By Helaina Hovitz

If a hurricane didn’t kill this community’s spirit, a little rain wasn’t going to, either.

Determined to go on with the show — a show that ran past the event’s scheduled 9 p.m. end time — the first annual Spirit Festival commenced as planned on Thursday, April 18, on Front Street between Beekman and Fulton Streets, raising funds and moral support for South Street Seaport area businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Speaker Sheldon Silver presents a State Assembly proclamation to Ashley Duncan, president of the Spruce Street School PTA, along with a group of students.
Photo by Brook Altman

During the superstorm, the East River rushed through the storefronts of bars, shops and restaurants around the Seaport, tearing rooms apart and sending refrigerators floating down Front Street. Things went from bad to worse when 13 businesses around Front Street and Peck Slip operating under a lease with The Durst Organization were told that they couldn’t open for at least another six to eight months because Durst wanted to replace the geothermal unit (a boiler system), instead of just fixing it. While some business owners immediately picked up and left, others immediately reopened, and many are still waiting to do so.

Shortly after the storm, the ones who’ve made the decision to stay formed the Seaport Neighborhood Merchants’ Association, sponsored by the Downtown Alliance and initiated with the help of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. Their goal: to promote their businesses and let everyone know “they’re still here.”

On Thursday, the wet winds caused a slow-moving start to the festival, but people still showed; before long, the streets dried up and drew larger crowds. An estimated 500 people attended the event between the hours of 5 – 9:30 p.m.

“It was friendly and festive, but served as a reminder of how stark it is down there. Nothing is open,” said Ashley Duncan, President of the Spruce Street School PTA, who organized the event. “Everyone seemed ready for a night like this. The community came together in such a ginormous way.”

Jef Tuohy performs at The Spirit Project. Photo by Brook Altman

Of course, a steady stream of adorable dancing children continuously gathered in front of the bandstand, shaking it up with food smeared all over their faces.

All the right people showed up, too, including Manhattan Borough President candidate Julie Menin, current Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, City Council Member Margaret Chin, District Leader and City Council candidate Jennifer Rajkumar, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who presented the Spruce Street PTA with a state proclamation acknowledging the school for their support of the community.

Four food trucks, who each donated $250 for their place, flagged a stage that hosted musical performances by Jeff Touhy, The Hollows, and The Crusty Gentlemen. Parents and businesses donated everything from soundstage equipment to drinks, and sales from beer and wine tickets, as well as t-shirts, went to the Association.

“You bet I was there eating,” said Marco Pasanella, owner of Pasanella & Son Vintners at 115 South Street. “But not drinking too much, because it was our wine.”

Pasanella, who is also the acting director of the Association, said that seeing tons of kids on the block for the first time in “god knows how many months” made it feel like the neighborhood was alive again.

“We’re all here, it’s warm out, we’re back, and we’re happy,” he said. “I hope this is just the beginning.”

The Spirit Project’s donation lines will be kept open until May 1st (visit sprucestreetnyc.org and click on Spirit Project on the side panel), and the PTA plans to organize a new event each year to support a different cause.

It is no surprise that the South Street Seaport is still heavily feeling the effects of Superstorm Sandy. At a recent legal clinic aimed at helping small business owners in the area, several owners spoke about the difficulties they are facing.

“The whole neighborhood, which to me is the most important neighborhood in New York City, is dark” said Amanda Byron Zink, owner of the Salty Paw, a South Street dog grooming business.

Issues of damage repair, applying for grants, paying back loans and qualifying for insurance are just a few of the challenges these small business owners face. Not to mention the question of when, if ever, they can put that “open” sign back on their front doors.

Amanda Byron Zink has lived in the South Street Seaport neighborhood for 17 years, with 6 of those years dedicated to running The Salty Paw along historic Front Street.

“I am raising my family here so this is personal,” Zink said. “It’s not just about getting my business up and running again, which is still closed along with 13 other storefronts in long historic Front Street.”

Even businesses that know they will be re-opening soon have found little cause for celebration just yet.

Stella was, and will be again, a Front Street neighborhood bistro owned by Fernando Dallorso. He appears to be better off than many with his restaurant ready to re-open, but as any true South Street Seaport patron knows, true success will only be established in numbers. These small businesses have an unparalleled sense of camaraderie and pride in diversity that has made them historic, and will keep that history alive.

“It’s all hands on deck, or it’s not going to happen,” said Dallorso.

Linda Marini, co-owner of the Italian restaurant Barbarini, intends to re-open as well, though unfortunately it will not be in South Street Seaport. As one of the first storefronts to open on Front Street seven years ago, it will be hard for her to leave this neighborhood. Where does Barbarini go from here?

“I don’t know, right now it’s a lot of question marks,” said Marini.

But in the midst of this four-month haze of uneasiness and uncertainty, there appears to be a little glimmer of hope and help.

Last Thursday, local business owners participated in the first 100 percent pro-bono legal clinic intended specifically for those in the Seaport neighborhood, hosted by Senator Daniel Squadron,  law firm Proskauer Rose LLP, Manhattan Community Board 1, and the City Bar Justice Center.

On the third floor of the Seaport Museum, numerous business owners and lawyers gathered to discuss both the challenges and possible solutions for these local businesses.

