BY EILEEN STUKANE | Just as a kitchen is often the heart of a home, the Malibu Diner, at 163 West 23rd Street, quickly became a key gathering spot in Chelsea as the neighborhood recovered from the damage and shock of a bomb that exploded just doors down at 131 West 23rd Street early Saturday evening.
In the wake of that blast, the nearly 200-plus visually impaired residents of the 14-story Selis Manor at 135 West 23rd Street were required to shelter in place. Nearby businesses, in contrast, were given the opposite instructions by authorities. Told to evacuate, Malibu owners Alex Grimpas and José Collardo were forced to close down that evening.
But, a community, particularly one battered by such a jolt, needs its beating heart, and with personal entreaties to Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio from Barbara Police — a resident of Selis Manor who had worked in the administration of the governor’s late father, Mario Cuomo — the Malibu was able to reopen on Sunday morning, just in time to partner with the American Red Cross of Greater New York to see that those stranded in the Selis received Sunday brunch. De Blasio and Cuomo stood under the Malibu’s awning barely a dozen hours after the bomb went off to open up the restaurant.
The brunch followed a typical Sunday morning routine, as the Malibu has been serving breakfast to residents at Selis Manor for the past three years.
“We know almost everybody by name,” Collardo said. “I know where they live, and a lot of them have my cellphone number.”
Grimpas added, “Yes, we do business here but we’re also here to give back to the community.”
In 2013, the Malibu and Selis Manor worked out a voucher system that would allow Malibu to provide at-cost breakfasts for residents. Grimpas thought he would be delivering the meals — but it turned out that residents welcomed the opportunity to leave their apartments and socialize. Blind or visually impaired, they know the number of steps they must walk to travel from their residence to the doors of the Malibu, and Grimpas and Collardo offer a welcoming environment and nutritious meals of fruit, yogurt, and eggs, among other selections.
Responding to the need to deliver, now that residents had to remain in their homes, the owners worked with the Red Cross to get breakfasts to Selis Manor on Sunday and the following day, as well.
“The Red Cross does pay for the meals, but we give them a price that is very, very low for 200 breakfasts,” Grimpas said.
The owners also decided to donate food to the emergency workers and responders on the scene, and to allow them use of their bathroom facilities. While this reporter visited the Malibu, boxed meals were being carried out by Red Cross volunteers.
“When there is a resident that is impacted that’s when the Red Cross comes into play,” said Uikki O’Bryant, senior disaster program manger of the American Red Cross of Greater New York, as she organized her volunteers. “We are helping address the emergency management staff that are on the scene, making sure they’re hydrated. This is what the Red Cross does. We come at the time of need. We’re really trying to represent the community, neighbors helping neighbors.”
Josh Lockwood, American Red Cross in Greater New York’s regional CEO, visiting the area, explained, “Immediately after the event, part of our role is to support the first responders with meals and water, and mental health counseling if needed; so we’re nearby almost immediately providing services to the policemen, FBI, fire fighters, anyone in need. Subsequent to that, we worked with our partners in the city and identified any residents who were in need of meals because perhaps their cafeteria had been damaged, so we’ve been supplying breakfast, lunch, dinner to residents as long as needed. We were happy to connect with Malibu Diner and get some meals from them to provide to residents, who seem very resilient and very full of gratitude as well.”
As the community began to normalize on Monday, the Red Cross prepared to exit the scene. Between the blast on Saturday evening and Monday, 50 rotating volunteers had been helping Chelsea residents, and five were on hand when this reporter visited.
“We’re taking our cues from the city,” Lockwood said. “Since we’re supporting the city’s efforts, they’ll tell us when it’s safe.”
Lockwood was accompanying New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, with whom he had just visited Selis Manor. “Thankfully no one was injured there,” said Hoylman, “mostly just windows blown out. There were some near misses, though. The daughter of one of the residents was about to walk some dogs, but she didn’t put her foot out the door, thank goodness, and avoided a catastrophe.”
Hoylman praised the city’s responders.
“I’m extremely impressed by our uniformed services and first responders,” he said. “The fact that there was no loss of life — we should be grateful, and everyone from our first responders to our NYPD, Fire Department, Emergency Office of Management, Bellevue Hospital really worked in concert. That night [of the explosion] I really saw the best of New York City.”
At the Malibu Diner, Grimpas reflected on events.
“Soon we’ll come back up to normality,” he said. “People love when they see that we’re here, to be with them, to help the community. Every day we have to be thankful that we’re alive and able to enjoy this beautiful life. Really this is a lesson for us, an opportunity for us to come closer, for people in Chelsea to come closer, and we are here for them.”
