WOMAN RAPED BY PIZZA BOY FILES LAWSUIT
The 35-year-old victim who accused a pizza delivery boy of raping her last month is suing her alleged attacker, his employer and a number of parties associated with her West 61st Street apartment building.

Caesar Lewis, the 16-year-old delivery boy, reportedly entered the victim’s unlocked apartment around midnight on Sept. 29 after delivering pizza to one of her neighbors. He found the victim in bed with her 7-year-old daughter and raped her with the daughter in the room.

“I have a hard time understanding how a pizza delivery boy can be let upstairs after midnight and roam the halls for over 25 minutes without anyone at the building thinking that something was wrong,” the victim told the New York Post.

The victim’s Manhattan Supreme Court suit, which seeks an unspecified amount of money, names the apartment building’s management, co-op board and on-duty doorman, in addition to Lewis and his employer, Sal’s Pizzeria.

DESPITE BAN, LONGBOARDERS  ‘BOMB’ BROADWAY
A New York State Supreme Court Ruling did not stop a handful of rebellious longboarders from blasting down Broadway last weekend in the Broadway Bomb, an annual skating race from 116th Street to Bowling Green. The race’s organizers failed to secure proper permits for the event from NYPD this year, so the city canceled the event officially, but the organizers encouraged the race’s 2,000 anticipated riders still to bomb Broadway in protest. Around 30 longboarders showed up on Saturday and completed the course, despite roadblocks and warning signs. No one was arrested, according to police.

CENTRAL PARK LAUNCHES WOODLANDS DISCOVERY EXHIBIT
Last Thursday, Central Park debuted “The Wild Garden: Discovering Central Park’s Woodlands,” a new interactive multimedia exhibit that aims to educate visitors about the history and maintenance of the park’s 130 wooded acres.

The exhibit features iPads in all of its sections that display 3D renderings of the park’s icons, such as a stone-by-stone construction of the famous Huddlestone Arch. For children, “Woodland Discovery Kits” are available with binoculars, hand lenses and flora guides.

“The exhibit is a perfect combination of a historic park, nature and modern resources for a truly rich visitor experience,” said president and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy Doug Blonsky in a statement.

He noted that many of the park’s 40 million visitors each year only see its south end, so the exhibit encourages visitors to explore the north end as well. “It’s really what Central Park is all about: making the best of recreation, relaxation and exploration available for free to every single New Yorker,” he said.

The exhibit is run out of the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, located in the middle of the park at 110th Street. The Center operates on seasonal hours.

Less Less is gone gone. Cheese ’n’ crackers! I’d long been meaning to scope out the West 24th Street Less Less, ever since I heard it was a family-type operation with service and ambiance well beyond what one may typically associate with a discount novelties/staples store. I finally dusted off my MetroCard, and after a quick online search that strongly suggested LL was still a viable business, I sallied forth—only to be met with a storefront whose darkened interior was clearly stripped of stock.

Gaaah! “When did this place close?” I demanded of a passing dog-walker who seemed a trifle scared of my intensity. “Maybe a month ago,” he said. Well, better that I made the trip a month too late than too early, when I may’ve reported about a store that you would then find shuttered.

Besides—here’s good news—it turned out I didn’t make the trip for nothing. The dog walker, throwing me a bone (ho-ho!), perhaps to appease me lest I begin wailing and rending his garments, suggested a great 99-cent store nearby.

Indeed, 99 Cent Creation, at 244 W. 23rd St., is one of the premier shops of its ilk. Top o’ the pyramid, I’d have to say, is Jack’s on West 32nd Street (we really should do an update on it and the upper level Jack’s World). At the bottom of the hierarchy are the smaller, drearier versions with the predictable stock. But the indie 99 Cent Creation is darn near top of the food chain, with a large, surprise-filled cornucopia of goods.

Sure, virtually every such discounter has plastic flatware; here you can pick up actual metal spoons and forks tagged at 3/99 cents. Where else do you see that? While you can find many of your fave national brands here—Scott (89 cents a roll), Tide, Campbell’s and so forth—there’s also the thrill of more, um, exotic labels. Consider the three-packs of spiffy patterned men’s boxers by Xuehuaging for $5.99 (c’mon, you can’t hold them to 99 cents for that), and the three-packs of Dalan Golden Tropics soap for $1.29.