“They are going to provide hundreds of hours of pro bono legal services not once, not twice, but on an ongoing basis to those who are affected down here,” explained Senator Squadron in a press conference shortly following this first session.

On the city, the state, and federal level, Senator Squadron acknowledged that there is a lot that still needs to be done. The senator himself, along with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, are sponsoring tax relief legislation for businesses and residents affected by Sandy.

There’s also a simple way for residents to help these businesses.

“One of the most important things is to walk with your feet and your pocketbook and support the businesses that have re-opened, and encourage them to stay open,” said CB1 Chair Catherine McVay Hughes.

Shun the conventional dates this Feb. 14

Whether you’ve been with your significant other for a while or you’re spending Valentine’s Day with someone you just met on the train—or even if you’re single but ready to mingle—you don’t want to go on the same old boring dates year after year. If you’re into committing a charitable act, being spontaneous, devouring sweet treats or doing all three, Our Town has the hookups to guarantee your Valentine’s Day—and week—is as saucy and unconventional as possible.

Donate Blood
What’s sexier than banding together to save lives? What’s more straight-from-the-heart than your own blood? Especially after Hurricane Sandy, which has driven the demand for blood in the city higher than ever. Visit the New York Blood Center’s website to schedule a blood donation or find a drive in your area. If you’re a little woozy post-donation, you can cling to one another as you sip from paper cups of apple juice and nibble on cookies.
nybloodcenter.org

Cupid’s Undie Run
If you want to bond this Valentine’s Day weekend without your clothes on, consider Cupid’s (one-mile) Undie Run through Chelsea and the Meatpacking District. The run will take place Feb. 9 at 2:30 p.m. and includes a post-run celebration at the Brass Monkey bar. All proceeds from the event benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Who ever said stripping down couldn’t be charitable in more ways than one? cupidsundierun.com/NYC

Craigslist It Up
If you and your other half want to spice things up this year, consider posting a “missed connection,” “casual encounter” or personal ad to each other on Craigslist. Be smart with this one; while it’s always fun to be spontaneous and a bit exhibitionistic, remember Craigslist is a public forum and whatever you post is definitely not for your eyes only. craigslist.com

Literary Speed-Dating
If you’re a part of that “still looking for a date” crowd—and maybe just a little bit nerdy—the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in Soho has just the event for you. On Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., the bookstore will be hosting “literary speed-dating” for those who would “rather be judged by their book cover.” While the event is currently sold out, it’s still possible to get on the waiting list, and the bookstore guarantees more similar, coveted events in the future for those who sign up.
126 Crosby St.; housingworks.org/bookstore

The OkCupid Show
Want to learn what not to do this Valentine’s Day? The Housing Works Bookstore Cafe is also hosting a night of dating-horror-storytelling with writers from big-name magazines sharing stories on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. Consider this a primer on how to behave this V-Day whether you’re meeting someone from the Internet or not.

Gelato Workshop
If you just want to get straight to the sweet stuff this holiday, consider a gelato/sorbet workshop class with your date at Mia Chef Gelateria in Murray Hill. The gelateria hosts 14 different evening classes all through February where expert artisans teach the ancient art of gelato-making. Bring home the fruits of your labor to spoon feed each other while you cuddle up on the love seat in front of your favorite romantic flick.
gelatomia.com

Beginner Salsa Classes
Get intimate with that special someone on this year’s day of love by engaging in a little spicy salsa action (no, not the eating kind). Baila Tango in Midtown West hosts $20 beginner salsa classes for four evening dates in February. Learn the basics from an expert and wow your date on the dance floor with your new moves … or giggle flirtatiously as you stumble over each other’s feet and collapse clumsily into each other’s arms.
bailatango.com

Disaster may be fading from other New Yorkers’ minds, but hospitals like Beth Israel have been forced to permanently re-examine their operations.

Before the antiseptic smell even has a chance to reach your nose, the first thing you notice about Beth Israel’s ER is the sheer number of people occupying it. Bodies fill every chair in the cramped waiting room and every bed in sight; bodies linger in corridors. Months after Hurricane Sandy’s New York landfall, one of the few hospitals fully up and running in downtown Manhattan is still bearing the brunt of the storm’s devastation.

Jim Mandler, vice president of public affairs and communications at the hospital, says there’s a method to all this madness.

“That happens over time,” he explained, indicating that however chaotic things may appear, sufficient practice has smoothed out the hospital’s routines.

While Beth Israel never closed during the disaster, it felt the effects of being the only hospital open for a time in the area.

About two weeks after the hurricane that shook Lower Manhattan to its core, Murray Hill resident Brett Shanley was moving into a new apartment when he felt a persistent shooting pain in his back. He knew he’d pinched a nerve. Shanley immediately made his way to NYU Langone Medical Center a few blocks from his apartment. There were sandbags around the hospital; it was still closed. Shanley hopped in a cab to Beth Israel, where a nightmarish scene awaited him.

“I had never seen [an ER] this crowded or this foul. Sneezing and bleeding and shouting, snoring and crying and muttering—it felt like an asylum,” Shanley said.

