Looking for ideas to improve Joseph C. Sauer Park on 12th Street

Invite from City Councilmember Rosie Mendez's office via the EVG inbox...

As part of the Community Parks Initiative, NYC Parks will host a public input meeting to gather community ideas for the redesign of Joseph C. Sauer Park, 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The Community Parks Initiative is investing new City resources in parks in communities that need it most. NYC Parks will spend $318 million to rebuild parks in neighborhoods all over the city – including Joseph C. Sauer Park.

Details:
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 6:30 pm
Campos Plaza Community Center
611 East 13th St. (between Avenue B and Avenue C, north side of street)
Refreshments served

Mayor and Mendez team up for Town Hall meeting next Thursday (Oct. 12)

Mayor de Blasio's Town Hall Tour 2017 comes to Council District 2 next Thursday (Oct. 12).

The Mayor is hosting the Q-and-A session in collaboration with District 2 City Council Member Rosie Mendez at PS 188, 442 E. Houston St. (at Baruch Drive). The Town Halling starts at 7 p.m.

If you want to attend, then you need to RSVP by 5 p.m. on Tuesday (the 10th). You can RSVP right here.

New City Council legislation aims to protect tenants from construction as harassment

[Photo Wednesday via @RosieMendez]

On Wednesday, City Council passed comprehensive legislation as part of the “Stand for Tenant Safety” package that aims to provide greater tenant protection.

Per DNAinfo: "The bills range from increased fines for landlords, requiring a 'Safe Construction Bill of Rights,' stricter preventative measures to address construction as harassment, and the creation of an Office of the Tenant Advocate inside the Department of Buildings."

City Council member Rosie Mendez introduced the "Safe Construction Bill of Rights" legislation, which requires landlords to notify tenants before undertaking significant renovation projects.

Mendez shared this statement:

For far too long some of the city’s worst property owners have used devious, despicable tactics, as well as construction renovations to harass and intimidate tenants. Tenants living in buildings that are undergoing substantial construction usually do not know where to turn.

Therefore, the passage of the “Safe Construction Bill of Rights” legislation would require landlords to provide tenants prior notice of significant construction projects and periodic updates about the status of such construction projects. I believe this is common sense legislation and its passage will demonstrate that New York City will ensure that construction is safe with tenants in place and that tenants will be informed. The overall impact of this legislative package is that New York City will be the best and safest place to live.

Read more about the legislation in the City Council press room here.

Report: There's opposition to lowering the playground fences in Tompkins Square Park

On Monday night, City Council Member Rosie Mendez and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation held a community meeting on the Tompkins Square Park Avenue B children’s playground renovation.

Mendez has allocated capital funds to renovate the playground on Avenue B between Seventh Street and Eighth Street. Meanwhile, the Parks Department wants to supplement the funding with its Parks Without Borders initiative that would lower the fences from its present height of 7 feet to 4 feet.

There is opposition to the fence-lowering plan.

Allegra Hobbs covered the meeting for DNAinfo. A quick excerpt:

Parents who take their kids to Tompkins Square Park are begging the city Parks Department to abandon a controversial plan to lower the fences around the play area by three feet, claiming the tall barriers provide much-needed security in a park overrun by vagrants, substance abusers, and rowdy college students.

However!

[T]he Parks Department believes lowering the fences would actually make the play areas safer — lowering barriers that block sight lines discourages negative behavior while at the same time making the green space more open and aesthetically pleasing, argued Manhattan Parks Borough Commissioner Bill Castro.

The article included a comment from one parent in favor of lowering the fences. "[O]ne mother with an 18-month-old child said she could could see the alteration creating a more open and healthy environment for kids." She also said that "she would support the fences staying as they are if that were the majority opinion."

Parks Department Commissioner Mitchell Silver will make the final determination on the fence lowering. DNAinfo reports that he expects to make a decision by the spring.

Read the full article here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Community meeting set to discuss lowering the playground fences in Tompkins Square Park (28 comments)

Community meeting set to discuss lowering the playground fences in Tompkins Square Park

Via the EVG inbox...

On Monday, Feb. 27, NYC Councilwoman Rosie Mendez and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation will hold a community meeting pertaining to the Tompkins Square Park Avenue B Children’s Playground Renovation.