Ah, the soaps. What an exotic collection awaits clean freaks like me—and you? Consider Dettol, whose labeling is written in every conceivable language—except English. No matter; the color-coded bars indeed do give a single descriptor that requires no translation: Pink is “skincare,” blue is “active,” lighter blue is “cool,” and so forth. (I didn’t say the descriptors would always make that much sense—but who doesn’t like to unwrap a mystery—especially at only $1.09 per?)

Zounds, here is Zote! This is a traditional Mexican brick of laundry soap, weighing in at a hefty 14.1 ounces. If you’re wondering how you can wash clothing with solid soap, picture the corrugated washboards of yore, or simply a board-free hand wash. “Zote is a high quality soap and can be confidently used for washing your family’s clothes,” the wrapper states. What about washing non-family member clothes? Hmmm, doesn’t say. However, consider: Zote fans have posted that the product can also be used for baiting catfish—could I make that up?—so it seems one way or the other, folks get their money’s worth; just $1.49.

Is it a skin tonic, cologne or linen refresher? Florida Water, a distinctive mix of orange, cinnamon and floral extracts introduced in the early 1800s, is all of the above and more.
This hard-to-find classic sits here in its fancifully labeled elegant bottle, variously sized, awaiting your selection; $1.29-$1.99.

ESPAILLAT AND HOYLMAN WIN SENATE PRIMARIES
Incumbent state Sen. Adriano Espaillat easily won his Democratic primary race against challenger Assemblyman Guillermo Linares last week, taking an estimated 65 percent of the votes. Linares, who declared his intent to run for the position when Espaillat was still neck-and-neck in the race for Charlie Rangel’s congressional seat, had to give up his Washington Heights assembly seat to run. Espaillat’s district, the 31st, shifted after redistricting and now encompasses only Manhattan (he used to represent parts of the South Bronx), with a greater portion of the Upper West Side included.

In the 27th district Senate race, attorney and former chair of Community Board 2 Brad Hoylman beat out opponents Tom Greco, a Chelsea bar owner, and Tanika Inlaw, a public school teacher, to win the Democratic nomination. Hoylman will likely succeed outgoing Sen. Tom Duane, who surprised many when he announced his retirement at the end of his current term.

FALL FESTIVAL ON BROADWAY
The 20th annual Upper Broadway Fall Festival hits the boulevard on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival, which runs on Broadway between West 110th and 116th streets, will include games, food and tournaments. There will be a multitude of participants, including over 200 craft persons, antique dealers and artists. There will be exhibits of collectibles and Latin American crafts, including macramé, ceramics, jewelry, weaving and woodcarving. Sponsors include Broadway Presbyterian Church Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, the Broadway Mall Association and the Upper West Side Recycling Center.

The Broadway Mall Association works to improve the quality of life along Broadway and adjacent streets through cultivation and general care of the planted malls from 59th to 168th Streets. Broadway Presbyterian Church will use the proceeds from the Festival to further its community work. The festival is free and is open to all.

JAZZ GREAT  CELEBRATED UPTOWN
The Smoke Jazz & Supper Club, at 2751 Broadway, will be hosting the Pepper Adams Festival on Tuesday, Sept. 25, and Wednesday, Sept. 26. The event features Gary Smulyan and the Mike LeDonne Quartet paying tribute to Adams, an important if not well known figure in jazz history who broke ground as a baritone saxophonist. Sets will be at 7 and 9 p.m. both nights, with a two-course prix fixe dinner available for $29.95, and another set at 10:30 p.m. with a $20 minimum. Call 212-864-6662 for reservations and information.

FINAL TOUCH UP
A museum worker cleans the marble columns in front of the newly restored murals in the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda at the American Museum of Natural History.

