my 2 cents

A new New York icon

 

Weather-permitting, One World Trade Center today officially becomes the western hemisphere's tallest building, as the final pieces of the tower's mast are put in place to top the building out at a symbolic 1,776 feet tall.

But it's not about being the tallest.  Asia has taller buildings now.

It's about rising from the ashes of terror nearly twelve years ago, in what was surely New York's darkest day and also our nation's worst time.  The new building marks a new start for the downtown area, and an affirmation of what makes New York such a great city.  Even the most horrific act can't stop us.  We may be a bit more cautious these days, but we continue to live and work and play and enjoy life in this wonderful place that's drawn people of all kinds to become New Yorkers.

 

 

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They're coming to New York

 

People are coming to New York.  Tourists continue to arrive in record numbers, but it's not the travelers who are making news now.  Instead, it's those who stay...  which apparently is happening more frequently.

The latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, reported in today's papers, shows more people are moving to New York City than leaving -- a first in more than 60 years.

The City's population has continued to swell, but over the last few decades that's come more from new births that offset the people who leave. And for years, there's been flight to the suburbs or away from the New York area altogether.  But that's changing.

There are now a record-setting 8.3 million New Yorkers -- up by 161,000 from two years ago.  As the Wall Street Journal story points out, that two-year increase is more than the entire population of Hartford.

The census numbers show New York has been losing fewer residents -- an estimated 140,000 people move away every year.  But more and more are coming here and staying -- 150,000 last year.  For young people, the lure is jobs and the excitement and energy of life here.  Many neighborhoods that had been quietly dying are now coming back to life as young people discover them -- at first for the lower rents, and then for the local nightlife scene, which often follows.

So, as the inscription on the Statue of Liberty says, give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.  And give us your young people looking to build a career, a family, a life.  We're New York, and we have room for you all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

It's all here in N Y C

 

 

 

A New York Icon

 

 

One hundred years ago today, Grand Central Terminal opened to the public.

Over the past century, Grand Central has gone through ups and downs, but it's always been an iconic symbol of this great city.

When it opened in 1913, railroads were the major form of intercity transportation, and train stations became symbolic welcome signs that represented the unofficial entrance to a city.  The grander the city, the grander the station had to be.  Grand Central Terminal, just as the name suggests, was the grandest of them all, even outshining other beautifully imposing places like Washington's Union Station and Kansas City's Union Station.

Grand Central fell on hard times in the 1960s, as air travel replaced trains and city finances and rail lines were struggling.  It became a place you would avoid or hurry through to get to or from your train.  It wasn't a place to linger, and if you had to use a bathroom... forget it.  They were seedy, smelly and dangerous.

New York lost another iconic train station when Penn Station was demolished in 1965 to make way for the new Madison Square Garden and an ugly, congested mess of corridors that became the current Penn Station.

Grand Central almost met the same fate in the 1965, until a group of citizens led by high-profile people like Jacqueline Kennedy Onnasis, fought to preserve and renew the station. 

New Yorkers owe them a huge debt of gratitude, because Grand Central has not only regained its lustre, but it's become a fantastic people space in midtown -- a place where people can meet, star gaze at the restored ceiling with the constellations, grab a quick bite or have a fine, leisurely lunch or dinner, shop or visit a museum.  On top of that, it's a place where some 750,000 people pass through every day on their way to and from work.

I'm one of those 750,000 and even after 40 years of commuting through Grand Central, I still get a rush when I walk through the main hall.  It's a beautiful space, and we're fortunate to be able to enjoy it after 100 years.

 

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Another New York icon is in the news today.  Former Mayor Ed Koch, a man who truly and clearly loved the city he served, died this morning at age 88. 

I met the Mayor many times, while he was in office and afterwards.  The first time was when I helped organize an Easter egg hunt for kids in Central Park for client L'eggs.  The eggs were actually the egg-shaped containers that the pantyhose used to come in.  The Mayor attended and officially started the egg hunt.  He looked for a couple of little kids to take by the hand  to lead the crowd of hundreds into the area where the eggs were hidden.  I pushed my 3-year old daughter Jennifer to his side, and he grabbed her hand and, with a huge smile, said "Let's find some eggs."  A photo of the Mayor and Jennifer appeared on the front page of The Daily News the next morning.

Mayor Koch was real and genuine.  For an event we did at City Hall honoring youngsters who had won a traffic safety poster contest, he asked us to bring the kids into his office before the formal news conference.  It was obvious how much he enjoyed talking with the kids, asking each winner, one-to-one, about his or her poster.

