News

We are grateful that the State Attorney General will open an investigation on Rivington House. We all need a resolution to this mess.

There are important questions for the State of New York. What was the finding from the mandated oversight in this transaction?

Have the funding structures for nursing homes led us here –  is it no longer financially possible for nursing homes to be run by not-for-profit entities?

Has the Medicaid Redesign insured we will be ill prepared for the looming Alzheimer’s epidemic of the baby boomer generation?

Meanwhile, the taxpayer dollars (a $70 million NY State bond) that went for improvements to make this facility code-compliant are lying in ruin. Have the loans been repaid?

http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/state-attorney-general-opens-rivington-house-investigation.html

Hello all,

A press conference:

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, City Council member Margaret Chin and Community Board 3 Chairperson Gigi Li will be holding a news conference tomorrow in front of the former Rivington House nursing home. 11am tomorrow, Wednesday April 6, 2016 at 45 Rivington Street (near Forsyth Street and Sara Roosevelt Park)

http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/news-conference-scheduled-at-rivington-house-tomorrow.html

and an op – ed by K.

http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/opinion-dear-mayor-find-a-way-to-make-things-right-at-rivington-house.html

A few more articles on the Rivington House situation.

http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/lobbyist-james-capalino-speaks-out-on-rivington-house-scandal.html

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20160404/real_estate/160409975

http://www.wsj.com/articles/firm-denies-wrongdoing-in-new-york-city-deed-controversy-1459816460

Thanks everyone who has fought for this building and the neighbors who used to live there and the ones who would have.

WNYC The Brian Lehrer Show: Ed Litvak of the Lo-Down on Rivington House

10am Monday April 4, 2016

Tune in!

We thank the Lo-Down for the original and ongoing investigative reporting.

News articles on Rivington House:

http://nypost.com/2016/04/03/shady-firm-dupes-city-to-profit-72m-in-luxury-condo-deal/

http://evgrieve.com/2016/04/the-growing-scandal-over-45-rivington-st.html

http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2016/04/1/amid-affordable-housing-push–mayor-slams-luxury-condo-that-deal-shuttered-a-health-care-center-on-the-lower-east-side.html

http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2016/4/1/city-hall-issues-another-denial-as-rivington-house-deed-change-deal-worries-de-blasios-aides-reports

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/02/nyregion/city-began-inquiry-into-sale-of-nursing-home-to-developer-before-mayor-de-blasio-knew-of-deal.html?_r=0

http://www.wsj.com/articles/lobbyist-with-tie-to-land-deal-is-worry-to-de-blasio-aides-1459555977

http://nypost.com/2016/03/31/doi-subpoenas-city-workers-over-72m-nursing-home-flip/

http://nypost.com/2016/03/31/doi-subpoenas-city-workers-over-72m-nursing-home-flip/

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/04/8595573/lobbyist-capalino-seeks-clear-his-name-rivington-deal?top-featured-3

http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/03/more-details-emerge-regarding-those-mysterious-rivington-house-emails.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/city-subpoenas-records-condos-built-nursing-home-article-1.2584636

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20160330/REAL_ESTATE/160339988/two-pols-demand-info-on-deal-to-turn-lower-east-side-nursing-home-into-condos

http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14127:money-trail-emerges-in-citys-lifting-of-deed-restrictions-on-les-nursing-home&catid=112:new-york&Itemid=295

TOT Jewish consultants http://www.totpi.com/de-blasio-claims-his-administration-unwittingly-signed-off-on-shady-land-deal-for-lower-east-side-property/

http://www.mingtiandi.com/real-estate/outbound-investment/vankes-116m-manhattan-acquisition-now-centre-of-nyc-investigation/?utm_source=Mingtiandi+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=3f4ca25720-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34ef0efbcc-3f4ca25720-56473589

http://www.wsj.com/articles/developer-faces-more-questions-on-land-deals-1459387754?mod=rss_newyork_news

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/03/8595322/nursing-home-deal-and-city-hall-response-raises-questions

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/31/nyregion/nursing-homes-sale-to-condo-developer-raises-questions-for-city.html?_r=0

http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/03/mayor-received-cb3s-rivington-house-plea-jan-27.html

http://nypost.com/2016/03/29/why-isnt-the-mayor-furious-at-this-rancid-deal/

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/catch-thief-solution-needed-de-blasio-whodunit-article-1.2580512

http://nypost.com/2016/03/29/im-not-happy-de-blasio-admits-fault-in-72m-nursing-home-flip/

Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/de-blasio-lobbyist-helped-turn-nursing-home-condos-article-1.2578230

Lo-Down: http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/03/spin-city-de-blasio-administrations-bungling-of-rivington-house-sale.html

