Urbanite

Citi Field streaker gets community service

Thursday September 10, 2009 4:46 PM By Heather Haddon

The Citi Field streaker won’t be running around again with a strategically placed stuffed monkey anytime soon.

A Queens judge Thursday banned Craig Coakley, 29, from the Mets stadium for a year and ordered him to pay $3,000 and do 20 days of community service.

In May, Coakley ran out on the field in the buff (other than the monkey) during a Braves-Mets game. The Whitestone resident told police that his boss promised to pay him a week’s salary for the antics.

“(I) didn’t think I was gonna get in so much trouble. It was a bet,” he said at the time.

In another bizarre fan incident, a 23-year-old Queens man was arrested earlyWednesday after he kissed Rafael Nadal courtside at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Noam U. Aorta faces one-year jail time and a $5,000 fine for rushing Nadal as he changed his shirt.

hhaddon@am-ny.com

Report: Atlantic Yards arena a money sucker

Thursday September 10, 2009 4:29 PM By Heather Haddon

The Independent Budget Association disputed that the new Nets arena would make the city money. (Courtesy BarclaysCenter.com)

The Atlantic Yards arena isn't looking like such a slam-dunk for the city.

The new Nets stadium being built in downtown Brooklyn will cost the city nearly $40 million in tax revenue over a 30-year period, according to an Independent Budget Office analysis released Thursday.

The Barclays Center was promoted as a moneymaker, but construction delays and $726 million in government breaks for the controversial project has triggered the loss, the report found.

“(Atlantic Yards) is a financial disaster that destroys our community,” said Daniel Goldstein of Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, an opposition group to the project.

Furthermore, the city, state and MTA would have netted a total of $219 million in additional revenue if the developer, Bruce Ratner, didn't receive tax exemptions and a cut-rate deal on the land, the report found. The IBO also questioned whether Ratner would be able to keep the project afloat because of hefty debt payments.

The report did find that the arena's opening will create 1,000 new jobs, though most of them will be part-time.

A mayoral spokesman said the study failed to consider the economic benefit of the entire 22-acre project, which is slated to include 16 residential and office towers.
“Their assumptions are widely off mark,” a Ratner spokesman said.

Ratner has promised to build one of the mixed-use towers in the project's first phase, but the revised plan allows him to postpone the rest of the buildings or cancel them completely for a penalty.

The 18,000-seat arena is slated to open by the 2011-12 NBA season, with the rest of the $4.9 billion development finishing in a decade.

Still, a separate report released Thursday by the Kahr Real Estate Group called the deadline unrealistic, arguing it would take at least 20 years to finish the complex because of a tight credit market and lack of demand for space. 

hhaddon@am-ny.com

New study raises concerns about cell phone use

Wednesday September 9, 2009 6:53 PM By Jason Fink

Could texting save your life?

The answer is far from clear, but a study released Wednesday urges people to cut down on the time they spend talking on hand-held cell phones in favor of ear pieces and text messaging to reduce the risk of brain cancer.

The study, which rated more than 1,000 cell phones for the amount of radiation they emit, also called on the FCC to tighten its regulations, which were adopted in 1992, when cell phone use was a fraction of what it is now.

“People should be aware of the risks,” said Nneska Leiba, a researcher for the Environmental Working Group, the non-profit consumer advocacy organization that conducted the 10-month study. “We found that the most recent science, while not conclusive, raises some concern about cancer risk and cell phone usage.”

An estimated 270 million Americans - 87 percent of the population – use cell phones. “It worries me,” said Melvin Torres, 29, of Queens, who uses an earpiece because of fears about cancer. “I think eventually we will see the effects.”

The EWG also wants the government to mandate that radiation levels be disclosed on labels.

Studies have produced mixed results, with some showing links to cancer and many others showing no serious risk. Even the American Cancer Society has said it does not believe there is a link. 

“The peer-reviewed scientific evidence has overwhelmingly indicated that wireless devices do not pose a public health risk,” said John Walls, a spokesman for CTIA-The Wireless Association, an industry group.

The FCC limits the amount of radiation phones can emit, but Leiba said the 17-year-old standards were based on three-year studies - which she argued were not long enough - and did not include children, who absorb twice as much radiation because their skulls are thinner.

A spokesman for the FCC did not return a message seeking comment.