SODA BAN PASSES LAST HURDLE
On Thursday, the New York City Board of Health approved Mayor Bloomberg’s “soda ban,” which prohibits the sale of soda and other sweetened drinks in any container over 16 ounces. The average soda bottle actually exceeds this size, according to the New York Times. Bloomberg’s desire to curb the city’s obesity epidemic fueled the measure, which also applies to energy drinks like Gatorade and sweet iced teas. Over half of the city’s adults—and almost half of the city’s public school students—are overweight or obese, according to the Wall Street Journal. Not surprisingly, vendors of sugary drinks have united to challenge the ban, arguing that it infringes on consumer freedom. Many nutritionists support the measure, like the eminent Yale University epidemiologist Dr. Kelly Brownell, who told the New York Times, “It completely makes more sense to make the environment healthier rather than to just do pure education.” While a Times poll found that most New Yorkers were against the law, the Board of Health vote was almost unanimous, with one abstention. Then again, Bloomberg appointed each board member himself. The ban will take effect March 12, but vendors who break the law will not be fined until mid-June.

‘JAY WALK’ OPENS AT JOHN JAY COLLEGE
Last week John Jay College, at 524 W. 59th St., celebrated the opening of their new 60,000-square-foot rooftop terrace, called the Jay Walk, a name students selected in a contest. The outdoor space houses a vegetable garden, benches, custom-engraved bricks and magnolia trees. Students also have a connection between two of the campus buildings. The Jay Walk is the centerpiece of the college’s expansion, which includes a 13-story, 625,000-square-foot building designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

IRISH PLAY ON UWS
Irish playwright and performer Suzanna Geraghty will be performing her one-woman show Zoe’s Auditions, Part 2 this week at the Drilling Company Theater, 236 W. 78th St. The play is a comical send-up of an actor’s life in which aspiring actress Zoe gets sent on wildly inappropriate auditions by her senile agent. The play won acclaim during its run in Dublin last summer and is being presented in New York as part of the first Irish Festival. Wed.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 3 p.m., $18, through Sept. 22. Visit www.smarttix.com or call 212-868-4444 to reserve tickets.

CENTRAL PARK RAPE VICTIM STANDS STRONG
The 74-year-old victim of a vicious assault and rape in Central Park last week told the New York Post that she isn’t going to let the horrible incident ruin her park experience.
“I’m not scared. I don’t want to lose that pleasure. I won’t let anything keep me from enjoying the park,” she told the Post reporter.
The woman, identified only as an Upper West Side resident, was attacked in broad daylight as she was bird-watching in the park. The alleged rapist, now in police custody after he was spotted strolling around the neighborhood, snuck up to the woman and assaulted her, after she had taken his photo days earlier when she caught him masturbating in the Rambles area of the park.

Police caught a suspect, 42-year-old homeless man David Albert Mitchell, as he was walking on the Upper West Side on Thursday. Mitchell reportedly has a long history of violent offenses.

Many people know Mario Batali as the energetic TV chef and restaurateur, but some are unaware of his role as a philanthropist. In 2008, he launched the Mario Batali Foundation, aiming to make sure children are well read, well fed and well cared-for.

Since then, the foundation has worked with numerous organizations that share the same goal. One of those, Books for Kids, has as its mission the promotion of literacy among children in low-income, high-risk communities across the country.

Their latest collaboration is helping to bring a new and improved library to the children of Goddard Riverside. Nearly 70 percent of children enrolled in Goddard Riverside’s daycare center, at 114 W. 91st St., live below the poverty line. The new library will serve almost 100 children in the neighborhood.

“To be able to help children read, to give them this fundamental building block to a successful life, is remarkable. I am ecstatic that my foundation is able to help create a Books for Kids library and champion literacy programs for all children in need,” Batali said at the opening on Sept. 13.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony included a dedication ceremony, book reading and tour of the new library. An animated Batali read the children the Dr. Seuss story “Green Eggs and Ham.” Prior to the reading, the preschoolers showed their own interpretation of the story to Batali and sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” for guests.

The new library includes a much larger selection of books and a colorful reading space that invites children in to read and learn. The children will now also have the opportunity to take books home.