Councilwoman Mendez allocated capital funds to renovate the Avenue B Children’s Playground. The Parks Department has supplemented the funding with its “Parks Without Borders” Initiative that would lower the fences from its present height of 7 feet to 4 feet.

This initiative to lowers the fences at the Avenue B Playground has raised many concerns from residents and NYC Councilwoman Mendez. Please join us at the meeting to share your concerns for the initiative.

The meeting takes place Monday night from 6:30-8 at Saint Brigid-Saint Emeric on Avenue B at Eighth Street. Use the entrance on Eighth Street.

For a little more background, here's a piece from DNAinfo earlier this month:

The Parks Department currently plans to lower the fences around the two playgrounds at the southeast corner of the park from seven feet to four feet as part of a larger reconstruction project, claiming the high fences could obscure bad behavior and actually make the playgrounds less safe.

But community representatives say lowering the fences would expose children using the playgrounds to "vagrants" and drug paraphernalia in the park.

Capt. Vincent Greany, commanding officer at the 9th Precinct, also told DNAinfo that he believes the fences should not be lowered.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your chance to brainstorm ideas to renovate the Tompkins Square Park Playground (27 comments)

Reminders: Meeting on possible improvements to the Tompkins Square Park Playground

Join Rosie Mendez to discuss improvements to the Tompkins Square playgrounds tomorrow night

At the 'Lower East Side Rally Against Hate' tonight in Tompkins Square Park

Several hundred protestors joined local elected officials and other community leaders tonight in Tompkins Square Park "to stand together" against the Trump Administration's executive order on travel restrictions targeting seven Muslim-majority nations and Syrian refugees.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos from the rally. (amNY has a recap here.)

The event was organized by City Council member Rosie Mendez...



Among the more than a dozen speakers were Public Advocate Letitia James ...



... Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer...



...and Debbie Almontaser, board president of the Muslim Network ...



And in the crowd...























This was the latest rally in the city to protest President Trump's ban.

Local elected officials asked to vacate longtime office space on First Avenue and 14th Street

Commercial tenants who rented office space on the upper floors of 237 First Ave. at 14th Street were recently served with notices to vacate.

Among other tenants, the building served as an office for City Council District 2 and Council Member Rosie Mendez as well as Brian Kavanagh, a member of the New York State Assembly representing the 74th Assembly District.

Here's more about the situation via Mendez's blog:

The district office located at 237 First Ave., at the Southwest corner of East 14th Street, was also home to previous Councilwoman Margarita Lopez. Every commercial tenant in the tenant was served with a notice to vacate, including Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, who now occupies an office at 250 Broadway full-time.

This suite on the fifth floor has served constituents of Council District 2 for over two decades and the displacement is sad news to Team Rosie. As the exhausting search for affordable space within the boundaries of the district continues, we will be sure to keep you updated when we relocate.

Mendez's team is for now working out of 250 Broadway.

A rep for Mendez's office said, "I'm not sure why we were all asked to vacate but I can only guess they want to hike up the prices."

There are work permits on file for each of the floors here via landlord Noam Management Group.

Rosie Mendez hosting National Coming Out Day panel discussion tomorrow night

City Council member Rosie Mendez's office shared this flyer ... Tomorrow night, Mendez is hosting a panel discussion for National Coming Out Day at the Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Details are on the flyer.

Join Rosie Mendez to discuss improvements to the Tompkins Square playgrounds tomorrow night

City Councilmember Rosie Mendez is taking part in this month's CB3 Parks, Recreation, Cultural Affairs, & Waterfront Committee meeting tomorrow night. The topic: A look at ideas for improving the Tompkins Square Park Playgrounds near East Seventh Street and Avenue B.

As previously noted, Mendez has allotted some $900,000 to renovate the playgrounds.

Based on previous community input, the Parks Department now has some schematic designs for the two spaces... and your thoughts are welcome at the meeting. (Or in the comments. Beer store will already be noted.)

The committee meeting starts at 6:30 at Casa Victoria, 308 E. Eighth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your chance to brainstorm ideas to renovate the Tompkins Square Park Playground (27 comments)

Reminders: Meeting on possible improvements to the Tompkins Square Park Playground

City Council to hear gas safety legislation tomorrow

[Photo of Rosie Mendez from March 26 by Stacie Joy]

Rosie Mendez's office passed along the following information earlier today...

