Canal Street has four of them. Houston has six. Interstate 9, better known as the West Side Highway, can have as many as 10, but that still pales in comparison to another New York City native. With a whopping 16 lanes at its peak, Queens Boulevard dwarfs these trails and still has room to spare.

But size isn’t everything, and it’s not always a good thing. The standard 12-lane span for this behemoth means confusion and distraction for drivers. Pedestrians end up crossing the street as if they were playing Frogger, and cyclists risk their lives with every intersection. Unfortunately, injury or fatality happens often enough that the road has been dubbed “The Boulevard of Death.” It’s even prompted the city to post a warning at one intersection that reads, “A pedestrian was killed crossing here.”

“If you’re hit by a car going 30 mph, you have only a 50 percent chance of survival,” said Shin-pei Tsay, an urban planner and former deputy director of Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy organization for walking, cycling, and mass transit. “But if the car is going 40 mph, your chances are reduced to 15 percent.”

Despite the danger, the roadway is still heavily utilized by everyone – drivers, walkers and bikers – each who have their own agenda, though they all have the same goal: to get where they are going safely. That the street needs to be made safer is not in contention, and the push for change on Queens Boulevard has been recently revitalized, partly due to increased traffic.

Emilia Crotty, education manager for Bike New York and member of the Transportation Committee of Queens Community Board 2, said that she’s seen the influx around her. “The growth is immediately apparent to me every morning crossing the Queensboro Bridge, which I’ve been doing since 2003,” she said. “In years past, I would sometimes be the lone cyclist crossing, but now there are scores of other cyclists on the path with me. It seems like everyone rides a bike now.”

According to one report prepared by the Department of Transportation, bicycling in New York City increased by an estimated 221% from 2000 to 2009, with 15,495 bicycle commuters tallied. The report states that the actual number of cyclists could be dramatically higher when adding in leisure and occasional riders.

The growth is apparent, but the solution remains elusive. The city has been working at an astonishing pace to alter to flow of traffic in favor of bicycles since 1997, when the DOT and the Department of City Planning released the New York City Bicycle Master Plan, a herculean effort outlining the actions proposed to increase ridership and decrease congestion. However, the plan barely touches Queens Boulevard.

Of the 909 miles of lanes proposed in the plan, the road gets crossed seven times and followed once – on the bridge crossing the Sunnyside Yards. The rest of the seven-mile stretch is virtually unaffected.

It has not, however, been ignored. The DOT has made several alterations in the name of safety in the past decade alone. According to a DOT spokesperson, measures such as improved signage, decreased speed limits, improved signal timing and safer, larger medians have reduced the number of pedestrian fatalities from 17 in 1993 to just two in 2009.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to make our streets as safe as they can be for everyone who bikes, walks, or drives in the city,” said DOT Deputy Press Secretary Monty Dean in an email. “While crashes have dropped dramatically on Queens Boulevard and across the city in recent years, we will continue to look for even more ways to enhance safety.”

But the department officials are as of yet unconvinced that Queens Boulevard is a viable option for bike lanes. And they’re not the only ones with objections.

“There is no enthusiasm from Borough President Helen Marshall for bike lanes on Queens Boulevard,” Press Secretary Dan Andrews said in an email. He said that the only place where it would be possible to add them would be in the bus lanes, and that Marshall doesn’t consider it safe enough for the cyclists or the motorists.

The safety issue stops most people whose support might help sway the DOT. Council Member Karen Koslowitz has a similar concern. “Bike lanes on Queens Boulevard are a complicated concept,” said Greg Lavine, a spokesperson from the council member’s office. “First and foremost, Queens Boulevard needs to be made safe for pedestrians.”

Advocates for the bike lanes see this as a challenge, one with a solution, rather than a roadblock. “Do you want to live with a Boulevard of Death?” said Crotty. “No. Then let’s do something to change it.”

Transportation Alternatives has been circulating a “sign-on” letter in hopes of increasing the number of supporters in politics for their efforts. Aja Hazelhoff, bicycle advocate at T.A., said that they have been meeting with the over 30 elected officials whose districts involve the road. “We are basically asking Queens Boulevard to be looked at as a complete street,” she said, which means having designated space for all users: walkers, bikers, bus riders and drivers. “There are so many people who are touched by Queens Boulevard; it is a great opportunity for combined support.”

Some politicians already show support for biking and pedestrian safety, though they may not be working directly with T.A. Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer publicly purchased a bicycle on National Bike to Work Day, and Crotty said that Council Member Daniel Dromm has put a lot of resources into a bike program for kids. “We’re trying to get officials to make this their issue,” said Hazelhoff.

But any political change will have to come from the ground up. T.A.’s Queens Committee, an entirely volunteer branch of the organization, puts in much of the ground work, often speaking directly to community boards or residents at public events. David Dubovsky, the chair of the committee, said that officials are impacted more by hearing about these concerns from the constituents they serve. “It’s a large problem and you can’t solve it with one elected official,” he said. “What we can do is both spread the word and really activate the public to realize that change can happen.”

The volunteers in Queens organize different monthly rides, some for fun and some to advocate for biking. One of these is a bike pool, not unlike a car pool, where riders gather at the foot of the Queensboro Bridge and ride in a safety group down the boulevard. “It is to raise awareness to the dangers of biking on Queens Boulevard,” said Dubovsky. “And it helps people commute home.” During these rides, they stop to pay homage at the ghost-bikes marking the sites where two T.A. members died on the boulevard.

Community boards along the route are a vital stronghold for any physical change, and T.A. has worked on bringing them into the mix as well. Crotty said that T.A. has held gatherings called Jammy-Jams where the organization’s volunteers meet up in a large group to fill out the application for community board service, complete with on-site assistance and notary public. While the outcome was not overwhelming, Hazelhoff said that they were able to get several interested people on their boards.

Chair of Community Board 2 in Queens, Joseph Conley

In addition, they a speaking to the transportation committees on various boards as well. “They came to the community board to kick around some ideas,” said Joseph Conley, chairperson of community board 2 in Queens. “We have questions, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done.”