David Carpenter, director of the Institutes for Health and the Environment at SUNY Albany, said one study out of Sweden suggested cell phone users under 20 have up to five times the risk of brain and salivary cancers.

“I don’t think it’s rock solid yet but we are sort of at the stage now that we were 30 years ago with smoking and lung cancer,” Carpenter said.

Carpenter added he would recommend keeping cell phones turned off when possible and in a bag or somewhere else away from the body when turned on.

"If you’re a man and you wear your phone on your belt it exposes you to pelvic cancer,” he said.

For Rachael Kobren, 26, a first-year nursing student in from Manhattan, the risks are overblown.

“I’d be more likely to stay out of the sun to avoid cancer,” she said.

New Atlantic Yards design unveiled, legal challenges remain

Wednesday September 9, 2009 6:41 PM By Heather Haddon

The Atlatntic Yards arena features "weathered steel skin" (Courtesy Barclays Center)

The Atlantic Yards design has gone through another metamorphosis.

The controversial Nets stadium now features a bulbous shape covered by three metal bands forming a “weathered steel skin,” according to designs released yesterday. Glass surrounding the 675,000 square-foot arena will darken and brighten depending on the light.

“The design is elegant and intimate,” Bruce Ratner, the project’s developer, said in a statement.

Frank Gehry drew up the state-approved plans for the Barclays Center being built in downtown Brooklyn, but Ratner dumped the famed architect when the $1 billion project grew too pricey. A scaled-down design released in June was widely panned and compared to an aircraft hanger. In the current revision, Ratner tapped a young Manhattan firm, SHoP Architects, which is currently designing an expansion to the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Project critics were quick to spoof the design, calling it a “lipstick on a corrupt pig.”

“The arena design is irrelevant,” said Daniel Goldstein of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. “The project is still a sham.”

Ratner promised to finish the 18,000-seat arena and concert hall for the 2011 NBA season. A state development agency is expected to sign off on the revised project next week, but the state’s highest court will consider an eminent domain lawsuit next month that could put the 22-acre project on ice.

The new renderings do not show the 16 towers of promised residential and office space, which critics fear will never be built. Ratner estimates that the entire $4.9 billion development will wrap up in a decade, but his revised project plan allows him to take years longer or scrap the towers entirely for a penalty.

This morning, the Independent Budget Office is expected to release a report analyzing how much the city will make off the development versus lost tax revenue and capital spending on the project.

hhaddon@am-ny.com

Bronx straphangers suffering through signal work

Wednesday September 9, 2009 5:58 PM By Heather Haddon

Bronx riders on three lines will encounter diversions until December (Courtesy Fordham University Archives)

The MTA is getting the Bronx cheer as it sidelines straphangers across 17 stations in the borough so that signal work can be done on the 2, 4 and 5 lines.

Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, No. 4 uptown trains are only stopping at 149th Street, Burnside Avenue and Woodlawn. The trains bypass 10 stops that include Yankee Stadium.

On the downtown 2 and 5 lines, trains are skipping seven stations between East 180th Street and 3rd Avenue from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.

Riders on all three lines must ride back on the train running the opposite direction to reach their local station.

“That’s a long ride,” said Andrew Albert, a nonvoting MTA board member. “The Bronx is getting hit.”

The work began last week and will continue through the rest of the year.
More than 130,000 straphangers use the skipped stations on an average weekday, according to MTA figures.

The diversions are necessary to rehab old signals on the lines, a NYC Transit spokesman said.
hhaddon@am-ny.com

Still tasty after all these years

Wednesday September 9, 2009 5:37 PM By Rolando Pujol

Prime Burger is seriously retro. (Ryan Thatcher)

Sure, you have no shortage of lunch spots to choose from in the city. But some offer lunch with a side of history.

Eating at some of these spots is a lesson in how city restaurants used to look and feel, before the onslaught of the national chains, and that (along with great grub) is what keeps the regulars coming back year after year.

Prime Burger
5 E. 51 St., btwn Fifth and Madison aves., 212-759-4729
This place isn't just "retro" — it's what all retro-style restaurants strive to be. Prime Burger's modish interior hasn't been touched since 1965. Co-owners Michael and John DiMiceli cherish their restaurant's idiosyncrasies, like 24 box seats with swing-out trays. For the ultimate experience, tuck yourself into one of these seats and tear into a cheeseburger and side of fries served by waiters like Arthur Ward, who has been at Prime Burger since the 1950s. Prime Burger serves between 200 and 300 burgers each day.