“People kept streaming in with nowhere to sit … the room maybe held 50 people comfortably and there were 80 to 90 people in it. The ceilings were low and it was poorly lit.”

“The staff seemed hard-working, curt and exhausted,” he added.

After three hours, Shanley was able to see a doctor. “Ultimately I was called back deeper into the depths of the hospital which, in comparison, felt like a high-end resort. The halls were clean, well-lit and uncrowded. People even smiled and joked. It was hard to believe it was the same building.”

Shanley said he spent about six hours in the ER that day.

While Shanley’s visit to Beth Israel did not coincide with the worst of the storm, it reveals the dire circumstances of a facility still facing the fallout of a disaster which shut down every other hospital in the lower third of Manhattan.

The media spotlight on the impressive evacuation efforts of NYU Langone Medical Center during the storm has overlooked the pressure put on other facilities due to overcrowding, say hospital administrators. This pressure has been enormous, particularly at Beth Israel.

“We’re getting a different population than we’re used to,” explained Mary Walsh, the chief nursing officer for Beth Israel. “Psychiatry has probably been the major difference.”

In addition to added psychiatry services, the hospital has had to take on more emergency patients, provide extensive obstetrical (OB) services and even house some of Bellevue’s prison population.

“[Admitting] four to five patients under arrest at one time is unusual,” said Walsh, compared to standard procedure.

Throughout the storm and its aftermath, Beth Israel was forced to meet many very specific and unusual needs. The hospital served not only as an emergency room, but a pharmacy, a dialysis center, a methadone clinic, a place to sleep and a place to charge cellphones. Displaced people throughout the city made their way to Beth Israel, often simply wandering in off the street, said John Samuels, the administrative director for emergency services. He pointed out that it became a real security issue.

“People would come in and say, ‘Can you go pick this person up in the street?’ People couldn’t call 911,” Samuels said.

Anything for which someone might ordinarily call their doctor, they turned to the only open hospital—and one of the few open establishments at all—downtown.

“We weren’t just meeting medical needs, we were meeting social needs too,” Mandler said. The hospital became a sort of community center; no one was turned away.

Perhaps counterintuitively, though, the real spike in patients—and in the severity of their cases—came after the storm had receded. At that point, the social needs had been met, many could return home, and those who were seriously sick or injured came to the hospital for the first time.

“That’s when people woke up and realized, ‘I need to get to the hospital,’” Samuels said.

Prior to the storm, Beth Israel saw approximately 320 patients a day; during the storm, the hospital was seeing highs in the mid-400s. Ambulance volume doubled as well. According to Samuels, an ambulance is more ominous—indicative of a sicker patient.

The current patient load remains substantially higher than usual, with between 75 and 100 extra patients per day.

Beth Israel brought on other doctors—many from NYU—and purchased more resources, including beds and linens, to meet increased need. The hospital also opened up additional units and fed its employees around the clock while they were holed up inside. Samuels said it was hard to place a price tag on the added costs.

Alan D. Aviles, president of the Health and Hospitals Corp. (HHC), said the cost to repair New York City public hospitals and ensure against future damage would likely exceed $800 million.

The exhausted staff Shanley encountered had been sleeping side by side on the floor of the hospital, often in four-hour shifts, throughout the worst of the storm.

“The nurses did a yeoman job,” said David Bernhard, the senior vice president of medical affairs. “Employees were sleeping in the hospital who might have gone home … it was really a remarkable effort.”

Beth Israel also took in about 140 evacuees from sister hospitals, but running on a generator still didn’t mean everything functioned properly. Walsh explained Sandy was different than other disasters because not only was the environment affected, but so were the hospital’s usual techniques.

New York City Council members have introduced a bill in the aftermath of Sandy which aims to strengthen flood-proofing requirements for health-care facilities in the city. Hearings have been under way to address these issues.

Administrators agreed emergency planning, including the hospital’s emergency management committee, was helpful, but everything could be better the next time around.

Hospital administrators realized, for instance, post-Sandy, the ER demanded certain necessary modifications. For one, they needed to re-examine their fast track system, which aims to move patients with less serious ailments in and out quickly. They transformed one of their three treatment pods into the fast-track area during the storm, a change that has remained in place. The hospital also opened up a private VIP room into a space where several patients could be treated side by side.

“We will still need to reassess the fast track,” explained Lisa Dyer, Beth Israel’s nursing director, adding with the new changes, non-urgent patients are already not waiting as long as before. She described it as a work in progress.

Despite its severity, Hurricane Sandy wasn’t the first event in recent years to spur much-needed change at Beth Israel.

Mandler described a recent decision by the hospital he called fortuitous. After Cabrini Medical Center closed in 2008, Beth Israel expanded their space, allowing them to take in many more patients. After the 2010 closing of St. Vincent’s hospital, the added space was a major help, as Beth Israel patient numbers saw an immediate surge. However, Hurricane Sandy has taught administrators at Beth Israel they still need to address surge capacity issues.

Lisa Cannistraci, who is something of a West Village staple as the owner of Henrietta Hudson bar and a member of Community Board 2, recently had to confront these issues firsthand.

Cannistraci broke her thumb in a freak accident two weeks ago and went to Beth Israel around 11 p.m.

