Civic Center Residents Coalition NYC

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Chinatown Property Owners declare Victory in Getting the city to rescind $400,000 in illegal BID taxes

property owner Jan Lee , and AALDEF attorney Bethany Li (to the left of Jan)

On April 10th Chinatown property owners (PTP Inc.) and The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund held a press conference to declare victory in succeeding to get the City to rescind an illegally imposed Chinatown B.I.D. tax which would have retroactively reimbursed the Chinatown Partnership LDC BEFORE the Chinatown BID was even a legal entity.

""This misappropriation of our funds lived up to every suspicion that we had going into this," said Lee, 46, whose family has owned property in the neighborhood for 80 years. Lee, who has been a loud opponent of the formation of the BID, said that the incorrect fees add up to hundreds of thousands of illegal charges across different owners." - Village Voice

"Li, from AALDEF, said it's a troubling sign that the city -- which now oversees 67 BIDs -- made this kind of error. "My understanding is [the city] just misunderstood the law, which is problematic given that this is their 67th BID."Ultimately, she added, the fees of the BID can be burdensome to longtime businesses who have to participate. - Village Voice

"[Wellington] Chen called the issue a "technicality," dismissing AALDEF's characterization of the BID fees as being "illegal." "This is an accounting issue," Chen said. "It does not warrant wasting time and energy." - www.dnainfo.com
Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20120409/lower-east-side-east-village/city-refund-300k-chinatown-property-owners#ixzz1rn9OlvZY

According to the Interim Chinatown Business Improvement District Board of Dir's minutes:
minutes:

Treasurer’s Report

Tony Wong reported that the board needs to decide on the fiscal year and the billing date for the BID.

There are two options: 1) start the billing in July 1, 2011, when Chinatown Partnership started paying the expenses for the BID; or 2) October 1, 2011 when the BID was officially approved and the Partnership extended the service to the entire BID’s service area.

Eddy Eng mentioned that once the BID decided on the billing date, the property owners will receive the bill in April, and once the BID’s bank account is set, the BID will receive 75% of $1.3 million dollars (the BID’s budget), and 50% of the FY 2013’s Annual Budget by July 2012.

After all the considerations and discussions, the motion to approve the Chinatown District Management Association’s fiscal year as July 1 to June 30; and start the DMA assessment billing on October 1, 2011, passed unanimously.

Eddy Eng also suggested using a special occasion to announce the billing to the community and in a positive way.

Acknowledgment of Chinatown Partnership

Wellington reported that the Chinatown partnership has been paying for all the BID’s expenses since July of 2011 and is now in a cash flow situation. The Partnership already laid-out more than $200,000 dollars for the BID and cannot sustain forever in this fashion.

David Louie acknowledges all the works the Partnership’s board has done for the BID and suggested a donation or reimbursement to the Partnership for the expenses they had incurred once the BID receives its funding.

Motion to approve the reimbursement to the Chinatown Partnership of necessary and verifiable expenses related to the BID from July 1, 2011 until the BID receives its own funding passed unanimously.

CDMA Interim Board Members Present:

Jimmy Cheng, United Fujianese American Association

Kenneth Cheng, Fukien American Association

Nolan Cheng, Law Offices ofNolan Cheng

Peter Cheng, Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation

Priscilla Cheung, eRxCityCorporation

Stephen Cheung, D.H. Realty & Management

Anthony P. Colombini, Esq., Chu and Partners

Eddy Eng, Small Business Services, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office

Frank F. Gee, Gee Poy Kuo Association

Dr. Wilson Ko, Multispecialty Physician Group

Philip Lam, Green City Realty

Meng Lao, representing Jack Eng, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association

Peter Lau, Confucius Pharmacy

David J. Louie, David J. Louie,Inc.

Dr. Chun Ka Luk and Bernice Luk, Broadway Chinatown Realty

Gabe B. Mui, the American Legion Lt. B.R. Kimlau Memorial Post 1291

John Pasquale, PEP Realty

Michael Salzhauer, BenjaminPartners

Sio Wai Sang, Golden Jade Jewelry

William Su, Grand Hotel

Matt D. Viggiano, CouncilMember Margaret S. Chin’s office

Tony C. Wong, Wong & Co., CPA’s

Wellman Wu, Kam Man Food, Inc.

