HURRICANE IRENE ADVICE

To all New Yorkers: Please check for information related to Hurricane Irene on the Office of Emergency Management website. Let's pray everyone will be safe, & the hurricane will "take a swim & drown!"

 

NYC Office of Emergency Management

 

http://www.facebook.com/NYCemergencymanagement?sk=wall 

 

NYC OEM plans for and responds to emergencies in New York City. For more info, visit http://www.nyc.gov/oem For emergency assistance, call 911. For service requests, call 311.

This is an important e-mail from Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi:

Take steps to prepare for Hurricane Irene‏

Dear Neighbor:

By now, it is likely that you have received news that New York City may be hit by Hurricane Irene this weekend, likely Saturday evening into Sunday. While this hurricane has the capacity to cause a significant amount of damage, there are steps you can take to ensure that your homes and loved ones are protected.

The first step you should take in preparing is finding out if you live in an evacuation zone. Click here to see evacuation zones throughout New York City. If you live in one of these zones, when instructed, you should follow these evacuation instructions.

I am strongly urging residents in our communities to take every precaution possible and prepare for the worst-case scenario. Please gather ample amounts of water, non-perishable food, and batteries for flashlights. Secure loose items on your property, consider boarding up vulnerable windows, and bring in any trash lying on your curbs. Do the best you can to prepare for up to 2 weeks of power and utility outages. To report outages to Con Edison, have your account number ready and call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). You can keep up to date on the city’s storm monitoring and response by clicking here or by calling 311. In case of a life threatening emergency, always call 911.

Please review the following links:

• You can view updates from the New York City Office of Emergency Management by clicking here.
   
• The Red Cross has put together a Hurricane Safety Checklist, available in English, Spanish and Chinese. 

If the storm hits, the greatest impact is expected to be felt on Sunday. Please use this time to prepare for the storm by stocking up on resources and reviewing evacuation plans if they apply to your neighborhood. As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, please dial 911.

-Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi
28 A.D. 


More important tips:

* Examine the Office of Emergency Management link above, & see if you are required to evacuate.
* Stock up on food & water for at least 3 days' supply
* Buy flashlights
* Buy batteries & battery-powered radios (in case of power outages)
* Steer clear of windows & consider buying plywood to board them up
* Take all street furniture indoors, since objects can fly & be fatal
* Brace trees
* Contact family, friends, & neighbors proactively to ensure their safety, & SPREAD THE WORD!

Measuring the storm, The Saffir-Simpson Scale (Credit: CBS & AP)

 

 

Save The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium: Landmark Letter Campaign for An International Icon!‏

Please take a few minutes to help preserve the historic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, an IMMINENTLY ENDANGERED AMERICAN & INTERNATIONAL ICON. 

Classic postcard of a classic! LANDMARK or the dumpster?

  

The Problem....

Remember the 1963 demolition of Penn Station as New Yorkers watched in awe? You may be too young, but you get the picture. That led to the establishment of the Landmarks Law in 1965, to prevent further demolition of our landmarks that read NY all over it. The difference here is that the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium reads more than NY! After a vote on August 19th by a percentage of West Side Tennis Club members with voting rights, the historic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium may be sold to a developer, who will likely demolish it for a residential development. The greater public, who the Stadium was built for, will be excluded from the voting process. Wouldn't it be wise and more reputable for the WSTC to keep the Stadium or sell it to a reputable developer who will value,  restore, & adaptively reuse an International icon? Will this be Queens' Penn Station? Whether you are or aren't a WSTC member, there are ways that the "greater public" can still take action to defend an ICON!

Lookout below for 2 urgent routes towards preservation 

~ OR~

A prime facet of history will be gone forever!

 Forest Hills Tennis Stadium Significance....

The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium is truly an American & International icon in terms of tennis, musically, and architecturally. It was the first concrete stadium of its type in the country, and was referred to as the "World Capital of Tennis." Some prominent tennis players included Bill Tilden, Helen Wills, Althea Gibson, and Arthur Ashe. The facade is embellished with eagles, shields bearing the West Side Tennis Club logo, and grand historic archways. It was the home to the U.S. Open, singles championships, Wrightman Cup, Davis Cup, and a number of firsts in tennis history. It was also home to music festivals starring Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Diana Ross, Judy Garland, Trini Lopez, The Who, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, The Monkees, etc. A key scene in "Strangers On A Train" (1951) by Alfred Hitchcock took place at the Stadium. The Tudor Clubhouse dates to 1913 (Famed Architect Grosvenor Atterbury & John Almay Tompkins), and the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium dates to 1923 (Famed Architect Kenneth M. Murchison). The West Side Tennis Club helped establish the sport of tennis in the U.S. Forest Hills is known for tennis, and tennis is known for Forest Hills. Sadly, the West Side Tennis Club has neglected an icon, letting it sit somewhat abandoned, after the U.S. Open needed a larger space than 14,000 seats in the late 70s, and the WSTC did not promote it as much for music festivals or smaller matches. Photos, memorabilia, history: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/sets/72157607136282297/

ROUTE #1 - HOW YOU CAN HELP PRESERVE AN ICON:

 *URGENT LETTER CAMPAIGN

Based on the above significance and your own sentiments, please write a letter supporting landmark status to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Clubhouse, interiors, and grounds should be calendared for a public hearing ASAP. If restored and adaptively reused for smaller concerts and smaller tennis matches, it would enhance the appeal of the neighborhood, and preserve a historic icon. Jet Blue can be a sponsor. Breathable space is prime, and we do not need typical condos in a neighborhood accustomed to overdevelopment. City Landmarking will preserve the historic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Clubhouse, grounds, & interiors for future generations to cherish, increase the chances of funding for repairs, and ultimately enhance our quality of life.

Please e-mail the Landmarks Preservation Commission a letter requesting landmark status ASAP. It can be brief, yet meaningful. 

CONTACT:

- LPC Chair Robert Tierney: rtierney@lpc.nyc.gov
- LPC Dir of Research Mary Beth Betts: mbetts@lpc.nyc.gov
- LPC General mailbox: comments@lpc.nyc.gov 
- LPC Exec. Dir. Kate Daly: kdaly@lpc.nyc.gov   
- Rego-Forest Preservation Council Chair Michael Perlman: unlockthevault@hotmail.com 
 

ROUTE #2 - HOW YOU CAN HELP PRESERVE AN ICON:

Inform any contacts (members) that you know of at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium to vote against the plan to sell the historic Stadium to a developer, who will very likely demolish it for a condo. Keep in mind that the vote to sell the stadium is slated for August 19th, which follows the informational meeting at the West Side Tennis Club (1 Tennis Place, Forest Hills, NY) on August 10th.

Please help by composing a brief letter to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and also forward this preservation campaign posting to all your contacts. Time is of the essence!

Thank you,

- Michael Perlman
Rego-Forest Preservation Council, Chair
unlockthevault@hotmail.com

The Stadium hosted annual music festivals, attracting thousands. Still have those ticket stubs?

Althea Gibson: 1st African American woman to be a competitor on the world tennis tour, & 1st to win a Grand Slam title in '56. 

Vintage magazine explains how the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium is the heart of the West Side Tennis Club!