The support of the board will be critical, but again the safety issues stand in the way. “Queens Boulevard has been dubbed the Boulevard of Death; I don’t want to make it the Boulevard of More Death,” said Conley during the November general meeting.

But the Queens Committee is trying to do more than just voice their worries. They have worked with a volunteer group of urban planners called Planning Corp that Tsay co-founded. According to Tsay, the thoroughfare was always of interest to T.A., but they lacked the technical resources to tackle it. Tsay’s group stepped in when the committee made the Queens Boulevard puzzle a high priority for the year.

Tsay said that Planning Corp crafted maps of intersections complete with moveable parts to aid in the discussion during the meetings. The idea was to get input from many different people to come up with the best possible solution. “We just talked about how it could be different,” Tsay said. “We just want to show that it’s possible.”

Dubovsky said that offering people something tangible helps to show them the possibilities and allow them to offer their input. “It really furthers the conversation,” he said. When T.A. has prepared the proper presentation, they will use these tools to discuss ideas with the community boards.

While it appears that most people support the proposals for improved safety, there are lingering concerns about some of the existing problems getting worse. Parking, for example, is in high contention and bike lanes often result in fewer parking spaces on the sides of the streets. “I want to go to the restaurants on 46^th street but I can’t…find…a…parking…space,” said Al Volpi, a member of Queens Community Board 2.

“Sometimes we have more complaints about bicycles than we do traffic,” said Conley. Bad bicycling practices, such as riding on sidewalks and going against the flow of traffic, cause significant problems. According to Crotty, these problems can be solved with bike education, such as learning about proper riding and signaling techniques, and knowing and following the traffic laws for both cars and bikes. “With each new bike lane, drivers are being asked to share the road with other users, which will take increased drivers education – a state level change – and better enforcement to really take hold,” said Crotty. “Similarly, cyclists need to recognize that if they want other people to adhere to traffic rules, they need to do the same.”

Crotty said that most people she’s spoken with have been supportive of safety improving street alterations, but that the voices in objection tend to resonate louder than the rest. “I think that they feel they are not getting any input,” she said. Another member of the Transportation Committee and the community board she serves on is pro-motorist, and she said that having his input greatly helps reach kept the conversation balanced and facilitates a commonly appropriate solution. “I think it’ll take a bit more time, but we can sway the tone,” she said.

But Queens Boulevard still haunts people. Dubovsky said that there was a community event in Forest Hills where the elderly residents and families with young children spoke about being terrified of crossing the street. While the Department of Transportation, the various advocacy groups, the community boards and the myriad of elected officials have been working well together up to this point, there is still a lot to be done.

“No one’s against pedestrian safety improvements,” Dubovsky said. “How everyone wants to go about it? Everyone has different ideas.”

“No, I don’t think they’re open in November,” she says to them. “I think they open in May. May, until September.”

If it was May, Coney Island would be a dazzle of blinking lights and blaring music, warmed by smells of hot dogs and cotton candy. On this bitter cold afternoon in late November, however, the area’s entertainment sector lies dormant. Yet even though the rides are all closed and an autumn chill whips across the shuttered storefronts, people are still coming here. Bundled in warm jackets, their hands in their pockets, they walk up and down the boardwalk, past colorfully painted buildings that now bear the signs SAVE CONEY ISLAND.

Barely a month earlier, at a time when most people were preparing themselves for the colder weather, 10 businesses on the Coney Island boardwalk– some with a history dating back 70 years– were awaiting to hear their fate on the South Brooklyn strip near the beach that has become the source of their livelihoods. Central Amusement International LLC. (CAI), the company that gained ownership of and reopened Luna Park, had also gained the rights to these business’ leases, and announced that by the end of the month, they would decide which of these establishments would stay in business. On Oct 31., CAI announced that only two of the businesses would stay on the boardwalk– the remaining eight businesses were told to leave.

The eight businesses were supposed to evacuate their buildings by mid-November. But instead of disappearing from the boardwalk, the businesses– which include boardwalk staples such as Paul’s Daughter and Ruby’s Bar & Grill, dive bar Cha Cha’s of Coney Island, and carnival game Shoot the Freak– announced that they were joining forces and suing CAI.

—

The Grill House, boardwalk server of hot dogs and other beach-friendly foods, is one of the establishments that had been asked to leave, but for employee Octavio Hernandez on this Saturday afternoon, it’s business as usual.

Friendly and easygoing, Hernandez prepares freshly cooked hot dogs for a thin but unceasing line of customers, many of whom he seems to be familiar with. “Magnificent cooking,” one patron remarks about the hot dogs, joking that it’s a “heck of a lot better” than his ex-wife’s culinary skills. Another customer, decked out from head to toe in faded denim, asks Mr. Hernandez to change the radio station from its current classic rock station, and Hernandez casually complies (after the new station plays a stream of syrupy Top 40 songs, the same man later asks him to change it back).

While the establishment’s owner is in Florida with his family, Hernandez is in charge of The Grill House. Working alone behind the counter, amidst the recent turn of events for the business, he is left to make most of the managerial decisions by himself. He explains, for example, that he hadn’t been planning on opening the eatery today but changed his mind because he knew that the cadre of regulars who come by every day would be hanging around there, faithfully waiting for their beers.

Hernandez, who says he has a second job, is nonplussed about the potential loss of this one and is not afraid to speak candidly. When he found out that the eight businesses were getting evicted, he says he was not surprised. “I just didn’t understand why they got such a short notice.”

Hernandez says suspects that the two boardwalk businesses that did not get evicted, popular hot dog joint Nathan’s and souvenir shop Lola Star are staying in business because they are chains (Nathan’s has another shop on Stillwell Ave., while Lola Star has a second location in the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. subway station) and thus have more power, while the other eight businesses are getting kicked out because they are smaller fish. “It’s a monopoly game. It’s a checkmate, you know?”

If the eight businesses don’t win the lawsuit and do in fact have to leave the boardwalk forever, Hernandez thinks they’ll be replaced by other chains, the likes of Shake Shack. “It’s a thing about big money versus small money.”

As for whether the businesses will win the lawsuit or not… “That depends on how good their lawyer is, ” he says objectively.