“There was no seating, it was packed to the gills,” said Cannistraci. “They alluded to the fact that I’d be there all night … I did the intake and then after I sat down I said to myself, ‘I gotta go.’”

Cannistraci had a friend drive her to a hospital in New Jersey where she was in and out in under two hours.

“The ambiance was very dismal among people waiting [at Beth Israel],” said Cannistraci. “There had to be 120 people there.”

Cannistraci noted the staff at Beth Israel was “fantastic” despite the overcrowding.

“St. Vincent’s closing was a tragedy to everybody,” she added.

With regard to long-term plans for the hospital, including additional facility construction, Mandler said Sandy will definitely influence the outcome.

Beth Israel’s president, Harris Nagler, agreed with this assessment. For all Beth Israel’s response efforts, “Sandy really tested the system,” he said. “We need to ask if we’re currently at the tipping point of responding.”

While most New Yorkers may have moved on from the hurricane, Beth Israel and other downtown hospitals do not share that luxury. Bellevue, which closed for the first time in 275 years according to Aviles, has resumed many of its services but is still not taking ambulances. The VA hospital is closed with plans to reopen in mid-February.

Even so, Walsh believes Beth Israel’s patient load is likely to be higher for good. “When Bellevue opens again some patients will still come back,” she said. “Because of our care.”

The impact of Sandy on the hospital will not be forgotten by Beth Israel staff members anytime soon.

“Here,” said Bernhard, Hurricane Sandy “is still on everybody’s mind every day.”

We asked the state senators and assembly members from our neighborhoods to respond to Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State address

Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered his annual State of the State speech, addressing a population that had recently been shaken by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy and the unthinkable violence of the school shooting in nearby Newton, Conn. The governor proposed a bevy of sweeping legislative changes to bolster the state’s economy, strengthen the public education system, and crack down on guns and assault weapons. We spoke to state legislators from Manhattan to find out how the governor’s proposals might affect New York City residents and how these leaders plan to follow through on these important issues.

Sen. Liz Krueger, Upper East Side

“I was thrilled to see Gov. Cuomo commit to moving key items in my own legislative agenda, especially a comprehensive women’s equality package including several key measures I’ve sponsored or supported.

“Fair pay, workplace fairness, reproductive health, preventing domestic violence—these are priorities I’ve fought for since I joined the Senate, and I welcome Gov. Cuomo’s leadership and hope he can help us break through the deadlock in Albany that has prevented real action on too many of these issues.

“I was happy to see Gov. Cuomo continue his commitment to passing a comprehensive gun control package including a stronger assault-weapons ban.”

Assembly Member Micah Kellner, Upper East Side

“Gov. Cuomo put forward a progressive agenda to make New York a model for equality, innovation, education and technology. I look forward to working with him and his administration to implement the toughest assault weapons ban in the nation, enact meaningful campaign finance reform, provide equality for women and raise the minimum wage for working New Yorkers.

“Encouraging new businesses to thrive in New York City is something I have long promoted as the sponsor of an Angel Investor Tax Credit, which provides tax incentives to individuals who invest in startups so that companies that develop in New York remain in New York. The governor’s proposed “innovation hot spots”—tax free zones to ensure new technologies developed in New York are commercialized here—is an exciting idea, which could not come at a better time as the new Cornell-Technion campus breaks ground on Roosevelt Island.”

Assembly Member Dan Quart, Upper East Side

“I support the governor’s broad thinking on education issues. The governor’s competitive grant program will allow public schools the opportunity to reimagine their school days with more instructional time. Families who are looking for a longer school day or year will be able to find a public school that can provide those things.

“I applaud the governor for taking a strong stand against gun violence in New York. I support a policy of using the state’s buying power to curb the sale of semi-automatic machine guns. As the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to contacts for firearms for the New York State Police, Gov. Cuomo can and should leverage the state’s buying power against gun manufacturers who have prioritized profits over the safety of New Yorkers.”

Sen. Adriano Espaillat, Upper West Side, Manhattan Valley, Washington Heights

“As the sponsor of legislation to raise the minimum wage, I was heartened to hear Gov. Cuomo express his support for this initiative, which will help millions of New Yorkers rise out of poverty and be able to better make ends meet.

“I commend the governor for his commitment to enacting swift gun reform legislation. As the sponsor of legislation to restrict gun sales and strengthen our gun laws, I am pleased to join the governor in calling for strong reform to gun laws that will make New York’s the toughest in the nation.

“I applaud Gov. Cuomo for his decision to direct $1 billion toward the production and preservation of affordable housing in New York City.

“Additionally, I strongly support the governor’s call for a Women’s Equality Act, ensuring that all women have true equality regardless of gender.

“Finally, I also commend Gov. Cuomo for his call to invest in the future, by educating our youth, including a plan for fully funded pre-K.”

Sen. Brad Hoylman, Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen, Upper West Side, Midtown/East Midtown, the East Village and Lower East Side

“I am heartened by the governor’s renewed call for an assault weapons ban and other measures to fix New York’s porous gun laws, especially in light of the tragedy at Sandy Hook and the spate of gun violence across New York City last summer. The governor’s Women’s Equality Act, which includes support for pay equity, is a bold effort to end discrimination and inequality based on gender, and I appreciate his strong call for passage of the Reproductive Health Act to protect women’s right to choose. I was also pleased to hear his plan to lessen the harm caused by the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy by decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana and advance campaign finance reform through the public financing of elections.

