For everyone (meaning all New Yorkers) who’s ever thought that there’s got to be a better way to deal with trash – better than just putting out plastic bags after 8pm – Amsterdam comes to the rescue.
The new proposed system would operate like a typical garbage chute, but the trash would not just go down into the visible bin, but deeper, underground, into a holding bin.
This bin would then be hoisted, out of its hole and emptied by crane into a garbage truck. It’s an amazing idea for a city like New York that also does not have alleys, at least in Manhattan, to store rolling bins, access trash storage in the back, etc.
25th Precinct Community Meeting Tomorrow at 6:00
The National Black Theater Building’s Crane, At Night
The ever-amazing Kioka Jackson is asking for help with this year’s National Night Out on Tuesday, August 2nd:
I hope everyone has had an amazing start to summer. I know a lot has been going on around the country and within our own backyards but It is my hope that as a community we can share as much love as we can to overpower the negative things that we are experiencing.
As many of you are aware, National Night Out is quickly approaching. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community relationships/partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie with effort to make our neighborhoods safer. The goal is for the community to engage with the law enforcement in our community in a more light-hearted; fun way to build relationships outside of emergency purposes. Every Precinct around the Nation does this on the same night. We use fun festive activities, food and music to come together as one community. This year National Night Out is on August 2nd. We are hosting it right in front of the Precinct on East 119th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues.
We are asking our Community Based Organizations, Businesses, Retail stores, and Elected Officials to assist us in putting on a great party for that evening. Because of the Pandemic we have not done any fundraising activities so we really need everyone to partner with us.
If your organization wants to table please contact us. We welcome you to come bring information about your org but we are asking that you put together a fun activity to be done at your table too. A game, arts and crafts, etc….
If you are willing to donate either something in-kind or monetary to help us produce this event – please contact us.
If you are coming to be a guest to just shake a leg with us – we need you too. You can also help us by sharing the flyer and telling your neighbors to come out and hang with us.
I will be reaching out to many individually as well so don’t block me. LOL! We need you. We appreciate you and we look forward to working with you to make National Night Out a blast.
I have attached the flyer for your perusal. Sponsorship logos will be updated.
The National Black Theater’s redevelopment has been a tale of false starts, missed deadlines, and likely financing/development drama.
There seems to be some life in the building site, again. We’ll have to wait and see, whether or not construction will begin. And, as we all know, it isn’t over until the building is occupied.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 9th. at 7:00 PM HNBA will welcome Michael Lythcott attend to explain the new National Black Theater building project that will replace the former building on 5th Avenue between 125/126.
This large new cultural center and residence will be a major landmark in our community. Learn more about the project, the theater, the residences, and much, much more.
(Note that Michael had been unable to attend an earlier HNBA meeting due to a scheduling conflict but is now excited about presenting the project to us on November 9th)
In addition to the National Black Theater, we will also have representatives from the NYC Department of Health’s Rat team who will talk about how we can all best deal with the rats who’ve also been profoundly impacted by changes stemming from our behavior during COVID, as well as the recent storms/flooding.
Lastly, we’ll have representatives from Chelton Loft, which is located on East 126th Street between Park and Lex. They serve people with mental illness and run a strong program that includes wellness classes, job placement and cooking vegetables from our farmers market.
It’s a great lineup, and we hope to see you there. If you’d like to attend, make sure to subscribe to this newsletter:
The National Black Theatre’s site will look very, very different by 2024 when the new building is expected to be finished.
The NBT will occupy the first four floors of the building with over 200 residential units above. The architect, Frida Escobedo is working with Handel Architects who is behind the Sendero Verde project (currently being built between Madison/Park and 111/112 in East Harlem).
The ground floor of the new NBT building will be a “community gathering space”.
The building will total 21 stories and be called “The Ray”, with mostly studios, one and two bedrooms, home office and junior bedroom options, flexible spaces, and some affordable units.
The developer has indicated they would also incorporate an Artist Housing Initiative with housing for local artists and creatives. The rooftop will include a community kitchen and terrace.
Ray Harlem will be located at 2033 National Black Theatre Way on Fifth Avenue between125/126th Streets.
Commander John J. Shea Memorial Building
Commander John J. Shea won, posthumously, the Navy Cross:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander John J. Shea (NSN: 0-54106), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving on board the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. WASP (CV-7), during operations in the Solomon Islands on 15 September 1942. Lieutenant Commander Shea directed the fight against fires on the flight deck of the U.S.S. WASP, after the carrier had been crippled by the Japanese bombing attack which later caused her to sink. Lieutenant Commander Shea disregarded the danger from the fires, flying debris, and exploding ammunition to carry on his fight. When the water pressure failed, he employed chemical fire-fighting equipment in a desperate effort to extinguish a fire in a ready ammunition locker, and was leading out a fire hose to continue his efforts when a terrific explosion occurred. He was not subsequently seen by his shipmates. The conduct of Lieutenant Commander Shea throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Commander Shea is also memorialized in a building on East 111th Street
Which was built in 1943, and whose cornerstone was designed to look like the posthumous navy cross medal that Commander Shea was awarded.
Hello Harlem Neighbors, mark your calendar for 7:00 PM on Tuesday, November 9th. HNBA will have Michael Lythcott attend to explain the new National Black Theater building project that will replace the former building on 5th Avenue between 125/126.
This large new cultural center and residence will be a major landmark in our community. Learn more about the project, the theater, the residences, and much, much more.
(Note that Michael had been unable to attend an earlier HNBA meeting due to a scheduling conflict but is now excited about presenting the project to us on November 9th)
In addition to the National Black Theater, we will also have representatives from the NYC Department of Health’s Rat team who will talk about how we can all best deal with the rats who’ve also been profoundly impacted by changes stemming from our behavior during COVID, as well as the recent storms/flooding.
