tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45791706767524940902024-03-16T07:11:46.906-04:00A Fine BlogAndrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.comBlogger1338125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-46879649567077453042018-12-06T14:00:00.001-05:002018-12-06T14:00:37.559-05:00Where Is The Fed Heading With Rates? Pause in 2019 Likely.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So where exactly is the Fed heading with interest rates? Conventional wisdom, before the stock market volatility of the past few weeks had dictated a December increase and 2-3 increases (all of a 1/4 point) in 2019. Fed guidance has indicated that a December rise is likely to 2.5% as well as a slow and steady trend to 3.0% in 2019 and 3.5% in 2020. Although my advice would have seemed more sage if I had written this a few weeks ago, I think there is significant reason to doubt that we are on such a steady trajectory.<br />
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Whispers of a recession are growing slowly and louder. Sometimes this fear becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. There are significant risk factors moving forward. Stock market volatility, which we have seen plenty of recently, makes people nervous and more conservative with their money. We have also seen significant volatility in the White House where the current administration's policy could flip on a whim, and flip back as quickly. Our trade situation is in flux. Will a skirmish turn into a war? With the conclusion of the Mueller investigation will we end up in a constitutional crisis? Tax cuts largely benefiting corporations has shown very little trickle down to the average worker while the limiting of State and Local tax deductions has resulted in significant damage to the wealthiest real estate markets in the country. How will that impact spending? <br />
Finally, as I have mentioned before, election years are notorious for slowdowns in big ticket purchases as the public waits to see what direction the country takes in the following four years. Uncertainty and fear are negatives for the economy and these concerns are increasing.<br />
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This brings me back to the original point. My outlook for the Fed Funds rate would project a top during 2019 at 2.75%. This represents 2 increases between December and the 1st half of 2019. Timing will be a guessing game. I believe that there will be a change of perception by the middle of next year that a recession is either likely, or imminent. This is not all bad news though. With rates as low as they are, they should act to limit the extent and duration of any recession that starts in 2020.Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-82972700263466150832018-06-25T15:25:00.000-04:002018-06-25T15:25:50.470-04:00Taco Bell Rings Up New Upper East Side Location<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Oh my God, oh my God. I am calling all of my friends. I can't believe it. My dreams have come true." This was the reaction of one teen I encountered on Lexington Avenue and East 85th Street as she first spotted the new Taco Bell there, apparently just days from opening. <div>
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The area is one of the healthiest in New York with an incredible density of gyms (including Equinox and SoulCycle), yoga studios, and no shortage of juice bars, health food stores, and salad shops. "Sweet Green" and "Just Salad" are nearby. "Fresh & Co" sits right next door to Taco Bell, creating a perfect juxtaposition. Taco Bell would probably contend that they are one of the healthier fast food options out there, but I would take that with a grain (or perhaps a small bag) of salt. While the half century old, California-based tacoteer may seem out of place, perhaps it has found just the right place? At least one teen thinks so. </div>
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Bold Prediction: They will do well.</div>
Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-73155509599312685742018-01-02T15:46:00.001-05:002018-01-02T15:46:17.917-05:00Neighborhood Staple, Green Kitchen To Open Second Location On Second Avenue & 84th<br />
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I noticed this past weekend that Green Kitchen, a childhood favorite diner, is in the process of opening a second location on the high turnover northwest corner of 84th Street and Second Avenue. According to the employee that answered the phone at the original Green Kitchen on 77th and First Avenue, the second location will be "pretty much the same" and "will open in the next couple of months." The first Green Kitchen remains in business after more than 75 years, so chances are that the corner on 84th will be trading high turnover for apple turnovers.Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-69107746228227678482017-10-12T10:37:00.003-04:002017-10-12T10:37:41.045-04:00Opinion: Noisiest of the Night, Let's Put The Brakes On Jake Brakes in NYC!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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New York City is often called "the city that never sleeps". While the slogan reflects a city that is vital and dynamic 24 hours a day, for many city residents the phrase is taken literally because there is a constant racket! Local politicians have taken notice and sound pollution has seen increased attention in the City Council. Ben Kallos, Representative for District 5, for instance, has introduced legislation that would require that all noise complaints are addressed within 2 hours. But how about regulating the noise?<br />
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Who are the culprits? Bars, clubs, construction sites and garbage trucks are frequently cited irritants. However, I believe that the noisiest of all is overlooked- trucks that use compression breaking systems, otherwise know as "Jake Brakes". Jake Brakes use the engine itself rather than a conventional brake to slow a truck down. They are intended to slow a truck faster in the event of emergency, but are overused by truckers as they also reduce wear on the conventional brakes. The result from the compression of a Jake Brake is an ear splitting, window shaking low frequency rattle often described as a fast succession groan of "bap,bap, bap, bap, bap." How loud is this noise? An improperly muffled truck jake braking can be as loud as 105 decibels perhaps even louder, properly muffled, 85 decibels. For context, a garbage truck compacting trash during overnight hours is limited to 85 decibels. An increase of 10 decibels is 2 times louder, an increase of 20 decibels is 4 times louder. So, that semi rolling down your street utilizing the jake brake can be 4 times as loud as a garbage truck at full throttle. More examples of decibel levels for context: lawn mower 85 dB, motorcycle 88 dB, train 100dB, jackhammer 110 dB. So, if you are trying to sleep with the windows open, and you have survived the garbage trucks and the local drunks kicked out of the pubs, the trucks with jake brakes could be the last straw.</div>
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Why should the Jake Brake be banned in NYC with the exception of an emergency? That answer is easy. They are loud as all hell, they shake windows, disturb our sleep, and if trucks actually comply with the 25mph they are almost entirely unnecessary. Give us a break, ban the Jake Brake!</div>
Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-4464574543372794032017-10-03T14:35:00.002-04:002017-10-09T14:46:19.410-04:00East 86th In Pictures: Construction Chaos Climaxes, Sanity To Soon Prevail!Anyone who has seen East 86th Street over the past two years can likely do more than simply shake their head. It has been a mess, an absolute mess! There has been water main replacement, gas main replacement, building demolition, and 2nd Avenue Subway construction. They are done, but wait, there are two last big projects that are being worked on- the restoration of the street after the various mains were replaced, and the East 86th Street Streetscape revamp.<br />
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The "restoration" involves tearing up the street where mains have been replaced, tamping down the soil, filling with concrete and paving over with asphalt. The "streetscape plan" (long advocated by the <a href="http://www.east86th.org/">East 86th Street Association</a> of which I am a member) replaces all curbs from 2nd Avenue to Park Avenue, expands sidewalks for bus bulbs, construction of pedestrian-friendly corner bump outs, expanding the size and number of tree pits, adding new trees, adding decorative tree guards and plantings to all the pits from 2nd Ave to Park, and adding planters and new street furniture. The numbers are impressive:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-15 new trees</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- 3 trees replaced<br />- 304 Shrubs (18"-24")<br /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">- 37 Shamrock Inkberry Bushes (30"-36")</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">- 2759 flowering bulbs</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">- 301 ornamental Grasses (3 gallons each)</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">- 204 perennials </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">- 10 citibenches w backs</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">- 58 new, matching tree guards</span></span></span><br />
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Fortunately, the last two projects are in the final stretch and all work is due to be completed by the end of November. If you want to keep track, the work is completed on the south side of East 86th, and they are now progressing with curbs, sidewalks and tree pits on the north side of 86th heading from east to west. They are approaching Lex, so a little more than a block to go. Or, follow @East86th on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Residents on or near East 86th Street, who have endured so much, are about to be repaid with plenty of green!<br />
