He’s known as the Confetti King of Lower Manhattan.
Joe Timpone, the Downtown Alliance’s Vice President for Operations, has taken part in dozens of parades in his more than 30 years with the city’s Sanitation Department and during his tenure with the Downtown Alliance.
He dispatches more than 100 sanitation and safety workers around the neighborhood on the day of the parade. He says it takes weeks to cleanup because paper strips are often collected on ledges above and await a strong wind gust to disrupt their nests. And, he’s even ridden on a float in one parade.
Today, he jumps into action, organizing the creation of a ton of confetti – not the obsolete ticker tape – to distribute to 20 of the biggest buildings along the Canyon of Heroes. We spent some time with Joe to get details on his parade prep.
Check our website throughout the day and download our mobile app for details on the Canyon of Heroes parade, and the best restaurants and bars to visit after the parade.
The eyes of the world are on Lower Manhattan as we near the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center. And what they will see is substantial progress at the site–along with a growing, flourishing district that may have been knocked down but couldn’t be counted out.
Yesterday, the Alliance for Downtown New York issued a report called the State of Lower Manhattan 2011, providing a comprehensive review of Lower Manhattan’s remarkable economic and demographic changes, leasing activity, and development and market trends since 9/11. You can find the report here.
Over the last decade, Lower Manhattan’s population has more than doubled and tourism has climbed to nine million visitors annually. Simply put, this is one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in New York City.
“We’re rebuilding what was lost, and that’s not just bricks and mortar,” said Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth H. Berger. “Through this rebuilding process, Lower Manhattan has created a multi-dimensional community where families and parks can co-exist with law firms and banks. One of the things that has happened since 9/11 is that Wall Street and Main Street are now the same street in Lower Manhattan.”
Lower Manhattan has redefined itself as much more than a place that thrives from 9 to 5. It has become a powerful community and a home. More than 15 million square feet of office space were converted to residential use from 1995 to 2006. Families now constitute a majority of residents of Lower Manhattan, and 40 percent of childless households say they plan to have children within the next three years.
Thanks in part to a public and private investment of $30 billion, Lower Manhattan has fought through the attacks of 9/11 and the largest economic downturn since the Depression and come out on top. The neighborhood has added 12 hotels since 9/11 and is home to 130 more companies than were here a decade ago. In the last two years alone, it has opened six new primary and secondary schools.
Lower Manhattan has done more than just survive the most devastating day in the city’s history. It has come together to build a stronger community. It is a testament to the world about New York’s resilience.
Sponsored by the Downtown Alliance and Featuring Introduction by Mayor Bloomberg, Promotional Video Highlights Lower Manhattan as World-Class Destination
New York, NY (August 1, 2011) – Lower Manhattan is showcased this month in “Delta Destinations,” an exclusive in-flight video series promoting the top destinations around the world in five-minute video features.
The piece, introduced by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, features Lower Manhattan as a prime destination for visitors and a top location to live and do business. The feature takes passengers on a virtual tour of Lower Manhattan’s history, heritage and culture while promoting top area businesses and unparalleled neighborhood amenities.
“We are thrilled to share our growing, world-class community with people from around the globe” said Elizabeth H. Berger, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York. “Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, Lower Manhattan has everything you are looking for in one square mile.”
“Lower Manhattan is a world-class destination, with stunning water vistas, monumental architecture, museums, parks, world-class shopping and dining – all set among the most famous historic attractions in America,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “With so much to see and do, it’s a great place to visit, and we’re grateful to Delta and the Downtown Alliance for helping to showcase it.”
Starting August 1st, the segment will air on more than 17,000 Delta domestic and international flights arriving at New York metro area airports, reaching more than 2.6 million passengers. The spot also air this month and next in Virgin America’s RedHOT in-flight video program, reaching an additional 1 million passengers.
The promotional spot will air on Delta aircraft main screens and personal seatback screens. The episode will receive preferred placement of first segment in video programming line up and will be promoted in Delta’s Sky Magazine. The Delta fleet is equipped with Wi-Fi and passengers will be able to log on to www.downtownNY.com/delta using their laptops or smart phones, creating the opportunity for immediate trip planning and booking.