–

Barely a minute’s walk from The Grill House stands Ruby’s Old Time Bar & Grill, a family-run bar and restaurant that has been on the boardwalk since the Thirties. The day has come to an end, and bartender and co-owner Michael Sarell is walking out of the bar alongside the last customers.

Unlike Hernandez, the news of Ruby’s eviction hit Sarell on a personal level. “I was angry. Angry, sad. A lot of different emotions,“ he said, later adding, “It’s family. This place is Ruby’s. Ruby’s was my father in law. So it’s like somebody’s telling you that they want to take away your family.”
While Sarell closes up the bar for the day, a man approaches him and express his support for Ruby’s. “I’ve been here in the past,” he says. “Good luck with the court case.”

“Thank you, I appreciate your support,” Sarrel responds warmly.
“Yeah, we just stopped by to have what might have been our last drink here,” the man said. “I guess we missed it.” There is what sounds like a trace of disappointment in his voice.

After the man leaves, Sarell reflects on the legacy of Ruby’s. “See there, there’s the interesting thing… it’s amazing how many different people that this place has touched, so it’s not just a place of business for making money, it’s a place for people to come and have a good time. So I think that’s the sad part. That’s the sad part, to lose a place where people come to have a good time. ”

Customers at Ruby’s share in Sarell’s sadness. “I think that the idea of renewing Coney Island is a good one, but not at the expense of stripping away its authenticity,” said Eric Safyan, 36, a Coney Island resident and regular at Ruby’s.

“It’s been here since 1934,” says Yana Feldman, 33, who initially started coming to Ruby’s at the suggestion of boyfriend Safyan. “You know, like what are they gonna put in? Bennigans, or like TGI Fridays, or something. So, I thought it was sad because it’s a loss of New York’s history.”
Jake Rockowitz, 36, thinks shutting down Ruby’s will leave a void that cannot be filled. “Ruby’s was the bar of Coney Island. It’s like I don’t think there’s any other bar that’s been here that long or has that many locals going to it. Now there won’t be a really local bar in Coney Island. And it’ll be a shame.”

Sarell feels that an underlying reason behind the evictions is a plan by New York City to refresh the boardwalk by clearing out what it sees as old, shabby and derelict. “I mean, if you look at all the businesses,” he says, “if you looked at them one by one, I mean, they’re all in need of repair…And the city thought that the best way of doing it, instead of each individual person doing it, is to get like one entity or two entities just to do it all.”

Ruby’s and the other businesses that have joined together call themselves the Coney 8. “We believe that our best chance for survival is as a group. Instead of being separate and them picking us off one by one, he’s got to take all eight of us down together. And we’re hoping that– you know the expression “there’s strength in numbers”? We’re hoping it’s true.”

The Coney 8 have been getting an outpouring of support from the community and politicians. At the time of the interview, there were 7,000 names on their petitions, and Senator Carl Kruger paid a visit to Coney Island and said he’ll see what he can do about brokering a deal to keep the businesses operating.

The owners of Ruby’s want their bar to serve customers for decades to come. “Well, what we’re trying to achieve is to keep the tradition alive. I mean, the place has been here since 1934. That’s 76 years. So, we’re trying to pass along that tradition to the next generation and the generation after that, and the generation after that, so, that’s what we’re hoping for.” (Representatives from Central Amusement International could not be reached for comment.)

Despite his fighting spirit, Sarell has some doubts about whether they will win the lawsuit. “I’m not confident at all. I mean, I think I’m about 80 percent confident that…” he pauses, and his voice shifts as if he’s holding back tears, “we’re just buying time.”

“I look at this place,” he continues, “sort of, you know, right now… Ruby’s is in a coma. Okay, and Ruby’s is on life support. And it’s got equipment that’s keeping it alive, you know? And, you know, I believe eventually that the equipment won’t be enough to keep it working, and it’s just gonna go.”

Almost instantly, however, his voice becomes positive and upbeat again, and the fighting resolve seems to return. “But, one never knows, you know? There’s amazing recoveries that happen with people and businesses.”

Urban Neighborhood Services (UNS) is a local, non-profit organization that targets issues in Coney Island which affect education, family, health and other aspects of living in an inner-city area. Since UNS’ formation at the very end of 2004, it has been the definition of local and grassroots: it wasn’t until 2008 that the organization got its own office.

Founder Mathylde Frontus, a poised woman with a warm smile, works from a room not much larger than a cubicle and piled with papers. “Everyone has a different thing that they’re consumed by,” Frontus explained. For her, finding solutions to community problems is that thing.

Frontus first came up with the idea for an organization like UNS during her adolescence, growing up in Coney Island and witnessing issues that plagued the neighborhood– problems such as financial trouble, gang violence and urban decay.

UNS combats these issues by providing a wide range of services for the people of Coney Island. Their Financial Paths Project, for instance, teaches financial literacy through workshops and seminars. In their Community Health Information Access (CHIA) program, they distribute health information and pamphlets as well as condoms. UNS has also been known to help residents in the area look for jobs and housing by showing job listings and giving referrals to potential employers.

“The work that we do with our young people, I’m very proud of,” Frontus said, continuing, “We do a lot of SAT prep classes, which is a first [for an organization in the neighborhood].” UNS also offers academic assistance for students, and takes youths on trips to places like NYU and Harvard University. Their eight-week summer youth program teaches high school students leadership development and puts emphasis on community service.

UNS serves another special role in Coney Island: according to Frontus, they are the only organization that addresses the needs of the LGBT community. “Originally, we wanted to have a program—we called it Safe Zone—where we kind of had a support group for LGBT youth.” This plan turned out to be too risky, due to LGBT biases in the neighborhood, so UNS shifted gears: “We decided to offer training for organizations in the community on how they could serve LGBT youth,” Frontus said. This training includes helping organizations identify the needs of the LGBT community and teaching them to check personal prejudices.

On a more direct level, UNS helps LGBT youth find resources for help with their needs, with the aid of an extensive resource book on LGBT sources. If someone comes in, Frontus explained, the UNS is in a position to help them by telling them where they can go. The office also serves as a form of sanctuary for any LGBT youth facing danger.