Jimmy Yan, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s office

Chih-Ping Yu, Lin Sing Association

Other Class E Representatives:

Mary Cooley, Senator Daniel Squadron’s office

Karen He, Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver’s office

John K. Leo, Community Board #3

Michael Levine, Community Board #1

Iris Quinones, Hon. Nydia Velazquez

P.O. Nicky Teo, NYPD 7th Precinct

P.O. Sue Too, NYPD Community Affairs Bureau

Antony Wong, Community Board #2

Xiao Min Zhao, Council Member Margaret S. Chin’s office

Chinatown Partnership

Wellington Chen

Shu Mei Guan Chow Lamgen Leon

Tony Wong

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Chinatown Property Owners with AALDEF declare victory over illegally imposed retroactive tax

Chinatown BID Interim Board minutes with Politician's representatives listed,
Board member's names and suggested period to start taxing property owners.
CLICK HERE
"In September, the City Council passed the Chinatown BID law and the mayor also signed off of it, but it did not get final approvals from the State Comptroller until January, 2012, spokesperson Merideth Weber said. The amount to be charged for the fiscal year will be around $500,000 instead of $900,000 and property owners will be notified of the assessment being charged and how credit will be applied for those that did pay the fees, she said." - the Village Voice, Sam Levin

"[Wellington] Chen called the issue a "technicality," dismissing AALDEF's characterization of the BID fees as being "illegal."

"This is an accounting issue," Chen said. "It does not warrant wasting time and energy."

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, in their analysis of the B.I.D. law, concluded that the B.I.D. cannot impose BID taxes on property owners PRIOR to the BID becoming a legal entity.
They also concluded that the BID was not formed at the time Mayor Bloomberg signed the BID into law ( apparently a popular belief among BID Board members and even its Exec. Dir.) in Sept. 2011, but rather when it was signed by the State Comptroller and then finalized by Small Business Services in Jan. 31 2012.

According to the minutes provided by the Chinatown BID interim Board, Eddie Eng of Small Business Services advises the BID Board they have two choices in which to start the "funding" of the BID, either July 2011, or October 2011. The BID board supposedly voted unanimously to do the later, although this recently has been questioned by some on the BID Board itself.
MINUTES:

Page 1

- 1 -

Minutes of the Chinatown District Management Association (CDMA – aka BID) Meeting

February 2, 2012

4:00 – 5:30 PM

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association

62 Mott Street

New York NY 10013

CDMA Interim Board Members Present:

Jimmy Cheng, United Fujianese American Association

Kenneth Cheng, Fukien American Association

Nolan Cheng, Law Offices of Nolan Cheng

Peter Cheng, Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation

Priscilla Cheung, eRxCity Corporation

Stephen Cheung, D.H. Realty & Management

Anthony P. Colombini, Esq., Chu and Partners

Eddy Eng, Small Business Services, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office

Frank F. Gee, Gee Poy Kuo Association

Dr. Wilson Ko, Multispecialty Physician Group

Philip Lam, Green City Realty

Meng Lao, representing Jack Eng, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association

Peter Lau, Confucius Pharmacy

David J. Louie, David J. Louie, Inc.

Dr. Chun Ka Luk and Bernice Luk, Broadway Chinatown Realty

Gabe B. Mui, the American Legion Lt. B.R. Kimlau Memorial Post 1291

John Pasquale, PEP Realty

Michael Salzhauer, Benjamin Partners

Sio Wai Sang, Golden Jade Jewelry

William Su, Grand Hotel

Matt D. Viggiano, Council Member Margaret S. Chin’s office

Tony C. Wong, Wong & Co., CPA’s

Wellman Wu, Kam Man Food, Inc.

Jimmy Yan, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s office

Chih-Ping Yu, Lin Sing Association

Other Class E Representatives:

Mary Cooley, Senator Daniel Squadron’s office

Karen He, Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver’s office

John K. Leo, Community Board #3

Michael Levine, Community Board #1

Iris Quinones, Hon. Nydia Velazquez

P.O. Nicky Teo, NYPD 7

Precinct

P.O. Sue Too, NYPD Community Affairs Bureau

Antony Wong, Community Board #2

Xiao Min Zhao, Council Member Margaret S. Chin’s office

Chinatown Partnership

Wellington Chen

Shu Mei Guan Chow

Lamgen Leon

Tony Wong

Page 2

- 2 -

The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m.

David Louie welcomed everyone and started the meeting off with a blessing performed by Tony C. Wong.

Members of the Interim Chinatown BID Board introduced themselves, and Mr. Louie asked everyone to

review the minutes from the last meeting that was already posted on the Chinatown BID’s website within

three days of the BID’s January meeting.

