Urbanite

Cool exhibit coming up next month at The New York Public Library exploring the use of eminent domain in the city.

The above photo, called "Untitled/This is Just to Say #75" is by local photographer Ethan Levitas, who takes snaps of train cars and passengers on elevated rail lines throughout the city.

The NYPL's press materials say the exhibit is "about the reorganization of urban space and its public use in New York City."

Ever since the Supreme Court decided that local governments could take private property and give it to another private developer, this issue has been roiling local governments, ours especially, so it's nice to see an artistic take on it.

More photos after the jump

---David Freedlander

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Mazhar Alhadid, a dentist from Flushing Avenue in Bedford Stuyvesant, and Jim Moore, senior vice president of business affairs for FreshDirect chat in Bedford-Stuyvesant Thursday.

It was announced in late May on the Bed-Stuy blog that grocery delivery company FreshDirect would begin service to Bedford-Stuyvesant and the launch day has arrived.

Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz was present to usher in this new era of fresh foods in a box delivered to the doors of Bed-Stuy residents.

"Those who love to eat but are always rushed—-both the good cooks and those “foodies” who, like me, never attained that skill and head straight for the tasty prepared foods, are thrilled that Fresh Direct is catering to underserved neighborhoods, which benefit from the availability of more quality, healthy foods,” said Markowitz in a statement.

-- Lauren Johnston

AP Photo by Jason DeCrow

Oh how the mighty 80s rockers do fall -- or is this a rebirth? Anyway, the latest in a string of (formerly) big name acts to perform (oddly) at J+R Music and Computer World downtown is: Asia. Do you have "Heat of the Moment" stuck in your head just hearing the name? We do!

If you want to see Asia - get moving. It's Noon at J+R (23 Park Row)

We wish we could go to the "show" ... but we can't -- so if you go, can you send us your video clips? Please? (lauren.johnston@am-ny.com).

And now, New York City, put your hands together for ASIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Lauren Johnston

Dib Reda has sold clothes in lower Manhattan for 18 years and never wants to leave, but times are tough for businesses like his that are disrupted by an unprecedented level of construction.

Small retail operations like Reda’s are eligible for a cash infusion from the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., which is doling out $5 million in HUD grants.

“It’s hard to make rent. It’s hard to make a living,” said Reda of Stylz clothing store on Fulton Street. “We need some kind of help to stay in lower Manhattan.”

The maximum grant of $25,000 for each business could make a difference for Reda, who said he is losing half his business thanks to the nonstop construction in the area.

“One byproduct of redevelopment is the imposition on street-level retail businesses,” said Avi Schick, president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp.

Ninth Avenue between West 17th and 18th streets is a remarkable pocket of Manhattan the way it once was -- homegrown shops that cater to their neighbors. That's it. The eastern side has a barber shop (with hand-painted sign), a liquor store (alive with bold neon), a dry cleaner (with 1960ish plastic sign), and so forth. And these are long-running businesses, with the kind of patina and roots that enrich the neighborhood. You take them as a group and you ask yourself how such places can hang on -- and what can be done to save them.

Th building that houses them has a new owner seeking to lure high-end retail -- that was the plan back in November. Now, Jeremiah at Vanishing New York reports in a compelling read that most of the shops have been told their days are numbered.

As he observes, "I've been wondering when the block would begin to vanish, but I didn't know it would happen with just one real estate deal."

It's a thought we've had from time to time about this stretch. We made a point of walking by here occasionally just to soak in the old-school flavor.

After the jump are a few more cell-phone shots we took of the street back in October. We plan to make another visit soon. Time is of the essence, as it is for so many of these places in today's New York.

-- Rolando Pujol

Senator Barack Obama makes a stop at Cooper Union this morning to give a speech on the economy. He was set to start around 9:15 a.m., with an introduction by Mayor Bloomber, so there's still time to head down and catch the end or at least his exit from the Great Hall at 7 East 7th Street.

Extras: The Obama campaign in photos, and the celebrity Obama family tree

-- Lauren Johnston

If you're looking for tangible proof of the potent role Europeans play in Manhattan's real-estate market, look no further than this ad outside a condo tower rising rapidly on an incredibly narrow lot on West 34th Street between Park and Madison avenues. Real-estate observers have long credited pied-a-terre-seeking Europeans with helping to keep the Manhattan market resilient. But we must say, we never thought we'd see this sentiment so clearly articulated on a promotional banner. Come and get your condos while the getting -- and dollar -- is still good!

-- Rolando Pujol

Another disadvantage to being poor in this town, besides longingly staring at folks dining on a $1,000 bagel is that it is more likely you have to spend time in a crowded New York City subway car or jammed city bus. According to a new study released by the Pratt Center Transportation Equity Project, income is tightly tied up with commute times. The study says,

Three-quarters of a million New Yorkers travel more than one hour each way to work. Two-thirds of them earn less than $35,000 a year. By contrast, just 6 percent of these extreme commuters earn more than $75,000 a year. Black New Yorkers have the longest commute times, 25 percent longer than white commuters; Hispanic commuters have rides 12 percent longer.

You can read more about it here: http://www.prattcenter.net/transportationequity.php

Recession. For many New York City residents, it feels like we're already in one. Is Manhattan insulated, in part because of the continued real estate boom? How about the other boroughs, where the subprime mortage crisis has been keenly felt? Here's what some New Yorkers are saying, according to interviews by our Justin Rocket Silverman:

Do you believe the economy is in trouble? Are you taking any steps to protect yourself?

"I don't think it’s going to crash. It’ll be more like a steady slide for the next two or three years, then it will come back. I have my job, so I’m not too worried. But I am waiting for the housing market to really come down so I can afford to buy a place.”

***

“The whole sub prime crisis is worrying. But I’m hopeful the Democrats will take back the White House and do something to turn the economy around.”

Jennifer Park, 25, Rego Park

***

“I’m currently living in a temporary residence for women and have held off on leasing my own place in the city because I’m concerned about how the economy is going to get. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to afford to live here.”