Though UNS offers many different programs, Frontus feels like there is much more that can be done. “I would like to see our programs grow,” she said. “Right now, we’re kind of stunted by limited funding.” To pay for their multitude of programs, the UNS receives funding from various sponsors. Some of their city funding includes councilman Domenic Recchia, and before state funding was cut down due to financial deficit, they received funding from assemblymen and the State Senate. Corporations like the YMCA and businesses like banks and local pharmacies also provide funds for UNS.

“Many of our funding is program-specific,” Frontus explained. Their Going Green Program, for example– a year-long campaign of green education for businesses and families– was sponsored by Con Edison. Their Summer Youth Leadership Project receives funding from a number of sponsors each year: this past summer‘s sponsors included Luna Park, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and four banks.

UNS also does a great deal of self-funding. “We do fundraisers. Every June we have an anniversary mixer, every December we have a holiday fundraiser.” Their most recent fundraising effort is a talent show that will be held at restaurant Peggy O’Neils on Nov 10^th.

Frontus and the other members of UNS aren’t about to let a thing like lack of funding curtail the expansive vision they have for the program. “Our goal is to continue to grow, to serve more residents, make more of a difference in the lives of individuals,” she said. According to Frontus, any progress made with certain issues in Coney Island can serve as a case study for how to combat these issues in similar neighborhoods. “We view Coney Island as a microcosm of urban communities around the country, ” she said. “We see it as an opportunity to reflect on urban communities [across the United States]… kind of as a laboratory where we can learn best practices.”

From http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/W/W03379-williamsburg.html :

Williamsburg , residential and industrial section of NW Brooklyn borough of N.Y. city, SE N.Y., on East R. (W) opposite Manhattan’s Lower East Side (linked by Williamsburg Bridge), S of Greenpoint, W of Bushwick, and N of Bedford-Stuyvesant; 40°43′N 73°57′W. A cent. ago, a major N.Y. city industrial center (distilleries, shipyards, potteries); mfg. has now declined greatly, but many workshops remain, esp. for metal- and woodworking, foods, and Brooklyn Beer. In the 19th cent., community was mostly Irish and Ger.; in early 20th cent., East Eur. Jewish immigrants began to arrive. By the 1920s, this area was the city’s most densely populated neighborhood. Today, the neighborhood is mostly Hispanic (esp. from P.R. and Central Amer.), but it is also home to many Hasidic Jewish sects, including the Satmar (South Williamsburg). Includes an old Ital. enclave. Burgeoning artist community in what is known as the Northside. Setting for Betty Smith’s novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Laid out in 1810, became part of Brooklyn in 1855.

Real estate in New York sounds like an oxymoron for some hipsters in Williamsburg. In a 2001 New York Magazine article about the 11222, broker Penny Pear says, “This place is so hot — it’s sizzling! This is the best-kept secret in New York, I swear!”  The neighborhood has evolved from a dingy rat hole into a family neighborhood. In 2001, the neighborhood thrived on starving artist types renting tiny, mostly illegal rooms; almost a decade later, million dollar penthouses sprung up by the East River. The morph of Williamsburg is a curious one, and its zip code neighbor contributes to this as well.

For years, black, Hispanic, and Italian families owned homes and thrived in a mini-melting pot of cultures. They worked in the factories by the East River, enjoyed the almost abandoned L subway stop, and generally kept to themselves. Polish families mainly stayed in Greenpoint and worried about their unknown neighbor to the West: Williamsburg. The neighborhood was not safe, and the police had a hard time controlling the gang and drug situation that flourished there. Janina Narbutowicz recalls: “I worked in a clothing factory along Kent Street, by the water, and I would leave before it got dark. I would not risk walking home in the dark, it was too dangerous.” Eventually, the Hasidic community in Williamsburg decided to gut some of the factories and buy some homes off the original settlers. There are buildings popping up every day in Williamsburg, but there is still an unresolved issue: where do the hipsters go?

Although the neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Greenpoint are primarily Polish, the young urban professionals, or “yuppies” have moved into the neighborhoods at an alarming rate since 2001. As with many rapid cultural changes, they were not received well. Halina Siano, an older Polish lady with a thick accent and a 20 year Greenpoint resident says,” They sat on my stairs smoking marijuana and talking about art until the sun came up. Then, at 9:00 AM they would knock on my door and ask if I had a room for them to sleep.” Of course, like many longtime Polish residents, she did not offer them a place to stay. She explains, ”My neighbor rented an apartment to a couple of men for two weeks. One day, she awoke to smoke filling her apartment below. The men decided to burn their trash on the third floor fire escape.” Stories like this circulate among Greenpoint homeowners, warning them of the crazy yuppies. Izabela Nowak speaks about a renter who painted a feces mural before vanishing from her rented room. Klaudia Kowalska had a midnight doctor’s office in her first floor apartment. “How are we supposed to trust these people? They have proven how they can act,” says Siano.

Out of curiosity, I found my closest hipster friend, dressed in ripped leggings, a plaid shirt, and Ray-Bans, and inquired about some apartments for rent in the area. I was up first so I walked up to the home in question, chit chatted with the Polish homeowner in Polish, and was shown the apartment. She gave me a price of $1000 monthly for a one bedroom, one bathroom, kitchen, and living room apartment. Not too bad.  Two hours later my hipster friend did the same.  She was shown the apartment and told she could have it all for $2500 monthly. The huge discrepancy in rent speaks to the local homeowners’ bias against hipsters. We experienced the same results in three more open houses.

Polish people are not shy about their disgust at the behavior of yuppies. Janina called the police on a tenant who smoked marijuana in his apartment. Siano’s neighbor had to repaint the outside of her home from the fire damage. Nowak would not tell me how she removed the feces mural, for discretion. The women simply told me, “ we do not trust them.”

An interesting phenomenon that a visitor to Williamsburg will notice is that graffiti is an important way of letting your feelings be known. The neighborhood has memos written everywhere you look about hot issues such as gentrification, abortion, and the economy. In 1998, a stenciled phrase appeared on walls and sidewalks in Williamsburg saying, “YUPPIE GO HOME.”  The graffiti sparked interest and a loud response about it ran on notbored.org. A yuppie spoke out against the fear that people felt in renting apartments. He said, “Young, Upwardly-mobile Professionals have no home to go back to, no matter where they sleep and store their stuff. To be a yuppie is to be at home nowhere and to be a tourist everywhere.”