WSJ; http://www.wsj.com/articles/manhattan-land-deal-is-examined-1458694201

NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/nyregion/new-york-city-turns-over-files-on-building-sale-subpoenaed-by-comptroller.html?_r=0

Politico: http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/03/8594873/de-blasio-administration-complies-stringer-subpoena

http://therealdeal.com/2016/03/23/stringer-examining-deal-that-led-to-vankes-116m-purchase-of-les-dev-site/

http://www.habitatmag.com/Publication-Content/Legal-Financial/2016/2016-March/Nursing-Probe

https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/TDJNDN_2016032214173/manhattan-land-deal-is-examined.html

http://www.boweryboogie.com/2016/03/de-blasio-lobbyist-implicated-controversial-rivington-house-condo-conversion/

http://www.boweryboogie.com/2016/03/comptroller-stringer-scrutinizes-116m-sale-rivington-house-condo-conversion/

“There’s now a money trail possibly helping to explain the de Blasio administration’s mishandling of Rivington House. The former nursing home for AIDS patients was sold for $116 million to luxury developers after the city’s Department of Administrative Services (DCAS) lifted a deed restriction.

The Daily News reports that influential lobbyist James Capalino “steered $50,000 in donations to Mayor de Blasio after pressing the city for a deed change that allows one of his clients to turn a building restricted for use as a nursing home into luxury condos.” And according to the Wall Street Journal, the former property owner, Joel Landau, contributed $4950 to the de Blasio campaign in 2013.”

For further information and with thanks go to the Lo-Down.

Thank you to Ed Litvak and the Lo-Down for an exhaustive reporting job.

“After months of silence from the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio, city officials finally appear to be taking at least a somewhat serious look at the loss of a community facility on Rivington Street.

As The Lo-Down first reported Dec. 18, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) lifted a deed restriction on the former Rivington House nursing home building at 45 Rivington St. The onetime facility for AIDS patients, was sold to the Allure Group last year. The firm briefly operated a general services nursing home from the building but re-sold the property to luxury developers in a $118 million deal that came to light last month.

Last night at a meeting of Community Board 3, a representative of NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer passed out a letter written to DCAS Commissioner Lisette Camilo on March 7. “Based on the facts and circumstances of the sale as we understand them,” Stringer wrote, “this matter requires greater transparency and disclosure to the general public.”

to read more:

http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/03/comptroller-investigates-citys-role-in-sale-of-former-rivington-house-facility.html

Other coverage:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/manhattan-land-deal-is-examined-1458694201

http://therealdeal.com/2016/03/23/stringer-examining-deal-that-led-to-vankes-116m-purchase-of-les-dev-site/

http://www.habitatmag.com/Publication-Content/Legal-Financial/2016/2016-March/Nursing-Probe

https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/TDJNDN_2016032214173/manhattan-land-deal-is-examined.html

It looks like we have a volunteer Sign Language interpreter (English)! Thank you Jina (and Wendy).

APRIL 12th @ 2pm at the BRC Senior Center

This is your chance to weigh in on this proposal. If this matters to you, your small business, your senior community, your sightless community, children’s community, deaf community let the City know what you think!

32^nd GreenThumb GrowTogether

Saturday, March 19^th, 2016

8:30am-4:00pm

Hostos Community College

500 Grand Concourse

Bronx, NY 10451

 Train: 2, 5 trains at 149^th Street-Grand Concourse

If you plan on attending, please pre-register by clicking here, it’s an affordable $5 and you get breakfast, lunch, and a t-shirt!  We do accept walk-ins for $7, however you are not guaranteed breakfast, lunch, or a t-shirt.

I hope to see many of you there!  Download the full PDF of the conference guide to help you get an idea of the many amazing workshops that will be on offer that day.

Anthony Reuter is the Lower Manhattan & Staten Island Outreach Coordinator for GreenThumb
T 212.602.5324 C 929.295.1369 F 212.602.5334 E anthony.reuter@parks.nyc.gov

NYC Parks
GreenThumb
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New York, NY 10038
www.greenthumbnyc.org

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The Arsenal

Attn: GreenThumb

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32nd GreenThumb GrowTogether- March 19th 2016

We had a good evening listening to one another about what we’ve learned as active Parks organizations. Terrific group of new Park advocates in attendance at The Arsenal.

Thanks Partnership for Parks!

PARTNERSHIPS ACADEMY (A joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks) offers TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS.

HOW TO START OR JOIN A COMMUNITY PARK GROUP

Panelists:

Sally Fisher and Chris Whitney from Inwood Hill Park

Diana Carulli from East River Coalition

K Webster Sara Roosevelt Park Community Coalition