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Here are the pictures from October 3rd, 2017. (Sorry, haven't figured out the slideshow function on Blogger yet!):<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bump out at Papaya King (86th &3rd)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rubble on Lex & 86th</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Expanding Sidewalk 86th & Third Ave</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ulta Beauty In A Box (86th & Third Ave)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ulta Beauty In The Works (86th & Third Ave)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working On A Gas Leak, Whoops! (86th & Third Ave)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curb Work 86th Between Third Ave and Lex</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDsC_e7swbRWr5ybztbqMepVJbdNJndDAVibe0D7H14S48wwuhx8XeIjnVddeG0hmz8z9llBTtk-jNR4quB9kgVoZvADJIfZ_gh7-NFs7r98SjnXJQxBhoeCFMIKyIhZ3DRoDT5_Z7RI/s1600/mid+block+curve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDsC_e7swbRWr5ybztbqMepVJbdNJndDAVibe0D7H14S48wwuhx8XeIjnVddeG0hmz8z9llBTtk-jNR4quB9kgVoZvADJIfZ_gh7-NFs7r98SjnXJQxBhoeCFMIKyIhZ3DRoDT5_Z7RI/s640/mid+block+curve.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curvy Curve 86th Between Third and Lex</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6Wg_1AhHTCrcgfGDrVR79aGml3OmqodMnpjhSAdFhifAc99M4PBTui76hSPW_L6QW9gOafYzXJor_Z33jF2PYCNubvSjsA6u5ezi5JUH9Fb3D3Kh0OWYMu3DUPKoI5Ye_rPQls4WUBE/s1600/bus+bump2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6Wg_1AhHTCrcgfGDrVR79aGml3OmqodMnpjhSAdFhifAc99M4PBTui76hSPW_L6QW9gOafYzXJor_Z33jF2PYCNubvSjsA6u5ezi5JUH9Fb3D3Kh0OWYMu3DUPKoI5Ye_rPQls4WUBE/s640/bus+bump2.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus Bulb On 86th Between Second and Third Aves</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5ZQYXTDTP9373CxXL8j__ZY-D2KREZOYPPuZB3j0rfgpiloyMjFORdUQEtx1Zb8ZvSlfS-r5rJaJ9x7kcZ1z5jIgPbLF0azoy06A420HJALz4l1Yw6ck67BBKx8aNqjnktWE16G_jj8/s1600/bus+bump1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5ZQYXTDTP9373CxXL8j__ZY-D2KREZOYPPuZB3j0rfgpiloyMjFORdUQEtx1Zb8ZvSlfS-r5rJaJ9x7kcZ1z5jIgPbLF0azoy06A420HJALz4l1Yw6ck67BBKx8aNqjnktWE16G_jj8/s640/bus+bump1.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus Bulb Planter 86th Between Second and Third Aves</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNTKu51EV7lWCDQRT4srpeO_WNfEi0L9IHSn9qVbCOhccZmajHnqOEaY_pqgekUU0BEIMOYgI3tuYDekkqwAEztkWrhk2B4cIO0WD8K_fDVooXIFfqO-GOysSeXWTpO53mvZ6kXuzKbU/s1600/new+stairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNTKu51EV7lWCDQRT4srpeO_WNfEi0L9IHSn9qVbCOhccZmajHnqOEaY_pqgekUU0BEIMOYgI3tuYDekkqwAEztkWrhk2B4cIO0WD8K_fDVooXIFfqO-GOysSeXWTpO53mvZ6kXuzKbU/s640/new+stairs.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Stairs For Lexington Ave Station</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqctq_uhOUCRPAN2Xlw7Z1noL7lMXHAzDf9YoG5Z7VwHZ9cUhE6wVOEl8ig0DGcCSgHNLBjETM4bn4zKRvtGAgS09-gPC3fCdkZprhGuFsKeEduXY3yt1y-odSW7QUNxhboWQtqzeanDQ/s1600/tree+pit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqctq_uhOUCRPAN2Xlw7Z1noL7lMXHAzDf9YoG5Z7VwHZ9cUhE6wVOEl8ig0DGcCSgHNLBjETM4bn4zKRvtGAgS09-gPC3fCdkZprhGuFsKeEduXY3yt1y-odSW7QUNxhboWQtqzeanDQ/s640/tree+pit.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bigger Tree Pit Awaits Guard and Flowers</td></tr>
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<br />Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-17541243223022599862017-05-26T12:58:00.001-04:002017-05-26T12:58:21.349-04:00Major East 86th Street Association Sanitation Initiative Backed and Funded By Ben Kallos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFpc-DzPYUTKe57K3J-fQPjqFkGQWMF0VL22953MKnxKXvV-oHSQYi4o9eWmeVuiImmU-VCBWQwKAbFUciQn9dCdFK45zAJiDbFXxnTLRwjDhSeySUqTr3-fsfHVtKcWYUS_hcwUwndY/s1600/86+sanitation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="1010" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFpc-DzPYUTKe57K3J-fQPjqFkGQWMF0VL22953MKnxKXvV-oHSQYi4o9eWmeVuiImmU-VCBWQwKAbFUciQn9dCdFK45zAJiDbFXxnTLRwjDhSeySUqTr3-fsfHVtKcWYUS_hcwUwndY/s640/86+sanitation.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Left: Stephen Calder (Deputy Chief DSNY), Council Member Ben Kallos, Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, Andrew Fine (East 86th Street Association), Ricky Cyrus (DSNY District 8 Chief).</td></tr>
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From <a href="http://east86th.org/">East86th.org</a>, By Andrew Fine, May 26th, 2017.</div>
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We are pleased to announce that District 5 Council Member Ben Kallos has secured funding to transition all 5th District corner trash receptacles from the old wire baskets to the new, larger cans housed in green metal cases. The new cans with domed top and smaller opening increases capacity, prevents spillage and deters rats. The 284 new cans announced today is in addition to the 38 announced last June and the 13 recently lobbied for by @East86th along Lexington Avenue. </div>
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For the past several years, the East 86th Street Association has lobbied local officials and the Department of Sanitation for larger cans and increased pick-ups in the neighborhood. We are happy that these efforts are now bearing fruit.</div>
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Council Member Kallos adds ""It is a pleasure to have partners like the East 86th Street Association, they are a true asset to the community, " Its board members have been crucial in keeping me up to speed on the cleanliness of the neighborhood and have pushed for more trash cans. Thank you to the East 86th Street Association for their support and commitment to keeping Upper East Side streets as clean as possible."</div>
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On behalf of the East 86th Street Association we extend a very well deserved thank you to the Council Member and Commissioner Garcia. We greatly appreciate your receptiveness to our common concerns and especially appreciate that you have taken decisive actions to address those concerns. Many of the new cans have already been deployed in recent weeks and the improvement in local sanitation is noticeable. </div>
Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-56486823318355432212017-05-10T17:52:00.001-04:002017-05-10T17:52:49.027-04:00New Project, East86th.org is Born!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-g0eILgB4a76kZy9tE0tO-RWhc6edPwXgZFXQ-WbjjJ0p4ch29eyoClgWx2oHRZLBlmF7qQ8pau-TGU0rw8g7GDc6-EAx8RxAUrO2Yn1MURYWJ3SwUq-i8S_doB4Rp488FmY_sDT-CI/s640/E+86+banner+for+blog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://east86th.org/">East86th.Org</a></span></td></tr>
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Hey folks, I know it has been a while, and I miss you all! It has been a busy year and a half, if I have the count correct. First, I had a bit of writer's block. Second, I was busy with business. That's not a bad problem to have. I have also been busy with community activism in my local neighborhood of the East 80's on the Upper East Side.<br />
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I'm not sure where to start. A Fine Blog, put me on the path to community activism. The following was immense. I've had over One Million unique viewers over the years. The blog gets attention, and I had issues that I wanted addressed. It worked. The blog drew attention to all sorts of issues from crazy rules at Chuck E Cheese's (which eventually ran the viral gauntlet all the way up to Weekend Update on SNL) to piles of garbage on the Upper East Side. The latter, and specifically local sanitation issues, is one that I am uniquely obsessed with. In any case, the blog worked. Local news media picked up my stories and drew attention to my issues and brought them into the spotlight, and forcing them to be addressed. I'll admit, as a blogger, I grew somewhat frustrated. There were several instances where my stories were big hits, but there was zero attribution to the source, A Fine Blog. There were instances where my words on grifted virtually word for word and ended up in local tabloids and claimed by the writer to be his/her own. There were news crews showing up on the same day shooting video of the precise location of a quality of life infraction that I only shot photos of earlier in the day. Again, no attribution. On the other hand, publications like Curbed, The Real Deal, and reporters with integrity, like Tom Llamas, were more than willing to share the source of a compelling story. I guess I have digressed from the story here though. All of this comes with the territory of blogging, and the greater good or purpose of drawing attention to issues was served. On balance, I will settle with this result any day!<br />
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So, I went away from the blog, but that didn't mean that I wasn't busy. Actually, I got busier. I started attending Community Board 8 meetings, City Council meetings, meetings with my local (and admirable) Councilman Ben Kallos. I started getting tangible results. I was invited to join the board of the East 86th Street Association, where I serve with pride. My interest in reviving the blog grew, but before I could tackle that project, I had one big project in mind- to completely revamp the website and social media presence of the East 86th Street Association. I started in December and it turned out to be a much bigger project than I anticipated. Sure, I've authored a Blogger-based blog for a decade, but I hadn't built a website from scratch since the early 90's. We are talking way back with Microsoft Front Page, before there was social media! Anyway, it was a beast of a chore, and I could only do it in my spare time. I wanted to build the best community organization website around, which made the task even tougher. I was fortunate for three things- my friend William Mallick, a coder that I hired to help, Squarespace, and a friendly bar with decent wifi and a tolerance for geeks sitting around over laptops on a regular basis.<br />
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The end result, <a href="http://east86th.org/">East86th.org</a> is alive, and thankfully finished! Well, the base site is finished, it will remain a work in progress as new content is loaded on a regular basis. Items that relate to the East 80's will also appear here. Items that don't relate to my local hood will only appear here. I have also revamped East 86th Street Association's social media platforms- Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, all easily found under the moniker @East86th. Please have a look!<br />
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So, next up, an A Fine Blog makeover and reboot. Again, this will be a work in progress, but I hope you enjoy all of the insights and content. It is great to be back!Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-25314083995683186072015-12-16T15:05:00.001-05:002015-12-16T15:05:43.702-05:00Fed Flash: Rates Increase 1/4 Point For First Time Since 2006My <a href="http://afinecompany.blogspot.com/2015/03/fed-flash-fed-voted-unanimously-today.html">rate forecast back in March</a> has been fulfilled as the Fed finally, in a widely anticipated move, raised the Fed Funds rate 1/4 of a point today. The current Funds rate is now a target range between .25% and .50%. So, with slight bragging aside, 2016 seems to be far more difficult to forecast than 2015. The economy is relatively healthy, but far from robust. There is very little inflationary pressure, and wages are just now starting to see an inkling of acceleration. GDP forecasts are in the 2.5% range for 2016. Those forecasts would have to be topped for the Fed to do anything dramatic on the interest rate front. From this vantage point, I think the Fed will gradually try to put a couple of bullets back in the holster, so I see a gradual increase in rates for 2016. My forecast, three rate hikes in 2016 of a quarter point each.Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-8857048550010378082015-10-08T13:07:00.001-04:002015-10-08T13:07:40.214-04:00On East 86th Street, Sanitation Improvements and Street Vendor Challenges<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2QnxT0axIEmTUIXkGPMqcP17hbBZrh_dLgCQIRPamvSij7m4QPZRXmBdD2VHijr84NCBGjJT7sdVT4EO_xcRt5eTo_cSDPr0ZR-mS91fV9ew0cMylfu1UY1OH1GTdTEQ8IJo1uwLUsg/s1600/86+gar+before+and+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2QnxT0axIEmTUIXkGPMqcP17hbBZrh_dLgCQIRPamvSij7m4QPZRXmBdD2VHijr84NCBGjJT7sdVT4EO_xcRt5eTo_cSDPr0ZR-mS91fV9ew0cMylfu1UY1OH1GTdTEQ8IJo1uwLUsg/s640/86+gar+before+and+after.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">86th Street, Before(L), After (R) (A.Fine)</td></tr>
