Lower Manhattan Update 11-8-12

Now that the recovery process has made significant strides, the Downtown Alliance will produce a daily email (instead of twice-a-day) to provide you with all of the updates that could affect your home or office in Lower Manhattan with information from various agencies including New York City, New York State, MTA, Port Authority, Con Ed and more. If you would like to subscribe, please click here.

Remember, you can also get the latest updates and retail openings from Facebook and Twitter.

IMPORTANT LINKS

• Federal Disaster Assistance
• Disaster Assistance Service Centers
• Food, blanket and water distribution locations
• Daytime Warming Centers
• Overnight Warming Center locations and bus pick ups
• Emergency Shelters
• Medical Van Locations
• Business Recovery Resources
• School Relocation Information
• MTA Status (Subways, Buses, Metro North, LIRR)
• East River Ferry
• Hudson River Ferries
• PATH
• NJ Transit
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Board of Elections Poll Site Relocation Information
• Con Edison
• Parks
• Alternate Side Parking and Meters
• Sanitation

WEATHER ADVISORY

A significant storm is forecast to impact New York City today from approximately mid-day Wednesday through Thursday morning. Although only an inch of rain is forecast, sustained winds will reach 25 to 40 miles per hour, with gusts up from 55 to 65 miles per hour. The wind will cause a storm surge ranging from 3 to 5 feet at high tide Wednesday afternoon, with the highest surge levels forecast for the Western Long Island sound; surge levels are forecast to be slightly lower at high tide Wednesday night.

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning through 4 AM Thursday, 11/8. Cold weather, rain and high wind gusts are expected. All NYC parks and beaches will be closed from 12 PM tomorrow, 11/7 until 12 PM Thursday, 11/8.

The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Warning for NYC during the high tide cycles Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. For the most up to date NYC area weather forecasts, visit http://weather.gov/nyc .

If you live in a low-lying or a flood prone area, an area already impacted by the recent hurricane, or have concerns about flooding, consider staying with friends or family outside affected areas or in a NYC evacuation shelter.

Shelters in NYC are currently open. Locate the nearest shelter by visiting http://on.nyc.gov/SlpGEx  If you need assistance with transportation, call 311 for help. All evacuation centers have at least one wheelchair accessible entrance.

The City is taking significant precautions in advance of the storm, including halting all construction, closing all City parks, encouraging drivers to stay off the road after 5:00 PM, or to use extreme caution if they have to drive and employing door to door operations to urge people without heat to take shelter to stay warm.

While this storm is significant, under normal circumstances, it would likely result in minor coastal flooding in low-lying areas, and the normal risk of downed trees associated with these types of storms.

Because Hurricane Sandy weakened trees and caused extensive damage and debris, the predicted wind speeds present an increased risk of more downed trees and tree limbs, as well as windblown debris. All New Yorkers are urged to stay indoors during inclement conditions.

In light of the beach erosion and other damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, some of the lowest-lying areas in the city – particularly the areas flooded by last week’s storm – are vulnerable to storm surge today.

No general evacuations have been ordered, but if you experienced significant flooding during Hurricane Sandy, you should consider taking shelter with family and friends, who do not live in low-lying areas, or go to one of the City-run storm shelters.

In particular, based on analysis of the erosion caused by Hurricane Sandy, residents of Breezy Point, Hamilton Beach, and Gerristen Beach should consider taking shelter with family or friends, or at a City-run shelter. The Police Department is making announcements via loudspeakers in these neighborhoods and other areas that saw significant flooding.

NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT UPDATE

• G trains resumed service along their full route from Church Avenue in Brooklyn to Court Square in Queens this morning, but with considerable delays due to ongoing work to repair damaged communications and signal equipment inside the Greenpoint tube under Newton Creek.
• Repair work is ongoing to restore Canarsie L Line between Brooklyn and Manhattan.
• Crews continue to pump out the Montague Tube, in hopes of restoring full line R service.
• The South Ferry 1 station in Lower Manhattan is closed until further notice, after suffering serious water damage.
• Sea Beach N service on the line in southern Brooklyn.
• A Far Rockaway and S Rockaway Park Shuttle service remain suspended.
• Access-a-Ride is providing regular service.

Subway service has been restored to most lines, with some service operating at close to normal levels. Work continues to restore full service to lines that are currently offering only partial service. Staten Island Railway is operating on a limited, 15 minute schedule, and weekday AM express service is suspended as repair work on critical signal and switch components at St. George Terminal continues.

PATH UPDATE

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will continue to operate limited Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) service in both directions between Journal Square in Jersey City and 33rd Street in Manhattan, with the exception of Christopher and 9th streets in Manhattan.

Stops will include Journal Square, Grove Street and Newport in Jersey City and 14th, 23rd and 33rd streets in Manhattan.

Service will remain suspended between Newark Penn Station and Journal Square, Hoboken, Exchange Place, and World Trade Center as recovery efforts continue. Disabled passengers will continue to have access to the platforms only at Journal Square and 33rd Street as clean up and restoration work continues.

