A second newsstand in the works for Astor Place

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.

Christmas Eve, Astor Place

Jerry Delakas at Jerry's Newsstand, site of one of the more positive neighborhood stories this year.

Photo by Kelly King

There is a Save Jerry's Newsstand Rally today

[Photo by Michael Paul]

There is a rally today from 4-6 at Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place outside the downtown 6 entrance.

On Dec. 9, the Department of Consumer Affairs shut down the stand that Jerry Delakas has operated the past 26 years before he could file an appeal with the city to stay in business. (Find more background about this ongoing legal battle here.)

Last Sunday, an estimated 100 people (including Rev. Billy) gathered for a rally here…


[Photo via the Save Jerry's Facebook page]

A few other updates about the situation via the Save Jerry's Newsstand Facebook page:

This past Monday, Arthur Schwartz, Jerry's attorney, petitioned Judge Carol E Hull for a hearing on the violation of his due process ... "and we wait to hear if she will hear his grievances."

Meanwhile, as we mentioned in a previous post, a resident who lives nearby continued to rip down the signs of support from Jerry's Newsstand every night… the resident waited until Jerry left the area to remove the signs… well, one night last week, Jerry apparently stuck around and staked out the newsstand… he caught her in the act. They talked, and she agreed to stop. No word on why she continued to do this.

You can find more information at the Save Jerry's Newsstand Facebook page …

Previously on EV Grieve:
City shutters Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place for 'operating illegally'

The story about the city shutting down Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place actually gets worse

More about saving Jerry's Newsstand

Helping Save Jerry

East Village resident holding rally this morning in support of Jerry's Newsstand on Astor Place

Late yesterday afternoon, East Village resident Kelly King put up these signs on the currently shuttered newsstand that Jerry Delakas has operated since 1987 next to the downtown 6 at Astor Place.

As we first reported on Tuesday, the Department of Consumer Affairs shuttered the stand for "operating illegally" following an ongoing legal battle. He has a little more than a week to appeal the ruling that he fork over $37,000 or vacate.

Delakas was unaware that the city was going to seize his stand, as Jeremiah Moss learned. As Jeremiah noted, Delakas saw the broken padlock, and initially thought that he had been robbed.

So King is taking it upon herself to hold a rally this morning at 11 outside the newsstand. (She says that Delakas will be there as well.)

"He is not a fancy type to have the deep legal education to fight corruption off — he is a newsstand man. He is a villager. He is one of our own," King told me via Facebook. "I am going to stand up for him. I am going to give what I have to give."

And she hopes that some other residents will also be able to to stop by to show support for Delakas today...



EVG reader dbs shared these photos from last night...