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First the good news: East 86th Street is getting cleaner! As we all know, East 86th Street has been a mess the past few years. "Ready, Willing, and Able", the charity that employs homeless to clean while they train to re-enter society, left in 2011 and trash cans have been overflowing into the streets ever since. Until now! I highlighted the problem on March 16th with a post titled "<a href="http://afinecompany.blogspot.com/2015/03/garbage-problems-on-east-86th-street.html">Garbage Problems On East 86th Recall Bad Old Days</a>." That post seemed to have prompted a copycat report on WCBS-TV news the next day: "<a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/17/residents-business-owners-want-city-to-curb-east-86th-street-trash-problem/">Residents, Business Owners, Want City To Curb 86th Street Trash Problem."</a> While there was no credit attributed to A Fine Blog, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the point was to get the word out and draw attention to the problem. This had an immediate, but far from long lasting impact. Tickets were written the next few days, and the Dep't of Sanitation quickly cleaned up the mess, but the problem came right back a couple of days later. So, more perseverance was required. I took my complaints to our receptive councilman, Ben Kallos. I kind of feel sorry for him, as I'll admit, I'm persistent, and to this day maintain a healthy back and forth with his office. I complained to Sanitation, the Health Department, Consumer Affairs, 311, the Mayor, the Borough President. And, I have encouraged friends, family, and neighbors to do the same. Finally, we are seeing progress! A week back I noticed that the garbage cans were no longer overflowing, rather, there were full green garbage bags alongside the cans that were suddenly being emptied regularly. As it turns out, Sanitation has partnered with local merchants and the merchants are now helping prevent the mess. The difference is significant. Because the cans are now being emptied more often you can tell that there is a lot less litter on the streets and there is no longer the unsightly "snow cone" of garbage on every corner. Additionally, more and bigger garbage cans are coming to the area. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYEbetB4X5jFuiJkaKwWyTyDQNTvMWoT_t2BiiU7Jsm5ykky_ENl_vMx7-GzOi_99ipQDe3ScpC5gMmhz6JzPBttOjattb5AHf7iiNu96nHZyfqZL4LOSmniPPksUgW2eWdS_KC_f4Sg/s1600/bellies+se+corn+86+lex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYEbetB4X5jFuiJkaKwWyTyDQNTvMWoT_t2BiiU7Jsm5ykky_ENl_vMx7-GzOi_99ipQDe3ScpC5gMmhz6JzPBttOjattb5AHf7iiNu96nHZyfqZL4LOSmniPPksUgW2eWdS_KC_f4Sg/s400/bellies+se+corn+86+lex.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Belly, 86th + Lex</td></tr>
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This morning I was heartened to see two brand new "Big Belly" solar-compactor garbage vessels on the SE corner of 86th and Lex. It also comes on good information that lager garbage can trios (includes a regular refuse can, a can for paper, and another can for cans and bottles), should be deployed on or near Third Avenue in the mid-80's. Fingers crossed! Three times the garbage cans will hold three times the garbage! So, that is the progress. 86th Street is looking cleaner. We have a way to go, but I want to thank Councilman Kallos' office for being responsive and actually getting results. I would also like to thank everyday citizens who have joined in the cause to be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYKXk_G-Slj4wfauSGIVu7HQSCY3P-bLOlB-n0wJ1g_vKhCq6uj0v0xQTzCL9ZhfTKRMzhvAcT7JQo-LgfXKPwz_H1zCGFP_7s_h61Ow9HlRzJReQeFUT_-kOB7siaNO8WCQp26LNAqQ/s1600/vend2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYKXk_G-Slj4wfauSGIVu7HQSCY3P-bLOlB-n0wJ1g_vKhCq6uj0v0xQTzCL9ZhfTKRMzhvAcT7JQo-LgfXKPwz_H1zCGFP_7s_h61Ow9HlRzJReQeFUT_-kOB7siaNO8WCQp26LNAqQ/s640/vend2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">86th + Third Avenue, Early Morning</td></tr>
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We still have plenty of challenges on East 86th Street. The vast proliferation of Street Vendors is at or near the top of the list. The problem is obvious. They take up an incredible amount of sidewalk space in perhaps the most congested residential areas in NYC. They take valuable parking spaces (all day long) from customers who might otherwise park and shop at rent paying, tax-paying stores in the neighborhood. They have no concern about litter or regulations, and there is no uniformity to their stands. In short, they are a blight. In getting started on this issue, I've read up on the rules and regulations, and <a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20151006/upper-east-side/community-leaders-slam-councils-idea-raise-cap-on-street-vendor-permits">I attended my first Community Board (CB8) meeting on the problem</a>. I was stunned at my findings. Among them:<br />
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- The City Council is considering <u>increasing</u> the number of vendor permits. Shortly after the meeting, CB8 has come out opposed to these increases.<br />
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- The City allows vending in front of residential buildings that are zoned residential with a commercial overlay. In other words, buildings zoned for apartments and stores. Yet, in my book, the commercial overlay relates only to the <u>building use</u>, not the use of the sidewalk!<br />
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- Aside from in front of the Metropolitan Museum, no street vendors are allowed on Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue. Hmmm, convenient.<br />
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- Apparently, there is a very influential street vendor lobby that both the City Council and CB8 appear to be intimidated by. Who knew?<br />
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- There is a widespread myth that street vending is some magical, entrepreneurial path to larger business success. The truth is, that might have been the case on Orchard Street in 1915, but today entrepreneurs can utilize street fairs, flea markets, and that thing known as the internet if they want to start a business.<br />
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- The three agencies that are responsible for enforcement (Health, Consumer Affairs, Sanitation) are all understaffed with inspectors combined numbering in the dozens, total.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jfcvzEj6PchleqxbPlVJa-iqENEqyRcXKB16TBqJd0cw10Z6aWdr1wB1Mh-IlYcqSh9aBsalJ4i_c5-W7nXSIE-4CAH22hrG8OIp1VOzqb5G3Df9PTNDKbG8QqIrMXaoPYIrI5Dvx8Y/s1600/vend1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jfcvzEj6PchleqxbPlVJa-iqENEqyRcXKB16TBqJd0cw10Z6aWdr1wB1Mh-IlYcqSh9aBsalJ4i_c5-W7nXSIE-4CAH22hrG8OIp1VOzqb5G3Df9PTNDKbG8QqIrMXaoPYIrI5Dvx8Y/s640/vend1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">86th bet Third and Lex</td></tr>
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Oddly, it seems that our quality of life and our common space are being held hostage by a very small group- the street vendors. There are only a couple thousand permits for all of NYC, yet they practically own the streets. Personally, I would be perfectly happy if there were none of them. The sidewalks would be clear, parking more readily available for businesses that pay rent and taxes, and the streets would be cleaner, more pleasant and more passable. If we are forced to live with vendors I have a couple of ideas. First, the physical stands should be standardized. Second, there must be enforcement. Did you know that street vendors cannot be within 10' of the edge of a crosswalk, within 15' of a fire hydrant, or within 20' of the edge of a door? There is very little enforcement and hence virtually no compliance. Since the agencies responsible have no man power, perhaps it is time to empower traffic agents with the authority to write tickets to non-compliant vendors. There sure is no shortage of them.<br />
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Let this be said. I am not against people trying to make an honest living. I don't even have that big of a problem with food trucks so long as their numbers are limited and they are diligent about keeping the area near the truck clean. Who doesn't like a decent truck Taco here and there? What I do have a big problem with is complete disarray on our sidewalks. The problems are numerous, pervasive, and need to be addressed. The sidewalks belong to all New Yorkers. We should not be forced to live with unsightly filth, and unnecessary congestion in densely populated residential areas. 86th Street is finally making progress, let's make this a trend!Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-472608049222455172015-10-07T13:56:00.003-04:002015-10-07T13:56:55.471-04:00A New Place to Watch Notre Dame Football On The Upper East Side, Gael Pub!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw5YJH9FAQkKkTBuYFenV2uq0nyRu1zMZuxCC6KDImJ2nnaU6vQZdDP_GSJb3tqI1FDGjrpDcOTDX6ib0dHUyw6YBhTu3-HDuHMFp0AZFDM_3uikmFFZO6HE3b1qIfDXjDH4u7VK_V1Y/s1600/fighting+irish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw5YJH9FAQkKkTBuYFenV2uq0nyRu1zMZuxCC6KDImJ2nnaU6vQZdDP_GSJb3tqI1FDGjrpDcOTDX6ib0dHUyw6YBhTu3-HDuHMFp0AZFDM_3uikmFFZO6HE3b1qIfDXjDH4u7VK_V1Y/s400/fighting+irish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Notre Dame is a big school with big tradition, but no real home to watch the games on the Upper East Side. That all changes this Saturday with the Fighting Irish squaring off vs. the undefeated Navy Midshipmen at 3pm. Noticing the lack of a home on the UES, I helped enlist one of my favorite locals, the Gael Pub (an Irish Pub no less), to be that new home that Irish fans on the Upper East Side have been yearning for. Every Notre Dame Football game will play at the bar on Third Avenue between 82nd and 83rd Streets. There are plenty of TVs, the sound will be on, drink specials offered ($12 bud lite pitchers for example), and they have a tasty food menu as well! As a fan, I couldn't be happier. Way to go Gael Pub! Go Irish!<br />
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<a href="http://www.gaelpubnyc.com/">Gael Pub, 1465 Third Avenue</a>Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-50577243145549818892015-09-15T15:04:00.000-04:002015-09-15T15:40:25.203-04:00Right Wing's False NYC "Crime Wave" Narrative A Threat To City's Economy (Opinion)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4t03USrx6745rq5qkyPGek8yzasGjv_0O1hZEvFVrkQlIY_WHtJNCY8Wjx1PRCTF3fMBowBO1fHhIm_UH-NqBYhTRW3_SVBUCy5FE1JNqMUiX-5XLzwBe0-G3w_0bqqIDdrjuPTiH9k/s1600/flagz.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4t03USrx6745rq5qkyPGek8yzasGjv_0O1hZEvFVrkQlIY_WHtJNCY8Wjx1PRCTF3fMBowBO1fHhIm_UH-NqBYhTRW3_SVBUCy5FE1JNqMUiX-5XLzwBe0-G3w_0bqqIDdrjuPTiH9k/s640/flagz.png" width="390" /></a></div>
