CB9 Removes Three Members, Rips Into Pinnacle Group Rep - Board Passes Five Resolutions, Rejects Cafe Deluxe's Sidewalk Permit, OKs Playgrounds

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CB9 Removes Three Members, Rips Into Pinnacle Group Rep
Board Passes Five Resolutions, Rejects Cafe Deluxe's Sidewalk Permit, OKs Playgrounds
By Anna Phillips Spectator Staff Writer
Issue date: 3/20/06 Section: News


Community Board 9's general board meeting on March 16 ran three hours long as board members, city council representatives, and a lineup of the miscellaneous and impassioned took their turns at the microphone.

Among the speakers was Pinnacle Group representative Richard Harley, who defended the controversial real estate company from accusations of evicting tenants by raising rent, firing superintendents, and maintaining poor communication on the part of its president, Joel Wiener.

"I promise we'll cure these problems," he said. "I think we need to give Mr. Wiener a chance."

Toronda Miller, a resident of Hamilton Heights, addressed the sporadic functionality of the 147th Street escalators.

"The escalators [the transit authority] put in West Harlem are ineffective," Miller said. "There's no reason 91 steps should come between you and going out."

The remainder of the meeting was devoted to passing five resolutions, all of which were handily approved.

The board voted not to uphold the expansion of Cafe Deluxe's sidewalk seating, which the restaurant extended from eight feet out from the building to 12 by way of a non-board permit.

"They're asking us to approve the permit they got behind our backs," said CB9 Secretary Ted Kovaleff.

The board unanimously gave its approval to the Department of Parks and Recreation's plan to redevelop three "tot lots"-playground areas for children at 117th and 118th Streets along Riverside Drive. A Parks representative spoke to the board and displayed a series of sketches depicting the proposed playgrounds.

Two resolutions dealing with private redevelopment plans were approved, as was a resolution supporting the establishment of a partnership between the Friends of Morningside Park and the Central Park Conservancy to increase funds and support for park maintenance.

Before adjourning, the board considered whether or not to expel several CB9 members for repeated absences at meetings. Few could immediately recall who the individual people were without some prodding, but the issue quickly became heated, drawing criticism from some and laughter from others.

Despite a large number of abstentions and bickering, the board finally passed a motion to remove the three members from its ranks.