiday with carols led by the Rob Susman Brass Quartet at the Washington Square Arch.

The Washington Square Park Christmas tree will be lit in front of the Arch at Fifth Avenue between the hours of 4 p.m. and 1 a.m. throughout the holiday season.

At both events, songbooks will be provided by the Washington Square Association which also donates the tree.  The Washington Square Association was founded in 1906 and is one of the city’s oldest community organizations.  For 83 years, it has sponsored carol singing under the arch.

Photo: Ken Howard

On Wednesday, December 2nd, the Washington Square Park Task Force and Community Board 2’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Committee will meet to address the following in relation to the final phases of Washington Square Park’s redesign:

* Review of the current status of Phase II construction including presentation of various final details of the park plan.

* Review of current status of plans for (Phase III) the Washington Square Park maintenance building and rest rooms.

The meeting will begin at 7:15 p.m. Various NYC Parks Department representatives will be present.

Earlier that evening, at 6:30 p.m., CB2’s Parks Committee will be addressing a proposal by NYU to remove 6 trees on Thompson Street in connection with construction of the Interfaith Center (58 Washington Square South) and installation of heating pipes under the sidewalk.

Location: NYU Silver Building, 32 Waverly Place, Room 714

The New York Times wrote a story last week (Wednesday, 10-28) with a photo and additional information about the tombstone discovered in Washington Square Park during Phase II Construction – it was from 1799!

WSP Blog first broke the news on Friday October 23rd when commenter Matt Kovary wrote in with his sighting and then confirmed the story with the NYC Parks Department and added details from Mr. Kovary in blog post “Tombstone Discovery at Washington Square Park Could Date Back to 18th Century” on Monday October 26th.  It was very exciting (in its own way, of course)!

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Updated: This technically all happened in the midst of a blog writing hiatus, therefore, WSP Blog needs to take some additional time away from the blog starting tomorrow, Thursday, November 5th. (Note: this hiatus does not have anything to do Mayor Bloomberg’s re-election news!) And, unless another tombstone is discovered(!), this break will go through Monday, November 16th end of November — but will update now and again. During that time, I hope to get further along on a separate writing project. Check other updates (although hopefully not too much!) at twitter.

Updated 1:29 p.m.

Yes, by now everyone knows that NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg won his much-desired third term (another four years!) last night with his $100 million campaign, the complicity of the local media and the lackluster support given by the ‘powers that be’ to the Democratic candidate Bill Thompson.

The one good thing that might come out of a Bloomberg third term is that the press and the politicians, especially in light of his narrow win, may at last stop thinking of him as such a “good mayor” and start looking more critically at his policies (and failings) on:

- homelessness, poverty, construction and building, over-development, corporate giveaways, lack of affordable housing, privatization of parks and public space, rezonings destroying communities and small businesses, police misconduct (the RNC should not be forgotten), lack of public planning (not enough schools for all the new “luxury housing”), endless school testing with lackluster results and parental outrage at his educational “system,” lack of community input in just about everything (but to name a few:  Coney Island, Washington Square Park, Willets Point, Atlantic Yards, Yankee Stadium, Union Square, Chinatown, Williamsburg/Greenpoint), enforcing of the “nanny state,” and more.

Here are eight nine articles worth reading on our Mayor and the election:

1. Politico excellent article on Bloomberg race as missed opportunity for Democrats (i.e., President Obama!).

2. A Daily News article concurs:

What if President Obama - instead of delivering a squishy, nonendorsement-endorsement of Thompson, after his press secretary couldn’t even come up with Thompson’s name – had stumped for the man?

What if City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, instead of sitting on her hands for months, used the power of her purse strings to rustle up some support for Thompson?

What if the Rev. Al Sharpton, who was happy to stand onstage last night at Thompson’s concession speech, had stood a little closer during the campaign?

What if the more powerful city unions like the United Federation of Teachers and SEIU Local 1199 Democratic check writers or for-hire strategists had stayed true?

“A lot of Democratic donors who sat on their wallets are kicking themselves tonight,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner, who bowed out of the race for mayor early on, but did what he could for Thompson down the stretch.

3. Today’s New York Times News Analysis proclaims “Mayor No Longer Seems Invincible.”  On Bloomberg’s “slim victory,” the paper says: “For all the talk of a post-racial, post-class city, Mr. Bloomberg gained a third term heavily dependent on the votes of white, middle-class and wealthy voters.”

4 & 5.  Godless Liberal Homo sums it all up with “Mayor for Life Bloomberg,” as does Suzannah B. Troy saying “Anthony Weiner must be kicking himself.”

6. Election Day piece from Vanishing New York on Bloomberg’s narcissism and endless need to “clean up” the City.

7. At Gothamist, “What Exactly did happen last night?”:

“After running a record-breaking $100 million campaign that won major endorsements and blanketed the city in nearly non-stop advertising, Mayor Bloomberg defeated the underfunded Democratic candidate Bill Thompson by only 5 percent of the vote, winning with 51 percent to his rival’s 46. This comes after polls from the days before the election predicted Bloomberg ahead by double digits… The pollsters might have some explaining to do.”