Tomorrow, the New York City Council's Committee on Housing & Buildings will hear nine bills aimed at preventing another tragic gas explosion.

On March 26, City Council member Rosie Mendez led a press conference to remember the deadly Second Avenue explosion on its one-year anniversary. There, Mendez announced a legislation package that will increase inspections of piping systems, publish annual reporting on these inspections, provide better and more informed notifications to tenants, mandate natural gas alarms in units, and increased transparency.

Mendez is a lead sponsor of Intro. 1093, which requires gas providers to notify the Department of Buildings within 24 hours of issuing a gas service shut off. This bill and several others will hold individuals and agencies accountable and looks to prevent accidents and address negligence.

The public will be allowed to testify at the hearing tomorrow. Details are below.

Housing & Buildings
Tuesday, April 12 at 10 a.m.
Council Chambers, City Hall
Please arrive at 9:45 a.m. for good seating and if you wish to testify. You can sign up with the Sergeant at Arms.

The following legislation will be heard at tomorrow's hearing:
• Int 738 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a gas qualification for journeyman plumbers.
• Int 1079 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to final inspections of gas piping systems.
• Int 1088 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to periodic inspections of gas piping systems.
• Int 1090 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring owners to provide notice to their tenants regarding procedures that should be followed when a gas leak is suspected.
• Int 1093 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring gas service providers and owners to notify the department of buildings within twenty-four hours when gas service is shut-off or not restored due to safety concerns.
• Int 1094 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to identifying the factors indicating gas-related violations in residential and commercial buildings.
• Int 1098 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring annual reports on the state of gas infrastructure in the city.
• Int 1100 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the New York city building code, in relation to requiring natural gas alarms in dwelling units.
• Int 1101 — A Local Law in relation to a temporary waiver of penalties for violations relating to fuel gas piping systems and appliances that are promptly repaired.
• Int 1102 — A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to designating violations of existing law regarding gas piping systems as “immediately hazardous.”

A Day of Remembrance

[Photo by EVG correspondent Steven]

On Saturday afternoon, local elected officials along with community members and families of victims came together to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly East Village gas explosion. (The event was billed the East Village Explosion Day of Remembrance.)

"A year after the East Village explosion, all that remains is three empty lots as a constant reminder of an avoidable tragic event that took the lives of two young men, rendered dozens of residents homeless, temporarily displaced hundreds of others from their homes and interrupted the livelihood of small business owners for weeks and in some cases months," City Councilmember Rosie Mendez said in a prepared statement.


[Rosie Mendez]

The speakers offered their condolences to the families of the victims, Moises Ismael Locón Yac and Nicholas Figueroa, thanked the first responders and vowed to take steps to make sure that tragedies like this don't happen again.

"One year ago, we lost two innocent individuals due to greed and poor safety oversight. This tragedy is a reminder that the pursuit of profits over people too often jeopardizes the safety of all New Yorkers," said Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick. "While the City has made efforts since the explosion to bring those responsible to justice, there is still much to do in order to ensure that this type of tragedy cannot occur again."


[Deborah J. Glick]

As for future safety issues, City Council has introduced legislation aimed at preventing another disaster. Mendez is the lead sponsor of Intro. 1093, which requires gas providers to notify the Department of Buildings within 24 hours of issuing a gas service shut off. This bill and eight others were introduced in the City Council on Feb. 24 to hold individuals and agencies accountable.

"As a community, we join the families of East Harlem in their sorrow," Mendez said. "We can never forget the tragedies that were avoidable and we vow to work to ensure that no one else has to suffer and endure what the families and our communities have."