The last time I saw him was briefly at a Christmas party three years ago. He had clearly aged, but he still had that big wide smile.  He was standing in the doorway as I was getting ready to leave, and I had to pass between him and the man he was talking with -- another former mayor, David Dinkins. As I excused my self to pass through, I nodded to each and said, twice, good evening Mr. Mayor.  Koch laughed and said, "How often can you say that twice in the same breath." 

Ed Koch, like Grand Central, symbolizes what makes New York great.

 

 

 

THE Jazz Teacher

 

LaGuardia High School, originally called the High School of Music & Art, is New York City's public school for young people gifted in the arts.  It was the inspiration for the 1980 hit movie "Fame."

I was at the school last night as they celebrated the 40th anniversary of the school's jazz education program, which when it began in the early 1970s, was the first accredited program of its kind in any secondary school in the U.S.  My friend Justin DiCioccio was the teacher who began that program, and he was honored at last night's gala celebration.

 

Note: The New York Times has a nice profile in the Jan. 30 issue.  Click here to see it.

 

Justin loves jazz and he loves teaching young people.  He still teaches -- now at Manhattan School of Music, where he is the Associate Dean and Director of Jazz Studies.  And he travels literally around the world teaching and giving clinics.  His excellence as a teacher has been recognized many times, including being inducted into the Jazz Educators Hall of Fame in 2001.  His love of jazz is so infectious that he was named last year as the Cultural Jazz Ambassador to Tbilisi, Georgia.  The jazz ambassador program, from the U.S. Dept. of State, uses the arts as a way to bridge gaps and establish connections with other countries.  Georgia, a part of the old Iron Curtain, was one of those places where jazz had been banned under the old regime.

I met Justin back in 1987, when I was hired by a major PR agency to run the McDonald's business.  One of the programs McDonald's sponsored was the high school jazz competition and Justin, working as a consultant, directed the program.  I must admit it was my favorite project for two reasons -- I love jazz, and Justin was such a pleasure to work with.  He brought in name musicians to work with the kids -- Branford Marsalis, Steve Turre, Dave Valentin, Red Rodney and others.  And he gave so much of himself to the program and to the kids.  Much more than he was being paid to do.  I was able to convince the McDonald's people to support and expand the program.

When I left that job to start my own agency, the person who took over for me didn't have the passion for the music, and she let McDonald's drop the program within two years.  I tried to help Justin find a new sponsor, but I just couldn't get it done.  But Justin eventually got the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences -- the Grammy people -- to do a similar program, which to this day is run by Justin.

I'm far from the only person who admires Justin for his lifetime of dedication to jazz.  At last night's celebration, 30 of the top names in jazz came together to perform in honor of my friend.  Names like LaGuardia H.S. alumni (and former students of Justin's) Marcus Miller, Kenny Washington, Arturo O'Farrill, Don Byron and others who may not be as well known, but whose names can be seen on countless recordings.  And others who weren't taught by Justin, but have worked with him -- Latin jazz master Paquito D'Rivera, guitarist John Pizzarelli and trumpeter Jimmy Owens, who graduated LaGuardia before Justin had arrived. 

It was a great night and a fitting way to salute THE jazz teacher, with so many of his students and friends playing for him.  I'm proud to call Justin my friend and I was thrilled to be part of the crowd gathered in his honor.  And I'll see him again tonight, as he goes back to his role as teacher, conducting the Manhattan School of Music big band as they debut student compositions.

 

Justin with former student, drummer Kenny Washington

 

 

 

 

The World Loves New York

 

New York City is known as the nation's business hub, but business here is not just about finance, media and corporate headquarters. 

Tourism is very big business for the City, and New York remains the #1 destination for international tourists.  A third of all foreigners visiting the U.S. included a New York City stop.  Los Angeles comes in a distant second, drawing 13 percent of international tourists.

Total tourism figures (both international and domestic) just released by NYC & Company, the City's tourism bureau, hit a new record of 52 million visitors in 2012.   Mayor Bloomberg is still hoping to hit 55 million within two years.

Even the winter chill can't dampen tourism.  Walking through midtown with my grandsons on New Year's Eve day, the place was packed with people taking in the sights of Grand Central, Park Avenue and Rockefeller Center.  We heard many foreign accents throughout our walk.  By 2 p.m., as we approached Times Square, the area was already jammed with tourists waiting for the midnight ball drop.  Despite the cold, I'm sure most of them would tell you they love New York.

Keep visiting.  The City's arms and hearts are open wide.

 

Happy Thanksgiving...

from 

New York City

The mouth that roared shuts his wallet

 

My friend Robin, a Brooklyn girl through and through, called me today from her home in L.A. to see how I had weathered the storm.  Thank goodness, we had no damage and only suffered through the relative inconvenience of having no power for four days.  Compared to what some in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and New Jersey lost, I'm one of the lucky ones.