We've heard it over and over in the local and national media from nearly day one of Mayor deBlasio's administration- New York City is falling into a state of chaos and lawlessness. Just in the past week, I have seen such assertions on Meet The Press, Morning Joe, in the New York Post from the likes of Chris Christie (like he should talk, ever heard of Newark or Trenton), Rudy Guiliani, and Joe Scarborough to name a few. The talking points are the same- murders are skyrocketing, we are going back to the "bad old days", it's like the 70's all over again. This is patently false.<br />
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Let's get to the facts:<br />
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- The total number of murders in NYC is within 4.5% of an all-time low, set just last year. Year-to-date there have been 231 murders in NYC vs 221 last year.<br />
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- For the past 28 days, murder is down 21.6% vs last year, and last week murders were down 68.8% vs last year.<br />
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- Murders are down 1.7% over the past 2 years, and down 38.1% compared to 5 years ago. <br />
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- "Major Crimes" are down 3.9% this year and 6.6% over 2 years. <br />
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- For a more historic perspective, murder in NYC is down 82.8% vs 22 years ago. <br />
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- Murder peaked in NYC in 1990 when there were 2245, last year there were 328.<br />
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The effort is pretty transparent to locals. This is political. The last thing that the right wing wants or can afford is the success of a clearly left, progressive mayor. While NYC is largely liberal, our media is not. Ruppert Murdoch alone owns the Post, WSJ, Fox 5, and Channel 9. The effort has been obvious from the day deBlasio was sworn into office. Whether his police motorcade ran a red light, a snowplow missed Park Avenue on the UES, or he was late for something, again- we've heard about it. We get it! Yet, I think the media and right wing pundits are <u>crossing the line</u> when they push a narrative, nationally, about crime in New York City which is blatantly false and misleading. The repetitive bashing of NYC will slowly permeate into the national and international conscience. Not everyone will believe it, but it is certain many will. Do we want your average Joe from Wisconsin to reconsider his Christmas vacation to the city because he's 'heard it's getting pretty dangerous'? Is it worth the risk of tanking a $40 Billion dollar tourist industry for political gain? How about the Real Estate Industry? Banking? Tech? Or, for that matter, the circulation and advertising rates in the NY Post? <br />
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The "crime wave" narrative is vacuous, wrong, false, and both ethically and morally corrupt. More importantly, it is an assault on the economy of our city. Call New York and our Mayor what you want, but do not throw the prosperity of the entire city under the bus for political gain. Ultimately, rich and poor, liberal and conservative will all pay the price.Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-56032310338947082542015-09-14T15:34:00.001-04:002015-09-15T10:29:35.911-04:00New Hudson Yards 7 Train Station and Park in 17 Pictures!<div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2rlqpr5-sG0VdPDC79kAkshFJQYSgUAcWU_fqiE0NPGSdsXfqS87keNd0p5svpj8is0J7698DyEbgtyS2fZJVfEyuf4ZB8A362b2q3_dnHiB3ynfBbKNPIjzh7iAOt2mh_7SuYGR3OE/s1600/entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2rlqpr5-sG0VdPDC79kAkshFJQYSgUAcWU_fqiE0NPGSdsXfqS87keNd0p5svpj8is0J7698DyEbgtyS2fZJVfEyuf4ZB8A362b2q3_dnHiB3ynfBbKNPIjzh7iAOt2mh_7SuYGR3OE/s640/entrance.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;">Entrance (A. Fine 9/2015)</td></tr>
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The new 7 train extension to Hudson Yards (34th Street and 11th Avenue) is quite impressive. The station is modern, clean, climate controlled, and sports an extra wide platform, tons of escalators and a couple of elevators that travel at 45 degrees. Above ground is a spiffy park on the new Street, Hudson Boulevard. The park is well landscaped, has tons of benches, fountains, tables and even a lawn. The pictures say it all! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrCdMb9J_WpqExUsLE-rOy1zo0nZDA-t_o7R8Oi-ihd5jfwOJgJNz-dtWyVSm9TCS739OriOAicnTnDRtWiN04Hz-2jwgVztZSq5GzuLZ_8o23LBP_0DOLSplgM2TbT8vyD9MBe2isuM/s1600/steel+entr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrCdMb9J_WpqExUsLE-rOy1zo0nZDA-t_o7R8Oi-ihd5jfwOJgJNz-dtWyVSm9TCS739OriOAicnTnDRtWiN04Hz-2jwgVztZSq5GzuLZ_8o23LBP_0DOLSplgM2TbT8vyD9MBe2isuM/s640/steel+entr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Entry (A. Fine 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhK6_ijk_YJ9artqINvdcWaX4MYcnSQFsEsXEAfcHOIh1wjKNmsek7XR2VhyphenhyphenravKvZHMrtAHmFy1gx2rumhVbuAHFXYZ2Ub8G-T3QdxLE0xOpfOsdeAb6GCec0vF0S4HS2PjH6m36VbI/s1600/fountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhK6_ijk_YJ9artqINvdcWaX4MYcnSQFsEsXEAfcHOIh1wjKNmsek7XR2VhyphenhyphenravKvZHMrtAHmFy1gx2rumhVbuAHFXYZ2Ub8G-T3QdxLE0xOpfOsdeAb6GCec0vF0S4HS2PjH6m36VbI/s640/fountains.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;">Fountains (A. Fine, 2015)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Much more...Just Click "Continue Reading" below the social media sharing doo dad...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRNT7S9tFfAI34WNYq1i8B21Rlgdsld9nxRhuvYUPLv9w38NsGPU1ELGOoYvaeihELu1Qhm5cyu2LXvxbcXP5oIXpm1QUU4jKiainf0W9TXscYRRaBsJzWHrIJ3uLs3-rukfot_cEUvM/s1600/mosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRNT7S9tFfAI34WNYq1i8B21Rlgdsld9nxRhuvYUPLv9w38NsGPU1ELGOoYvaeihELu1Qhm5cyu2LXvxbcXP5oIXpm1QUU4jKiainf0W9TXscYRRaBsJzWHrIJ3uLs3-rukfot_cEUvM/s640/mosaic.jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entry Mosaic (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXhh3zNx56JM6IlSYW6A4glK7Q0TdePWkl29XkYrNrC1npBkl0fq4GOutxaJ6dgZDd4Kr4aLnEAIzJRfJ2I6CnUkcSGEaWJP8QY17ic3JtD9hd17iynpChlionQW3EaGTpvZfsPyphzo/s1600/ads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXhh3zNx56JM6IlSYW6A4glK7Q0TdePWkl29XkYrNrC1npBkl0fq4GOutxaJ6dgZDd4Kr4aLnEAIzJRfJ2I6CnUkcSGEaWJP8QY17ic3JtD9hd17iynpChlionQW3EaGTpvZfsPyphzo/s640/ads.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Video Ads (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AZWA2iiqLraEyw7QAfUpi2uwC7PyHPey6km44yRaongnnBUvbD0KtTNCr7eqp_paNhgr_dgQkdmz99iEsXA5fAVQ_SV7Ei019J5ouf8Yq8sNRaGZC4NQXoLHDwea4cf-zi32bPE6sF0/s1600/mezz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AZWA2iiqLraEyw7QAfUpi2uwC7PyHPey6km44yRaongnnBUvbD0KtTNCr7eqp_paNhgr_dgQkdmz99iEsXA5fAVQ_SV7Ei019J5ouf8Yq8sNRaGZC4NQXoLHDwea4cf-zi32bPE6sF0/s640/mezz.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mezzanine (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoAL1WbXqbDt28GR7XhdlelcEizNaO1h6O26Mrt11rtokZsz4Dyz9qLGbSZHEwGcz7c5uDd8zuli2Od2hUWlK1L2n_rKzRwKsywrJQMki3OCzI91rRa4r9M4DMgAgunwJkXV3dZeIIG8/s1600/plat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoAL1WbXqbDt28GR7XhdlelcEizNaO1h6O26Mrt11rtokZsz4Dyz9qLGbSZHEwGcz7c5uDd8zuli2Od2hUWlK1L2n_rKzRwKsywrJQMki3OCzI91rRa4r9M4DMgAgunwJkXV3dZeIIG8/s640/plat.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Platform (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkQEZGs6ae86CUgx7GTqRxlov6drCotTcJp1EbDJoyXS8c67Mf8qrotlQ2MCl1HGk-MwGvTyXsFXS0tBOMxa1i5FYWAlZ2SDz5ffHHtUUzV3C0SutApm0wGZXZTaAEvCofshNa2-Bozw/s1600/elevator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkQEZGs6ae86CUgx7GTqRxlov6drCotTcJp1EbDJoyXS8c67Mf8qrotlQ2MCl1HGk-MwGvTyXsFXS0tBOMxa1i5FYWAlZ2SDz5ffHHtUUzV3C0SutApm0wGZXZTaAEvCofshNa2-Bozw/s640/elevator.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elevator Shaft (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNAUsiRUXPJY1ikCjLY28LZGs4NiW9295P96RIuyktb8oTFEhpevL2hWmErS7tfMgA67UWQiwLVAjWrH8-Cg-UvA1drc7RBL2fvAs1ApNhmxQIjaArE7D77Gnk7ALvWdEr9IP0OOKyhs/s1600/park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNAUsiRUXPJY1ikCjLY28LZGs4NiW9295P96RIuyktb8oTFEhpevL2hWmErS7tfMgA67UWQiwLVAjWrH8-Cg-UvA1drc7RBL2fvAs1ApNhmxQIjaArE7D77Gnk7ALvWdEr9IP0OOKyhs/s640/park.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park (A. Fine 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MbSHT8SpNsMK8DRrLGTK5faLFevW-TBD6J6MG_nFzUkcqqoBnBF8JqPquPl_lec8CkHEQdBm25ZVHIcZJ8Asg_IxngakbU02V5eS9xxQefgQvZyS4FawdOFRZdqOqUq9G_i6ESMi8d0/s1600/more+crains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MbSHT8SpNsMK8DRrLGTK5faLFevW-TBD6J6MG_nFzUkcqqoBnBF8JqPquPl_lec8CkHEQdBm25ZVHIcZJ8Asg_IxngakbU02V5eS9xxQefgQvZyS4FawdOFRZdqOqUq9G_i6ESMi8d0/s640/more+crains.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cranes Everywhere looking South (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxlWs8jsTxOShtC6UhsZs8oZ6aAeKksk1gdEI_SaeW8bTK9dTqnNY6RhAMP0LRvTHGC4ftRipU1d-oQhVgP5aDl0OUlQ-8Ps7fgywBOYvbxQSGNbefMiXeO4Ut0vO_LqbS6wByF49seA/s1600/lawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxlWs8jsTxOShtC6UhsZs8oZ6aAeKksk1gdEI_SaeW8bTK9dTqnNY6RhAMP0LRvTHGC4ftRipU1d-oQhVgP5aDl0OUlQ-8Ps7fgywBOYvbxQSGNbefMiXeO4Ut0vO_LqbS6wByF49seA/s640/lawn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawn (A. Fine 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH5tDFjwLyAzs4MPbh5jFpvonChMgpEuy_1vNPD1Lf4gvoCp3zO-sTgcplHLaWBasTSjjxM4w4jf5duIcPcrT_E8v7ClHkDBLtxvd3LomIdRpmucB6sQGLmFS164c-1x88eEa_c96MOc/s1600/park+and+cranes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH5tDFjwLyAzs4MPbh5jFpvonChMgpEuy_1vNPD1Lf4gvoCp3zO-sTgcplHLaWBasTSjjxM4w4jf5duIcPcrT_E8v7ClHkDBLtxvd3LomIdRpmucB6sQGLmFS164c-1x88eEa_c96MOc/s640/park+and+cranes.jpg" width="374" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Cranes (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7fa08v7vIj644Yx6avxiTlEhZYBRIw8BKZkfCiFaz2IBtLltocEZa4YjDgpl_-ibZBT_jOMTooNWw2-MYpwwXC2Kdl5DuJS8yRO2KriG8DiZN9uswYL1huroGA2aJn9BCpREQxhHx5Q/s1600/escal+mosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7fa08v7vIj644Yx6avxiTlEhZYBRIw8BKZkfCiFaz2IBtLltocEZa4YjDgpl_-ibZBT_jOMTooNWw2-MYpwwXC2Kdl5DuJS8yRO2KriG8DiZN9uswYL1huroGA2aJn9BCpREQxhHx5Q/s640/escal+mosaic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Escalator Mosaic (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrq3wgzZN-bWSGLMEMQriIGB9s3w49fOr-ztzTAxc0ZzC__ocZ5aLZgarNE6LcPP8_Pw-BIDoj1l6JV_XhPjEuYrKX6C4Sl90eDiXDpwYEH7OSaWktv6QLK9TIT5yhRACTyApLS88uK-U/s1600/ent+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrq3wgzZN-bWSGLMEMQriIGB9s3w49fOr-ztzTAxc0ZzC__ocZ5aLZgarNE6LcPP8_Pw-BIDoj1l6JV_XhPjEuYrKX6C4Sl90eDiXDpwYEH7OSaWktv6QLK9TIT5yhRACTyApLS88uK-U/s640/ent+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passage way (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYQ8ht9InZOFqOsiGs-opKUcPHDxq9gFn6pKNxU38iPPtJBALHPItyKh5xpW79LjCvdDoyhAivbxB-QdU6Kvf5oValfTZ4C8PMwwyBtLzbdbJHq0iJzleatZ7Otok1rcacMaBZISTHhM/s1600/fountain+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYQ8ht9InZOFqOsiGs-opKUcPHDxq9gFn6pKNxU38iPPtJBALHPItyKh5xpW79LjCvdDoyhAivbxB-QdU6Kvf5oValfTZ4C8PMwwyBtLzbdbJHq0iJzleatZ7Otok1rcacMaBZISTHhM/s640/fountain+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Fountains (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3trV41wi4MusQuZx9Zg6jyT20kHYL6IEJyN-x_xQrfzKx1F3ytzmNN1T-dv62ijPq_tPxflbcJ60Mw3j2r4Sz4Z4TaUSDzcbCFTWmqTuAk_Li9tNl8CFZ60NdViMv96kCpxWgq7CSz8/s1600/clean+bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3trV41wi4MusQuZx9Zg6jyT20kHYL6IEJyN-x_xQrfzKx1F3ytzmNN1T-dv62ijPq_tPxflbcJ60Mw3j2r4Sz4Z4TaUSDzcbCFTWmqTuAk_Li9tNl8CFZ60NdViMv96kCpxWgq7CSz8/s640/clean+bench.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what a clean subway bench looks like (A. Fine 9/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxjAvOvVQJMvgeKnBtxuzIbEHCmhGDjlLnW27G2j7Ifo2eqaEXmnArLpJ9DUV5xe3_f9ANjpKQix0L0Jcd68J9JaBTyoZJ9HvvKSpc9MQHZbfbkuiQsInTjYeWeya4eTWaxI1ZS2Pc-w/s1600/cranes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxjAvOvVQJMvgeKnBtxuzIbEHCmhGDjlLnW27G2j7Ifo2eqaEXmnArLpJ9DUV5xe3_f9ANjpKQix0L0Jcd68J9JaBTyoZJ9HvvKSpc9MQHZbfbkuiQsInTjYeWeya4eTWaxI1ZS2Pc-w/s640/cranes.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, more cranes (A. Fine, 9/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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That's all, folks! Worth a visit!</div>
Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-67310697177532559452015-09-09T14:10:00.004-04:002015-09-09T14:11:46.882-04:00Why the New York Giants Will Not Suck in 2015Alright, alright, it has been a tough couple of years, TC is on the hot seat, and the conventional wisdom is that the Giants are in for an 5-11 year. Guess what? This won't happen. Big Blue has more talent then they are given credit for. Ye of little faith, let me spell out why the NY Giants are not going to suck this year.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfcyLsWdj3OVFm-CpkEPYcbemrC7QVsyo9fePW3CVfz_xBKgz5gVVKeGebI4Ml3KX5Lv87eTYN71hm95mcyqhOV_7zS8yXo0ZyV17MhjHNvn98bdClZt-K7pj_Mzfctf7Y4NirVy7o_U/s1600/tc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfcyLsWdj3OVFm-CpkEPYcbemrC7QVsyo9fePW3CVfz_xBKgz5gVVKeGebI4Ml3KX5Lv87eTYN71hm95mcyqhOV_7zS8yXo0ZyV17MhjHNvn98bdClZt-K7pj_Mzfctf7Y4NirVy7o_U/s640/tc.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T.C. (Courtesy Thesportsquotient.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Tom Coughlin</b><br />
<br />
Yes, it is "win or else" for the oldest coach in the league, but we are talking about a brilliant coach with incredible will and spirit, not to mention two Super Bowl victories in the past 8 campaigns. You can dive into every nuance of his personality, changes in coaching philosophy, and so on and so on, but you have to readily acknowledge that this coach is not looking to go out on a down note. TC will also be the beneficiary of a changing of the guard at Defensive Coordinator. Perry Fewell (who was awful) is out and Steve Spagnuolo is back. In 07' and 08' with Spags at the helm the G-Men won Super Bowl XLII and followed that with a 12-4 season. Granted, our personnel is very different this time around, but the defense is going to have to get creative and Spags has far more promise that Fewell ever did.<br />
<br />
<b>Eli</b><br />
<br />
Eli enters year two of the Bob McAdoo's West Coast offense. People seem to easily forget that in Year One of this new offense Manning ended up with one of his best years- 30 Td's (a career high) vs 14 INTs, 4410 yards, and a career high 63.1% pass completion percentage. This year he comes in with a strong comfort level and additional weapons, namely scat back Shane Vereen, and a relatively healthy Victor Cruz. And of course, let's not forget Odell Beckham Jr and Ruben Randle. Taken together, the NY Giants have the potential to have the league's most feared receiving corps. This naturally leads us to the question....can the O-Line hold up?<br />
<br />
<b>The O Line</b><br />
<br />
The question marks are clearly here. The O line was challenged last year and did a far greater job pass blocking than run blocking. While stalwart Will Beatty is out the first 6 weeks, and despite a weak link at RT in Newhouse, the O-Line this year is stronger than last year. The difference? First round pick Erick Flowers, for one. If early indications prove true, the 6'6", 330 pounder is a beast. Sure, he is learning LT, but so far, so good. You also have a <u>healthy</u> Schwartz (this week at least), a steadily improving Justin Pugh, and Weston Richburg actually playing at his natural position, Center. Overall, looks like the Giants have improved the line vs last year.<br />
<br />
<b>The Secondary</b><br />
<br />
When you have lost 3 safeties in one preseason, you know the roster has to be pretty slim. However, if you are looking at the top four guys starting in the secondary they are not looking bad at all. At Corners, you have Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Any complaints there? Not-so-much! At Strong Safety you have newcomer and first round draft pick Landon Collins. This kid has speed and has shown that he covers the field extremely well. The Giants hope he can step in and start effectively. All indications point to him being the real deal. For the Giants sake, let's hope so! Finally you have Free Safety position that looks to be Cooper Taylor with a variety of back-ups including 2 time pro bowler Brandon Meriweather. While the Giants depth is certainly a concern, our current starting line-up is stronger than last year.<br />
<br />
<b>Special Teams</b><br />
<br />
Maybe, just maybe, this is the year that the Giants Special Teams, under perennial failure, Tom Quinn, do not stink. Gone is fading (yet revered) Punter Steve Weatherford, in is big leg Brad Wing. Gone is the ineffective return team by committee, in is big money and explosive return man Dwayne Harris. Coughlin, it is clear with his roster cuts, now favors youth in addition to ability to play special teams. Nikita Whitlock, the 5'10", 250lb FB is a great example- part fire hydrant, part spark plug, 100% hustle. One thing is for sure, it is hard not to improve over the past few years.<br />
<br />
<b>Young Studs</b><br />
<br />
There are some impact players to watch, that at the least will make games interesting this year. There are the aforementioned Collins and Flowers, but we also have a slew of young studs developing like Devon Kennard, who will get the starting nod at Strong Side LB. The second year player out of USC flashed last year and is widely regarded as one of the steals of the draft in the 5th round, 175th overall. While even whispering "LT" in the same sentence with any Giant linebacker prospect is a no-no, let's just say Kennard has "LT-like" instincts to the ball. He will be fun to watch!Another 2nd year player that could flourish is Jay Bromley, a back-up DT out of Syracuse (3rd round, 74th overall). Scouting Bromley at the Timex Center this summer, all I can tell you is that the man was throwing linemen all over the field like they were children. With other intriguing back-ups on the D Line like freakish, yet still unbridaled talent Damontre Moore and rookie camp sensation Owa Odighizuwa working for playing time at DE, our D line has promise regardless of the status or JPP. <br />
<br />
There are plenty of wildcards yet to come. Does JPP come back and can he be effective? Are there further roster moves that will be made to shore up weaknesses at RT, the D-line, or Secondary? Is Will Beatty going to make an impact after 6 weeks on the IR? Will it even matter at that point? While these are all valid considerations, it looks like Eli should have plenty to work with and has the potential to put up career numbers. The Giants D, under Spags, has nothing but upside vs. expectations, and even the special teams are improved. Will Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants make the Super Bowl a quadrennial thing? Well, that seems like a stretch, but a 5-11 team the 2015 New York Giants are not. Do not underestimate Tom Coughlin, he's not going out like that. Given the relatively soft schedule, the Giants should be in the mix for a playoff spot, and as TC has proven anything can happen from there.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Projection: 9-7</b>Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-100417962115696492015-09-01T13:25:00.000-04:002015-09-01T13:25:07.095-04:00Doe Fund Raises Stink With Garbage Can Protest Posters<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzT3H0ddWH8CT8si7OSXtlK97v8muhfgoVA80knxdbEpC9bWQM-ppjV3pk8khbXpkK7WZngxEj7KM5KdOfqaPuwg-7IYo-iS95Y_bdlXOnf2WS_3Qb6LZzH47vdaz4RPgzAhHI2C9h1w/s1600/stink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzT3H0ddWH8CT8si7OSXtlK97v8muhfgoVA80knxdbEpC9bWQM-ppjV3pk8khbXpkK7WZngxEj7KM5KdOfqaPuwg-7IYo-iS95Y_bdlXOnf2WS_3Qb6LZzH47vdaz4RPgzAhHI2C9h1w/s640/stink.jpg" width="464" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can, 84th and Third Avenue (A. Fine 9/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
New to virtually every Upper East Side garbage can that The Doe Fund's "Ready, Willing, and Able" crews service are large blue posters exhorting Mayor de Blasio to "SAVE OUR JOBS." The jobs that they are referring to are those of the homeless and in many cases also previously incarcerated that work for the fund cleaning streets while participating in the fund's year long program that transitions the homeless to productive, self-sufficient, drug-free members of society. The axe that Doe has to grind is regarding the 400 bed shelter that they run in Bushwick, which the city insists should take in 50 registered sex offenders. Doe is currently in litigation with the city and refuses to take the sex offenders- who could blame them! The argument is complex, but Doe won't put the creeps into their program and the jobs they refer to are the 50 homeless that would not end up employed with Doe. To take things further, Doe insists that, essentially, they will take their ball and go home altogether rather than deal with sex offenders at their shelters. So, that would result in either 400 or 700 "Ready, Willing, and Able" being out of work and support services. So, that is the crux of the argument, for more detail check articles on <a href="http://bedfordandbowery.com/2015/07/doe-fund-fights-to-keep-sex-offenders-out-of-bushwick-shelter-but-city-presses-on/">Bedford and Bowery</a> and <a href="http://bushwickdaily.com/2015/07/city-is-sending-50-sex-offenders-for-housing-at-bushwicks-non-profit-for-homeless/">Bushwick Daily.</a> But, this brings us back to those garbage can posters. I'll be honest, I have a problem with them. Here are a few concerns:<br />
<br />
- Does Doe own the garbage cans that they are using as political billboards, or are those the property of the city?<br />
<br />
- Since so much of Doe's income comes from city contracts, grants, and income from cleaning contracts, can you really protest the city on the city's dime?<br />
<br />
- Is it appropriate for an organization (whose founder, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/nyregion/george-mcdonald-founder-of-doe-fund-announces-a-mayoral-run.html">George McDonald</a> ran for Mayor last election) to posterize the city with messages that could be deemed critical of the person who was actually elected Mayor?<br />