“Books for Kids is once again thrilled and honored to have the continued support of the Mario Batali Foundation in the creation of a Books for Kids library in a community in great need on the Upper West Side,” Shawna Hamilton Doster, Books for Kids executive director, said.

Doster explained that Books for Kids wants to bridge the gap for low-income children and give them the same opportunities as other children in the city.

City Council Member Gail Brewer, who represents the Upper West Side, attended the event and explained that she is happy to see the new and improved library, and that Goddard Riverside has always been trying to help the residents.

“There is no question that a library of this magnitude will go far in supporting our school readiness goals for our young children and be a major resource for our families,” stated Stephan Russo, the executive director of Goddard Riverside Community Center.

“It’s a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I’d be a drag queen.” Where do you think I’m reading from? A tattoo? A tweet? A T-shirt?

Good guesses all, but—bzzzzz!—none of the above is correct. The statement is typewritten on a slim scrap of paper that is part of a wonderful multimedia mélange that makes up the Holly Suzanne framed artwork at Stoopher & Boots (385 Amsterdam Ave., ’twixt West 78th and West 79th).

“That’s a quote from Dolly Parton,” Stephanie Goldstein, Stoopher’s owner—and one of the local artisans represented in this charming one-of-a-kind shop—offered up. (Would you have guessed Parton was the author of said quote? I was going to multiple-choice you, but my typing fingers got ahead of my brain.)

Well, no matter; onward now to describing the rest of Holly Suzanne’s enchantingly offbeat vision. Measuring approximately 13 by 9 inches, her artwork features a vintage rendering of a rapturous ballerina. The dancer and her dusky background are accented with a generous pour of pink, green and silver glitter so fine that only the detail-oriented will appreciate that some of it is actually star-shaped. What does the thoroughly modern Parton quote have to do with a vintage, glitter-spangled ballerina? Perhaps nothing on the face of it—to the literalist—but together they create a thrillingly edgy juxtaposition, which is the whole (forgive me) “pointe.”

Sealing in all the components is a clear coating of resin. A black-painted wooden frame—which is actually a tray—allows the piece to either be displayed standing up or hung via the large openings on two opposing ends of the tray; $148 for this singular sensation.

By the way, if you prefer the Mae West quote “I used to be Snow White, but I drifted,” Holly Suzanne uses that in another glittery rendition of an old-timey ballerina, this one standing en pointe, with a dreamy expression; also $148.

I actually had not intended to wind up at Stoopher today, but I wanted to peek into the just-opened Sugar and Plumm on the same block; in fact, S&P takes up about half the entire block, filling the space of five previous establishments. (So, uh, yeah; it’s huge. Lotsa kids running around in a sugar wonderland—I noted half-pound bags of chocolate bark for $16—but there’s also sit-down dining.) Figured I’d poke my head into Stoopher to visit Scout, Stephanie’s resident—and neighborhood-beloved—King Charles spaniel, when I saw all the new stock beckoning.

While the Holly Suzanne pieces are spectacular, there are loads of tiny-priced treasures, for adults and kids (many of whom pop in to visit and play with Scout). Standouts include Auntie Di’s soy-blend jelly jar candles in such compelling scents as “clean cotton,” $18; and the Red Leaf soap & shave cubes, in such evocative fragrances as English coast, fresh clover and beach, $6. For kids and pen enthusiasts of all ages, there are skinny ballpoints topped with what looks exactly like (but isn’t) a swirled-color lollipop, authentic down to its cellophane wrapping, gold twist-tie and satin-ribbon bow; $3.

Spiffy tot-size T-shirts designed by Stephanie, sparkly bangles, washable tats in the form of bracelets and rings, and so much more are draws at this friendly neighborhood gathering place.

So sashay on in—and ask Steph if you can give Scout a “skritch” behind the ears for me.