8. Gawker’s pre-election “endorsement” “Don’t Vote for Bloomberg” encapsulates the issues with our Mayor (which most of the mainstream press ignore) perfectly.

9. (Added!) Pretty amazing recounting of Bloomberg’s strong arm campaign tactics in Times’ piece, “Chief Factor in Mayor’s Race: Bloomberg Influence.”

Updated 1:53 p.m.

Tomorrow, Tuesday November 3rd, is Election Day for Mayor, City Council, and other races in New York City. The Mayoral election is very important. Please vote! — for anyone but Mike Bloomberg.

Here are some reasons why: 

* The Bloomberg Administration has shown no regard – or use for – community input, planning, and participation.  In fact, Mayor Michael Bloomberg does not care about maintaining the character and uniqueness of our city. That’s been evident throughout the “process” of the redesign of Washington Square Park and many other places – Yankee Stadium (destroyed parkland and corporation giveaways), Union Square, Willets Point, Atlantic Yards, etc. etc.  His policies are affecting the way NYC actually functions, how we relate to one another and the cultural vibrancy of the city — it goes across the board and into many spectrums.

* Mike Bloomberg has given deals to developers and corporations and in return the city is not affordable and losing its diversity. Mayor Mike’s wealth last year alone increased by $4.5 billion to $16 billion.  He may take a salary of $1 a year but, believe me, he is making it up in many other ways.

* Mayor Mike has bought off any political group, politician or non-profit he can who might dare speak against him and his policies – and unfortunately these groups and people have been easily bought.  Not to mention how the media in New York is largely in his pocket.  New York magazine recently reported how the publishers of all three major dailies cater to the Mayor and are often seen at Bloomberg events, sitting together, when he beckons.

* Of course, there’s also his manipulating the overturning of voted-in term limits, but that almost seems mild (and not unexpected) compared to 8 years of the above.

Consider Bill Thompson(Democratic Party), Reverend Billy Talen(Green Party) or the guy from the Rent is Too Damn High Party! (Note: he has his own catchy song at his site! He might deserve a vote for that alone. Jimmy McMillan, Line I. — – oops. 11/6 – they changed the song at the site!) Anyone but Mike Bloomberg.

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For some great reading on why you should not vote for Mayor Michael Bloomberg (the candidate who bought himself many affiliations this election and has, over the years, switched from Democrat-to-Republican-to-Independent, based on whichever ’served’ him), jump over to Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York Blog where he has a great entry today, “Just Say No”.

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Previous Washington Square Park Blog entry:  The Blanding of New York City: Why It’s Time for Mayor Mike to Go.

Update 2:13 p.m! Confirmed by NYC Parks Department.

From Cristina DeLuca from NYC Parks Department Press Office:

Yes, I can confirm. Archaeologists and engineers are on the scene to make a preliminary report and nothing further is known at this time.

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A bit more information on the tombstone that may have been was uncovered on Friday, October 23rd at Washington Square Park during construction recently begun for WSP Redesign: Phase II.

Matt Kovary grew up in Greenwich Village, is working nearby and passes by the location every day. He contacted WSP Blog on Friday after walking by the Park that afternoon when he noticed that there was a large hole dug about 6 feet below the surface in the fenced-off construction area, right at the perimeter of the chain-link fence on the southern edge at Washington Square South and Sullivan Street.

According to Mr. Kovary, there were two people inside the fence, a man and a woman, poring over and dusting off what appeared to be a tombstone which he believed had been recovered from the hole. They were taking pictures of it, and, when he asked whether it was indeed a tombstone, the woman would only state that it was “sandstone,” admitting she was not authorized to talk about it.

Mr. Kovary said that the artifact looked like “a tombstone, not unlike those you’d see at Trinity Church – but in much better condition.” He wondered if it could have been “related to the original land owner” and questioned whether this came from a “family cemetery” from 200 years ago or more.

Although skeletons and human bones from the Park’s time period as a “potter’s field” (1797-1825) have been discovered as recently as last year (see WSP blog entry “The Skeletons of Washington Square Park“), there seems to be less information about – and discovery related to – private cemetery usage before the area was a New York City park.

In Emily Kies Folpe’s book “It Happened on Washington Square,” she writes:

To this day, the remains of more than 20,000 bodies rest under Washington Square.  New Yorkers of a century ago told of a blue mist overhanging the park on hot summer mornings, said to be the vapors from the old bones below.  From time to time, some of these old bones have resurfaced. …

More evidence was uncovered in 1890, when workmen digging the foundation for the Arch came upon headstones with German inscriptions dating to 1803, thought to be from a private German graveyard at the north side of the field.

I’ve contacted the NYC Parks Department to see what they have to say.  I’ll report back.