<br />
- Are these large signs, in many cases on every corner of a block, even legal?<br />
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OK, clearly I am not a fan of turning every garbage can on the UES into a sandwich board for a political cause. That is not saying that the cause is unjust. I admire The Doe Fund and everything they have done to positively transition 22,000 homeless back to productive citizenry. I agree with their position on sex offenders. But, the posters? They belong in the trash can, not on them!<br />
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<a href="http://www.doe.org/?utm_source=google_nat&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=the_doe_fund&gclid=CP6K2_6r1scCFZKRHwodUWwAhw">More on The Doe Fund and Ready, Willing, and Able</a>Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-47585398966076038782015-08-06T11:25:00.002-04:002015-08-06T11:25:26.341-04:00The Wraps Are Off 151 East 78th<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GxCR36vGWnKsBuauF2e6J2pihMuQK3D7fBfQPqTYau1nPHUeEu1eYq6cS4AajmdBpbjQE_vRhZ71NvZ1JUn-kiVmmDL476A_PwwBF_bkbYo4aZK0JJLZN5xXxTezQwU2BNK8T6dImmI/s1600/151+front+south+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GxCR36vGWnKsBuauF2e6J2pihMuQK3D7fBfQPqTYau1nPHUeEu1eYq6cS4AajmdBpbjQE_vRhZ71NvZ1JUn-kiVmmDL476A_PwwBF_bkbYo4aZK0JJLZN5xXxTezQwU2BNK8T6dImmI/s640/151+front+south+face.jpg" width="402" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">151 South Face (A. Fine 8/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KGmVg8mA1zJbllA4ieV44qFEgGIFKpUGcnVXPhGW8fgkoQuzbdzGysBbC8yvnNKPOb5eX7hBChjRSx13VxiYYVOnD2FLqvLUhXdthc8Jwwi66VDNA_aY8muAU0-FVEkSurMYCRskrac/s1600/151+top+east.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KGmVg8mA1zJbllA4ieV44qFEgGIFKpUGcnVXPhGW8fgkoQuzbdzGysBbC8yvnNKPOb5eX7hBChjRSx13VxiYYVOnD2FLqvLUhXdthc8Jwwi66VDNA_aY8muAU0-FVEkSurMYCRskrac/s640/151+top+east.jpg" width="586" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">151 Top East (A. Fine 8/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayELMzYKNH4y7WHTocbcotet7TEKbcY9zBWaLeltbfiPP50SBNGh23P7A5zmo4Zi2C6z8RR3wQc7N6hEjr3Sz1iPyW05FEv003QLEDrNyUBIx_pUle6X0rUeOeOsTvO8W1GY8IbNdL8o/s1600/151+top+west.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayELMzYKNH4y7WHTocbcotet7TEKbcY9zBWaLeltbfiPP50SBNGh23P7A5zmo4Zi2C6z8RR3wQc7N6hEjr3Sz1iPyW05FEv003QLEDrNyUBIx_pUle6X0rUeOeOsTvO8W1GY8IbNdL8o/s640/151+top+west.png" width="396" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">151 Top West (A. Fine 8/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The wraps are finally off at 151 East 78th Street, the elegant Pre-War reproduction condo with extraordinary pricing and lightning fast sell-through. Architect, <a href="http://www.ppapc.com/portfolio/residential-development/151-east-78th-street/">Peter Pennoyer</a> did a pretty kick ass job here, don't you think? This fits in rather well in the <a href="http://afinecompany.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-nabe-venerable-metropolitan-hill-is.html">Metropolitan Hill</a> section of the UES, and the $3200/psf+ is right on target for the hood as well. Just waiting for the granite and limestone base to put the icing on the cake!<br />
Previously:<br />
<a href="http://afinecompany.blogspot.com/2015/01/metropolitan-hill-development-o-rama.html">Metropolitan Hill Development-O-Rama</a> (Jan, 2015)<br />
<a href="http://ny.curbed.com/tags/151-east-78th-street">Curbed Files for 151 East 78th</a> (Curbed)Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-43948861763744139492015-05-28T15:55:00.003-04:002015-05-28T15:55:39.831-04:00Tommie Hotel Rises On East 31st Street<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivdZbfofBQSiQpy_T4tG-KGnpvQKLwxKH2eYKXN5Zxtotf0b8HS_I5jIDde-mcKSZQ9rJnoMXQbTG3QIm4iai2I_toej9FMLN-jeivgrACswqy2qismsQ3f1VStbVMhiTcwG_myMQWQQ/s1600/31st+render+mashup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivdZbfofBQSiQpy_T4tG-KGnpvQKLwxKH2eYKXN5Zxtotf0b8HS_I5jIDde-mcKSZQ9rJnoMXQbTG3QIm4iai2I_toej9FMLN-jeivgrACswqy2qismsQ3f1VStbVMhiTcwG_myMQWQQ/s640/31st+render+mashup.jpg" width="612" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left- Old Rendering (courtesy <a href="http://ksny.info/hotels.html">KSNY</a>), Right- New Rendering (courtesy <a href="http://www.gwathmey-siegel.com/11-east-31st-street/">GSK)</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.gwathmey-siegel.com/11-east-31st-street/"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblIA6GxiQojNTPUwtWnPEsbfRIThoe-LhPgMFBTTPMCzOdj509NpoEZ0WKC8eOpoDAwWpmmB-fQsCtCV1kcYmniiL0CBZ3HmaYbFLT8OroglpVvmYtKlf4d5PhA18Q0cRf9RFInGTbtY/s1600/31st+full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblIA6GxiQojNTPUwtWnPEsbfRIThoe-LhPgMFBTTPMCzOdj509NpoEZ0WKC8eOpoDAwWpmmB-fQsCtCV1kcYmniiL0CBZ3HmaYbFLT8OroglpVvmYtKlf4d5PhA18Q0cRf9RFInGTbtY/s640/31st+full.jpg" width="346" /></a></div>
5/2015 (A. Fine)</td></tr>
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It was to be a 37 story hotel, now it is to be a 30 story hotel. It was to be all shiny glass, now it appears it will be about half glass and half metal. It was to open in 2014, then 2015, now 2016. The one constant with the <a href="http://www.communehotels.com/hotels-coming-soon/">future Tommie Hotel</a> is change. Designed by <a href="http://www.gwathmey-siegel.com/11-east-31st-street/">Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman</a>, I wont even start on the various financial arrangements, partners, and trades made since prior to the financial crisis. Here is a pic, a couple renderings past and current, and we'll see if they can get this finished without further changes.<br />
Related:<br />
<a href="http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2014/05/23/east_31st_streets_tommie_hotel_will_be_tall_and_glassy.php">Curbed Tags on Tommie Hotel</a> (Curbed)Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-92097751111702091742015-04-30T12:17:00.001-04:002015-04-30T12:17:21.974-04:00Fed Flash: Rates Remain Unchanged, Likely To Remain Flat Until The FallThe Fed has once again left rates unchanged. The April meeting concluded very much like the March meeting in statement and substance. I remain convinced that a rate hike is unlikely before Fall, and rate hikes and an ease of accommodative policy will be very gradual. The Fed outlines six factors to consider before raising rates: the labor market, inflation gauges, inflation expectations, and "financial and international developments", and of course the strength of the economy. The strongest of these indicators at present is the labor market which has remained healthy. Jobless claims are at a the lowest level in a decade, so the gradual improvement in the labor looks good. Wages are just starting to uptick, which would suggest that the slack in the labor market has finally started to tighten up. Inflation is tame, especially in light of lower energy prices, but the expectation in the ever vague fed-speak of "medium term" looks to be around their target of 2%. The financial markets are relatively stable for now, yet the international situation remains shaky. So, by most indicators, we are still in a holding pattern. The Fed sees the Winter pause in growth as "transitory", but will have to see evidence that it is right before it takes any action.<br />
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How does this play for the NYC real estate market? For now, more Goldilocks! <br />
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Keep an eye on the blog for an upcoming entry looking at the NYC real estate market in depth.<br />
<br />Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-76626153410037569832015-04-28T13:48:00.002-04:002015-04-28T13:48:51.772-04:00Update: 205 East 92nd Getting Bricked, Up to 15 Stories<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUDWMB8zElGfg1Lzzk7IQrRK73GRjRQ1qTLbdBRwcusF2Ge5gCiE6cfgluORKx-BdB2fE61KHIJmq6QGerzZVIBVS8bTsG0k808INnnfem4EP-y4KRyUC6ael0PoL9AB_hKrNsOKQxjc/s1600/205+East+92b+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUDWMB8zElGfg1Lzzk7IQrRK73GRjRQ1qTLbdBRwcusF2Ge5gCiE6cfgluORKx-BdB2fE61KHIJmq6QGerzZVIBVS8bTsG0k808INnnfem4EP-y4KRyUC6ael0PoL9AB_hKrNsOKQxjc/s1600/205+East+92b+Front.jpg" height="618" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">205 E 92nd, Front (A. Fine 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDgFlZcBIe_c1j1gkKGhhLcP9wyAzvyiZfp5tb1ymffpBD8Jo4lmmofrm-pywYGF-F-Scm79wrr4OPwsArwmdOpNBiNVoNmocvp4koJr1UAP1Ge6TpoulOrMUSp-kgglwekGO7mlGII0/s1600/205+East+92b+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDgFlZcBIe_c1j1gkKGhhLcP9wyAzvyiZfp5tb1ymffpBD8Jo4lmmofrm-pywYGF-F-Scm79wrr4OPwsArwmdOpNBiNVoNmocvp4koJr1UAP1Ge6TpoulOrMUSp-kgglwekGO7mlGII0/s1600/205+East+92b+back.jpg" height="640" width="372" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">205 East 92nd Back- East Face (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenVVBswa7tZhv3-cf9Ar-8QlEg24SMcJs6lNJuIYOA2By_tM5XY8Bz_UvA07rWqTDmoypyUzinhP2olq1NizhyYQaGhXekuFZJpXs_heVPyuK8ow09fpKZL_G4YxrKw_zfe_80o05gSs/s1600/205+East+92b+Brick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenVVBswa7tZhv3-cf9Ar-8QlEg24SMcJs6lNJuIYOA2By_tM5XY8Bz_UvA07rWqTDmoypyUzinhP2olq1NizhyYQaGhXekuFZJpXs_heVPyuK8ow09fpKZL_G4YxrKw_zfe_80o05gSs/s1600/205+East+92b+Brick.jpg" height="640" width="434" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brick (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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Last we checked in on 205 East 92nd Street, back in January, the base was just coming together. What a difference a few months makes. The building is now taking shape, rising 15 stories, and giving us a preview of the neutral brick façade. The finished product by Related will rise 425 feet, include 231 residential units (they are probably leaning condo, but last report was condo/rental mix), a 46,000sf school for the learning disabled, and 33,000sf of retail.<br />