Eisenberg's
174 Fifth Ave., btwn 22 and 23rd sts., 212-675-5096
The luncheonette was once a staple of the New York dining experience, with their evocative long counters, rows of turn-stools and delicious egg creams. Eisenberg's was one of many such places when it opened in 1929, but today, it's part of a dwindling breed. Owner Josh Konecky was a long-time patron who loved the place so much, he bought it. Today, Eisenberg's operates just as it always has, and its counter is always packed at lunch. From the pastrami sandwiches to lime rickeys, it's all good.

B&H Dairy
27 Second Ave., btwn East 7th Street and St. Marks Place, 212-505-8065
An East Village staple since 1942, B&H Dairy remains a neighborhood favorite. Among a dwindling number of old-time dairy restaurants, B&H is a draw for regular and NYU students alike. Fawzy Addelwahed has owned the joint for eight years. It's a "unique place," he said. "The place has a history." Favorites include blintzes, pierogies, and soups. But for many, the biggest draw is its link to a vanished era in East Village cuisine.

Roll-n-Roaster
2901 Emmons Ave. at East 29th St., 718-769-6000
The Roll-n-Roaster, which opened in Sheepshead Bay in 1971, is a community treasure where you sidle up to the counter and order a fresh roast beef on a brick-oven-baked roll and a side of cheese fries… and wash it down with a fresh-squeezed lemonade. The Roll-n-Roaster goes through just under two tons of roast beef a week, and has served more than 17 million roast beef sandwiches over the years, said general manager Ayet Karce. The secret to its longevity is simple: "I never get bored of the food ... It's really simple. It's delicious," Karce said.

Nedick's
Locations include 1286 Broadway, btwn 33rd and 34th streets; 212-630-0315, Penn Station LIRR concourse, 212-630-0312
Nedick's was once as common as Starbucks on city streets. The drill was to get a hot dog with a butter-toasted bun, paired with Nedick's special orange drink. But the chain disappeared as other fast food joints eclipsed it. But earlier this decade, the Riese Restaurants revived Nedick's at three locations near Madison Square Garden — appropriate since Nedick's used to be a sponsor of the Knicks. Riese brought back the orange-and-white color scheme, the orange-head man, and the proprietary recipes.

Heavenly hamburgers

They’ve been slinging burger patties at 5 E. 51 St., since 1938, when, what is now Prime Burger was part of a chain called Hamburg Heaven. The restaurant is across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral, and used to be open 24 hours a day.

That led to the quip that once graced the menu: the Gates of Heaven Never Close. Co-owner Michael DiMiceli says the church didn't give its blessing to the line, so the words were stricken from the menu.

For foodies: This week's dining briefs

Wednesday September 9, 2009 4:21 PM By Lucy Blatter

Hlll Country is offering a BBQ and beer dinner and tasting.

Seven-course meal, with beer pairings: On Sunday Sept.13, from 6-10 p.m., Resto and Brewery Ommegang will host a 7-course feast to kick off NY’s Second Annual Craft Beer Week. The feast will feature Ommegang ales — including three brews developed by Ommegang’s Master Brewer specifically for the dinner — a Triple, Rouge and a Holiday Ale. Resto’s chef Bobby Hellen will roast a black pig and a lamb, and the meal will incorporate local produce. $175 per person. Resto, 111 E. 29th St., restonyc.com

Celebrate the Hudson anniversary with oysters: The 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration of the Hudson River will be celebrated with oysters, beer, wine and more at Hudson River Park, Sunday Sept. 13 from 2-6 p.m. There will also be a commemorative beer brewing competition and tasting, brewed to a 400-year old Dutch recipe, and music. Hudson River Park, Pier 84, West 44th Street at the Hudson River.