Lastly, we’ll have representatives from Chelton Loft, which is located on East 126th Street between Park and Lex. They serve people with mental illness and run a strong program that includes wellness classes, job placement and cooking vegetables from our farmers market.
It’s a great lineup, and we hope to see you there. If you’d like to attend, make sure to subscribe to this newsletter:
Join HNBA and learn more about the large new development that the National Black Theater has for 5th Avenue at 125/126 Street.
We’ll hear from the founder’s (Barbara Teer) son who is managing the project.
The Democratic Manhattan Borough President candidate Mark Levine will also swing by our Zoom meeting and answer any questions about what his vision for Harlem in 2022 and beyond, is.
To watch the National Black Theater’s founder, Barbara Ann Teer explain her leveraging real estate to support the arts, see this great clip that shows the $10,000,000 project that is now slated to be torn down and replaced:
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Barbara Ann Teer speaks about the inspiration of her sister in forming and developing the National Black Theater at this groundbreaking dedication clip (click on the chevron pointing right on the text, below) :
And to hear more about the devistating fire that (in part) sparked the rebirth of the National Black Theater, see:
Randall’s Island to Get $1,000,000 (almost) For Improvements
The total of $950,000 recently awarded by Assembly Member Robert Rodriguez, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Council Member Diana Ayala will further ongoing efforts by the Randall’s Island Park Alliance, working in partnership with the NYC Parks Department, to restore and develop the Park as one of New York’s premier destinations for sports, recreation and relaxation. The generous support will help realize a vision of Island-wide pathway improvements to better connect visitors with Park resources, a goal set forth in the 2012 RIPA Strategic Plan, developed in collaboration with NYC Parks, the RIPA Board of Trustees, local stakeholders, elected officials, and on-Island agency stakeholders.
Guided by the Strategic Plan, RIPA is undertaking a comprehensive and innovative complex of access improvements to improve connections between the Island’s main bicycle and pedestrian access points and popular destinations including Icahn Stadium, the Park’s many playing fields, and the Urban Farm and adjacent playground. New pathways will also facilitate multimodal travel through better connections between these destinations and the Park’s major parking lots, bus stops, and new Citibike stations.
“I am pleased to contribute funding that will provide increased accessibility to a Park that is an oasis for New Yorkers,” said Robert Rodriguez, New York State Assembly Member. “The contribution will help move this initiative forward, and fosters RIPA’s careful plan that focuses on access improvements alongside sustaining and programming the Island’s resources.”
“Increasing accessibility within the Park by creating Island-wide pathway improvements will better connect New Yorkers with Park resources and RIPA’s free educational and family-friendly programming,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “Direct access to the Island’s restored natural areas and green space is beneficial for all, and we are glad to contribute to these efforts.”
“Randall’s Island Park is a precious resource for the City of New York, and we are glad that we are able to contribute funding that will accommodate the continuously growing number of visitors and commuters traveling through the Park by foot and bicycle,” said New York City Council Member Diana Ayala.
“For almost 30 years, with the support of the City of New York, the Alliance has spearheaded the restoration and development of the Island. We truly appreciate the continued support of Assembly Member Rodriguez, Borough President Brewer, and Council Member Ayala as they help us achieve our mission to provide equitable access to green space, free educational programming, and world-class facilities to all New Yorkers, especially our neighbors in East Harlem and the South Bronx. Increasing the pathways throughout the Park will contribute to these efforts and benefit the over four million individuals who visit the Island annually,” said Deborah Maher, President of RIPA.
The combined projects build upon decades of public-private partnership to create unprecedented connections that will foster environmental exploration and augment access to recreational facilities and free programming for the millions of New Yorkers who visit each year. In coming years, these connections will foster access to exciting developments including an expanded Sportime Tennis Center, the new Drive Shack golf center, and a central Nature Center hosting RIPA’s many public programs.
Head over to 125/Madison today through August 15th, to order a Slutty Vegan burger at Shake Shack. This limited time offer is a collaboration for Harlem Week
To learn more about the burger and its genesis, see:
Our neighbor, the National Black Theater, is not only planning to knock down it’s current building and construct a theater+residential building in its place, it’s also worked to redesign its visual presence and to address the issue of what to do with the art in the current building:
NBT houses a diverse art collection that celebrates the indigenous and contemporary expressions of the black diaspora. Signature to our collection is the largest assemblage of New Sacred Art in the Western Hemisphere. This collection was commissioned and created on the premises by a dozentraditional artists from Osogbo, Nigeria: Kasali Akangbe Ogun, Yekini Folorunsho Bolarinwa, Adebisi Akanji, Yekini S. Atanda, Buraimoh Gbadimosi, Muraina Oyelami, Jimoh Buraimoh Gbadamosi, Funsho Bamidele Arowogun Owolabi, Emmanuel Bamidele, Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye, Olabayo Olaniyi and Shegun. To learn more about our artwork or to donate a piece to NBT please reach out by email to [email protected].
NBT has a new text logo for publicity:
And has taken ‘Max’ the ‘Maximum Spirit’ and revamped him for 2021:
And the new buiding:
NBT is embarking on a historic major capital redevelopment project that will transform the current property into a 21st-century destination for Black culture through theatre. This redevelopment project will anchor and recapitalize the institution for an even brighter future with a 250-seat flexible temple space and a 99-seat studio theater.
MMP for 8.2 Million
12 Mount Morris Park West is an original woodwork dream mansion. It’s also on the market for 8.2 million.
