As part of the residency, an exact replica of the company’s new Royal Shakespeare Theater will be constructed as a self-supporting structure inside the armory’s Wade Thompson Drill Hall.

In a press release, armory president and CEO Rebecca Robertson said, “The armory enables artists and performers to realize great works of art and epic productions that otherwise could not be seen in New York.”

“We are proud to be bringing to the festival one of the world’s most important theater companies,” said Nigel Redden, director of Lincoln Center Festival, in a statement. “Lincoln Center Festival is happy to join with these exceptional organizations to bring Americans, and New Yorkers in particular, this unique opportunity to experience Shakespeare’s plays performed by an ensemble of actors whom they will get to know over the course of watching five different productions.”

According to festival officials, the 930-seat auditorium will feature three levels of seating, with the farthest seat a mere 49 feet away from the stage. The residency itself will require 44 actors, 23 musicians and 30 other creative artists.

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“It’s a substantial modification than what was shown and analyzed,” said Michael Zanlin, the lawyer for residents at 233 E. 69th St. “They were quite surprised that it had changed over the years without any additional disclosure, without any of the additional technical analysis or community input.”

In 2004 plan, the proposed design was supposed to look like an ordinary, brick townhouse that would “blend into the urban fabric,” according to the lawsuit. The structure would have measure approximately 25 feet wide, 75 feet deep and four to five stories high. That design would not have taken up both lots.

Residents complain that a revised design for a subway ventilation structure is out of character for the neighborhood.

Residents who attended the November meeting were appalled to see a new seven-story design with metal louvers, rooftop cooling fans, ceramic tile and a “bizarre, oversized, 24-hour, illuminated glass staircase,” according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs refer to the MTA’s final design for the ventilation structure as an “industrial plant” with a “blatant disregard of the community’s residential character.” It would take up the entire footprint of both lots.

The transit authority declined to comment on the lawsuit, but spokesperson Aaron Donovan said the ventilation structures are necessary because the tunnel boring done for Second Avenue subway construction allows for a deeper subway tunnel than previous subway lines.

“Street grates are in place in stations that are shallow in depth. Those vents ventilate the subway stations through natural aeration,” Donovan said. “The ventilation plan would be put in place [along Second Avenue] to ventilate tunnels as well as stations and it can—in the event of emergency—actively pull air out of the system.”

Co-op owners were also angered that the structure would be built up to the lot line of 233 E. 69th St., causing 32 windows in eight apartments along the building’s eastern side to be bricked up. The MTA, however, is within its rights to build to the lot line, just as the co-op building was constructed up to that border. Since the new design was first unveiled at the end of 2009, technical and engineering consultants from the MTA have been meeting with residents to discuss the plans. But the MTA sent a Jan. 13 letter stating that the project would move forward as planned.

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The high school, housed on the Brandeis High School campus at 145 W. 84th St. between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues, will be open to students in all five boroughs. Named after the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author who spent 29 years as a teacher, the new school will focus on communications and civic engagement.

Principal Danielle Salzberg. Photo by Andrew Schwartz

“Either kids that already demonstrated skills in that area, or kids who want to improve their skills in those areas, those are the kinds of kids we’re looking for,” said incoming principal Danielle Salzberg.

In addition to being evaluated on grades and attendance, students interested in enrolling must take part in an interview, which screens for writing ability and collaborative skills. Part of the interview will include an on-demand writing test and a group task to gauge students’ interest in collaboration.

Brandeis is currently being phased out and replaced with other smaller schools. In addition to McCourt High School, those schools include the
Innovation Diploma Plus High School, a “transfer” high school for students who might not earn their credits elsewhere; the Global Learning Collective, which will focus on an international approach to learning; and the Urban Assembly School for Green Careers, whose mission is to give students the skills they need for both “green jobs” and college.

McCourt High School is aiming to accept 108 students for this September’s freshman class. Each year, a new grade will be added, and the school will eventually serve 432 students by the 2013-2014 school year.

High school-bound students must send in school preferences to the Department of Education by the end of February. The department will match McCourt High School with desired students who are interested in attending. There will be an opportunity for students to submit additional high school preferences in March and April. McCourt High School will be recruiting throughout the spring.

The department is hosting a “New High Schools Information Fair” Saturday, Feb. 6 and Sunday, Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Emigrant Savings Bank Hall, 51 Chambers St.

Feb. 11 there will be an open house for new high schools with 9th grade classes that will be occupying the Brandeis High School campus, including McCourt High School, Urban Assembly School for Green Careers and Global Learning Collaborative. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Brandeis campus on West 84th Street.

For more information, parents can contact the office of Council Member Gale Brewer at 212-788-6975.

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In Albany, our legislators have become synonymous with dysfunction. Scandals have taken down a governor and comptroller, and a dramatic State Senate coup last summer brought government to a standstill for weeks. At the federal level, Congress has been divided into two gangs, the Dems vs. the GOP. It’s a divisive and corrosive mix that even a once-popular president has been unable to tame. In our great city, apathy, cynicism and a flawed voting system have resulted in primaries where less than 10 percent of the eligible populace votes, and general elections that merely rubber stamp the results of Democratic primaries (with the notable exception of mayoral elections, but that’s a story for another day).