[Mildred Guy, who lived at 119 2nd Ave. for 45 years]


[1st responders representing Engine 33/Tower Ladder 9 and FDNY Engine 28, Ladder 11]



Media coverage from the Day of Remembrance included:

• ABC 7

• CBS 2

• Daily News

• DNAinfo

• Fox 5

• NBC New York

• Newsday

• New York Post

• PIX 11

All photos by Stacie Joy unless noted

Reminders: Meeting on possible improvements to the Tompkins Square Park Playground

Just a reminder… Councilmember Rosie Mendez is hosting a meeting tonight to discuss ideas for improving the Tompkins Square Park Playground near East Seventh Street and Avenue B. Mendez has allotted some $900,000 to renovate this space… this is the first step in the improvement process…





The meeting tonight is at St. Brigid's on Avenue B (enter the community center space on the East Eighth Street side) from 6:30-8.

Meanwhile, someone offered his or her opinion on the meeting on one of the flyers in the Park… even pointing out a missing word in the text…


[Photo by Steven]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Your chance to brainstorm ideas to renovate the Tompkins Square Park Playground (27 comments)

Your chance to brainstorm ideas to renovate the Tompkins Square Park Playground

Just a heads up for your calendars or Post-it notes… Councilmember Rosie Mendez is hosting a meeting this coming Tuesday evening to discuss ideas for improving the Tompkins Square Park Playground near East Seventh Street and Avenue B … as the above-flyer says, Mendez has allotted some $900,000 to renovate this space… this is the first step in the improvement process…

The meeting is Tuesday night at St. Brigid's on Avenue B (enter the community center space on the East Eighth Street side) from 6:30-8 p.m.

Attention business owners with bicycle deliveries

City Council member Rosie Mendez is sponsoring this workshop Tuesday afternoon at Cooper Union for business owners relying on bike deliveries.

The commercial bike law was approved in October 2012 (and went into effect in April 2013) after complaints about bikers speeding and weaving down sidewalks and my hallway.

Per the law: Commercial bicyclists are now required to carry an identification card and wear helmets and reflective upper body clothing with the business' name and cyclist's ID number on the back.

Brewer and Mendez celebrate Mayor's signature of new tenant notification law

[The good news is your shower curtain is fine]

Via the EVG inbox…

Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer and Council Member Rosie Mendez [on Tuesday] celebrated Mayor Bill de Blasio's signature of Int. 222, legislation requiring landlords provide tenants with advance notice for non-emergency repair work that will result in disruptions to building services.

The new law establishes a general baseline of 24 hours’ advance notice for most work. For work affecting elevators, the bill requires 10 business days’ notice for major alteration work and 24 hours’ notice for any other work that will suspend all elevator service for more than two hours.

This legislation, sponsored jointly by Mendez and Brewer, closes a gaping hole in the city’s tenant-protection laws, which previously did not provide no such advance-notice requirements.

“It’s also no secret that no-notice quality-of-life disruptions labeled as ‘maintenance work’ are a frequent harassment tactic to push tenants out of rent-stabilized apartments. The new notice requirements in this law will be easy for honest, everyday landlords and building managers to respect, but they will take another harassment tool away from abusive landlords,” Brewer said.

“This legislation codifies common sense and common courtesy,” Mendez said. “No longer will tenants come home from a hard day’s work to find out that work in their building is interrupting some basic service and/or possibly obstructing access to their apartment. This law requires that landlords notify tenants when such work will affect services and for how long.”

Many landlords and management companies already provide advance notice of planned repairs to tenants – but many others do not. The reasonable notice requirements established by Int. 222 would help tenants plan ahead to minimize the impacts of these service disruptions on their lives, and also help tenants distinguish between disruptions for planned work on the one hand, and emergent service failures or landlord harassment tactics on the other.

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Department of Buildings will be responsible for enforcement and rulemaking in relation to the new law. The law will take effect in the fall of 2015.

Previously

Reminders: The Follow Me Friday Small Business Crawl on 2nd Avenue is tonight

Reposting from last week ... Via the EVG inbox...

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Member Rosie Mendez today announced the Council will host a “Follow Me Friday” tour of the East Village with local business owners, community members and elected officials on Friday, May 29.