Renowned Graphic Designer, Andy Jacobson [http://andyjacobsonstudio.com], a Lower Manhattan resident, served as a pro bono Creative Consultant for the video.
“We wanted the spot to focus on the array of opportunities in Lower Manhattan, said Andy. “With its dramatic growth over the last decade Lower Manhattan, in addition to its reputation as the business capital of the world, has gained a reputation for its cultural offerings, as well as its vibrant 24/7 community.”
The Downtown Alliance reports that last year alone more than 9 million people visited Lower Manhattan, one million more than the previous year, and that millions more are expected to visit Lower Manhattan after the opening of the National September 11 Memorial in September this year.
Lower Manhattan also is home to more than 56,000 residents – more than double a decade ago – and more than 306,000 workers. Visitors can stay at one of 18 Lower Manhattan hotels, triple that number in the area 10 years ago, or visit more than a dozen museums and other cultural attractions.
New York City Council Member Margaret Chin, Mr. Met and Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth H. Berger at the Downtown Little League's opening day.
After a long, cold winter, it was finally time to play ball in Lower Manhattan with the Downtown Little League (DLL) this weekend. Hundreds of players took to the fields to get the season underway while proud parents packed the stands.
“The Downtown Little League is a fantastic Lower Manhattan institution, especially as our residential population—families with children in particular—continues to grow,” said Elizabeth H. Berger, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York. “The Alliance is thrilled to sponsor the DLL for another season.”
Berger welcomed the crowd along with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, New York City Council Member Margaret Chin, Battery Park City Authority Chairman William C. Thompson, Jr. and President Gayle Horwitz, and Community Board 1 Chair Julie Menin. Former Mets pitcher Ron Darling was on hand to sign autographs, and Mr. Met came in from Queens on the 7 Train to join the festivities as well.
The Downtown Alliance supports the Downtown Little League, which kicks off the season this coming Saturday with a parade and carnival featuring Mr. Met and former Met pitcher Ron Darling.
Daniel Giacomazza is the Alliance’s Assistant Vice President of Operations, and has taken a special interest in the DLL over the past several years. He recently spoke with DLL parent Bridget Crawford about his involvement with the league, his athletic career and his now public (but longtime secret) childhood preference for the Red Sox while growing up in a Yankee household.
Here’s another view looking out the window of 40 Wall Street, this time of the Equitable Building at 120 Broadway. The tower houses the Downtown Alliance and was the largest office building in the world from 1915 until the 1931 opening of the Empire State Building. Today, the Equitable Building is one of 43 in the city with its own zip code, 10271.
When 120 Broadway opened, its volume and verticality caused an uproar because the tower blocked so much sunlight from surrounding streets. A year later, the city adopted a zoning resolution requiring setbacks after a certain height. In this photo, you can clearly see the dark shadow shrouding narrow Pine Street along the building’s south side. The Alliance has called the building home since 1995 and we are big fans.
The Lower Manhattan experience is one-of-a-kind. Being an intern at the Downtown Alliance has allowed me to experience more about Manhattan than I ever expected. And, I realized that there are so many things offered in Lower Manhattan.
As I was completing my studies at George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, I learned about the internship program at the Downtown Alliance through Futures & Options. FAO is a non-profit that helps students like me explore careers and become active in our communities.
FAO is in Lower Manhattan as well, and worked with my school to find students to participate in internships. I was lucky enough to be selected to work with FAO, and then to be picked to work with the Downtown Alliance.
Working with this organization has helped me learn much more about the Lower Manhattan area. Every day, people request information and brochures (apparently, we distribute more than a million maps, guides, and material every year!).
As I fill in orders, I reach out to people that live in the area – and many from outside of Lower Manhattan – and get to talk with them. As I deliver packages to residents and companies down here, I get to explore the neighborhood and learn about all of its history and geography. Something I’ve learned is that there are 200 black granite strips, along Broadway, that tell the story of each ticker tape parade that has been held in the city in chronological order.
The Downtown Alliance plays a huge part in what goes on in Lower Manhattan, and being a part of this organization also makes me feel a part of Lower Manhattan, too.
