The Deluccas were one of hundreds of families in LeFrak City whose rents increased more than $10 per room per month, starting this month — and many say the spike is more than they can afford. More than 200 people turned up at St. Paul’s last week to voice their displeasure about the changes and discuss what they can do to stop further hikes.
“I am a single mother,” said Delucca, who lives in a three-bedroom apartment and now must pay nearly $34 more than in the past. “How am I going to pay for any rent increase?”

The rent hike was instituted to help cover the cost of renovations, which took place last year. The 20 buildings in LeFrak City, each of which houses some 250 apartments, were all outfitted with new elevators. The LeFrak Organization, which owns the complex, filed a Major Capital Improvements application with the state’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal, in hopes of gaining permission to pass on some of the costs to tenants. So far, the city has approved the request for just one building, the London, but it may sanction rent hikes for the other buildings in the coming weeks.

Rent in the London building is going up $11.31 per room per month, though senior citizens and disabled persons qualifying for rent increase exemptions won’t have to pay more. LeFrak declined to comment and also wouldn’t say how much the renovations cost.

This isn’t the first time LeFrak has raised rents, but residents say the amount of increase is much higher than previous hikes. “In the past, LeFrak would pass on three- or four-dollar rent increases, so people shrugged it off,” said Lester Youngblood, president of the LeFrak City Tenants Association. “But now, its almost twelve dollars per room. Imagine what your hike would be if you had a three- or four-bedroom apartment. … People are just stunned.”

State Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-East Elmhurst), who was present at Thursday’s protest, said that although the city has approved the rent increase for the London building, it’s still worth fighting. “This is a chance for us to protest possible increases in the other buildings too,” he said.

Robert Jean Michel of the DHCR urged tenants to pay attention to their mail, telling them to look out for the rent increase notification. “Tenants must react to the increase and bring it to our attention,” Michel said. “Otherwise the DHCR will approve the landlord’s MCI application, thinking no one was against it.”

“LeFrak pursues MCIs very aggressively,” said Susan Gibson O’Gara, the supervising attorney at the borough’s Legal Aid Society. “Don’t ignore it.” Ryan Napoli, an attorney who works with the Bronx Defenders, said LeFrak City is well within its legal rights to ask for an MCI and impose a rent increase, but he urged tenants to be proactive in opposing future hikes. Tenants who receive rent increase notifications can challenge them by filling out a form with the DHCR within 45 days. If they get nowhere with the DHCR, they can appeal their cases to state Supreme Court.

This piece originally appeared in the Queens Chronicle

The Associated Press reports that Monserrate apologized for any discredit his conduct brought to the Senate, but he said Tuesday’s vote was depriving voters of their right to choose a representative. His attorney said Monserrate will file a federal lawsuit challenging his removal and his lawyer was quoted as saying they will seek court orders from removing him or conducting a special election to replace him. NY Governor David Patterson has already said he will call a special election for March 16 to fill the Senate seat.

Meanwhile, Monserrate will continue to fight his criminal conviction for dragging his girlfriend through his apartment lobby. The couple later told officials that she was taken to the hospital to treat a cut on her face that was caused by a glass, Monserrate was holding earlier that evening. He was sentenced for the misdemenour to three years probation, community service and counselling.

The reactions were swift coming in from the political and non-political arena. Women’s groups like NOW NY rejoiced, releasing  a statement immediately–calling the expulsion a “victory for women across NY state,” and Albany seemed to be doling out punishment for a man who was instrumental in creating a political stalemate in July.

Monserrate served just 13 months as a state senator, as the New York Times pointed out, during this time, both the GOP and the democrats found him to be a useful bug to have in the bed. 

The New York Times writes:

He was elected as a Democrat in 2008, when the party gained a majority in the Senate for the first time in decades. Six months after taking office, he switched sides with Senator Pedro Espada Jr., who was given various emollients and a splendid title by the Republicans so that they could recapture control of the Senate.

A week later, Mr. Monserrate jumped back to the Democrats — who rewarded him by ousting a Monserrate enemy, their majority leader, and giving him a committee chairmanship, which came with a $12,500 stipend.

A fitting end to a political double-crosser who also happens to be physically abusive? The senator plans to file a federal lawsuit challenging his expulsion.

Here is more on what lies ahead for Hiram Monserrate.

And how can we not want a piece of the original?

Long Island City businesses complain of revenue loss due to 7 train service cuts between Times Sq. and Queensboro Plaza over the weekends

Every year, when 7 line service is suspended for weekend maintenance work, the business community in Long Island City feels the pinch. This year is no exception, with trains suspended for 10 weekends between Times Square and Queensboro Plaza.

On Monday, business owners from the area gathered to discuss the fallout of the subway cuts and other issues which they believe are keeping customers away.

“When we purchased the business, we didn’t know we would have to suffer because the 7 train doesn’t run, or that the marathon would change it’s direction,” Stephanie Leahy, owner of Kitty ’n’ Dog Lounge on Vernon Boulevard, said at the meeting, which was hosted by the Hunters Point Merchants Association. “It’s a loss of customers for us.”
Leahy said her business has dipped 30 percent due to weekend 7 train changes.

