WHEREAS, The Grand Central Partnership has filed an application for an outdoor urban park/outdoor café d/b/a Pershing Square Café from May 1st thru October 27th, on Park Avenue (Southbound lanes only), between East 42nd Street and East 40th Street; and

WHEREAS, This activity has been held in prior years without incident; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application by the Grand Central Partnership for an outdoor urban park/outdoor café d/b/a Pershing Square Café on Park Avenue (Southbound lanes only).

The above resolution passed with a vote of 27 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.

WHEREAS, The Dance Music Hall of Fame has filed an application to hold a cultural, arts and entertainment event on Sunday, September 16, 2006, on Sixth Avenue, between 14th and 23rd Streets; and

WHEREAS, This is a new applicant; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five is oversaturated with street events and has major concerns about vehicular and pedestrian traffic when a major thoroughfare is closed; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five would like to see new applicants directed to more suitable and less used locations; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends denial of the application by The Dance Music Hall of Fame to hold an event at the above location.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 22 in favor, 6 opposed, 1 abstention.

WHEREAS, a request was made by Actors’ Equity to co-name the northeast corner of 46th Street and 7th Avenue “ACTORS’ EQUITY CORNER”; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five has traditionally opposed such installations unless certain criteria are met, including a special relationship between the honoree, New York City and the location where the blade is to be installed; and

WHEREAS, In this case Community Board Five does feel that such a relationship exists; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five supports the request by Actors’ Equity to co-name the northeast corner of 46th Street and 7th Avenue.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 17 in favor, 11 opposed, 1 abstention.

WHEREAS, a request was made by ASPCA to co-name 22nd Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway or 26th Street at Madison Avenue “HENRY BERGH WAY”; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five has traditionally opposed such installations unless certain criteria are met, including a special relationship between the honoree, New York City and the location where the blade is to be installed; and

WHEREAS, In this case Community Board Five does not feel that such a relationship exists; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five is also concern with the impact of additional street blades on the city landscape; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five does not support the request for street co-naming of 22nd Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway or 26th Street at Madison Avenue “HENRY BERGH WAY”

The above resolution passed with a vote of 26 in favor, 2 opposed, 1 abstention.

WHEREAS, 43 West 22nd Street, located between 5th and 6th Avenues in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, is a thirteen-story Art Deco industrial building designed by Cory and Cory (architects of the landmark Starrett-Lehigh Building) and constructed in 1925; and

WHEREAS, The property’s full address is 37-49 West 22nd Street and the street level façade consisted of six loading dock bays; and

WHEREAS, Four of the loading dock bays have been converted to storefronts in a unified and historically compatible design that was previously approved by Community Board Five and the Landmarks Preservation Commission; and

WHEREAS, The proposed storefront construction is identical to the previously approved design, namely painted aluminum window frames with steel inserts, aluminum fascia panels, glass doors; and plate glass windows; and

WHEREAS, The proposed design will repeat characteristics of the adjacent, previously approved storefronts, specifically the geometry, fenestration, paint color, hardware, signage size and lettering; and

WHEREAS, There will be no security gates or exterior lighting; and

WHEREAS, The applicant will make maximum accommodations for handicap accessibility and explore the option of including handicap-accessible doors with push-button access; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the certificate of appropriateness to install a new storefront.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 27 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.

WHEREAS, Many major MTA subway and bus routes operate throughout Community Board Five; and

WHEREAS, Businesses, residents and visitors who work, live and visit Manhattan regularly use the MTA subway and bus routes; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five has a legitimate interest in the regular operation and safety of all MTA routes that operate in the District; and

WHEREAS, Changes to MTA schedules, bus stops, and routes affect those who work, live and visit the Community Board Five area; and

WHEREAS, The MTA rarely notifies Community Board Five about these changes before they occur thereby prohibiting community input; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five has a vested interest in commenting upon changes to schedule and route changes; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five frequently hears about issues associated with MTA schedules and routes from the community, as was the case with the removal of the 57th Street and Park Avenue bus stop; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That Community Board Five requests that the MTA advise it of any planned schedule or route changes in the Community Board Five area 90 days in advance so that we may offer comment; and be it further

RESOLVED, In order to foster a stronger working relationship, Community Board Five requests that the MTA’s Community Board Five liaison attend quarterly, a scheduled Transportation and Environment Committee meeting.

The above resolution passed with a vote of 28 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.

WHEREAS, The Flower Market and the Wholesale District located on 27th and 28th Streets between 5th and 8th Avenues are an important part of the economy in Community Board Five and the city as a whole; and

WHEREAS, The vendors patronizing the Flower Market and the Wholesale District many times are small businesses who work out of stores or their apartments and do not have commercial license plates on their vehicles; and

WHEREAS, The parking rules in the area that comprises the Flower Market and the Wholesale District are almost exclusively restricted to commercial vehicles during business hours; and

WHEREAS, These parking rules are causing vendors without commercial plates that are patronizing businesses in the Flower Market and the Wholesale District to receive tickets; and

WHEREAS, The difficulty parking in the Flower District and the Wholesale Market is causing a loss of revenue; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that the Department of Transportation examine solutions to the parking problems in the Flower Market and the Wholesale District including but not limited to:

1. Making each block on 27th Street between 5th and 7th Avenues and 28th Street between 5th and 8th Avenues half commercial parking and half metered parking.

2. Making one side of each block on 27th Street between 5th and 7th Avenues and 28th  Street  between 5th and 8th Avenues metered parking and the other side commercial parking; and be it further

RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that the Department of Transportation come back to the Board with an assessment of the feasibility of these recommendations or other possible solutions.