Volunteers Needed to Help Crime Victims
The Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC) of St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital works with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, training community volunteers who assist them in emergency rooms. The CVTC is currently looking for a new crop of local volunteers who act as advocates for victims and help them navigate the process of seeking help and treatment following a sexual or domestic assault. Volunteers must be over 18 years old, live within 20 minutes of St. Luke’s (114th Street and Amsterdam Avenue) and Roosevelt (59th Street and 10th Avenue) hospitals, be willing to commit to the program for at least one year, and be available for all of the following training dates: Oct. 11, 13, 14, 20 and 21. To get more information or register for training, call Christopher, the volunteer coordinator, at 212-523-4494.

Panel Discussion: Close Attica Prison
This year marks the 41st anniversary of the uprising at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York. To commemorate the anniversary, the Riverside Church Mission & Social Justice and the Riverside Prison Ministry are holding a special panel discussion for a call to end mass incarceration and the closing of the super-maximum security penitentiary.

The panel discussion with be emceed by Asha Bandele and will include social justice activist Cornel West, Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander and a call from imprisoned activist and author Mumia Abu-Jamal.

During the 1971 riot, prisoners took security guards hostage for five days, demanding better conditions in the overcrowded prison. At the end of the uprising, a total of 39 people—29 inmates and 10 guards—were dead.

Prior to the panel, there will be a book signing with authors Michelle Alexander and Marc Lamont Hill and a gallery of literature relating to the discussion.

The event takes place Friday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. at Riverside Church, at 91 Claremont Ave. in Morningside Heights. Tickets for the discussion are $10.

Autumn Festival Hits Upper Broadway
The 19th annual Upper Broadway Autumn Festival will hit the streets of the Upper West Side on Saturday, Sept. 15, on Broadway between 110th and 116th streets, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s festival is sponsored by the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, a coalition of religious organizations that works with homeless New Yorkers to get them into permanent, stable housing and employment. It is co-sponsored by the Broadway Mall Association, which cultivates the plantings along Broadway between 59th and 168th streets.

Over 200 craftspersons, antiques dealers and artists will display their wares at the festival, which will also feature food stalls offering gourmet treats from 18 different countries. The event is free and open to all. For more information, call 212-764-6330.

Playground Named for Commissioner
Last week, the city renamed a playground on West 70th Street between West End and Amsterdam Avenues in honor of Matthew P. Sapolin, former commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

The playground was renovated in 2003 to install equipment accessible to children with disabilities. The $1.1 million project included the construction of a garden with accessible bridges, musical instruments and basketball courts with adjustable backstops.

“Sapolin was a champion for the disabled community, and it is especially appropriate that we name this playground for him as it is the home of a great many accessible play elements that all children can enjoy,” Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe said in a statement.

Commissioner Sapolin, who became blind at age 5 as a result of bilateral retinoblastoma, passed away from complications due to cancer last November. He is survived by his wife, Candra, and his children, Toscany and Trevor.

UPPER WEST SIDER, STAFFS THE FAMOUS TENNIS TOURNAMENT

By Angela Barbuti

James Della Pace is serving at the U.S. Open, but he is not a tennis player. President of Amerivents Event Staffing, his company staffs the USTA with over 1,000 employees at the tournament’s concessions and suites.

This can seem like a daunting task. However, to Della Pace, an Upper West Side resident, whose company also staffs such events as the Kentucky Derby and the Food and Wine Festival, it’s not only a job, but a part of his life.

“We are thoroughly involved in the whole process and really get to know the people, the guests, and how the event operates from all angles,” he said.

Over a month before the event, interviews were set up with over 2,000 candidates. “It’s 90 percent about attitude,” he explained. “They are working 12 hours days and have to keep smiling,” he says. Although many résumés flood Amerivents’ inbox, most hires come from referrals. Being a Queens native himself, Della Pace staffs the Open, which is held in Flushing Meadows, in collaboration with Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. “There is a great sense of pride that comes with providing locals in the community work for these few weeks. By recruiting from the surrounding neighborhoods, we are helping the community by giving people the opportunity to be involved in one of the biggest sporting events in our country,” he stated.

Before a career in the service industry, Della Pace was a stockbroker who wanted a change. Having been a bartender, he answered an ad for Spirit Cruises he saw in the New York Times. “I stayed in hospitality ever since,” he said.