“The creation of a $1 billion affordable housing fund appears promising, although we also need measures to strengthen rent regulation laws, which have been bottled up by special interests for many years. And while I’m pleased to hear of the governor’s support for increasing the minimum wage to help address the growing gap between the rich and poor in our state, working families will not see a lasting benefit if we fail to index any increase to inflation.”

Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, Upper West Side

“I was pleased to hear Gov. Cuomo outline an aggressively progressive platform for New York state. While it should not have taken the tragedy of Sandy Hook to begin the long-overdue conversation on guns that we are currently having, I am glad that New York state, which already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, will act to make them tougher. I am eager to cast my vote in the affirmative on a comprehensive package of common-sense gun laws.

“During these tough economic times, it is critical that we raise the minimum wage and index it to inflation to help build ladders to the middle class by guaranteeing that hard-working families are paid a fair wage for a day’s work. Recognizing the role that gender-based discrimination plays in economic security for women and their families, I was pleased to hear the governor focus on achieving real pay equity in New York state. I am the prime sponsor of legislation that would equalize the pay gap that still exists for women employed in stereotypically female-dominated fields, and look forward to working with the governor to pass this and a number of other reforms to end gender-based discrimination and also violence against women and girls. In addition to pay equity, I am excited that the governor will be seeking passage of the Reproductive Health Act as part of a broader Women’s Equality Act, which would focus on protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual harassment and human trafficking.”

Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Greenwich Village and Tribeca

“I’m very excited about the governor’s strong position on women’s equality. I will be working with a broad coalition to ensure that his agenda on women is passed in the Assembly. In addition, measures to increase the minimum wage and close gun loopholes are crucial.”

Sen. Daniel Squadron, Lower Manhattan

“New Yorkers are crying out for the common sense protections that will help keep our streets and our families safe from gun violence. I’ve long supported legislation that would close major gaps in our assault weapons ban—including the weapon used in Newtown and Webster. There is simply no reason for civilians to carry these military-style weapons. I applaud the governor for making a tougher assault weapons ban part of his proposal.

“In addition, I stand with Senate Democrats, the Assembly and the governor in support of microstamping. Blocking the bill means depriving police of a vital, cost-effective tool to connect shell casings with their guns. It’s simply mind-boggling that Senate Republicans would continue to block microstamping and let hundreds of murder and gun violence cases go unsolved each year.
“I also applaud the governor for highlighting the in-plain-view marijuana possession statute and the inconsistent way it’s enforced. In large parts of our city, entire communities feel like suspects targeted by law enforcement rather than citizens protected by it. The governor’s proposal to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana in public view would be a critical step toward ending these inequities.”

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Lower East Side

“As our Lower Manhattan community continues to recover from Hurricane Sandy, I commend the governor’s call for strengthening our infrastructure, such as subways, and I will continue to join my fellow elected officials to demand that Congress end its delays and release the aid that our residents so desperately need. I was also very pleased that the governor said he would join the Assembly in enacting serious and meaningful gun safety legislation. We in the Assembly have passed comprehensive gun reforms year after year, including bills to strengthen our state’s assault weapons ban, require the micro-stamping of shell casings to help police track guns used in crimes, keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and many other common sense measures. As one of our state’s leading advocates for universal pre-K, I commend the governor for joining our effort to make greater investments in our children, especially here in New York City.”

Since his breakout performance in Jim Jarmusch’s 1989 film Mystery Train, Steve Buscemi has become one of New York’s most recognizable and beloved actors. With his distinctive voice, gaunt visage and agitated manner, Buscemi has breathed life into unforgettable and eminently quotable characters in movies like The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs and Fargo. In real life, the Brooklyn native is a far cry from the criminals and misfits he often portrays onscreen. A former New York City firefighter, Buscemi returned to his old firehouse to volunteer in the weeks following 9/11, and he has been active in the relief effort post-Sandy. Most recently, his community activism has inspired him to endorse Public Advocate Bill de Blasio for mayor. City & State Editor Morgan Pehme talked with Buscemi about de Blasio, Superstorm Sandy and whether playing a party boss in Boardwalk Empire has affected his outlook on politics.

The following is an edited transcript.

Why are you supporting Bill de Blasio for mayor?
I think he’s right for the job. I’ve known him for 12 years. I met him first when he was running for the City Council in Brooklyn. He was going door-to-door … talking to people, listening to people. It’s a quality that I like about Bill that he wants input from the community. I don’t think he’s the kind of guy who would impose his will on New York. He’s a progressive. I just agree with his outlook on things. He fights for teachers, he fights for the working class and he fights for the underprivileged. And he’s always been there for the firefighting community. I used to see him at all the rallies and protests when they were closing firehouses in the early 2000s, and much more recently he was instrumental in figuring out with the City Council, with the mayor, how to make the numbers work so they don’t have to close firehouses.