The Port Authority cautions passengers to expect extended waits and potential service delays as PATH personnel and third-party contractors continue to safely return the entire system to normal service.

The PATH system suffered unprecedented and widespread flooding in the tunnels and at multiple stations, as well as power outages that shut down signals and switches. Crews continue to work to restore power and to pump water that is remaining in some of the tunnels.

NEED FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING/ VACANT LOTS

As a result of Hurricane Sandy, the City expects that up to 40,000 people have been displaced and will need some form of temporary housing.

• If you have any housing stock available, please submit your inventory of available furnished and unfurnished apartments where people can be placed immediately, i.e. without Board approval.
• We are also looking for areas of vacant land (including vacant lots, parking areas, and open space) where trailers or temporary housing could be placed.

The terms under which these spaces would be rented is still being determined among the city, state, and federal government and we are not seeking any level of commitment from land owners at this time. At this time we are only trying to get a sense of available housing stock for those affected by the hurricane. Please submit all information to Ryan Baxter [email protected].

GENERATORS

Lend the City of New York generators. Thousands of generators are needed to help power large and small buildings, schools, shelters, and other recovery facilities and equipment. Generator requests range from a 2KW handheld unit to 800KW generators. Also needed are cables and teams to install the generators.

If your organization or company can help, please send the specifications and quantity of generators available, and the date and duration they are available to Rachel Squire at [email protected]

TEMPORARY COMMERCIAL SPACES

• REBNY has compiled a list of available commercial properties which they are posting and continually updating on their website – http://www.rebny.com/pdf_files/Spaces_Available_for_Displaced_Commercial_Tenants.pdf.
• If you need space or have tenants seeking space, please feel free to contact those on the list directly.
• If you have temporary space that you can make available, please let us know about the space you have, a contact person, and how best to reach him/her.
• The Mayor’s Office is also looking for volunteer space for the city to set up temporary office space for individuals who have been displaced. Please let us know if you are interested in speaking to them.

HOUSING THROUGH AIRBNB

Mayor Bloomberg and Airbnb today announced the launch of a new platform to help connect victims of Hurricane Sandy with free housing options. Airbnb is now providing a platform to connect those who are eager to offer free housing to those who have been displaced by the storm. The entire process will be free, but Airbnb will still provide customer service, insurance for hosts and other services. New Yorkers can now list their homes and extra space easily and immediately, and people who are looking for a place to stay can access these free spaces via Airbnb’s Donated Sandy Housing Directory at https://www.airbnb.com/sandy.

OIL REMOVAL

The NYSDEC is offering to remove standing home heating oil from basements with storage tanks damaged during the storm.  There will be no fee for this service.  For more information please call the NYSDEC at (718) 482-7376.

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING

Alternate Side Parking regulations will remain suspended until Monday 11/12; however, payment at meters and all other parking regulations will be in effect.

MORE THAN $32 MILLION RAISED BY MAYOR’S FUND

Mayor Bloomberg announced that more than $32 million has been raised to date by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City for the City’s emergency response needs and long-term restoration efforts from more than 10,000 donors from around the country. One hundred percent of all donations will be dispersed to support relief efforts and organizations, as the Mayor’s Fund does not retain an administrative fee.

Donations are being used to address the most immediate needs in hurricane affected neighborhoods, including water, hot food, toiletries, baby supplies, warm clothing and blankets, cleaning materials and other supplies. The funds raised will also address long-term needs, including housing and other efforts re-build and restore neighborhoods and communities affected by Hurricane Sandy.

• To donate by phone: call 311 (212-NEW-YORK outside New York City)
• Online: www.nyc.gov/fund.
• By mail: make check payable to Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, 253 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York City, New York 10007 (note: Mayor’s Fund for NYC Hurricane Relief)
• Via text message: donate $10 immediately by texting NYCFUND to 50555 using your mobile phone.

MUSEUM REOPENINGS

• 9/11 Memorial: The 9/11 Memorial has reopened with limited operations as recovery efforts continue after Sandy. However, as a precaution, the Memorial will be closed Wednesday, November 7, because of the approaching storm. Please check our website for updates: http://www.911memorial.org.

• 9/11 Tribute Center:  The museum located at 120 Liberty Street, experienced minor flooding but has resumed normal business hours and operation for visitors who are looking to learn more about the events of September 11th.  Tribute Center lost electricity, steam, and phones, but the collections are fine. Tribute Center guided walking tours have also resumed with 9/11 community volunteers, taking place around the perimeter of the 9/11 Memorial, from the World Financial Center.  www.tributewtc.org.

BODIES…The Exhibition at the South Street Seaport:  Sustained a large amount of flooding on the first floor where the box office is located, however, the exhibition and its contents are located on the second floor and were not damaged by the storm. Due to the extensive flooding on the first floor, their ticketing system and operating panels for both the escalator and elevator were severely damaged. Regardless of the damaged systems, the exhibition plans to open again on November 12th.