Recently Amerivents took on another venture in the form of organic catering. When Stonyfield Yogurt became a sponsor of the U.S. Open two years ago, Della Pace met their Chairman Gary Hirshberg. In April, the two teamed up to create Chelsea’s Table Catering By Amerivents.

“Our mission is to get the word out on healthy foods in a fast-food environment,” Della Pace said. The new partnership is dedicated to educating people about organic, yet tasty options at catering events. Most tend to associate catered events with frozen, processed, and overall unhealthy food choices. However, because of the recent strides made in the availability of organic food, Della Pace noticed a change in the minds of eaters.

Upper West Side Chef David Seigal of the Tangled Vine, who was also involved with the Open, helped collaborate on the company’s catering menu. “We chose dishes that were not only healthy and natural, but ones that the catering world are used to,” Della Pace said.

Their first client was none other than Michelle Obama. “That was exciting,” Della Pace said, of her presidential fundraiser which was held at Chelsea Piers in late March. But Della Pace stresses the fact that there are events that can be planned to fit a smaller budget as well. He is seeing a decrease in the cost of organic options because of the recent high demand for these products. “The farms are getting supported and the pricing is coming more in line with our regular food,” Della Pace stated.

This summer, Amerivents also had a political event on their plate and served at the CNN Grill during the Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay. Union Square Hospitality handled the food aspect of the convention, and they staffed it. Della Pace said, “Amerivents staffed the DNC four years ago, therefore staffing the RNC this year was a natural for us. It is exciting for Amerivents to be a part of both political events over the last few years to show our support not only for one political party or another, but rather for these large conventions where people are encouraged to speak their political views and support their party.”

Artists Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Mark Ruffalo, alongside longtime experts in the field, held a press conference today on the Upper West Side on Aug. 29 to promote Artists Against Fracking, an activist project with the aim of raising awareness about the ill effects of hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking).

Hydrofracking is a process of extracting gas by blasting a pressurized mixture of water and chemicals underground to crack open rock formations. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to make a decision this week on whether to allow hydrofracking in New York state.

Ono, Lennon and Ruffalo launched Artists Against Fracking with the help of nearly 200 other artists and experts, to warn New Yorkers about their important role in stopping Cuomo from approving hydrofracking in the state. Lennon said he believes the city’s elected officials are “smart and have good intentions,” but hydrofracking is not adequately understood by the public. Furthermore, Ruffalo pointed out, “The world is watching New York.”

The organization hopes people will recognize the negative environmental impact of hydrofracking, the overwhelming opposition in America and the “campaign of misinformation” being spread by gas companies. This campaign aims to convince people fracking is a clean alternative to coal, explained Lennon.

“Bloomberg said it can be regulated to be safe,” Lennon said, “but then why did Dick Cheney exempt fracking from the Clean Air Act? Fracking releases unpronounceable toxic chemicals and carcinogens.”

Cornell engineering professor Anthony Ingraffea, who has studied the industry for 25 years, said the primary concerns with hydrofracking are leaks that contaminate underground drinking water and the escape of methane into the atmosphere. Ingraffea said one in 20 wells invariably fails, producing leaks. “Methane emissions are a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide,” said Ingraffea. “It will exacerbate climate change. It’s a bad time and this is bad technology for it.”

“Science doesn’t have two sides, just one,” said Ono. “All we want is a place we can trust in terms of pureness for ourselves and our children.”

Ono said the hope is the public will visit their organization’s website, become more informed and send letters to Cuomo every day, to remind him that “we are not forgetting.”
“Cuomo is the gatekeeper right now,” Lennon said, explaining that while the decision currently faces New York, “nature does not abide by state lines.”

The group promotes renewable energy as an alternative to hydrofracking. As to the issue that any alternative to hydrofracking, however seemingly innocuous, would still leave a carbon footprint, Ingraffea said: “We’re realists. Nobody controls the price of the sun or wind, and we can harness those for a smaller carbon footprint.”

“You cannot lie about something forever,” said Ruffalo. “A sun spill is just a beautiful day.”