Clarification was made in that the Interim Board members listed on the minutes do not represent the

complete board, but just the members that were present at the last meeting.

Michael Salzhauer questioned the procedures of posting the minutes without the review and approval of the

board first as it is typically done. Both Mr. Louie and Wellington explained that they already posed this

question to the office of Council Member Chin, and the response was that it was the City Council’s ruling.

However, Council Member Chin’s representative, Matt Viggiano, will ask the City Council to review

whether to allow posting of the minutes within three business days after the Board’s approval as the standard

operating procedure.

Motion to approve the minutes of January 5, 2012 passed unanimously.

Eddy Eng reminded everyone that the BID needs to work on the Incorporation papers, the by-laws and the

Executive Committee needs to sign an agreement with the Chinatown Partnership, unless the BID hire an

Executive Director. He also reminded that the incorporation documents will need an organization name.

Wellington emphasized based on outreach feedbacks that the (real) final BID’s name needs to be diverse and

not offend or leave out anyone or sectors or industries, but we need a name for incorporation purpose for

now, and there will be a DBA under the official name similar to other BIDs.

After discussions on whether to choose either a cleaner or a lengthier name, the name of “CHINATOWN

DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC.” with a 15 to 9 vote was selected over “Chinatown

Business Improvement District Management Association, Inc.”

The By-laws Committee has been working very hard on the by-laws and will have a preliminary draft soon.

Presented for review was the “Draft Committee Survey” based on the preliminary feedback from the

previous meeting. Michael Levine asked the different between “Program Service Committee” and “Program

Development Committee”. Wellington explained that the latter one is basically the same as fundraising and

marketing. All these committees need to work alongside with the Chinatown Partnership as tandem.

Motion to change the “Program Development Committee” to “Fundraising and Marketing Committee”

passed unanimously.

Eddy Eng agreed to Co-Chair with Frank Gee the Fundraising and Marketing Committee. Peter Cheng also

announced that he would like to join and Chair the Nomination Committee.

Motion to approve all the Committees chairs as indicated in the “Draft Committee Survey” results pending

their acceptance passed unanimously.

Page 3

- 3 -

Treasurer Report

Tony Wong reported that the board needs to decide on the fiscal year and the billing date for the BID.

There are two options: 1) start the billing in July 1, 2011, when Chinatown Partnership started paying the

expenses for the BID; or 2) October 1, 2011 when the BID was officially approved and the Partnership

extended the service to the entire BID’s service area.

Eddy Eng mentioned that once the BID decided on the billing date, the property owners will receive the bill

in April, and once the BID’s bank account is set, the BID will receive 75% of $1.3 million dollars (the BID’s

budget), and 50% of the FY 2013’s Annual Budget by July 2012.

After all the considerations and discussions, the motion to approve the Chinatown District Management

Association’s fiscal year as July 1 to June 30; and start the DMA assessment billing on October 1, 2011,

passed unanimously.

Eddy Eng also suggested using a special occasion to announce the billing to the community and in a positive

way.

Acknowledgment of Chinatown Partnership

Wellington reported that the Chinatown partnership has been paying for all the BID’s expenses since July of

2011 and is now in a cash flow situation. The Partnership already laid-out more than $200,000 dollars for the

BID and cannot sustain forever in this fashion.

David Louie acknowledges all the works the Partnership’s board has done for the BID and suggested a

donation or reimbursement to the Partnership for the expenses they had incurred once the BID receives its

funding.

Motion to approve the reimbursement to the Chinatown Partnership of necessary and verifiable expenses

related to the BID from July 1, 2011 until the BID receives its own funding passed unanimously.

The interim Chinatown Business Improvement District Board of Directors includes these representatives:

-Alice Cancel, Comptroller John C. Liu's office

-Pauline Yu, Mayor's Community Assistant Unit

-Eddy Eng, Small Business Servies, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office

-Elizabeth DeLeon, Small Business Services

-Michael Melamed, Small Business Services

-Matt D Viggiano, Council Member Margaret S. Chin's office

-Xiao Min Zhao, Council Member Margaret S. Chin's office

-Jimmy Yan, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's office

-Mary Cooley, Senator Daniel Squadron's Office

-Karen He, Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver's office

-John K Leo, Community Board # 3

-Michael Levine, Community Board # 1

-Iris Quinones, Hon. Nydia Velazquez

-P.O. Nicky Teo, NYPD 7th Precinct

-P.O. Sue Too, NYPD Community Affairs Bureau

-Antony Wong, Community Board #2

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Once Trashed by Cyclists and Skateboarders Kim Lau Square is Now in Full Bloom Thanks to Chinatown Volunteers