If they want to stay, perhaps these hip nomads will find ways to gain back the respect of their Polish neighbors.

Many advocacy groups have formed around the consensus that the number of riders in the city has increased, and that laws need to be created or enforced and cyclists, drivers, and walkers need to be educated on the safe and legal ways to share the road.

Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood in Manhattan, is known for having a diverse repertoire of exotic cuisines, from Argentinean to Ethiopian, from Moroccan to Cajun. And although the neighborhood boasts its rich ethnic background, this array of restaurants results in an overabundance of cyclists, namely delivery people.

The area includes two bike lanes – one on 8th Avenue and one along the Hudson River, each at the opposite extreme of Hell’s Kitchen’s Eastern and Western boundaries, respectively. Bicycle riders do not have a designated safe place to ride, and often end up breaking the law to get around. When cyclists break the law, it is dangerous for them, pedestrians, and motorists.

The lack of education about riding safely around the city is one of the chief problems. With bike riding growing extremely popular, inexperienced riders are taking to the streets to get to work, save money, and help the planet. However, without knowing how to get around safely, new unlawful riders pose a threat to everyone on the road, and most infractions are caused by the unawareness of the wrongdoer.

There are many opportunities for riders, experienced or not, to learn about cycling safety. Bike New York, a cycling advocacy group that hosts events such as bike rides where the streets are closed to cars, uses its proceeds to support their Bicycle Education Program, which was started in 2004. This program offers free classes and training, and their website, http://www.bikenewyork.org, says that you can “Be a better urban biker! Get to know your bike, learn basic repairs and adjustments, and ride safely and confidently in traffic.” These skills can greatly reduce the amount of and the severity of injuries that occur from bike accidents caused by ignorance to the laws.

Kellin Bliss, who has been biking in the city since he moved here three years ago, doesn’t use a bike as his typical method of transportation. He says, “I only really ride my bike for pleasure. In the summer however it is nice to avoid the occasional cab fare, so I will take longer bike rides.” Although Bliss rides his bike around the city, he says, “I do not know anything about the safe biking initiatives.” This statement rings true with many riders around New York. Although groups like Bike New York, among others, encourage riders to learn the proper ways of riding in an urban environment, many of these plans have not been sufficiently advertised for riders to use the programs to their full potential.

The New York City Department of Transportation and Mayor’s office released a pamphlet entitled, “Bike Smart: The Official Guide to Cycling in New York City,” last updated in Spring 2010. The brochure explains very clearly and accurately how to use New York City’s three types of bike facilities: bike paths, bike lanes, and shared lanes. In all three types, unless noted, riders should ride in the direction of traffic, a law that is too often ignored. Many cyclists in Hell’s Kitchen go the wrong way on the roads, cutting corners very close, and riding on the sidewalk. This is very harmful to local residents, as sidewalks in the area tend to be narrow, forcing pedestrians to step off the sidewalk into the street to let a cyclist pass, or causing hesitation when crossing the street because bikes come from every direction.

The installation of parking protected bike paths around the city has led to a decrease in accidents. According to the NYCDOT pamphlet, “In Manhattan, parking protected bike paths have deduced bicycle, pedestrian and vehicular injuries by up to 48%.” The brochure also explains the how to safely make turns, how to use bike boxes, how to signal to cars and pedestrians, how to lock your bike up, how to safely and properly wear a helmet, light, reflector, and bell. According to the document, “Seventy four percent of cyclist fatalities result from head injuries.” The literature also states that “45% of bicyclist fatalities in New York City happen in the dark,” stressing the importance of obeying the New York State law which states that cyclists must use white front lights and red tail lights on their bike when they ride at night.

Although bike lanes, in general, are an improvement to the city, they lose their effectiveness if they are allowing, potentially even increasing, danger. In New York City, it seems that the bike lanes are encouraging more riders, yet creating an even more dangerous environment for them. Bliss agrees, saying, “On the whole, I think bike lanes need to be severely improved. Separated bike lanes are very useful if there is a physical barrier separating the lane from the road. I feel that more often than not, there isn’t a physical barrier. I feel like that is pointless because cars just consider it apart of the road. The way most bike lanes are situated, you will often see cars double parked in the bike lane, forcing bicyclists to enter traffic.”

The NYCDOT has an enlarged section on their website, www.nyc.gov, about cycling education, bike lanes, and more. According to New York State law, bicycles are considered vehicles, and therefore must follow the rules that apply to motor vehicles. Riding on the sidewalk is prohibited, unless the rider is 12 years old or younger.

Riding on the sidewalks is a big problem in Hell’s Kitchen. Streets like West 55th Street, West 50th Street, and 10th Avenue have larger, wider sidewalks, and are ideal for a cyclist trying to zoom through traffic. The problem is establishments are not educating their employees on the importance of bike safety, not only for the rider but for everyone else who is using the road as well.

The Midtown North Police Precinct has generated flyers to put in restaurants and throughout the neighborhood reminding offenders about the dangers of unlawful riding and of the fines that are issued to lawbreakers. At a Midtown North Community Council meeting in October, a representative of the Midtown North Precinct said that they are aware of the problem, and that they are working hard to reduce the number of occasions where unlawful riding takes place. Better enforcement is one way in which the precinct is trying to dissuade these criminals from breaking the law over and over again.

Many riders are outraged by the lack of enforcement regarding bicycle laws, designed to protect riders, just as they are about the lanes that are designed to protect them. Bliss says, “I feel like more enforced penalties and fines for drivers who violate the rules for bike lanes would be appropriate. More physically separate bike lanes are a must in my opinion; there should be no way for cars to enter a bike lane and vice versa.”