He’s been really helpful post-Sandy, because a lot of firefighters were struggling. We know that communities you don’t always see or hear about in the news, have such a long road ahead of them, and Bill understands that. He’s compassionate … I’ve come to him for a few things … on the ground, in the Rockaways needs weren’t being met, and I gave him a call, and he got right on it. I also am pleased with what he’s done for the film industry. Part of that’s selfish on my part, because I like working in New York, and I’m grateful to be on the show that I’m on—but I think that it’s good for New York in general to get the tax incentives that keeps the industry here. We’ve seen in the past few years that production has really flourished.

When you said that de Blasio wouldn’t impose his will on the city, was that a subtle dig at Mayor Bloomberg’s tenure in office?
Of course not! Our third-term mayor? No! [Laughs] I’m really proud of Bill [for] his stance on term limits. He really stood his ground there. And, really, I’m not out to criticize Mayor Bloomberg. I think his heart is in the right place … but I think it’s important that the city take another direction when Bloomberg leaves, and I think that Bill is the right person to lead us in that direction and take all of us along with him—every borough and people in every walk of life who live in this city.

Celebrity endorsements often get a fair amount of ink, but do you think that they motivate people to actually vote for a candidate?
I’ve never been swayed by a celebrity. [Laughs] I think what it does maybe is if you hear, you know, Alec Baldwin say something, that he’s interested in Bill de Blasio, maybe that will prompt people to take a closer look at Bill who maybe weren’t looking so closely. But no, I don’t generally believe that there are people who say, “Oh, I’ll vote for whoever Steve Buscemi votes for.”

Do you intend to endorse any other candidates this cycle?
No.

As a former firefighter, what has been your take on the government’s response to Superstorm Sandy?
I find that there’s been a general lack of communication on the ground. I think the volunteers’ effort has been truly amazing, and that they have led the effort. From what I’ve seen, [many people] don’t really even know how to get the support [they need] because … it just doesn’t seem that accessible. That’s on a citywide level. And I know that the mayor’s office has been doing a lot of wonderful things, and they have been trying, but I just find that they haven’t been leading the effort, and that’s what’s been frustrating.

Has playing a politician in Boardwalk Empire influenced your thinking about politics?
It makes me more interested in politics in general, just sort of reading about it, and seeing how things were done back then, and how things are done now. I’ve been having a lot of fun playing a politician. Of course, Nucky’s no longer a politician, and I actually miss that. [Laughs]

We’ve had so many troubles in New York since 2001. Are you optimistic about the future of the city?
I am optimistic only because it’s New York, and I think that New Yorkers will see their way through. I’ve seen a lot of strength on the ground. I’ve seen firefighters who not only went through a harrowing experience during the storm but a lot of them, their own homes were damaged either by flooding or fire, and I’ve seen other firefighters come in and pitch in. There was this amazing effort in Breezy Point where this whole pump-and-gut operation was led by firefighters on their days off. When I see people doing that, I just go, “Wow, I love the people in this city.”

This article originally appeared in City & State

Bette Dewing

“Together we can change the face of our culture” was the subtitle chosen by editor Allen Houston for my previous column. Allen, who left this company shortly after that, chose a lot of good headlines in his two-plus years editing the paper, and we thank him and wish him great success in his new workplace.

But I regretted my main headline choice—“Unnatural Disasters the Worst,” about the school massacre that made America weep—because such unnatural disasters are more preventable than the “natural” kind like superstorm Sandy. The cultural climate needs changing in either case, by continuing the work to overcome the causes and help the afflicted, especially those alone in their loss. It’s the business of the media too, to keep government’s feet to the fire; in a recent edition of the Daily News, for example, concern with Sandy’s countless victims was found only in the letters to the editor.

Ah, I shouldn’t say “only.” Letters to the editor often have insights that get to the heart of the matter better than other reports. And thankfully, a resident of Peter Cooper Village shared a letter to the editor by local psychologist Richard Orbe-Austin about the emotional toll felt by residents there. Even though losses were minor compared to the massive kind felt elsewhere, they were substantial enough to cause emotional problems for 20 to 30 percent of the residents. They are the ones who often “suffer in silence, since others have moved on with their lives.” Elders often lack work communities. The psychologist urged residents to look out for vulnerable neighbors. And while the 1-800-HELPLINE resource was included, I thought of Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey’s belief that “the impersonal hand of government can never replace the caring hand of a neighbor.”
Don’t misunderstand; I think Humphrey would be appalled at the unconscionable delay in getting federal relief to superstorm Sandy victims. But he would also be concerned that “social service hands” increasingly take the place of caring hands of neighbors, civic and faith group and even family members. There just isn’t time to give “caring hands.”

Several recent Times pieces aired research on how elders with disabilities, especially, are the most vulnerable in times of disaster, including fire-caused deaths and injuries. But, while never forgetting the massive needs of superstorm Sandy victims, attention must be paid to traffic calamities, too. Charles Komanoff’s Streetsblog reported recently that five pedestrians were killed locally in four days of the holiday season, mostly as a result of the deadly “turning into a crosswalk” circumstance. How disastrous that government, whose first duty it is to protect the public, still ignores Komanoff’s 1998 manual “Killed By Automobile,” which has all the stats to support this hazardous “turning violation” claim, along with ways to prevent them. So here’s praying a copy recently given to the East 79th Street Neighborhood Association will prompt this highly effective 25-year-old civic group to make it their number one mission.