Robin said she wonders why some New York and New Jersey-born  celebs haven't stepped up to make major donations to help feed and shelter the 40,000 or so newly-homeless.

I reminded her that Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Billy Joel headlined the fundraiser on NBC.  Others have, I'm sure, offered financial help, even if they haven't publicized it.  And some, like Barbara Walters, George Stephanapolous and Diane Sawyer did publicize their donations -- which I feel diminishes the act of giving -- but they gave, nonetheless.  (Perhaps ABC pushed the word out, so their stars would look good after NBC hosted the on-air fundraiser.)

But Robin reminded me that one prominent New Yorker -- who NEVER forgets to publicize anything he does -- was silent and invisible after our ordeal here.  Where, she asked, was Donald Trump, who has made his riches from real estate in New York and also in Atlantic City.  His wealth, in fact, came largely from his father, who owned many apartment buildings in Queens -- one of the harder-hit boroughs.  We haven't heard a word about any money from Trump to help his fellow New Yorkers.

Instead, it seems, he's been busy touting his friendship with Mitt Romney and then, following the election, crying like a spoiled baby who didn't get his way.  For a man who had been considering a run for the nation's top office, he has not acted Presidential or even like a responsible leader by making crazy statements like "the election is a sham and a travesty" or calling for "a revolution in this country."

He took his crazy tweets down after there was a public outrage, but still... he made these and other divisive statements publicly.

When NBC's Brian Williams called him out for this, he started name-calling and compared the ratings for his "Apprentice" show to Williams' newscast, saying, "Wouldn't you love to have my ratings?"

Trump would better serve his own reputation and his brand if he reached out to help the get the city that made him rich through the aftermath of the hurricane. I've heard from many people who would never choose to live in a building bearing his name, because he has done such damage to his name.  To many, rather than representing luxury and elegance, Trump represents tackiness and hucksterism.

By the way, I do agree that the Electoral College system is antiquated and needs to be replaced by a simple popular vote.  But calling for a revolution is not the way for a supposed leader to try to bring about change.

 

We remember...

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                      9/11/01

Weekend Thoughts: A Book on the Beach

 

 

 

 

 

It was late January of this year.  I was on the beach 
in St. Maarten, alternating between dozing and 
reading.  My wife was on the chair next to me, 
engrossed in a book.  I noticed she was wiping her 
eyes, so I laughed and made a dumb comment about the trash 
novel I thought she was reading.

Roz said, "No, this is an amazing story.  You have to read it when 
I'm done."

When she finished, she gave me her e-reader and I started reading,
not knowing what to expect.  I couldn't put it down.  It was the story
of a successful businesswoman who did what so many of us in New 
York City do when we see a homeless person asking for money or 
food – she walked past him.  

But, the book tells us, on that particular day 26 years ago, some-
thing prompted Laura Schroff to stop, turn around and walk back a 
block.  She asked the 11-year old boy who had asked her for money 
if he was hungry and if she could she buy him something to eat.  
Maurice, who lived with his drug-addicted mother in a welfare hotel, 
told Laura "yes" and the two went to the nearby McDonald's.

That's how a 26-year friendship began between two of the most 
unlikely candidates for friendship.  As I read, the book took me 
through weekly lunches at McDonald's where the two slowly got to 
know each other.  The businesswoman eventually ventured beyond 
the fast food restaurant with the boy, teaching him things most 11-
year olds know, but which Maurice didn't  – like how to use utensils 
to eat or how to blow his nose.   

There were times when Maurice didn't show up for the weekly 
lunch – sometimes disappearing for weeks or months and causing 
Laura to wonder if he was alright.  But eventually he'd show up and 
the friendship continued over the years.

Laura's friendship and guidance helped keep Maurice from drugs 
and gangs and the other dangerous temptations in his world.  And 
the talks and times with Maurice helped Laura come to terms with 
challenges she had faced growing up in middle-class suburbia where, 
behind the closed doors of her own home, lay the terror of living 
with an alcoholic and sometimes abusive father.

The book has a wonderful ending, and I found myself wiping away 
tears on the beach as my wife chided me for having teased her the 
day before when she finished the book.  What made the story 
especially hard-hitting is that it is true.

I was so moved that, while still on vacation, I sent an email to one 
of my clients.  I told her -- the head of a non-profit group called The 
Christophers – that she had to read this book.  But in this case, it 
wasn't just telling a friend about a book I thought she might enjoy.  
I was recommending the book for consideration for a Christopher 
Award, given every year to the creators of books, feature films and 
television programs that tell stories of how one individual can make 
a difference.  Over a period of more than 15 years working with The 
Christophers, this was the first time I had ever made such a 
suggestion.