Although there are many separated bike lanes, cars can still enter them, and often police cars, marked and unmarked, idle in the lanes or drive through them to avoid traffic. “Law enforcement is using this space for their own personal driveway,” says Erica Breslow, a native Hell’s Kitchen resident and cycling enthusiast. “This forces cyclists to ride in traffic. Nothing irks me more than seeing a police car in a bike lane. They’re supposed to be protecting us, but instead they’re making the roads more dangerous for bike riders, drivers, and pedestrians alike. And the cyclists on the sidewalk? Well, they’re just being as reckless as possible. There is no reason to ride on the sidewalk. People come out of buildings and you don’t see them, children often play on the streets. Riding on the sidewalk is just asking for an accident,” she adds.

Although law enforcement is working to increase public awareness of bicycle traffic violation problems, some citizens don’t believe they are doing enough. Jack Brown, who runs the Coalition Against Rogue Riders, said in an email interview, “Responsible enforcement promotes responsible cycling.” Brown supports the increase in awareness and law enforcement regarding dangerous cycling habits, but feels that the NYPD has missed their chance to prepare for the increase in riders and the dangers being posed. Brown, via email, says the problem is now in the “Misjudgment of the attitudes unleashed and enabled by the extended lack of enforcement.”

Brown is also dissatisfied with the way Transportation Alternatives, another cycling advocacy group, has been handling the issue of dangerous riding. In the same interview, Brown said, “The city and T.A. have done a poor job of education, preparation, and enforcement.” He believes the group is the “acknowledged brain child of the Dept. of Transportation.” Although the Coalition Against Rogue Riding and Transportation Alternatives are both cycling activist groups in New York City, their views of the proper way to approach the problem vary, causing animosity between the groups.

Some bike safety groups in New York are doing a good job of promoting the proper education and implementation of safe riding. Fast’n’Fab, a New York based Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender bike club, holds weekly rides as well as special events and a monthly dinner hosted by members. “Our ride routes do not include sidewalks, or streets ridden in the wrong direction,” says club President, Gerry Oxford. The club plans to encourage safe riding, Oxford explains, “This year we hope to host workshops on how to ride safely, covering such topics as helmets, earwear, lights and road behavior.”

Oxford is dismayed by the outburst in dangerous riding in the city. He says, “As a longtime bike rider in NYC, most of the time in Manhattan, I have to say that I think this issue is being misrepresented in the press. I feel that the streets of the city have become considerably more dangerous in the past few years, for riders as well as pedestrians, not because all bike riders are behaving badly, but because [a] fast-growing segment of bike riders is doing so.” He continues to explain, “I’m talking about the delivery men, of course, who ride without lights, without respect for street direction, without stopping for lights, and who use the newly developed bike lanes as their own fiefdom, riding on them in whatever direction suits them.”

With his own experiences haunting him, Oxford has had personal experience with the dangers of riding in the city. “I’ve had two minor accidents in the past six months, both due to the reckless riding of delivery men.” Delivery riders are a big issue in Hell’s Kitchen, and in the city. There have been plans to license the bikes, and to place obvious logos or insignias representing where they are working, so that if an incident occurs, the proper people are contacted, and so that when unlawful riding is witnessed, a fine can be charged to the restaurant as well as the rider.

Many think this is a good idea, including Oxford, who says, “Personally I think that the city should look to licensing delivery bikers, with a system in place to ensure that any restaurant whose delivery bikes break the law more than a couple of times loses the right to have delivery bikes.” These plans, however, have not yet come to fruition.

Pedestrians are not strictly victims in bicycle related crimes. Many times, bike-pedestrian accidents are caused because the pedestrians aren’t obeying the rules of the road. “Pedestrians think they can cross the street wherever they like, because they have the ‘right of way,’ Breslow explains. “But having the ‘right of way’ does not make it okay for you to walk into a bike lane, hail a cab, wait for traffic to pass to cross, or do anything for that matter. The bike lane is for cyclists – not motorists, not pedestrians, not police officers, cyclists.” Oxford agrees, saying, “And then of course there’s the appalling behavior of pedestrians, who frequently treat cyclists as if they didn’t exist, even when [cyclists] have the right of way.”

Bike safety is a problem throughout New York City, and in an area like Hell’s Kitchen, which is filled with restaurants, and delivery people on bikes, there needs to be a better solution to education and enforcement of the laws created to protect everyone who shares the road. Advocacy groups, who seem to share a common goal, disagree about the best path to follow. Many argue that education and enforcement would lower the risk of injury and death by cycling accidents, if only the cause were more widespread and publicized. At Unfortunately, pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists have yet to find a way to coexist safely.

For six decades Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village has been a renter’s paradise, boasting low prices and a secluded tract of prime Manhattan real estate. But the recent shuffle in ownership has shaken a traditionally steady neighborhood.

Financing the construction itself in the 1940’s, The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company owned the complex for the vast majority of its existence until auctioning off the property to Tishman Speyer in 2006 for a record $5.4 billion. Due in large part to the economy, the value of ST/PCV plummeted to around half of what Tishman paid for it. It only took a few years before Tishman had defaulted on its massive loans.

After a brief skirmish between major lender CW Capital and smaller debt holders Pershing Square and Winthrop Realty, ST/PCV finds itself in the uncomfortable position of waiting. CW Capital bought Pershing and Winthrop’s smaller debt and is in a holding pattern regarding the site’s foreclosure, which would officially transfer ownership from Tishman to CW Capital.

Throughout this entire process, the tenants association has been working hard to ensure that tenant needs remain a priority. The most pressing issue revolves around the security of ST/PCV’s rent regulated apartments. The most popular idea being tossed around is a massive conversion to co-op or condominium housing, though it is unlikely that residents would be forced into the responsibility of ownership. “If you are a renter, a rent stabilized tenant, you will be able to stay as a renter. Nobody is going to force you to do anything,” said New York City Council Member Dan Garodnick when speaking at a recent tenants association meeting.

Don Meyers is an original tenant of the complex, his family being the first in his building. “I have pictures of Stuyvesant Town back in 1949 when these trees that are nine stories high were little saplings,” he said. Other than a few years of exploration, Don has been at the same three-bedroom apartment his entire life. “I used to want to leave. I wanted out and to get away from Stuy Town. But I always came back and now I just think it’s wonderful.”

