Washington Square Park Task Force to Meet Wednesday, December 2nd to Address Final Phases of WSP Redesign Plan

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

NY Times Story Confirmed Last Week Washington Square Park Tombstone Discovery Was from 1799; Blog Writing Hiatus

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 postTombstone 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.

On Mike Bloomberg’s Mayoral “win” of Third Term, Plus Eight Articles Worth Reading (Updated: Nine!)

Updated 1:29 p.m.

Yes, by now everyone knows that NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg won his much-desired third term (another four years!) – after overturning voted-in term limits – 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 (4-5%) 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 fewConey 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. 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.”

3. 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.

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.”

Why you should not vote for Mike Bloomberg for Mayor Tomorrow Election Day NYC!

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 pocketNew 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.