Italian spot extends hours to 5 a.m.: East Village Italian spot Cacio e Vino has extended its hours to be open every day until 5 a.m. During “Rosticceria Nights,” everything from breakfast foods to small sandwiches and all-you-can-eat pizza will be served. 80 Second Ave., Cacioevino.com

SushiSamba's Sushi+Saki 101 class relaunches: Starting Monday, Sept. 21, SUSHISAMBA 7 will host a monthly two-hour class that features a five-course meal of sashimi, tempura, edamame and sushi, which students help prepare. The first hour will focus on sake and the second on secrets of the sushi bar. Classes will take place Wednesday, Sept. 21, Monday, Oct. 26, Monday Nov. 30 and Monday and Dec. 21, from 7- 9 p.m. $85 per person. 87 Seventh Ave. S., Sushisamba.com

Hill Country’s BBQ & Beer Dinner and Tasting: On Wednesday, Sept. 23rd, Hill Country will unite southern cuisine with beers from the Northeast. Beverage director Jess Stone has selected Sam Adams’ suds to pair with pit master Pete Daversa's authentic low, slow and smoked special menu items. Reception from 7:00pm-7:30pm; dinner starts at 7:30 p.m. $65 per person, exclusive of tax. Hill Counry, 30 W. 26th St. For reservations, call 212-255-4544 or e-mail Laura@hillcountryny.com.

“Downtown Eats: Discover Deliciousness” tours this fall: The Alliance for Downtown New York is continuing its culinary walking tours on alternate Saturdays from September through December. The culinary adventures, which will take place from 12-2:30 p.m., will feature a rotating cast of Lower Manhattan’s best restaurants. The tour will also offer insight into the history of Lower Manhattan’s development, and its recent changes. Tour dates: Sept. 26, Oct. 10, Oct. 24, Nov. 7, Nov. 21, Dec. 5 and Dec. 19. downtownny.com/foodtours.

President Barack Obama to pitch health care plan to public

Wednesday September 9, 2009 3:45 PM By Emily Ngo

President Barack Obama addresses students on Tuesday in Arlington, Va. He will address the nation Wednesday on health care reform. (Getty)

President Barack Obama takes his faltering health care fight before Congress on Wednesday in what is expected to be an aggressive effort to spur lawmakers to action.

“As we come down to the wire, so to speak, I think you’re going to see him be very direct with what he would like to see in the bill beyond broad principles,” said Elizabeth Carpenter, a health policy expert with the New America Foundation. “He views this as the right time to cut through some of the rhetoric.”

Obama will answer “many of the big questions” on how to proceed, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday. Gibbs declined, however, to provide details on what the president might discuss.

After an August of raucous town halls and general confusion over the overhaul’s many possible components, Congress returns from recess with four health care bills. A fifth, to be produced by the Senate Finance Committee’s “Gang of Six,” is still under construction, but chairman Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Tuesday presented a $900 billion bipartisan deal to his Republican counterparts.

Under Baucus’ proposal, Americans who don’t get health insurance once the system is overhauled would be fined up to $3,800. His plan does not include a government-sponsored public option but rather a network of nonprofit cooperatives.

Whether Obama on Wednesday brings up the public option, one of the original pillars of his reform plan, remains to be seen, experts said Tuesday.

“He’s probably going to lay out what he wants, how people have been trying to stop it in a very ridiculous way,” said Democratic consultant Joseph Mercurio, of National Political Services Inc. “He’s probably going to point to the benefits and show how none of the negatives are going to be the case.”

The timing and content of tonight’s speech are crucial, Mercurio said, calling it a “planned communications campaign.”

Rep. Charles Boustany, of Lafayette, La., is slated to deliver the GOP rebuttal to Obama’s national speech. Another Louisianan, Gov. Bobby Jindal, gave the Republican response to the president’s February address but was widely panned.

(With AP)

Lindsay Lohan named artistic adviser of Emanuel Ungaro

Wednesday September 9, 2009 1:43 PM By Julie Gordon

Lindsay Lohan earlier this month (Getty)

As Fashion Week kicks off this week, here’s the strangest bit of style-related news we’ve heard in a while — Lindsay Lohan has taken a job at Emanuel Ungaro.

The troubled starlet — whose fashion choices have been more than questionable as of late — will work as artistic adviser for the somewhat troubled design house, the company announced Wednesday.

Ungaro isn’t being totally clear on what Lohan’s job title means, just saying that the actress, along with newly appointed chief designer Estrella Archs, collaborated on the spring/summer 2010 runway collection, which will be shown Oct. 4 in Paris. Lohan is also rumored to walk the runway.

“Lindsay is a world consumer with a clear eye for fashion,” Mounir Moufarrige, president of Emanuel Ungaro, said in a statement.