ST/PCV has remained a sanctuary of sorts for its residents. “When you come off the grid, when you come into Stuy Town, in the summer especially, you can feel the quality of the air. It’s not as noisy and it seems cleaner,” Meyers said. David Brodsky, a student at Baruch College and lifelong Stuyvesant Town resident very much enjoyed growing up in the area. “The location is great, they have plenty of playgrounds for kids to play in. I use to use the basketball courts quite a bit myself,” he said.

The neighborhood has, for the most part, remained relatively unscathed by the continually changing city landscape, although a more diverse residential body is certainly noticeable. “It’s become more cosmopolitan and I like that,” said Meyers. There have likewise been some less noticeable changes that are perhaps, for the worse. “When we first got here it was a community and now it seems that you can’t afford to raise a family here anymore,” said Rita Safko, a 25-30 year resident who has raised twins who are now in college. “It’s a younger, transient environment as opposed to a family one,” added Rita’s husband, Ron Safko.  Though this loss of community tugs at the heartstrings, there are more immediate issues at hand.

Not since Robert Moses evicted thousands of residents of the formerly Gas House District has this area faced such a daunting scenario. Recently expired was a deal between ST/PCV tenants and CW Capital, which stemmed from the Roberts v. Tishman Speyer Properties, L.P. case and lowered rents Tishman had hiked up. Without a new deal in place, the issue is likely headed back to court. Adding to the pressure, rent regulated apartments, a rarity in Manhattan, could become extinct in a few months. The law protecting rents will expire in 2011.

New York State government will vote on whether to extend the law or let deregulation commence unobstructed. “If rent stabilization goes out, the rents goes up, and fundamental protections that have existed in this community for so long evaporate,” said Garodnick at the tenants association meeting. “If things get deregulated, that means we might be paying the market rent and they’d go sky high,” said Don Meyers. Compared with his current rent, market rates are entirely unfeasible. “You wouldn’t like me if I told you what my rent is,” said Meyers. His rent is $950/month.

On the other hand, David Brodsky isn’t as worried. “There are way too many people living here. It’s a lot of votes if you know what I mean,” he said. Eugene Warren, a spry 87-year old real estate broker with 52 years of experience, agrees with Brodsky’s assessment. “They’re not going to deregulate. Too many people would be hurt. It’s too drastic.”

Assuming that they’re right, the next step for ST/PCV will be deciding if, how, and when to convert units into co-ops or condominiums. It has been stressed by the tenants association that conversion will be optional, a positive sign for many residents. “My situation is similar to others who have been in their apartments for a long time and are paying still low rents and are old. It doesn’t make any sense at all for someone my age to all of a sudden buy this apartment,” said Meyers. “The immediate outlay of so much money along with paying property taxes and maintenance prices once a month could be equal to what I’m paying for rent.”

Ron Safko was also a little skeptical of conversions. “When I first heard co-op or condo I thought it was great. Now I have some reservations about it. Co-op boards can be very challenging,” he said. “However, we’d certainly look at it,” added Rita. Using external resources, the tenants’ association will be putting a plan together over the next few months that will give an indication of where prices will generally land.

There were also worries that having a property mixed with renters and owners would cause a schism in the community. “I don’t think that’ll happen. I’ve lived in buildings before where there were some renting and some owning and there were no problems,” said Ron. David Brodsky added, “it’s not the same as a suburb community where everybody knows each other.” Garodnick addressed the issue by pointing out the vastly different rents that people were paying right now. In the tenants meeting, he argued that if this hasn’t caused any conflict, neither should a blend of renters and owners.

Much can be argued for each side of this issue. What’s unified the community now can tear it apart later. At present, ST/PCV has an ‘us vs. them’ mentality, us being the renters (which includes every resident) and them being the current owner of the property. Unit conversion would break that bond that renters hold with each other. It would test the strength of Stuyvesant Town’s weakening community fellowship. “You still have some sense of community but it’s just not the same,” said Rita. Be that as it may, conversions are still “years” away and ST/PCV still finds itself in limbo. “We’re still in a very ambiguous state right now,” said Meyers. “Anything can happen.”

In 2005 the Department of City Planning approved the rezoning of homes in College Point Queens. The City rezoned the area to build more residential homes and bring back the quiet and residential feel of the neighborhood. However, even with these zoning changes, not much has changed. In 2010 Powell Cove Estates finished construction on their new condominiums. For an area that was supposed to dig back into its roots, it doesn’t seem like much has changed from the rezoning.

Not everyone in the neighborhood is angry over the building of these homes. Jonathan Baek, a tenant of one of these brand new homes in Powell Coves, doesn’t understand all the uproar. “ The condo I just moved into is awesome. What is there to complain about? Don’t these condos just help local businesses and large businesses like Target and Old Navy? Who cares if I have to pay for the view that I get? It’s definitely worth it,” says Baek. It is true that due to the rise in population in the neighborhood, large chain businesses like BJ’s Wholesale and Target have seen business boom. Local malls like the one on 20th Avenue in College Point are extremely busy and packed with shoppers throughout the week.
It is actually these shoppers who are adding fuel to the fire to those who oppose the added condos in the neighborhood. Due to the rise in population in the neighborhood, traffic and parking have become major issues. College Point was always  notorious for its narrow roads and high number of one-way streets. Due to the added amount of cars and tenants in the neighborhood, it is now close to impossible to ever find parking after eight at night. This is unheard of  for a neighborhood that is supposed to be known as “secluded.”  “ How is it possible that I come home at 7:30 and I can’t find a single parking spot anywhere near my house? I used to know every car that was parked on this block, and now I have no idea who these people are,” says Richard Tam, another long-time resident of College Point. “ Not only has College Point become super congested, but just look around. These condos have just ruined a lot of the natural beauty we used to have here. And with all these people moving into the neighborhood, why don’t they build some more parks or at least expand the ones we have?” says Tam.  Tam’s point is well taken. There definitely aren’t as many trees now and a lot of the wild life has begun to disappear, replaced by a large number of raccoons that lurk around the neighborhood prowling for garbage. The parks have also become a topic of discussion. While the number of children in the neighborhood has gone up exponentially, nothing has been altered in the park and there are currently no plans to build another one.