Tony Danza speaks of his new book and the rumor he’s running for mayor

By Angela Barbuti

Tony Danza went back to being the boss—but this time it was in front of a classroom. In 2009, the then almost 60-year-old actor decided to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher, taking on a high school English class in Philadelphia, which was filmed as a series on A&E. In I’d like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had, available on Sept. 11, he describes the journey with his class, which included a lot of laughter, and many tears. The West Side resident is now back in New York City and reveals that he’s working on a new scripted sitcom for ABC, and is not, contrary to rumors, running for mayor.

After your talk show was canceled, you followed your original career path, which was to teach. Why didn’t you go into teaching after college?
I think when I got out of school, I was not in the place where I thought I could teach anybody anything. I was also—I hate to say this about myself—a little immature. That’s partially why the title is what it is.

Your first class was filled with 26 tenth-graders. Do you keep in touch with your former students?
Alex was here this weekend; he came to visit me. I’m on email with a lot of them. Right now, a couple of the kids are having girl problems [laughs]. One of the things that really bothered me about only being there one year was that I ingratiated myself into these kids’ lives and then I was gone. I always felt bad about that. So I can’t help but keep in touch with them. I was there in June for their graduation.

Have they started college?
Only two of all the kids I was involved with—because I had another bunch of kids who were an unofficial advisory—aren’t going on to college or serious vocational training. I’m working on those two.

So your students were too young to watch Who’s the Boss.
They were born two years after the show was off the air! Later in the year, the show was playing on the Hallmark Channel, so the kids started to see me. I’d get comments like, “Jeez, Mr. Danza, you didn’t used to walk like that! [Laughs]

What’s harder, acting or teaching?
Teaching. [Pauses] Did I say it fast enough? Acting is not easy, but the responsibility of teaching, you can’t discount that. You’re responsible for 150 kids, but not only that, you’re responsible for their futures. [Pauses] I just think that’s such an unbelievable weight. I try to impress upon the kids that you only get one life, and you have to make the most of it.

Is it true you woke up at 4:20 each morning that year?
I started giving up on the 20. I thought I’d just get up at 4 and stop the baloney. I had it worked out so that if I woke up then, I could do a certain amount of exercising and get to school on time. I’m a physical fitness guy. I had a stationary bike, so I rode every morning and did my pushups.

You took your students to see West Side Story.
Yes I did! They had some knowledge of Romeo and Juliet, so they had a reference point. We talked afterwards about how they could relate it to their lives. You should have seen how it morphed into something about civics and your place in the neighborhood.

This piece is being published on the first day of school for NYC public schools. What advice would you give to first year teachers?
Breathe, Thanksgiving’s coming. [Laughs] But I’d rather give the kids advice. Know that being a good student and having a good time in high school is not mutually exclusive. Which means you can do both. Number two, get off to a good start. Much like a baseball player who starts the season in a slump, it’s very hard to pull your grades up as the year goes on. Number three, make sure that you understand that it is your job to get an education and to make the most of what your teachers are trying to give you.

You said on Twitter, “For the record, I will not be running for mayor.” How did this rumor start?
I was at a red carpet for Joseph Levitt’s movie Premium Rush. I’m in a movie with him that’s coming out next year. A journalist asked me if I ever thought of running for mayor. I think I said, “I don’t think I can stand the scrutiny and nobody’s asking me, but sure, why not.” This is a horrible thing, but the shooting at the Empire State Building happened to knock it off the news cycle. They were doing it every hour on the hour on both Fox and CNN. They were having a panel discussion about me being mayor! [Laughs] I loved it! I love New York.

What are your future plans?
I’m working on a sitcom for ABC and a musical for Broadway, Honeymoon in Vegas. I have a couple of things I’m trying to write, cause now I’m a writer.

To see episodes of Teach: Tony Danza, visit www.aetv.com/teach-tony-danza

About a month after two transitional homeless shelters housing 200 homeless families opened on West 95th Street, some residents and local elected officials are still vocally opposed to the facilities.

The two buildings—at 316 and 330 W. 95 St.—are on a residential block between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive. They serve as emergency shelters—opened because the city needed more beds to support the growing homeless population.