There are so many places to eat, more than I realized! And, you can pretty much find any type of food here. My favorite spot to order food from is not a restaurant, and it’s not a store. There’s a vendor, “Ms. Shirley,” who cooks Trinidadian food on Whitehall Street. I drop by there often and (most of the time) order curry chicken, cabbage, and rice and beans. Ms. Shirley is extremely nice.
Lower Manhattan overall has been a great place to work. I’d recommend it as a place for friends and family to visit and explore, especially when the weather gets better!
Crews were out in force on Monday morning in Lower Manhattan, shoveling snow, salting sidewalks and keeping the neighborhood safe for workers, residents and visitors amid one of the largest blizzards in New York City’s history. (Photo by Brian DiFeo)
Red-coated Downtown Alliance crews (check them out here) used three plows and dozens of shovels and snow blowers as they spread more than 2.5 tons of salt on sidewalks and at bus stops, crosswalks, subway entrances and other locations.
Every day at 4:00 AM, Carl Homward begins his hour-long commute from Canarsie, Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan, where he serves as Sanitation Supervisor for the Downtown Alliance.
“It’s actually very relaxing,” he said. “I sit back and meditate about what I need to get done for the day.”
It’s this methodical serenity that has helped Homward rise from street cleaner to maintenance worker to supervisor since starting at the Alliance in 1995.
“Without him,” said Downtown Alliance Director of Sanitation Joe Lanaro, “we wouldn’t get anything done.”
“The best part of the job is being able to help clean up Lower Manhattan,” Homward said. “We have a zero tolerance policy with graffiti by removing it as soon as possible and keeping the streets clean.”
Homward loves the district and often brings his wife of 16 years and four children Downtown to show them all of the changes he has witnessed, such as “buildings that have been taken down, rebuilt and are now beautiful high rises.”
And, he has positive reflections on the impact the last 15 years with the Downtown Alliance have had on him.
“Hard work, improvement, determination, accomplishment and teamwork is the meaning that my job at the Alliance has had in my life,” he said. “That is what I passed on to my kids.”
DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, owners of Bombay's and Fika, and Nicole LaRusso of the Downtown Alliance officially opened the pop-up cafe Thursday.
Midtown may have Pop-Tarts, but Downtown has a pop-up.
Just in time for refreshing fall weather, the New York City Department of Transportation has created an innovative, pleasant place to sit outside in Lower Manhattan on Pearl Street, called a “pop-up café.” It’s a temporary curbside seating platform and the first of its kind in New York City.
While anyone can enjoy the space, the platform was installed by adjacent restaurants Fika and Bombay’s, which will maintain and remove the platform later this year at their own expense. The program’s effectiveness will be evaluated to help determine if similar spaces should be created elsewhere in the city.
“As we know from the success of Stone Street, the addition of outdoor seating creates an exciting new destination for Downtown’s 300,000 workers, 55,000 residents and six million annual visitors,” said Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth H. Berger. “The Department of Transportation’s new pop-up café platform is an especially creative way to add seating along a street with narrow sidewalks. We hope everyone will come enjoy this great new addition to the neighborhood.”
Today, Downtown Alliance Senior Vice President for Planning and Economic Development Nicole LaRusso joined DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz and Community Board 1 Financial District Chairman Ro Sheffe at a news conference to officially unveil the space. Also making an appearance was cycling enthusiast and former Talking Heads band member David Bryne, who recently worked with DOT to design and select whimsical new bike racks.
Many of the nearby tables were filled as the restaurants handed out mango lassi, samosas and a selection of Swedish hors d’oeuvres to celebrate the unveiling.
Click here to view photos from the event. And here’s a YouTube clip of the space.
Both restaurants had approached the Downtown Alliance and DOT earlier this year about ways they could possibly expand onto the sidewalk, which was too narrow for a café according to Consumer Affairs rules. DOT and DCA discussed this innovative solution and DOT proposed the pop-up café platform concept to be installed in the roadbed in the businesses’ loading zones. The 84-foot-long, 6-foot-wide wooden platform is landscaped with planters, wire railing and furnished with 14 café tables and 45 chairs.
One week into the project, Fika and Bombay’s have already reported huge increases in business. Perhaps samosas and gravlax are best taken in the shadow of Downtown skyscrapers.