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What I find most interesting is that the average size apartment will be a little better than 1400sf. That is a stark contrast to the full floor, 3000+ square foot McManhattamansions (yes, I am using that made up word) being built in the area. I can only hope that this is a trend towards "reasonable sized" apartments. Yes, there is demand for some of the huge apartments, but the demand for normal sized apartments is extreme. I am sure Related will be rewarded for recognizing this segment of the market.Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-83621480364438846532015-04-24T14:30:00.003-04:002015-04-24T14:30:57.298-04:00Dazzling "Fata Morgana" Art Installation at Madison Square Park Takes Shape<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bKh_5_TDOkDS1xGY6A9oURt7SuxYTrNt5s7YqLCku-oUseU0-TwceCR6lfNuFno-2NlR_DEYaQGn0uDGZqC7f0Py-vgr2tp1Q2RNnezFx7Tfn7mQs76UkR8SIcsdLOozKIoHQKRg-AQ/s1600/fata1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bKh_5_TDOkDS1xGY6A9oURt7SuxYTrNt5s7YqLCku-oUseU0-TwceCR6lfNuFno-2NlR_DEYaQGn0uDGZqC7f0Py-vgr2tp1Q2RNnezFx7Tfn7mQs76UkR8SIcsdLOozKIoHQKRg-AQ/s1600/fata1.jpg" height="640" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fata Morgana (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvgYBcwWE0citBJtUOaqfQLdtEq5DPtBqcfiFzORqmltbjIHPf0GVKzB3abb_XXhUfl8h4M6jk2FH-ziPiv9va_OZZKZnDFwFR9MY2cmfxm9N_kWoo-pVFtei9j1KsK0WHaM7TgwrDLw/s1600/fataworker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvgYBcwWE0citBJtUOaqfQLdtEq5DPtBqcfiFzORqmltbjIHPf0GVKzB3abb_XXhUfl8h4M6jk2FH-ziPiv9va_OZZKZnDFwFR9MY2cmfxm9N_kWoo-pVFtei9j1KsK0WHaM7TgwrDLw/s1600/fataworker.jpg" height="400" width="331" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fata Morgana Worker (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Wn3nKVor9z28cv3TVBTGBehHvGkNTByuF0InshOS_06jjIZbFSJu2NdZKCYmAW03audpT9kaxTHG4kQxRvgSCnQk-IlVixaczBJG8dRG3o2joSFd3l94y27OnzsaaERN6M91Me5wdk/s1600/fata2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Wn3nKVor9z28cv3TVBTGBehHvGkNTByuF0InshOS_06jjIZbFSJu2NdZKCYmAW03audpT9kaxTHG4kQxRvgSCnQk-IlVixaczBJG8dRG3o2joSFd3l94y27OnzsaaERN6M91Me5wdk/s1600/fata2.jpg" height="400" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fata Morgana Path (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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"Fata Morgana" (referring to a mirage just above the horizon), an ambitious art installation by local artist Teresita Fernandez, is taking shape in Madison Square Park. The completed work, which consists of large golden polished metal disks shaped reminiscent of foliage, should be ready by June 1st. The installation will cover 500 feet of walkways with the fanciful disks and last through the winter. <br />
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I'm not an art aficionado, but from this layman's sensibilities I find the art both pleasant and intriguing. The warmth from the golden glow from the disks gives parkgoers a different perspective of the environment. The reflections also enhance the senses and alter your perception of your surroundings. It's different, interesting and ever changing based on your angle, the amount of light, and the season. This being New York, there are reports that some locals are "outraged" and "furious" about the shade that these disks create and the size of the project. As Artnews, that noted this anger points out, the installation covers just 9% of the park. Hey, this is New York, we love art, so to the sourpusses that have a problem with it, I say "Get-ova-it"!<br />
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<a href="http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/things-to-do/calendar/mad-sq-art-teresita-fernandez">Mad Sq Art: Teresita Fernandez</a> (Madison Square Park Conservancy)<br />
<a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/controversy-teresita-fernandez-madison-square-287929">Parkgoers Furious Over Teresita Fernandez Sculpture at Madison Square Park</a> (Artnews)Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-72899521283748874522015-04-24T11:50:00.002-04:002015-04-24T11:50:23.740-04:00100 East 53rd (formerly 610 Lex) Sees Daylight<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_3kVjtP9v7V3bE4TIiDM08QmztR33V-TCyldF5ZXZqOk8K3JkpD4j5kPzyj3-DerOLeDQ479d-H-71mXzyivQFwxdcRVIHVB_WYp_hGHH3HamUuXbNCcsLkkhkubixXPZ13YY0YpA4E/s1600/100+East+53+fin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_3kVjtP9v7V3bE4TIiDM08QmztR33V-TCyldF5ZXZqOk8K3JkpD4j5kPzyj3-DerOLeDQ479d-H-71mXzyivQFwxdcRVIHVB_WYp_hGHH3HamUuXbNCcsLkkhkubixXPZ13YY0YpA4E/s1600/100+East+53+fin+1.jpg" height="640" width="430" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100 East 53rd (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXJEVaXqReUvzNgwytlvbr5C7zrjZrDgDYqYzs3rVYL1difMowpveFizoO8QpgFusH2z7LvavhFe9USOxLxqQDqZC3i9Yqy9U_wZFaZtkA51RYSvkMJx1C8E1Lah1WY1Yd3nGf6YkqnE/s1600/151+e+53+fin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXJEVaXqReUvzNgwytlvbr5C7zrjZrDgDYqYzs3rVYL1difMowpveFizoO8QpgFusH2z7LvavhFe9USOxLxqQDqZC3i9Yqy9U_wZFaZtkA51RYSvkMJx1C8E1Lah1WY1Yd3nGf6YkqnE/s1600/151+e+53+fin+2.jpg" height="410" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100 East 53rd (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TK_q6xQt-jDJIRJWgSOjMjaQn3hLiYziX-PooCBekgA7I-nv4SWG6aA_QPuIrLjJ7I_q3qZD8esvLKNlF0AqWkAjDD1OJ5l9JI8slga3u0Rm_saVBG8jcElPNC4GRaHUpyGTfTYTfuU/s1600/100+e+53+render+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TK_q6xQt-jDJIRJWgSOjMjaQn3hLiYziX-PooCBekgA7I-nv4SWG6aA_QPuIrLjJ7I_q3qZD8esvLKNlF0AqWkAjDD1OJ5l9JI8slga3u0Rm_saVBG8jcElPNC4GRaHUpyGTfTYTfuU/s1600/100+e+53+render+final.jpg" height="640" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100 East 53rd Render (<a href="http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/100-e-53rd-street/">Foster & Partners</a>)</td></tr>
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What was an upscale vacant lot just a year ago, and a 40 foot hole in the ground seven months ago is now 50' above street level and ready to soar. We know the hard work of <a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/03/17/chinese-bank-takes-majority-stake-in-aby-rosens-100-e-53rd/">financing</a> and then foundation building is done, so Aby Rosen's re-addressed 100 East 53rd Street is set to soar.<br />
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The project, which initially stalled during the financial crisis is an exciting one. <a href="http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/100-e-53rd-street/">Foster and Partners</a>, who have only one rendering available, promise a modern take on Modernism. The inspirations are the nearby Seagram Building, and one of my all-time faves, the Lever House. The finished product is to rise razor sharp at 61 stories with 94 apartments, a two story restaurant, and the expected plethora of amenities including 9th floor pool. <a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/03/27/aby-rosens-rfr-plans-763m-condo-offering-at-100-east-53rd/">As reported by The Real Deal</a>, the initial offering plan calls for a $763 Million sellout without amendments. Sales are expected to begin sometime in the next few months.<br />
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<a href="http://ny.curbed.com/tags/610-lexington-avenue">Curbed Files on 610 Lex, now 100 East 53rd</a> (Curbed)<br />
<a href="http://ny.curbed.com/tags/610-lexington-avenue">Aby Rosen's RFR Plans $763 Million Condo Offering at 100 East 53rd</a> (TRDNY)<br />
<a href="http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/100-e-53rd-street/">100 East 53rd Street</a> (Foster and Partners)<br />
<a href="http://observer.com/2015/02/name-changer-610-lexington-will-now-be-known-as-100-east-53rd-street/">Name Changers: 610 Lex Will Now Be Known As 100 East 53rd</a> (Observer)Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-81519486050144221452015-04-22T15:29:00.002-04:002015-04-22T15:29:42.135-04:00Nearly Sold Out 10 Madison Square West Nearly Clad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwIL0AVx9Lg8w6xNxDR9DEUTtmLrEhOr5ZBFVWH5AgGVeYsA58Ju2x8WJTS_Uh4iCDZQq6Oj2fj8trJBNrcO6bcuyiMZS-3QDU6zvjrrC5EQfHLrtcBQqWaZ5vkFjBlaUsoCsCdO93NM/s1600/10+mad+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwIL0AVx9Lg8w6xNxDR9DEUTtmLrEhOr5ZBFVWH5AgGVeYsA58Ju2x8WJTS_Uh4iCDZQq6Oj2fj8trJBNrcO6bcuyiMZS-3QDU6zvjrrC5EQfHLrtcBQqWaZ5vkFjBlaUsoCsCdO93NM/s1600/10+mad+top.jpg" height="640" width="414" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcIlcP3Q49Y8iw0_Aih3QJ4bTL7wyFEyXzm3Rt_jb5C8ibS9uqm12pin1sCziQhDscWsRkssIfcGTvBIZYCyYRHKZClwoiYKr_ZkmHkZnYhJyuIlQldx7xx6CJpHxPrwsg6kpm0kcYuc/s1600/10+Mad+bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcIlcP3Q49Y8iw0_Aih3QJ4bTL7wyFEyXzm3Rt_jb5C8ibS9uqm12pin1sCziQhDscWsRkssIfcGTvBIZYCyYRHKZClwoiYKr_ZkmHkZnYhJyuIlQldx7xx6CJpHxPrwsg6kpm0kcYuc/s1600/10+Mad+bottom.jpg" height="434" width="640" /></a></div>
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10 Madison Square West is nearly clad and nearly, if not totally sold out! It was this time last year that it was reported that 119 of the 125 were listed in contract in an astounding 9 months. At least one of the two $35 Mil penthouses is in contract and the buildings website shows a blank page for "availability". StreetEasy does show one last apartment left, 14D, a corner 8 room apartment with views for $14 Million. <br />
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It appears that there is still a fair amount of work to be done on the 7 stories that were added to the old Toy Building, and some work on the commercial space on the bottom floors. But, things are clearly taking shape.<br />
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<a href="http://ny.curbed.com/tags/10-madison-square-west">Curbed Files on 10 Madison Square West</a> (Curbed)<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/realestate/sales-to-start-soon-at-10-madison-square-west.html?_r=0">No Toys But A Park Nearby</a> (NY Times, May 2013)Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-49180112177988325832015-04-10T15:48:00.001-04:002015-04-10T15:49:42.019-04:00Battery Maritime Hotel Takes Shape In Lower Manhattan<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFeuXbKdB1IAYsp1SLak64Gdi8CSxjpVPFzAYXlHGaz4p2WXpv3qts6GqVbLY0tcMvLL4TrPpLMIQLh9bUZWI9EpldTNicFtyHnjoGlvFIG6WPgLPoFoSnrgCiE3bDeOV9v3hnDTtdfk/s1600/maritime+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFeuXbKdB1IAYsp1SLak64Gdi8CSxjpVPFzAYXlHGaz4p2WXpv3qts6GqVbLY0tcMvLL4TrPpLMIQLh9bUZWI9EpldTNicFtyHnjoGlvFIG6WPgLPoFoSnrgCiE3bDeOV9v3hnDTtdfk/s1600/maritime+edit.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battery Maritime Building, Close-up (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDa9NQkRaoK7Q4SFc9AvNbV5wkzSGJdNY5Q7YJsXR8xn8yL-j-c32UpdKLFCMhgaxaSEAFNCxk3SpOmvOCWPQxAJ_F6lvdfKEE7DGQSSexM2elOkFCrAZitBQxzA22sYTx2lGPNTn_O8Y/s1600/maritime+big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDa9NQkRaoK7Q4SFc9AvNbV5wkzSGJdNY5Q7YJsXR8xn8yL-j-c32UpdKLFCMhgaxaSEAFNCxk3SpOmvOCWPQxAJ_F6lvdfKEE7DGQSSexM2elOkFCrAZitBQxzA22sYTx2lGPNTn_O8Y/s1600/maritime+big.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battery Maritime Building (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ik4o_cFziagAD28vw8dI44JKYAP6XObKb7JmvyP91Sty1pcEguBvej5FZ7sdSWzrZD0pokKVfZwDqGQwJubIHNir56zeezdC19PWze_bQlHI88gnRpszjv3mlK0aEONAT49htR9Rvk0/s1600/Maritime+render.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ik4o_cFziagAD28vw8dI44JKYAP6XObKb7JmvyP91Sty1pcEguBvej5FZ7sdSWzrZD0pokKVfZwDqGQwJubIHNir56zeezdC19PWze_bQlHI88gnRpszjv3mlK0aEONAT49htR9Rvk0/s1600/Maritime+render.jpg" height="472" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battery Maritime Building, Rendering by<a href="http://www.rogersarchitects.com/battery-maritime-building-hotel-redevelopment/"> Rodgers Architects</a></td></tr>
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Construction is moving along quickly at the future hotel, in and on top of the historic Battery Maritime Building. The Beaux Arts structure, with landmark status, was originally built to ferry passengers to Brooklyn during the early 1900's. Planned and taking shape is a large glass addition with will hold 140 "boutique" hotel rooms, a rooftop bar and restaurant, as well as a "grand hall" on the 2nd floor of the existing structure. The Dermot company has assigned the fragile $150 Million task to Rodgers Architects. An onsite construction work quotes "a year and a half or so" to completion. He adds "it's spectacular."<br />
