Top Stories of 2009

As 2009 draws to a close, we thought we’d paw through our archives to dig up some of the more interesting stories that we covered during the past 12 months. From swine flu to kindergarten wait lists to a tense race for Manhattan District Attorney, there was rarely a dull moment in Manhattan, especially on the East Side. Below are our highlights, in no particular order.

—Charlotte Eichna

Caroline Kennedy’s Brief Bid for Senate: Would she be the new Senator Kennedy? When Hillary Clinton’s promotion to Secretary of State opened up a New York Senate seat, Camelot heir Caroline Kennedy said she might want the job. The reactions were fast and furious, with critics knocking her lack of experience in elected office and defenders touting her family’s dedication to public service and her experience as a lawyer, author and average mom. Gov. David Paterson remained sphinx-like about whom he would appoint, and after a series of leaks, Kennedy withdrew her name for personal reasons—or was it to save face because Paterson was going to pass her over? Kirsten Gillibrand may have gotten the job, but we’re not sure we’ve seen the last of Kennedy when it comes to elected office.

Public School Waitlists: One hundred and fifty two East Side students were put on waitlists for their zoned public schools this past summer, a move that angered scores of families who thought they’d been guaranteed seats. Children planning to attend P.S. 6, P.S. 59, P.S. 183 and P.S. 290 had to wait until spaces opened up from students going to private schools, enrolling in gifted and talented programs or moving out of the district before they were granted admission. By July, all waitlisted students had been offered seats within the district, which also covers lower Manhattan.

Subway Progress: While Second Avenue subway construction continued in 2009, businesses hurt by the work saw no relief. Legislation to establish a grant program for suffering businesses was vetoed by Gov. David Paterson, citing cost issues. A bill to give property tax abatements to landlords who negotiate cheaper rents with businesses was sidelined in July, thanks to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s opposition.
Construction hit a snag in September when blasting to excavate with a tunnel-boring machine was delayed because of structurally unsound residential buildings. A group of 12 tenants from one of the buildings evacuated is suing the city and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Area health care providers also say they saw a spike in respiratory cases. Overall, Rep. Carolyn Maloney gave the project a B- in a report, which stressed that the MTA needs to adhere to construction timelines but lauded the authority’s public communication.

Donut Debates: Although the name may sound enticing, preservationists were anything but happy with the way “donuts,” or the collective backyards of a block that form a central green space, were being incorporated into development plans. Four schools—Dwight, York Prep, Chabad preschool and Columbia Grammar and Prep—petitioned the city for permission to expand into rear-yard areas, while neighbors complained of the erosion of common green space and modifications that were at odds with historic designations. In August, Council Member Gale Brewer contacted the City Planning Commission to talk about ways to protect donuts, calling them a “wisely planned and designed natural amenity.”
Dwight, Chabad and York Prep all ultimately received approval for their projects, and Board 7 is set to evaluate a completely revised plan from Columbia Grammar at its Jan. 5 full-board meeting.

Manhattan Gets a New D.A.: At 89, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau thought he would be running a “90 in ’09” campaign. But in February, he announced that he would not seek re-election to the job he held for 35 years. Morgenthau’s announcement set off a scramble for the coveted position. Ultimately, three people—all former assistant D.A.s under Morgenthau—vied for the Democratic nomination: former Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder, Morgenthau’s nemesis from a 2005 challenge; Cyrus Vance, Jr., Morgenthau’s handpicked successor; and Richard Aborn, a criminal justice advocate (there was no GOP candidate). The race became particularly negative. Vance and Aborn attacked Snyder on her previous support of the death penalty in certain cases. Snyder, who received 44 percent of the vote in her 2005 campaign, hit Vance hard for living in Seattle for most of his adult life. She also critiqued his time as a defense attorney, alleging that he represented mobsters and murderers. Toward the end of the campaign, Vance gained momentum and eventually won the Democratic primary with 44 percent of the vote to Snyder’s 30 percent. Aborn came in last place with 26 percent of the vote.

Closed for Business: Businesses large, medium and small called it quits this year, with slumping sales and rising rents making it nearly impossible to stay afloat. Landlords, however, seemed to be waiting it out for high-priced tenants, leaving many stores vacant for months, much to the dismay of locals. Our Town conducted a retail survey between Feb. 28 and March 5 covering York Avenue from 60th to 92nd streets, and First, Second, Third, Lexington and Madison avenues from 59th to 96th streets. We discovered 175 vacant, on-the-avenue stores. Eight more had announced impending closure, while 10 others were shuttered but had planned to open with new shops in the months ahead. Discounting York Avenue, which had a lower closure rate due to its smaller retail sector, 9.27 percent of Upper East Side avenue retail space sat empty that week.

State Senate Dems Take Control, Lose Control: When State Senate Democrats were sworn in this January as the new ruling majority, they boasted of a new progressive era: pro-tenant laws, same-sex marriage, gun control and government reform. But the Democrats, with a slim two-seat majority, could not get their house in order. Infighting made passing bills difficult. The conference split on big issues, such as crafting a bailout package for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority last May. The anemic reform measures that did pass were touted as progress because of the bureaucratic morass that is Albany.
Then the June 8 coup happened.
In a parliamentary maneuver, two Democrats—Pedro Espada and Hiram Monserrate—sided with Republicans to put the GOP back in power. Monserrate eventually came back into the Democratic fold. But a month-long stalemate ensued between the evenly divided chamber, grinding Albany to a halt.
After a shake-up in leadership, the stalemate finally ended in July with the Democrats back in power.

Bias Attacks: In July, a rash of bias attacks and robberies targeting gay men shocked the Upper East Side. The crimes were seemingly unrelated until one victim, Joseph Holladay, spoke out. On July 10, police arrested Driton Nicaj, a 19-year-old who lived on East 84th Street between First and Second avenue, for the attack. Nicaj was suspected of committing two other bias attacks and robberies. But the hate crimes charges were dropped Dec. 17. Nicaj is slated to be back in court Feb. 11 for a hearing and trial, and he still faces charges of assault in the third degree.

P.O. Saved: As part of a nationwide plan for consolidating post offices, the U.S. Postal Service put Cherokee Post Office, on York Avenue and East 79th Street, in the crosshairs for closure this August. Community groups and elected officials heavily lobbied the U.S. Postal Service to spare the popular and busy post office. After numerous public meetings and a petition with 4,000 signatures, the U.S. Postal Service announced Nov. 20 that Cherokee would remain open.

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