So I was thrilled a few weeks later when I was given the informa-
tion about the Christopher Award winners, and I saw "An Invisible 
Thread" on the winners' list.  It was the book I had read on the 
beach in January.

In the course of doing advance publicity for the Christopher Awards 
ceremony, I contacted the publishers of the winning books and, in a 
few cases, the authors themselves to get background and arrange 
for media interviews.  So it was a strange thrill that day last month 
when I made the call to Laura Schroff, to talk about her availability 
for press interviews.  And I told her how my wife had given me the 
book to read on the beach and how it made me cry.  We struck up a 
friendship by phone and email, which was easy for me since I 
already knew this woman's personal life story.

Last Thursday night, the Christophers held their 63rd annual awards 
ceremony.  Nearly two dozen people were honored for their work in 
books, films and TV, and special awards were given to former New 
York Jets player Marty Lyons for his work over 30 years of helping 
fulfill the wishes of seriously ill kids, and to Mother Dolores Hart, a 
cloistered nun who is the subject of a book and a film, but is best-
known from her days as an actress who shared the first on-screen 
kiss with Elvis Presley.

For me, though, the night was made extra special by finally meeting 
Laura Schroff (and her co-writer Alex Tresniowski) along with 
Maurice Mazyck, who is now a charming, soft-spoken man in his 
late 30s.  As we hugged, I knew that my circle of friends has been 
expanded in a special way.  

And it started with a book on the beach.

I love my job.   



Maurice, me and Laura
at The Christopher Awards

Radio loss

 

Quality radio lost a real pioneer yesterday. Pete Fornatale, who was one of the innovative leaders in the early days of FM rock radio, died at 66 after suffering a brain hemorrhage two weeks ago. 

Listeners in the New York area have known him for more than 40  years on Fordham University's WFUV and on WNEW-FM back in the late 60's and early 70s when that station was breaking new ground in radio and in music.  More recently, we'd see him hosting on TV when PBS stations would run classic rock concerts during their fundraising periods.

I remember hearing Pete soon after he started on WFUV.  I was in college in the late 60s and I got involved with the college FM radio station, first playing soft pop (we'd call it elevator music today) and then a twice-weekly jazz show.  There were two stations at my school -- the AM rock station that played only in the dorm, and the FM station that, with its 10-watt signal, made it into the town and, on a good day if the wind was blowing right, got as far as the Canadian border 20 miles north.  I gravitated to the FM station, since the AM was programmed in the style of the fast-talking, screaming rock DJs that were popular at the time.  I was never glib in front of the microphone, so the slower-paced FM format better suited me.

I remember coming home on breaks and tuning to college stations in the area, to hear what others were doing.  WFUV stood out like a beacon, and the calm and intelligent conversational-style DJs like Pete Fornatale were a welcome change.  And on FM, especially college stations that were mostly commercial-free, the DJs could play longer album cuts -- even entire albums -- without interruption.

Pete Fornatale went on to commercial success on WNEW-FM in New York, which was the radio beacon for album rock -- what we then called alternative rock.  He was on with other low-key DJs like Jonathan Schwartz (still heard these days playing and talking about Sinatra-era music on local radio here and also nationally on satellite radio), Alison "The Nightbird" Steele and Meg Griffin.  These DJs didn't shout silly slogans at us.  It was almost like they were guests in our living room, bringing some great records to play on our turntable and sitting across the room chatting with us about the music and the musicians.  It was a novel concept back then, and Pete Fornatale was a master at it.

Thinking about Pete makes me recall the earlier days of radio 40 years ago.  As someone who was on the air back then, it was a great time.  The DJs pretty much played what they liked, with little or no interference from station management.  These days, at most commercial stations the DJs are tightly confined to a list of what to play and when to play it -- often computer-generated from one of the major radio programming companies in Texas and elsewhere in the heartland.  And half the time, no one bothers to say what songs you just heard or who performed them. It's like radio has lost its soul.

Radio used to be personal and local.  Now it's largely automated and syndicated, with the local DJs doing little more than sequeing between music and ads.  In many markets local radio news and public affairs programming is minimal or nonexistant, since the FCC 20 years ago lifted the requirement that broadcasters using the public airwaves devote some of that time to public service and news.

Thinking of Pete Fornatale brings back many memories of great radio listening.  And luckily for me, it brings back personal memories of the fun I had sharing good music on the radio with unseen listeners.

Thanks, Pete, for helping keep radio's soul alive all these years.

 

...

Looking for an illustration for this post, I stumbled across some silent footage taken at my college radio station back when I was in school.  This isn't me in the pictures, but this is the studio where I used to do my shows.  Thanks to Ted Perkins for the video.

  

WTSC 1968 & 1972(?) Unedited footage from Ted Perkins on Vimeo.