<a href="http://ny.curbed.com/places/battery-maritime-building">Curbed Files on Battery Maritime Building</a> (Curbed)<br />
<a href="http://www.rogersarchitects.com/battery-maritime-building-hotel-redevelopment/">Battery Maritime Building</a> (Rodgers Architects)Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-21292477366327530792015-04-08T11:40:00.001-04:002015-04-08T11:42:51.130-04:00On East 82nd Street 1444 Third Avenue Begins Demo, But Will Rendering Become Reality?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIW9ry2r4iJDQCrlYdABdJfkABhanNopUcYDQkNTc_1OYu9LGEgrN1mizH7dVOlZRsbovzSnvC4NaZ9llAMt8rvnlA0BAd1HwSO-SwsOeAA3k8PYuDqX7rmtwtSXn3vASbfRLyHuSFRsU/s1600/1444+full+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIW9ry2r4iJDQCrlYdABdJfkABhanNopUcYDQkNTc_1OYu9LGEgrN1mizH7dVOlZRsbovzSnvC4NaZ9llAMt8rvnlA0BAd1HwSO-SwsOeAA3k8PYuDqX7rmtwtSXn3vASbfRLyHuSFRsU/s1600/1444+full+edit.jpg" height="390" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1444 Third Avenue (A Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgR0T6E9HX4hKxXoI7eay8rZDpmFTLVhaNfs2dP3_dA6g9Lu12Kk24oZdMgvUNk4n4OCg5LHDPRaRS-4q90k24-6v4k71sDgoNBokhlsiD4ahteqIINBfiHfIN1i2n71gcYFjFk9cneE/s1600/1444+render.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgR0T6E9HX4hKxXoI7eay8rZDpmFTLVhaNfs2dP3_dA6g9Lu12Kk24oZdMgvUNk4n4OCg5LHDPRaRS-4q90k24-6v4k71sDgoNBokhlsiD4ahteqIINBfiHfIN1i2n71gcYFjFk9cneE/s1600/1444+render.jpg" height="640" width="530" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1444 Third Avenue Rendering (<a href="http://www.oda-architecture.com/projects/1444-third-avenue">ODA Architecture</a>)</td></tr>
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Demolition is now well underway at the future new development (presumably condos) at 1444 Third Avenue. While the two buildings on the southwest corner of East 82nd Street and Third Avenue are being brought down brick by brick, the final product, seems far from etched in stone at this point. <a href="http://www.oda-architecture.com/projects/1444-third-avenue">ODA Architecture </a>describes the 10 story structure as having the "elegance of limestone townhouses of Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue modernized" and will offer "individual floor homes". The rendering was leaked fully two years ago, yet <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByNumberServlet?requestid=4&passjobnumber=121331424&passdocnumber=01">the permit for this structure</a> appears remain in limbo. In fact, <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByLocationServlet?requestid=3&allbin=1047572&allstrt=%20%20%203%20AVENUE&allnumbhous=1444">several permits</a> have been disapproved, rejected, or pending as the development challenge process continues "pending zoning approval." Perhaps the as-of-right square footage of 26,000 is in question? Considering the scale of other high rises on the avenue and the surrounding area, I'm almost surprised they couldn't pull off an even larger structure.<br />
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Regardless, I hope the final product gets approved. At first look I wasn't in love, but the design is growing on me for two reasons. First, you have plenty of limestone, a staple of classic Manhattan construction. The re-imagining of the use of this material is ambitious. Secondly, it is not another ubiquitous, bland, sheet glass special. Of course, we'll have to see if the rendering meets reality and the permits become reality.<br />
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Related:<br />
<a href="http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/04/17/striated_structure_to_replace_ues_tenement_on_third_avenue.php">Striated Structure to Replace UES Tenement on Third Avenue?</a> (Curbed, 4/2013)<br />
<a href="http://observer.com/2013/04/oda-architecture-leaks-mysterious-upper-east-side-rendering/">ODA Architecture Accidentally Posts Mysterious UES Rendering</a> (Observer, 4/2013)Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-51433530503333576722015-04-07T12:30:00.002-04:002015-04-07T12:30:43.568-04:00"Dos Alas", East Harlem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxAjK5uWhzUPETCQsIPh_LlWFDifxknkJxU3h-CP6AmjLpxw4kvNYIYiHyHioPO6vmIO1gsXlaxA7JKMLxOLVacq4jWhXr4TNNxFlDbXKZQbhXuiWPPQkakCPo2qKyGIbRxpJTaKUs0k/s1600/che.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxAjK5uWhzUPETCQsIPh_LlWFDifxknkJxU3h-CP6AmjLpxw4kvNYIYiHyHioPO6vmIO1gsXlaxA7JKMLxOLVacq4jWhXr4TNNxFlDbXKZQbhXuiWPPQkakCPo2qKyGIbRxpJTaKUs0k/s1600/che.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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"Dos Alas" the mural just east of Third Avenue since 1999 is still in great shape. The two revolutionaries, Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Pedro Albizu Campos, are depicted along with the Cuban and Puerto Rican flags. The mural was expanded and refurbished in 2011.Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579170676752494090.post-49454346201455571032015-04-03T13:12:00.002-04:002015-04-06T11:54:18.386-04:00Top 10 Epic Signs of East Harlem<span style="text-align: center;">While most of New York City transforms from an fascinating quilt of Mom and Pops stores to a bland collection of Starbucks and Chase Banks, a certain stretch of Manhattan in East Harlem should be savored and appreciated before it too is gone. Third Avenue from 104th Street to 125th Street is an area on the fragile cusp between glorious relic and rapid condo development. While the neighborhood has long been home to discount stores with audacious branding, you just sense that the wave is oh so near. So, before this unique stretch of New York City too vanishes, let's take a moment to enjoy the10 most epic signs of East Harlem, in no particular order:</span><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-iQK2E5cNaGKAepSuMRgdmazLKd45s0THGCE7PJXbohvBnIfUESANGwYj2W_EEkc_mrSTPVDlJyeFozpXfeJ93UCHJhcA-CyihDpTXF9HK87LHDjTcB7c2wfwInElJ4VBRer-KDj9sU/s1600/vim+side+edit+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-iQK2E5cNaGKAepSuMRgdmazLKd45s0THGCE7PJXbohvBnIfUESANGwYj2W_EEkc_mrSTPVDlJyeFozpXfeJ93UCHJhcA-CyihDpTXF9HK87LHDjTcB7c2wfwInElJ4VBRer-KDj9sU/s1600/vim+side+edit+3.jpg" height="640" width="556" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">V.I.M! (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtNVtz88xbXA5XbjOhQQyAItlbjDUZ5NmpS7eN93RM58Oj8phD0Ia26EemiqbQDFob4hdI04l64ZatmLK03j8vknKX-1DdLB6-EDkpGxqgQPBxTdGR4BvQk3XjCQkuEvK-1oqElCqCWs/s1600/sav+a+thon+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtNVtz88xbXA5XbjOhQQyAItlbjDUZ5NmpS7eN93RM58Oj8phD0Ia26EemiqbQDFob4hdI04l64ZatmLK03j8vknKX-1DdLB6-EDkpGxqgQPBxTdGR4BvQk3XjCQkuEvK-1oqElCqCWs/s1600/sav+a+thon+2.png" height="394" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Save-A-Thon (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RcQmop-qphFDc4QAd243zyrCnKLgmfGz8sLOzIO9YQZt4LCUxT25JWqGDHvv0Oa6S84HSoDx5kVhyLw9btZmTIXgsOnwkba9-JXaxknjjvAS8ozL7uWCMa4THAYgu_yaBJLrikmvqJ8/s1600/99+rush+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RcQmop-qphFDc4QAd243zyrCnKLgmfGz8sLOzIO9YQZt4LCUxT25JWqGDHvv0Oa6S84HSoDx5kVhyLw9btZmTIXgsOnwkba9-JXaxknjjvAS8ozL7uWCMa4THAYgu_yaBJLrikmvqJ8/s1600/99+rush+2.jpg" height="366" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">99 Rush- the only one on Lexington (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1X3ujTSS9kfT5-fzi7H3VkASU0BhUGJfNlMSVGxSehxV1Ws9RPhjnypzUcfOR8GRxBVJ30gamtik4NophFfXPiEwvsJsff9wFxGwz-1M4V5SBuO_wIk6DSwCK4YQXaY_ITZjH4Sisot8/s1600/j+dept+store+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1X3ujTSS9kfT5-fzi7H3VkASU0BhUGJfNlMSVGxSehxV1Ws9RPhjnypzUcfOR8GRxBVJ30gamtik4NophFfXPiEwvsJsff9wFxGwz-1M4V5SBuO_wIk6DSwCK4YQXaY_ITZjH4Sisot8/s1600/j+dept+store+2.jpg" height="640" width="466" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">J Dept Store (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qDrOK8lP0hYW02l6_4K50ncrlLthQL7jVA5De_NAgtc5xAzeZvTKmwQVURGuuS9gXUhw2PrH3ytp-3XbXSucSQyz1kCodfzKAqF7g4AaS7oFmMFI1vJ-JTEmfZHjuYOQfZ_0Gg7rzY0/s1600/uptown+jiggie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qDrOK8lP0hYW02l6_4K50ncrlLthQL7jVA5De_NAgtc5xAzeZvTKmwQVURGuuS9gXUhw2PrH3ytp-3XbXSucSQyz1kCodfzKAqF7g4AaS7oFmMFI1vJ-JTEmfZHjuYOQfZ_0Gg7rzY0/s1600/uptown+jiggie+2.jpg" height="640" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uptown Jiggie Sports (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsT3C4bxEYeDLVPRCvIhID7oWBkNcrqsP3ErQk0r3696fNzYkZGYKHcPZl16b5VC-BjgdlBb-o9dzBVchPru3a9Uqnxq3lZi-GB0Ks9XL5aIIKLFY0zxrkiMcECoEmro_eG45SUbq9lc/s1600/envy+nails+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsT3C4bxEYeDLVPRCvIhID7oWBkNcrqsP3ErQk0r3696fNzYkZGYKHcPZl16b5VC-BjgdlBb-o9dzBVchPru3a9Uqnxq3lZi-GB0Ks9XL5aIIKLFY0zxrkiMcECoEmro_eG45SUbq9lc/s1600/envy+nails+2.jpg" height="640" width="374" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Envy Nails (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoJMdXU68_IXA4Xg43Nras3k5sP-5fSHlO9aQmKcxv2gLOaLcngb5dV2G-4S5FD8gGGW_ckTdYbjloYurvHdlFEbWHBz3iIA_NxhyJZOg0MsNN6yBvO_TNc9kkMtEfa8xXh82Ia1Ouxs/s1600/american+outlet+blue+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoJMdXU68_IXA4Xg43Nras3k5sP-5fSHlO9aQmKcxv2gLOaLcngb5dV2G-4S5FD8gGGW_ckTdYbjloYurvHdlFEbWHBz3iIA_NxhyJZOg0MsNN6yBvO_TNc9kkMtEfa8xXh82Ia1Ouxs/s1600/american+outlet+blue+2.jpg" height="474" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Outlet (A.Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3v_SMCm9S2_W_OxSw2UhDWfSBSrwahS_ijo0FWCpS9zxu-8-Pxul65rLTu4aT-VbmtZHc4UCENkyJc51mMtRD6dxEe0ONCE_5GeYwdJeklW1iTT2sm51Lmm7axZhOvlzDN68GTEngKs/s1600/easy+shopping+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3v_SMCm9S2_W_OxSw2UhDWfSBSrwahS_ijo0FWCpS9zxu-8-Pxul65rLTu4aT-VbmtZHc4UCENkyJc51mMtRD6dxEe0ONCE_5GeYwdJeklW1iTT2sm51Lmm7axZhOvlzDN68GTEngKs/s1600/easy+shopping+2.jpg" height="554" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy Shopping (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXq0AbR-WvIsQcNhzlbTi1mEteZZOrqaC40Y7BZSwnh-Go-MYUVaPy4Rx48weq7RKNY0Q50n0HH3ku0eqr2uwT6C8u0j-2mrTbsQfeKU8CCXiD1xez9yklwjnbx2QF6Vg_AWlE7vTKCA/s1600/dollar+diva+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXq0AbR-WvIsQcNhzlbTi1mEteZZOrqaC40Y7BZSwnh-Go-MYUVaPy4Rx48weq7RKNY0Q50n0HH3ku0eqr2uwT6C8u0j-2mrTbsQfeKU8CCXiD1xez9yklwjnbx2QF6Vg_AWlE7vTKCA/s1600/dollar+diva+3.jpg" height="640" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dollar Diva (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCvYaGxtd3FrfYfMGOJrmMSwEgWONvSJgU0ykkGTEP7yktamqyT5Ry6O9PIP8mg7ZcG2uJZ-zmPYswULlsKfGfy6BS6uwI5m3jmpUegQq10YvPacFVP_WF8iOylSsgjbE3IOgMXITnPk/s1600/slamdunk+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCvYaGxtd3FrfYfMGOJrmMSwEgWONvSJgU0ykkGTEP7yktamqyT5Ry6O9PIP8mg7ZcG2uJZ-zmPYswULlsKfGfy6BS6uwI5m3jmpUegQq10YvPacFVP_WF8iOylSsgjbE3IOgMXITnPk/s1600/slamdunk+2.jpg" height="312" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slamdunk (A. Fine, 4/2015)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hope everyone enjoyed!</div>
Andrew Finehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410776900972800733noreply@blogger.com0