Is this the type of government our Founding Fathers shed blood for? Is this what was intended by our Constitution, a brilliantly crafted document of power sharing and checks and balances?

There are many things that need to be done to improve our democratic system, from reforming archaic voting systems to a comprehensive and equitable campaign finance system. This year, the mayor is likely to convene a charter reform commission to address the livewire topic of term limits, among other things. We’ll comment on those in upcoming editorials, but today we want to encourage the mayor to take one more pass at non-partisan elections, a referendum that lost in the polls in 2003, but today is needed more than ever.

Non-partisan elections would have candidates appear on the ballot without party titles. If no candidate captured a majority vote in an election, a run-off with the top two or three finishers would occur, ensuring that whoever won that race would more accurately reflect voters’ preferences. This system is already in place in several municipalities across the United States, including Los Angeles, Houston and Boston. Here are a number of reasons why non-partisan elections would improve our system:

• All registered voters—including Independents and other third-party members—would be enfranchised in every election, significantly expanding the electorate.

• Candidates would no longer be voted into office by winning less than 40 percent of the vote in a Democratic primary, and then cruising to an easy victory in the general election.

• By eliminating party primaries, non-partisan elections would create a more diverse public debate.

• Some people avoid running for office because they feel they could not win a Democratic primary (tantamount to winning office in New York City); non-
partisan elections would lead to a larger, more diverse field of candidates.

• By removing party labels from the ballot, candidates who hope to be competitive would no longer feel forced to register in the Democratic Party.

• Since incumbents almost always win re-election when they’re not term limited, non-partisan elections would force incumbents to broaden their appeal and encourage rivals to throw their hat in the ring.

• Non-partisan elections would probably entail a bigger expense when it comes to publicly financed campaigns, but the amount is nominal in the context of the city’s budget, and the end result of more competitive elections justifies this investment of public funds. Campaign finance law could also be written to ensure that only those candidates with a realistic chance of winning would be eligible to receive public funds.

Of course, for non-partisan elections to function properly, the state’s petitioning laws would have to be altered. We’d urge the mayor to work closely with the legislature and governor to ensure that any unforeseen—and undesired—consequences are avoided when making these changes. In the end, we’d like to see some scenario where any registered voter can sign any petition, regardless of party affiliation.

We strongly encourage the mayor and the upcoming charter revision commission to come up with a comprehensive plan for non-partisan elections, and to put the issue on the November 2010 ballot. The time is right. This will help reform our broken electoral system.

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Saujani, 34, held the event at Everyman Espresso, across the street from an NYU career development center on East 13th Street, between Third and Fourth avenues. Standing on a bench to get a better view of the caffeinated young urban professionals who gathered to support her, Saujani spoke about her recent conversations with district voters.

Photo by Dan Rivoli

“What we heard loud and clear across the district is that people want a new direction,” she said.

The diverse district covers most of the Upper East Side south to the East Village and into parts of the Lower East Side, as well as western Queens.

Saujani, a Wall Street lawyer and former Democratic fundraiser for Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, is focusing on the generation gap between herself and Maloney, 60, who has held elected office since 1982.

“This district needs to be the epicenter of new innovation and new ideas,” Saujani said.

On policy, she focused on job creation and new financial regulation, adding that her financial background is an asset, not something she needs to downplay.

“The representative of the 14th district should be a bridge builder,” Saujani said. “Someone who can build connections between Main Street and Wall Street, between the Upper East Side and Astoria, between young people and seniors.”

Her connections to major Democratic fundraisers allowed her to net more than $400,000 in the last fundraising quarter, beating Maloney’s haul by a margin of more than two to one. Still, the incumbent has a war chest of almost $1.8 million.

Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein, a Saujani supporter who attends Columbia University and has family on the East Side, said he became energized about local politics after the Obama campaign.

“There were a lot of people excited and focused on changing Washington,” he said. “But just electing a president isn’t enough. We need to change Congress.”

George Arzt, spokesperson for Maloney’s campaign, said that Saujani just moved into the district and hasn’t been active in public service.

“That’s not an outstanding record,” Arzt said. “So except for raising money from hedge funds and championing the cause of the banks, what has she actually done to deserve voters’ support? Nothing.”

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In 1994, I was one of five female producers at Live with Regis & Kathie Lee. Regis would often come into our meeting and request a specific guest, always a sports star. I consistently volunteered to take the assignment because the other female producers had no idea who he was talking about. Fortunately, I had a secret source at my disposal: my precocious 7-year-old son, Brett, who knew everything about sports. I immediately dialed my son’s grade school and got him out of class and on the line.

“Brett, Regis wants me to book Jerry Rice. Who do I call to get him and why is he important?” I asked.