Local residents around Kim Lau Square have been working hard to reclaim their once peaceful park from menacing skateboarders and trick cyclists for the past several years. Volunteers Nancy Linday and Jeanie Chin, both residents of a nearby residential building led the effort in organizing nearly a dozen people to beautify and protect the Square. They hope the new plants will prevent the skaters from using planters as ramps, and create a more appropriate use of open space for locals and tourists to enjoy. The addition of more park benches, intentionally placed in the exact spot where skateboarders illegally cemented over the hand laid cobble stones to smooth surface so they could use it as a ramp, have curtailed the skateboarders use of Kim Lau square significantly. Residents worked closely with elected officials and the Parks Dept. to place the benches in the exact spots that would eliminate skateboard jumping and cycling.

Kim Lau Square planters before volunteers planted bulbs provided free of charge by

Partnership For Parks

photo: CCRC (click to enlarge photo) Kim Lau Square planters April 2012, in full bloom.

The benches were installed by the Parks Department after a tremendous amount of community advocacy and political will.

photo: CCRC (Click to enlarge photo)

Today the square is in full bloom thanks to the volunteers who, in an effort to preserve the beauty of Kim Lau Square, part of Chatham Square, joined together for a day of gardening and cleaning back in November, 2011.

photo: CCRC (click to enlarge)

Sing Tao Newspaper (click to enlarge photo)

They planted various bulbs (all provided free of charge) over the course of a few hours with the guidance of Partnership For Parks, who provided tools, gloves and expertise to the novice garden volunteers.

Kim Lau Square today , photo CCRC (click to enlarge)

Kim Lau Square last August, photo: Downtown Express

Last August Downtown Express reported on the rogue cyclists and skateboarders trashing Kim Lau Square, which is home to the memorial arch dedicated to Ben Kim Lau and veterans of Chinese American decent.

C.C.R.C.'s volunteers and friends spent considerable time documenting the nearly complete take over the Square by obnoxious skateboarders and trick cyclists using the area as their private playground.
Today the space is used by musicians, tourists and residents who can relax without the threat of a bicycle hitting them, or a skateboarder slamming into them.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Hamilton Madison House invites you to join the 33rd Annual Chinatown Banquet April 20th '12

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO about the great work Hamilton Madison House does and why it is such a vital part of New York City, especially for those in the two bridges community downtown.
Here's your invitation, you can print this by clicking the printer icon at the bottom of the image:

Donations and reservations here, you can print this by clicking the printer icon at the bottom of the image:

I’ve been on the board of Hamilton Madison House for over three years now and I am constantly amazed at the work that the “House” does every day. I learned about Hamilton Madison House through my mother June who has been a board member for over three decades. June now enjoys Emeritus status on the Board and I can only hope to add as much to the House as she has over these many years.

June Lee was instrumental in founding the Chinatown Banquet Fund raiser for Hamilton Madison House thirty three years ago. The HMH Chinatown banquet is not only an evening full of culinary delights, it’s a celebration of the hard work that the House does every day in providing

· 300 men and women E.S.L. , and citizenship classes each week.

· 4,500 people with case management, wellness and counseling services at the Chinatown Resource Center

· 1000 children and adults with bilingual clinical services, including gambling addiction

· 6500 seniors with care at the City Hall Senior Center, Helen Harris Center, knickerbocker Village,Smith NORC, and Southbridge Towers

· Social Adult Day where HMH provides the only program of its kind in the City for Chinese speaking seniors with Alzheimer’s disease.

· Caregivers that provide services and support to Chinese and Korean speaking families caring for an elderly family member.

· 300 Children and teens with after school, Summer Day Camp, Saturday WISE, Music school, Tween and Teen programs

· and to help every child we care for develop their self-esteem while acquiring the skills to succeed in school and at home

and much much more.

I hope you will join me at the 33^rd Hamilton Madison House Annual Chinatown Banquet and help us raise necessary funds to keep our programs going at a time when our community needs us the most.

I believe very deeply in the “House” and from my experience I can see my dollars and my time benefitting a great number of people in need in the most immediate sense.

If you cannot join me, please take a moment to send in a donation to the House.

Hamilton Madison House - "Never turn away".