The Follow Me Friday Small Business Crawl will help highlight and promote East Village businesses recovering from the aftermath of the March 26 building explosion ... and will begin with a moment of silence at the site of the explosion on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street. The small business tour will begin at 5:30 PM and will include the following stops:

• Moment of silence for victims of recent explosion (Northwest Corner of 2nd Avenue and East 7th Street)
• Tour of Moishe’s Bake Shop (115 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of New Yorker Market (107-113 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Café Mocha (116 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Bar Virage (118 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Himalayan Vision (127 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Enz’s (125 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Jimmy’s No. 43 (23 East 7th Street)

Those wishing to join the event should RSVP by sending an e-mail here

Next week: The Follow Me Friday Small Business Crawl on 2nd Avenue

Via the EVG inbox...

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Member Rosie Mendez today announced the Council will host a “Follow Me Friday” tour of the East Village with local business owners, community members and elected officials on Friday, May 29.

The Follow Me Friday Small Business Crawl will help highlight and promote East Village businesses recovering from the aftermath of the March 26 building explosion ... and will begin with a moment of silence at the site of the explosion on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street. The small business tour will begin at 5:30 PM and will include the following stops:

• Moment of silence for victims of recent explosion (Northwest Corner of 2nd Avenue and East 7th Street)
• Tour of Moishe’s Bake Shop (115 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of New Yorker Market (550 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Café Mocha (116 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Bar Virage (118 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Himalayan Vision (127 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Enz’s (125 2nd Avenue)
• Tour of Jimmy’s No. 43 (23 East 7th Street)

Those wishing to join the event should RSVP by sending an e-mail here

Brewer-Mendez tenant notification bill passes Council

[Oh, by the way, we're working on your bathroom ceiling today]

From the EVG inbox…

Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer and Council Member Rosie Mendez today celebrated the Council’s passage of Int. 222, legislation requiring landlords provide tenants with advance notice for non-emergency repair work that will result in disruptions to building services.

The bill establishes a general baseline of 72 hours’ advance notice for most work. For work affecting elevators, the bill requires 10 business days’ notice for major alteration work and 24 hours’ notice for any other work that will suspend all elevator service for more than two hours.

This legislation, sponsored jointly by Mendez and Brewer, closes a gaping hole in the city’s tenant-protection laws, which currently provide no such advance-notice requirements.

“Tenants deserve fair warning and an opportunity to plan around disruptive maintenance work,” said Brewer. “It’s also no secret that no-notice quality-of-life disruptions labeled as ‘maintenance work’ are a frequent harassment tactic to push tenants out of rent-stabilized apartments. Our notice requirement will be easy for honest, everyday landlords and building managers to respect, but it will take another harassment tool away from abusive landlords.”

“This legislation codifies common sense and common courtesy,” said Councilwoman Rosie Mendez. “No longer will tenants come home from a hard days work to find out that work in their building is interrupting some basic service and/or possibly obstructing access to their apartment. This law requires that landlords notify tenants when such work will affect services and for how long.”

Many landlords and management companies already provide advance notice of planned repairs to tenants – but many do not. The reasonable notice requirements established by Int. 222 would help tenants plan ahead to minimize the impacts of these service disruptions on their lives, and also help tenants distinguish between disruptions for planned work on the one hand, and emergent service failures or landlord harassment tactics on the other.

City hosting business recovery meeting for merchants affected by the East Village explosion

[EVG photo from last week]

Via the EVG inbox this afternoon...

On Tuesday, April 14, at 9:30 am, the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) in partnership with Council Member Rosie Mendez will hold a Business Recovery meeting for small businesses impacted by the March 26 explosion in the East Village. Representatives from various government and nonprofit agencies will be available to answer questions and discuss assistance services available to affected businesses.

The SBS Emergency Response Unit has been conducting daily outreach and offering assistance to the 38 impacted businesses from East 7th Street between 1st and 3rd Avenues and 2nd Avenue between St. Mark’s and 6th Streets, including pro-bono legal services, help with insurance matters, navigating government, facility disruption, and retrieval of key business documents.

Impacted businesses in need of assistance should call 212-618-8810 or email here to see how the City can help.

WHERE: Middle Collegiate Church (Community Room)
50 East 7th Street between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue

'Today our community's heart is breaking'

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

Statement from City Councilmember Rosie Mendez on today's explosion on Second Avenue:

"Today our community's heart is breaking. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragedy. I am working closely with emergency services, my colleagues in government and with community leaders to respond to this horrible event. I thank the people of New York for the outpouring of concern and support. We pray for the victims and their families."