While Betty White’s TV program Off Their Rockers features elders playing outrageous pranks on youthful strangers encountered in an urban street setting, real-life collisions between elderly pedestrians and vehicles are no laughing matter. So we should heed Jim Battaglia’s call for “a video camera to be mounted above and on the rear wheels of a bus or truck to supplement the regular rear-view mirror which might not give an adequate view of pedestrians.”

Change can be accomplished if enough of us try—meeting the massive needs of Hurricane Sandy’s victims and overcoming traffic behaviors that routinely claim the lives and health of innocent victims with little or no media coverage. And we sure could use a leader like Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday we celebrate Jan. 21.

dewingbetter@aol.com

NADLER, CUOMO ATTACK DELAY IN SANDY AID
The House of Representatives’ failure to vote on a $60 billion Hurricane Sandy disaster aid bill last week prompted a number of angry responses by local elected officials representing the storm-ravaged city.

“This is a betrayal of the millions of Americans who are struggling after Sandy and a trivialization of the loss of more than 100 American lives,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “Not taking up the $60 billion Sandy funding bill will mean that many Americans could remain homeless, the rebuilding of homes and businesses across the Northeast will be delayed, and the coastal infrastructure of the region will remain damaged and vulnerable to the next storm.”

He noted that agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could not proceed with major repairs until funding is secured.

Local governors were similarly incensed. “This failure to come to the aid of Americans following a severe and devastating natural disaster is unprecedented,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a joint statement with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. “The fact that days continue to go by while people suffer, families are out of their homes, and men and women remain jobless and struggling during these harsh winter months is a dereliction of duty.”

Mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed more patience about the delay. “You know, democracy is something that takes a while to come together and to get the results,” he said. “As long as it turns out that we get the monies that we think are appropriate for the federal government to send to a part of the country that’s had a major natural disaster, all’s well that ends well.”

The House cast a preliminary vote to direct funds to the National Flood Insurance Program on Friday, and has scheduled to vote on the remaining aid on Jan. 15, the first day of legislative business from the new 113th Congress.

FIRE FATALITIES DROP TO LOWEST NUMBER EVER
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano announced last week that 2012 saw the fewest civilian fire deaths in New York City history. Fifty-eight people died in blazes, four fewer than the former record low of 62 deaths in 2010, and a 12 percent decline from the 66 deaths in 2011. It was the seventh consecutive year that fire-related deaths have numbered under 100, which has occurred only 12 times since the city began keeping records in 1916.

The top two causes of fire-related deaths last year were accidental electrical fires and smoking. Forty-three percent of those killed in a blaze were over the age of 70, and 79 percent of the fatal fires struck where there were no working smoke detectors.

Bloomberg and Cassano also announced that FDNY’s Emergency Medical Service set a new record last year for fastest average ambulance response time: The new record, 6:30, is down one second from 2011’s previous record.

“With a record low number of murders and shootings and the fewest fire deaths in our city’s history, 2012 was a historic year for public safety,” Bloomberg said. “The FDNY has consistently improved fire safety over the past decade and has continued to drive response times to historic lows. These achievements and the efforts by our firefighters, EMTs and paramedics to save lives—while putting theirs on the line—is the reason fewer New Yorkers died as a result of fire in 2012 than ever before.”

POLITICAL MEMORABILIA SHOW TO HOST ED POTTER AWARD
The American Political Items Collectors’ Big Apple Ed Potter Chapter is sponsoring its 25th annual Political Collectors Show on Sunday, Feb. 3. The show will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sixth Street Community Synagogue, 325 E. Sixth St., and will feature over 10,000 political items for sale, including buttons, posters, mugs, bandannas, watches and clothing that cover the presidencies of George Washington to Barack Obama, as well as a special exhibition of political memorabilia from the 2012 election.

The show will also include the presentation of the fourth annual Ed Potter Memorial Awards, named after the political memorabilia collector, which are given to those involved in the political process who have used political items and artifacts in their campaigns. This year’s recipients are New York State Assemblyman and City Councilman Adam Clayton Powell and Manhattan Media’s own CEO and mayoral hopeful Tom Allon.

Admission is $3 for adults and free for children under 16. For more information, call 212-764-6330.

BELLEVUE HOSPITAL REOPENS E.R.

Bellevue Hospital reopened its emergency department for limited services on Monday, Dec. 24, for the first time since Hurricane Sandy. The department is now staffed and receiving ambulances for the treatment of non-traumatic and non-critical injuries.

“Bellevue plays a vital role in the community, and we’re very pleased to be able to offer limited emergency department services there again,” said Alan D. Aviles, president of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC). “Tremendous credit is owed to the dedicated staff and physicians who have worked around the clock since Sandy to bring the facility back into service.”

