Hello from your Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association=2E This is our firs=
t newsletter of the new year=2E Much is happening in our ‘hood, including l=
ots of new housing for the super-wealthy and recalcitrant issues like buses=
idling their motors on our streets, polluting the air we breathe=2E As alw=
ays with this administration in City Hall, lack of enforcement is key=
=2E

HKNA has come out publicly, often and loudly, about the over saturation of =
liquor-serving establishments on Ninth Avenue (and trying to save Tenth Ave=
nue from the same fate)=2E Like so much of our lives in Manhattan, landlord=
s/developers rule=2E City Council member Gale Brewer has begun a dialogue/p=
lan to save sections of the Upper West Side from big-box stores and over-sa=
turation of banks and pharmacies=2E How about here?

Three corners at 55th Street and Ninth Ave are what we don’t want – ‘as of =
right’ building, which in NYC means there is no public input=2E Alvin Ailey=
has one corner – the other three are banks=2E The SE corner was empty for =
what seemed like years=2E=2E=2Ea piece of the puzzle=2E We all wonder how a=
nd why landlords keep sidewalk space empty=2E Ninth Avenue was once a thriv=
ing retail street with family-owned shops and fruit and vegetable markets t=
hat are long gone, sacrificed to higher-earning bars=2E The humongous space=
housing Chase could easily have fit an independent toy shop, a health food=
store AND a family shoe store – three on my personal wish list=2E

Two free environment events:

Monday, Feb 27 at 7:00 – The JCC at Amsterdam and 76th Street=2E RSVP to ca=
rbonsqueeze@gmail=2Ecom with your name and zip code=2E Paul Reale from the =
Climate Reality Project will speak about how climate changes affect our pla=
net and how we can help stem the damage=2E

Free E-Recycling sponsored by City Council member Gale Brewer: Saturday, Ap=
ril 21st – noon to 5:00 pm at PS 87 Tecumseh Playgrounds at West 77th Stree=
t (Columbus/Amsterdam) – Accepting working & non-working computers plus mon=
itors/printers/keyboards/cables/etc plus TVs, audio, VCRs DVD players, scan=
ners, video games, cell phones=2E No A/C or kitchen appliances, no wall pho=
nes=2E

Soon you may notice green tips shooting up in the tree beds along Ninth Ave=
nue=2E
Folks from the Midtown Community Court helped us plant hundreds of bulbs la=
st fall=2E Keep your collective fingers crossed=2E Survival in a NYC tree b=
ed isn’t easy=2E

The 34A bus no longer stops at Madison or Lexington Avenues=2E=2E=2Eand the=
y claim the new pay-in-advance makes the ride faster! Yes, we will be ranti=
ng and raving to the MTA about this and the miserable one crosstown bus ser=
ving all the residences on 42nd Street=2E=2E=2E

Check out www=2EDNANY – a useful tool for neighborhood news=2E

There is a Head Start for pre-schoolers under the umbrella of the revered B=
ank Street College – at the Metro Baptist Church on 40th street=2E (212) 35=
3-2532/Ext=2E 232=2E

No doubt you’ve heard about Governor Cuomo’s plan to relocate the Javits Ce=
nter to Aqueduct Raceway – depending on whether or not the state legislatur=
e will permit a casino there=2E If yes, that would ‘free up’ 18 acres of st=
ate land=2E Some affordable housing
for those of us who are not Wall Street traders? A soccer field? A public s=
wimming pool? A garage to store those idling buses? Why not?

Remember that you have a voice in the life of Hell’s Kitchen=2E Attend a mo=
nthly Community Board 4 meeting – web site is: www=2Enyc=2Egov/mcb4=2E Sign=
up for their monthly e-newsletter=2E (212) 736-4536=2E

That’s all for now=2E We’ll hold a meeting soon=2E Watch this space=2E

Kathleen Treat, Chair

Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association – 454 West 35th Street, NYC 10001
212-501-2704 - www=2Ehknanyc=2Eorg

Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association (HKNA)=20
454 West 35th Street
New York, NY 10001

Telephone: 212-501-2704 or 212-714-0186
Email – information@HKNAnyc=2Eorg
Webite – hknanyc=2Eorg