East Side Park Power

Final plans and negotiations are underway to build a 5 acre park along the East River in Manhattan. This major redevelopment on the former site of the Con Edison power plant will also include 4,000 new apartments. A floating pylon will be constructed in the river to become the new location of a restaurant, ferry landing, viewing center and exhibition space. The Municipal Arts Society deserves much of the credit for this waterfront park concept. Let’s seize the moment, embrace their idea and turn this property into another jewel in the necklace to surround Manhattan with greenery for decades and the appreciation of generations to come.

New Schools With The Same Rules

This September, the city plans to open 52 new public schools for children in kindergarten through high school. 20 in Brooklyn, 14 in Queens, 8 in The Bronx, 7 in Manhattan and 3 on Staten Island. Half of these will replace failing schools. (Question: Do schools fail or do policies and people?) Pay close attention class. New school R-chitecture won’t impact our kids as much as ensuring that all students learn the "3 R’s." Reading. Writing. Arithmetic. When will anyone (students, parents or politicians) ever learn?