Flooding during the storm disabled the hospital’s equipment and forced staff to evacuate its patients. The hospital has since gradually restored its services, including reopening outpatient clinics in November. According to the announcement of the emergency department’s opening, the department still will not operate as a Level 1 Trauma Center, and the hospital is working to ensure that only non-critical patients are brought in. Those who do arrive needing surgery will be stabilized and transferred to another facility.

The hospital hopes to return to providing its normal full range of services by February.

NY MUSEUM CELEBRATES  THE HOLIDAYS

On Monday, Dec. 10, the Museum of the City of New York was abuzz with its annual Children’s Holiday Party to benefit the Museum’s Frederick A.O. Schwarz Children’s Center, which funds social studies programs for local students and teachers. A tradition for more than 40 years, the afternoon was full of merrymaking with nonstop entertainment, kids’ activities and festive food.

The holiday celebration was sponsored by Milly Minis and came together thanks to the hard work of Co-Chairs Paige Hardy, Jill Ross, Michelle Smith and Yliana Yepez.

If you missed the party this year, you can still take part in a Charity Buzz Auction that is currently running through Jan. 16.

CHRISTMAS TREE CLEAN-UP

The Department of Sanitation (DOS) is currently running a Christmas tree collection for mulching and recycling. Through Saturday, Jan. 19, the department is encouraging residents to leave their trees by the curb in front of their homes for pick-up. Tree stands, tinsel, lights and ornaments should be removed, and the trees should not be placed in plastic bags. According to DOS, the trees will be chipped into mulch that will be distributed to parks, playing fields and community gardens throughout the city.

The Department of Parks and Recreation is also holding a “Mulchfest” next weekend, Jan. 12 and 13, at designated sites around the city. Residents can bring their trees to be chipped into mulch that will be used as ground cover for the city’s plants, and free mulch will be given to anyone who brings a bag to transport it.

By Sophia Rosenbaum

After Hurricane Sandy devastated downtown, many buildings were left uninhabitable for days and weeks at a time due to severe flood damage. Many of those displaced residents have since been able to return, but residents of the luxury building 2 Gold Street are still without a home, and many of them are taking legal action against the building’s management.

A team of 13 attorneys from two law firms is representing a group of residents who vacated their apartments before Sandy hit and have since been told that their earliest re-occupancy date is March 1.

A huge boiler sits outside of 2 Gold Street.

Many residents of 2 Gold and 201 Pearl Street, both properties managed by TF Cornerstone, left their apartments when the city ordered a mandatory evacuation of flood Zone A on Oct. 28. Some residents stayed in their homes until their building was deemed uninhabitable, according to Vincent Imbesi, a partner at the firm Imbesi Christensen and a legal representative of the residents.

While flooding occurred throughout Zone A, which includes Battery Park City, parts of the West Side waterfront, the Lower East Side and the East Village, Imbesi said the damage at his clients’ residences was “preventable” by using sandbags to protect open spaces like the entrances to parking garages.

“Any building that suffered any type of sustainable damage failed to properly secure the perimeter of their property,” Imbesi said.

Floodwater entered the building through a garage, which led to a room housing an operation system that controls heat, hot water, electricity, ventilation and water filtration, Imbesi said.

But, in a letter addressed to the tenants of 2 Gold Street on Nov. 13, TF Cornerstone said New York City building code requires the building to “withstand tidal surges caused by ‘the 100-year storm.’” They said some reports labeled Superstorm Sandy as ‘the 1,000-year storm,’ citing it as an exception that they couldn’t possibly have anticipated.

“Due to the height of the surge, like many other buildings in our area, the water exceeded our flood gates and resulted in over 31 feet of water within our buildings’ structure,” the letter said.

The letter also detailed progress that’s been made, including an air quality test that “indicated that there is no recognizable health threat posed by the air quality” at either location, use of generators to power emergency response equipment and the hopes that an operational elevator would be working later that week for tenants to collect their belongings.

Representatives of TF Cornerstone, who declined to answer questions but referred a reporter to existing documents, held a Q&A session at their office for residents on Nov. 13. Throughout the two-hour meeting, 30 tenants asked questions about the timeline for fixing the damages, insurance claims, rules about breaking their lease and monetary funding for moving expenses.

TF Cornerstone emailed the minutes to this meeting to residents on Nov. 16, but Imbesi said “a lot of information was omitted that was detrimental to the management.”

“When do we begin paying rent again?” one resident asked, according to the minutes. Sofia Estevez, an executive vice president at TF Cornerstone, said that tenants will only be required to pay rent once the building is deemed safe.

Another resident wanted to know if the company would cover the cost of moving expenses for tenants who chose to leave 2 Gold and move elsewhere, but they only committed to pay for moving expenses for those moving back to 2 Gold.

“Will we have a grace period if we decide to break our lease?” another tenant asked.

“Yes,” Estevez said, “you will be given at least 30 days notice prior to the re-occupancy of the building to make your decision.”

After the meeting, Imbesi said some of his clients were asked by the landlord to sign waivers that would eliminate their rights to the class-action lawsuit and their “rights to any damages.” He and the crew of attorneys on the case filed an emergency motion to prevent this, which was added to the original lawsuit as an amendment on Dec. 10.

As the case makes it way through the courts, tenants who do wish to return home to 2 Gold have little choice but to wait until March and hope for a quick resolution.