Thank you

Jan Lee, Board of Directors HMH

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Press conference - Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund - possible legal action regarding preemptive taxation of property owners in Chinatown

Chinatown property owners with Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund attorney Bethany Li and communications coordinator Ujala Sehgal held a press conference today

to Protest Thousands in Illegal "BID" Fees Charged by Department of Finance

On March 20, 2012, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), the Property Tax Payers' Association, and small property owners in Chinatown held a press conference to protest the illegal and excessive fees that the New York City Department of Finance has charged small property owners in Chinatown.

Last year, the City Council voted to require property owners in Chinatown to pay additional fees by creating a Business Improvement District (BID), despite vigorous protests from property owners that the BID fees would put them out of business and lead to increased gentrification of their community.

Now that the Chinatown BID is in place, the Department of Finance has charged the same property owners fees for being within BID boundaries for months before the BID even existed. Property owners were charged fees on their property tax statements for the full fiscal year of 2011-2012, even though the Chinatown BID did not exist until January 31, 2012.

"Chinatown property owners should not be retroactively charged a period of time for an entity that did not even exist until just a month and a half ago. The Department of Finance must take immediate corrective action," said Bethany Li of AALDEF, which is representing the Property Tax Payers Association, a group formed to protect the rights of small property owners in Chinatown.

"Hundreds of property owners objected to the BID and now the City is charging us for something we didn't want, for a period before the BID even existed." said Jan Lee, a property owner in Chinatown.

AALDEF is prepared to file a lawsuit if the Department of Finance does not correct the unlawful assessment for the Chinatown BID.

To see the Sinovision story click here

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

First Annual Chinatown Restaurant Week press briefing at MoCA

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Madison Square Garden Network sponsored Knicks Game viewing party - Lucky Plaza restaurant last evening. Cheers from fans of all ages.

Madison Square Garden network sponsored the second Chinatown Knicks game viewing event with Julie Huang of Kaimen public relations, organizers of Chinatown Restaurant Week, last evening. Nearly a hundred people spent their rainy Wednesday in the company of fellow Knicks fans munching on delicious egg rolls and noodles and listening to thumping beats from the professional DJ and M.C. provided by MSG networks. Two members of the famed Knicks City Dancers were present posing for photos and greeting fans. The Chinatown Community Young Lions were excited to be at the party and wore their trade mark red sweatshirts to support the occasion and their hero Jeremy Lin. Tickets to Knicks games were raffled off as well as posters and a prized sneaker signed by Jeremy Lin!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Senator Squadron and Senator Avella with Congresswoman Nydia Valazquez Press Conference Sat. Feb 18th

I spoke on behalf of Lin Sing Association and The Chinatown Community Young Lions at the press conference called by Senators Squadron and Avella, with Congresswoman Valazquez on Sat. Feb. 18th '12 .
The senators have introduced legislation that would force companies to the bargaining table so that an impasse like the one between MSG network, and Time Warner Cable doesn't happen again in New York.

Here is the video of the press conference.

I made the point that Chinatown was a catalyst in the decision making between the two companies as evidenced by the stalemate being broken less than 48 hrs after MSG, through Kaimen Company (which is presenting Chinatown Restaurant Week in March), organized a community briefing, a much publicized press briefing, and Knicks game viewing party in Chinatown at Nom Wah Tea Parlor last Wednesday.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Who's dumping on Chinatown? Apotheke, that's who.

Trash duty: step one: dump trash from bar in front of post office, step two: continue being a Jerk.

The area in front of the U.S. Post office on Doyers street in Chinatown has become a dumping ground for trash bags and detritus. Tipsters in the neighborhood, successfully snapped off a few shots of the determined dumper last fall. Apotheke, a bar catering to tourists and the bridge and tunnel crowd apparently doesn't agree with the city's health code which mandates that all commercial businesses put their trash curbside in front of their own business for private carting pickup.

Apparently these offenses are not new at all, as www.Boweryboogie.com has covered this before - documenting even more trash coming from Apotheke. in October of 2011.

The Apotheke pyrotechnic stunt that landed former partner Albert Trummer in trouble with the

fire marshal twice.

Skirting the law seems to be a favorite business "practice" of this newly arrived darling of the blogosphere. Its former owner and bar keep Albert Trummer was arrested for setting the bar on fire TWICE as a Vegas-style publicity stunt. Historic Doyers street, unbeknownst to Trummer, was the site of one of the most horrific fires in lower Manhattan , a good reason why the FDNY came down hard on Trummer for his pyrotechnic stunt designed for the deep-pocketed-but-feeble-minded. We gripe at times over city agencies' numerous fines and undercover stings, but this was definitely a life saving arrest that sends a message to other would-be juvenile showmen with matches and alcohol.