Although there are many complaints and many disgruntled residents, many feel that there really isn’t anything that the people of College Point can do. “ I think the neighborhood just needs to accept the fact that College Point is growing. I can understand that people really loved nature, but its not like the whole view of the skyline is gone and the park is still jam-packed with huge trees. Honestly, I only see the condos as positive additions to the neighborhood,” says Jonathan Baek.

Whether or not the people of College Point will ever adapt to these changes is hard to predict.  Still, the sad truth is that a lot of residents will have to accept the fact that their old beloved College Point will never be the same again.

Richard Price stands in front of a packed conference room at Baruch College, just the same as you or I would. Perhaps a bit nervous, Price makes several jokes and sarcastic remarks to begin the evening in a Richard Price kind of way. “Okay, they said to read for one minute, and open it up to the floor for fifty-nine,” quips Price. After a bellowing response from the crowd, Price gets into the thick of it.

Price is very passionate for the Lower East Side portion of New York City and it is the focus of his newest novel, Lush Life. Price began the night by explaining why Lush Life was centered around the Lower East Side. “I have always had a sentimental spot for it until I got to know it, and then I realized what a nightmare it was,” said Price.

There wasn’t anything poetic or genius spoken by Price, he seems to be just as normal and everyday as anyone else. Perhaps this is how he wants to be portrayed. In an interview with Robert Birnbaum from Identity Theory–a literary website–Price claims to not be so structured and identifiable of a writer as many other writers are. “I don’t write meta-fiction, I don’t write deconstructionist…I’m not into a novel as a philosophical inquiry into language and stuff like that. I’m basically a story teller and always will be,” said Price. This quote sums up Richard Price in a nutshell. He carries the notion of being distant and aloof from his passion, yet extremely aware and to a “T” with details.

Being such a distinguished and accomplished writer–suffering from writers block and other such hindrances–surprisingly, is very common for Price. Writing isn’t easy, not even for Price. “It depends if I’m under a deadline, it’s easier when I’m under a deadline. If I’m writing a screenplay, there is a whole bunch of people that are waiting for the god damned thing, and you know they get stressed waiting for it.”

Reaching the conclusion of the evening, Price continues to be very dry and sarcastic in response. “I have to write this other book because I’m broke. I made a deal with a publisher to write a book under a pen name, that’s what I’m doing. It’s not going to be of the highest literary quality, it’s an open pen name,” said Price. Price will begin in the early months of 2011 by writing under the pen name of Jay Morris. He has agreed to write a series of detective novels for Henry Holt. Whether or not Price has agreed to this deal for monetary concerns, it seems to fit right in line with the rest of Price’s career. He is very sporadic in his work. From working on a screenplay to writing a novel, dabbling in a short story while professing at a University–you never exactly know what Price will end up doing next. And I’d put my money on it that neither does he.

RICHARD PRICE. Credit: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

The Armory is a single-male, homeless shelter located on the corner of Atlantic and Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. It is a well known fact that the people of Crown Heights shy away from having to walk in front of the armory–in fear of being harassed by one of the men. The shelter has been described as more of a prison, than a shelter. Perhaps one cause of the problem is that people are unaware of the conditions inside the armory. “I feel curious more than anything else. I pass the massive building almost everyday and don’t know anything about what goes on inside, can’t see through a window, no doors are left open, it’s literally a fortress separating me from them,” said local Crown Heights resident Tokunbo Anifalaje.

Some men are afraid of living there–knowing that theft and assault are very common problems within the shelter. This stands as a sizable issue on its own, so you would think the City would be doing something to mend the problem. That is precisely the opposite of what is happening though.

With ongoing discussions regarding renovating the already overpopulated shelter into New York City’s only Intake center, local Crown Heights residents are faced with an enormous burden.  There are countless reasons why this poses a threat to the neighborhood.

Not only is it bad for Crown Heights residents, it is bad for the homeless men who would be in need of a bed. The armory is located inconveniently away from public transportation. It is also very far away from the current intake center which would require these men to have to travel long distances by foot to apply for shelter. The health concerns alone are too much of a problem for the Department of Homeless Services to handle. The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) planned to improve the initial screening done for newly homeless men entering the shelter, but this only protects the people inside the armory.

Even though it has been described as a prison, it is not. Therefore, these men are allowed to roam the streets of the neighborhood–most likely relying on selling drugs to make a quick buck. Statistically speaking, the proposed Intake Center would mean that approximately 14,000 homeless men in and out of Crown Heights each year. Crown Heights (Community District 8 ) is already one of the most overfilled communities in Brooklyn in regards to social service beds. The Intake Center would exacerbate the issue of an overcrowded community, with a high demand for social services.

The most proactive group fighting the renovations of the armory is the Coalition for Bedford Atlantic Armory Reform (CBAAR). Unfortunately they seem to have little to no power with the city. “We are in contact with the new Commissioner about their plans. Until they make it clear they are moving forward, there is not much for us to do,” said a CBAAR representative. The group is very encouraging of Crown Height residents to be involved and take a stance on the issue. “We will inform the community when it is time to take action: protests,rallies, letter writing, phone banks, etcetera.”

New York City and the DHS took it one step further in creating a larger problem out of it. DHS proposed that it would offer a monetary contribution to a track and field/recreation center that would be located inside the armory. Parents don’t seem to be fond of the idea of sending their children off to the Armory for recreation though. Not to mention that it would only be a contribution and the community would have to fund approximately 10 million dollars on its own to proceed with the recreation center. “We are not bargaining with DHS for taking an intake center, we are opposed to it completely,” stated the CBAAR rep.

The Department of Homeless Services is well aware of the strain it would put on the community as well as surrounding neighborhoods, by moving the only intake center–which is currently located in Manhattan–into Crown Heights. Rather than offer a partial contribution for a recreation center, they are trying other ways to repair the problem. “DHS has agreed to keep an intake center for single homeless men in Manhattan when the current one closes, we do not know how big or where,” said a CBAAR rep.

How you can get involved:

Crow Hill Community Association Website

Revitalizing Crown Heights Website

The Atlantic-Bedford Armory. Photo Courtesy of Nathania Zavi- Brooklyn Ink