Since 1987, Jerry Delakas has been operating a newsstand outside the downtown 6 entrance on Astor Place. (After a 3-year eviction battle, the city granted him
the proper permits in early 2014.)
Now it looks as if Delakas might have competition. A vendor has submitted an application with the city to open a newsstand on
the reconstructed Astor Place.
According to materials (
PDF) on file ahead of tonight's CB3 Transportation & Public Safety/Environment Committee, the proposed newsstand will be on the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Astor Place across from 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star.
It appears from a diagram at the CB3 website that the newsstand, facing Fourth Avenue, would be somewhere in this vicinity ... north of the uptown 6 entrance...
A newsstand did not appear on the rendering for the renovated plaza...
We asked William Kelley, executive director of the Village Alliance, the business improvement district that oversees the new Astor Place pedestrian plaza, about the application.
"There was not [another newsstand] included as part of the plan," he said via email. "However, due to First Amendment protections, newsstand applications can be made at any time and at any location that fits the siting criteria," such as distance from building entrances and curbs.
"We will oppose the location," Kelley said, "but the city does not take into account competition with other newsstands, unfortunately."
The meeting tonight is at 6:30 at Downtown Art, in the 1st floor theater, 70 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.