My son irreverently referred to me as “Rosie” rather than “mom” when he asked if I was living under a rock. “You didn’t watch the Super Bowl this weekend? Jerry Rice helped win the game for the San Francisco 49ers with 10 catches and three touchdowns. He’s a great wide receiver,” Brett said.

Rice was booked for the following Monday, and Regis told me his vision for the segment: sit-down interview followed by a football pass between Reege and Rice on Columbus Avenue. No problem.

On the day of Rice’s arrival, I went to the ABC guard and said, “I’m going to need you and a couple of other large guards to hold back the crowds when Regis and Rice come out for a football pass.” He looked at me with attitude as he proclaimed, “We are not authorized to go outside of this building.”

There wasn’t another staff person who was free to assist, so I sought out the largest cue cards I could find to use for barriers.

Rice was handsome, upbeat, well-
spoken and engaging—a producer’s dream. As the tête-à-tête was ending, I ran outside with my giant cue cards and started shouting at the crowds to move back. Regis threw the football. Rice ran to the opposite side of the street. All of a sudden, a giant construction dude jumped in front of my cue cards and knocked the football out of Rice’s hands. All I could think about was how upset my beloved Regis was going to be. I dropped the cue cards and started pummeling the guy as I screamed obscenities at him.

When I re-entered the studio, the audience started to applaud and cheer: My maniacal behavior had been caught on camera. My incredulous son, who had never heard me raise my voice in anger or even use a curse word, meekly asked, “Was that really you out there?”

Someone at the news desk apparently thought the incident was humorous and WABC aired the clip during the evening news sports report. Then Regis, who never missed an opportunity to milk a segment gone awry, decided to re-air that same clip—in slow motion—the next morning.

I’m sure there isn’t a soul today who remembers this incident, except for my now-grown son. Every year when the Super Bowl comes around, Brett loves to come back home to watch the game. He never fails to toss a football my way while quipping, “Here’s to a Jerry Rice catch.”

–
Rosemary Kalikow was a talk show producer at ABC and Court TV Network for 25 years. She is currently working as a freelance writer in New York.

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Larry Penner
Great Neck, Long Island

Letters have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.

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Chris A. Randolph
Barak Realty, East Side Office

Letters have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.

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I was in love. With everything here.

I remember telling my grandmother how I loved studying each different ethnic face on subways. My ardor was undiminished even when she worried from San Diego that I should move to a safer place.

These days, young people are still smitten with our city. But it’s almost impossible for recent college graduates to find gainful employment—even when they’re our best and brightest. Bottom line: They lack experience.

“Internships” (unpaid positions) are the new entry-level jobs. These kids are a frighteningly large segment of unemployed Americans.

How can we make room for this generation of talented people who are in love with the city? This is the second of two columns describing two amazing 2009 college graduates.

Amari Hammonds, the subject of this column, just left Manhattan—and me—and trust me, I’ve never had a better, more lovable part-time assistant.

Four years ago, she’d decided to
attend Columbia on a visit from St. Louis because she too fell in love with Manhattan. She loved Columbia’s campus embedded in the great city filled with noises and interesting people in the streets and not hiding in cars. Besides working for me, until recently she sold tarts part-time at Balthazar Bakery.

Despite her summa cum laude graduation and her early Phi Beta Kappa, Amari couldn’t get a toehold here. Her resume is surreally impressive, but mostly internships. At New Line Cinema, she adroitly handled press screenings of new films and rubbed shoulders with cast members of movies such as Hairspray. For ID PR (despite her confidentiality agreement), we can reveal that without pay she effortlessly coordinated press screenings for Slumdog
Millionaire. But those glamorous jobs didn’t put her on a career path that led to an actual salary at a film or PR company.

Fortunately for her, three weeks ago Amari learned that she’d been selected for a distinguished position at the White House. She will intern there for four months.

Background on Amari: She’s African American and very wholesome in a Midwestern and yet sophisticated way. She attended Columbia University on a $50,000 grant from an ABC TV show called The Scholar (sort of like The Apprentice) and a hefty Columbia scholarship. Her out-of-pocket expenses were only plane tickets home to St. Louis, snacks and some books. She’s clearly the best of the best—totally competent—and seems to me to be spontaneously and thoroughly good-hearted. She knows just about everything about computers, including how to sell my stuff on eBay. Unlike me, what she doesn’t know she isn’t afraid to noodle around with until she finds it.

Alas, I’m losing Amari and so is Manhattan because she plans to live with her aunt in Washington and make a career in that city, not here. (She won’t be paid for the White House internship, but afterward I know Washington employers will get the point about how valuable her job skills are.) She’ll stay in Washington because her aunt works for the government and has lots of contacts—and Amari sees it’s time to try a new job market.

Says Amari in her upbeat way, “I get it and it’s okay. I’ll find my way in Washington even though the market’s saturated with people my age trying to find jobs.” 

–
Susan Braudy is the author and journalist whose last book, Family Circle: The Boudins and the Aristocracy of the Left, was nominated for a Pulitzer by publisher Alfred Knopf.

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