The current owners of this signless not-so-secret hideaway (the Times is hardly an underground source) are Heather and her brother Christopher Tierny. Cage fighting could be a basement attraction at this establishment given physical altercations taking place there.

As the saying goes, "with friends like these who needs enemies?" Apotheke is not a friend to Chinatown.
Neither of the Tierny's nor their employees give a sh*t about Chinatown. They don't even have a sign.
Neighbors don't dump their garbage in the street, and they certainly don't violate fire codes that endanger residential buildings. Trummer boldly said after his arrest that " he would like to "teach the Fire Department about the flammability of different alcohols". - Really?

As a service to New Yorkers we remind you that the Department of Sanitation takes illegal dumping seriously. There are rewards offered to citizens who report illegal dumping in their neighborhood - I'm just sayin'............

The Department of Sanitation has two programs through which the public can collect monetary awards for reporting observations of illegal dumping. Under the first - The Illegal Dumping Award Program - you must be willing to sign an affidavit and appear at the Environmental Control Board (ECB) hearing. Under the second - The Illegal Dumping Tip Program - information about your identity remains confidential.

The Illegal Dumping Award Program:
Under this program, a person who observes illegal dumping and completes an affidavit leading to the conviction of those responsible is eligible for rewards of 50% of the fine collected. The individual must appear at the ECB hearing if the respondent appears at ECB to challenge the summons issued pursuant to the affidavit.

The Illegal Dumping Tip Program:
Under this new program, a person who provides information leading the DSNY to catch the dumper in the act, would be eligible for a reward of up to 50% of any fine collected. Information on the individual's identity would remain confidential and complainants would not have to appear at an ECB hearing. However, Sanitation Enforcement personnel would have to subsequently "catch the dumper in the act" based on the tip.

An employee from a neighboring establishment has to sweep up

Apotheke's mess.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Here comes the velvet rope - Le Baron - finishing touches on Mulberry St.

Paris bar LeBaron looks like its finally going to open as workers paint the doors to the place

that was formerly Yello Karaoke bar.

From the NY POST :

And Parisian transplant Le Baron club is hoping to open in the former Yello Karaoke Lounge on the southernmost edge of Mulberry Street by year’s end.

“It’s definitely the next Lower East Side,” says West Village resident Patrick Ashby, a lawyer for the Royal Bank of Scotland.Read more: Looks like their permits came through - oh joy.

There is no true neighborhood in Manhattan that wants to be known as "the next Lower East Side" , thanks to the proliferation of bars in that formerly quiet part of the City. Given Chinatown's proximity to three bridges and two tunnels we can only imagine what the future will be like with this new addition to the neighborhood. Everyone put "311" and the 5th precinct phone numbers on their speed dial. No, seriously, do it, you'll see why as soon as this place opens.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Councilmember Recchia vows to create a "mechanism" to allow BID opponents to be on the Chinatown BID Board

Councilmember Robert Jackson of district 7, challenges the phrase "not legitimately" used by BID opponent and representative of the Coalition Against the Chinatown BID, and Vice President of the Property Tax Payers Copr., in reference to the Chinatown BID creation

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Video of Jan Lee Testimony at City Council Finance hearing on Chinatown BID, Sept. 7 '11

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Video of City Council Finance committee voting on Chinatown BID - 14 min.'s

Please click the button below to watch the City Council Finance Committee voting on the Chinatown B.I.D., Sept. 21 2011.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Speaker Christine Quinn backed Margaret Chin's Chinatown BID on Sept. 21 2011

Not a Solution, and not permanent - the BID is an aberration

Opponents of the BID battled the plan every step of the way, charging the district with placing a burdensome tax on owners and being too politically tied.

Obviously we are disappointed, but we’re not surprised,” said Chinatown business owner Jan Lee, who has led the charge against the BID’s formation.

He alleged that the district plan was expedited due to political will, noting that a series of inquiries will eventually reveal that figures used to show widespread support for the BID are inaccurate.

“We do want to get the point across that the BID is a temporary aberration in Chinatown that will be eventually dismantled,” Lee said. “It should not be looked at as a permanent solution because it’s not a solution, and it’s not permanent.” -www.dnainfo.com