Local residents argue that housing the homeless is not the intended purpose for the two buildings and that the neighborhood, already home to several other shelters, shouldn’t have to take on another one. A nighttime fire that broke out Aug. 28 on the fourth floor of 316 W. 95th St. has heightened concerns for some about the facilities. Other residents are concerned about the shelters’ close proximity to a school and a playground.

Stephanie Martinez, 19, who lives with her family on the Upper West Side, is one such resident.

“It’s a bad idea,” Martinez said. “I’ve been living here for 10 years, and my brother goes to school at P.S. 75. We don’t know the backgrounds [of the shelter residents].”
But one middle-aged man who was moving into one of the buildings last week with his son said that neighbors should think twice before complaining about the shelters.
“I don’t have empathy for the $100-250,000 per year homeowner,” the man said. “The poor used to be up and down the street here. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”
But other residents and local electeds insist that it’s far from a “not in my backyard” attitude that informs their opposition to the shelters. The concern is more about the type of buildings the homeless families are moving into, and who should live there. These are single-room occupancy buildings (SROs)—small individual apartments with a shared bathroom and kitchen. Some Upper West Siders say these buildings should be occupied by low-income rent payers—yet SRO owners and landlords are able to make much more money by renting the space to Homeless Services, which pays a monthly rent of $3,000 for each room.

“The buildings should be for ordinary New York rent-paying people,” said Avi, a neighborhood resident who declined to give his last name. “The buildings should not be fodder for real estate speculators who have managed to raise rents in this city to levels unaffordable to ordinary people.”

Upper West Side Councilmember Gale Brewer agrees, and she, along with other local leaders, voiced her opposition to Homeless Services even before the shelters opened up.
“These buildings we want to be permanent housing,” Brewer said. “We want similar residents who have longstanding community ties to be residents.”

Mark Diller, the chairperson of Community Board 7, said that the use of the SROs as homeless facilities is counterproductive when it comes to solving the overarching goal—reducing homelessness and building up the affordable housing stock for local residents.

“The problem is that by the shelter taking up these units, you’re eliminating 200 units of otherwise affordable housing,” Diller said. “The SRO Law Project tries to make sure that what’s left of the affordable housing stock is preserved. It’s very troubling. … You want everyone to be able to live permanently in the community. [You’re creating] the problem that you’re trying to solve.”

Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, who represents the Upper West Side, shares Diller’s viewpoint, adding that by placing the homeless in these buildings, the city is rewarding Robert Hess, a former DHS commissioner who now operates the shelters, for his multiple housing violations as a landlord.

“This homeless problem is just made worse by the city recycling people into units that should be permanent housing, and rewarding someone who breaks the law,” Rosenthal said.

The middle-aged homeless man said that this year’s elimination of the Advantage Program, a rental subsidy that helped to pay one or two years of rent support to eligible households, led to a sharp decline in the neighborhood’s affordable housing.

“There is no reasonable housing program, period,” he said, adding that opponents of the West 95th Street shelters should advocate for affordable low-income housing in the neighborhood.

According to the Fair Share Doctrine, each community must do its part in providing for the poor. Diller believes that the Upper West Side has more than its share of homeless residences: In the West 90s, the Narragansett, the Senate, Camden Hotel and Yale/Rose, to name a few, already provide housing for the homeless; and 21 percent of the city’s vulnerable population is housed on the Upper West Side, Diller said. Because the 95th Street shelters are emergency transitional housing, Homeless Services was able to bypass its usual neighborhood Fair Share review.

“This is us saying we’ve done our fair share several times over,” Diller said. “They’re using emergency certification as an excuse not to do the public review.”

Heather Janik, the DHS spokeswoman, said the agency is doing its part in communicating with the community.

“Our Agency has a legal mandate to provide temporary, emergency shelter to homeless individuals in need, and opened a shelter on West 95th Street so that our clients can live and be served with dignity and respect,” Janik said. “We have been actively communicating with elected officials from the beginning of this process and engaged in open dialogue with community leaders, and will maintain positive relations with residents in the surrounding neighborhood.”