Trouble on the Waterfront

The deteriorating East Side esplanade has become a top concern for many residents of the community.

The big story in this week’s Our Town (pick up a copy in the neighborhood!) is all about the East Side Esplanade – what’s wrong with it and how it can be fixed: Esplanade Emergency.

While fixing the esplanade is part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg"s “Vision 2020: The New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, a proposal released last year to revitalize the city"s waterfront, many residents and community groups feel it is too far off.

“I don"t know what they are waiting for, said Steadford Virgil, who rides his bike along the esplanade daily. “Some of these potholes have been here since last winter.

We also report on the safety of the concrete used in the Second Avenue subway construction, a landlord with a shady history who politicians say is harassing his tenants, and what art handlers on strike at famous auction house Sotheby’s really do behind the scenes.

We catch up with Rosanne Cash, too, and take a look at the sizzling new trend of adult cooking classes.

And we’re debuting a new column, called Tapped In: Notes from the Neighborhood. It’s a collection of newsy tidbits and goings-on from around the Upper East Side. Tell us what you think, and if you have any tips for us, email the editor at ahouston@manhattanmedia.com.