“My friends were going to get apartments in the area because they liked it so much,” Leahy added. “But after they learned about the train cuts, they changed their mind. It’s a gorgeous neighborhood, but no one can get here.”
The MTA is offering shuttle service between Vernon Boulevard and Queensboro Plaza, but business owners say it doesn’t solve their problem.

Dan Weinstein, a dentist with an office just minutes away from the Vernon Boulevard subway stop, said the 7 train disruptions have been a problem for two decades.

“With a dentist, no one wants to come to me in the first place,” Weinstein said. “Now, with no 7 train, it wreaks havoc with my schedule. … If I fixed teeth the way they fix the 7, I would have been out of business a long time ago.”

Restaurant owners in the area also complained that the train cuts have not just resulted in reduced business, but also make it “a nightmare” to get staff in over the weekends.

As each business owner recounted how the cuts affected his or her work, the president of the HPMA, Brian Adams, proposed there be a private shuttle service subsidized by merchants to bring customers and residents into the area.

Adams also urged business owners to “look beyond the 7 train” and push for LIC to become a tourist hub, which he said would attract more cash, which would in turn help develop the area.

“Tourism would help bring thousands of people to the neighborhood,” he said. “They could stay here and shop here.”
He added that neighborhood merchants ought to develop a cohesive plan to market the area better. His ideas included printing booklets about LIC, which could be handed out at tourist hubs, and developing a “rail and sail” pass, which would enable tourists and commuters to use a combination of trains and ferries to get to LIC from Manhattan. Adams already runs a website, LICityGuide.com, promoting the area, and has issued discount cards for shoppers.

Transportation isn’t the only thing keeping people away from LIC.

Merchants expressed regret that the Independence Day fireworks over the East River were moved to the Hudson this year, and called for the display to be brought back in order to attract more people to LIC.

“I was shocked when they stopped the fireworks,” said Joseph Dalby, who has a video production service, adding merchants in the area lost thousands of dollars in revenue when the city decided to move the show last year.

So far, there has been no indication that the fireworks will be reinstated, according to Adams.

The merchants also said Gantry State Park, located on the LIC waterfront, should be more rigorously promoted, explaining that many residentsare unaware of the public green space.

“People can bid on the concession stand in the Park,” said Adams. “They can also have better bands come in and play every weekend. There are so many tools that can be used to make this area better for merchants.”

Those who attended Monday’s meeting agreed that with greater development, the area would be rendered more attractive to potential residents, making it better for the businesses in the long run.

But even as the merchants were urged to look “beyond the 7,” they continued to voice displeasure about the current state of affairs.

“Does anyone know how much we have been hit?” one business owner asked. “We need parachutes to get here.”

The transit woes may have a silver lining though: Just as it’s harder for people to come to LIC, it’s also harder for them to leave, so some merchants are hopeful that area residents will spend more time at local establishments. That may not stop businesses from hemorrhaging cash, but it might help them tide them over through rough weekends.

This piece first appeared in the Queens Chronicle

“In these hard times, I have the pleasure of saying that it is my job to give artists money,” Hong Yee Lee Krakauer, executive director of Queens Council on Arts, said at the awards ceremony in Jamaica. Many donors have scaled back contributions this year due to the recession, but with more than $106,400 from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, $88,000 from the state Council on the Arts and $30,000 from JP Morgan Chase, the total grant money is down just $10,500 from last year.

Among the recipients of the individual grants is Mana Hashimoto, a blind ballet dancer from Forest Hills, who moved to New York from Japan at age 17.  “My first performance was as a frog in ‘Thumbelina,’” she laughed, recalling her role in the children’s classic. “It took a lot of time playing animals and plants before finally stepping into my first tutu.”

Then tragedy struck. Hashimoto was diagnosed with optic nerve dystrophy, a condition that would eventually render her blind. Dancing helped comfort her, though. “Blind people are constrained by their bodies,” explained Hashimoto.”Dance helps release [that] tension. Also, blind people are very imaginative. Dance helps connect with that.”

Sharing Hashimoto’s table at the awards ceremony was Korean dancer Song Hee Lee, who received a grant for her work exploring nirvana in Buddhism through dance. Trained in both traditional and contemporary Korean dance, Lee developed her own style of choreography, which mixes folk styles and contemporary moves. In addition to being a full-time dancer, the Sunnyside resident is artistic director, choreographer and instructor for the Song Hee Lee Dance Company.

Other individual grants were awarded to artists for their work in opera, theater and classical Indian dance. Notable works recognized included a 20-minute art documentary on window air conditioner units in the city and a multi-media work entitled “Street Cleaning and Fashion Recovery: Using discarded umbrellas in Sunnyside to create something new.”

Among the arts organizations that took home awards were the Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice, which initiated a multi-media storytelling project to develop young, female Nepali leaders; Bo Ban Chinese Music Society, which held five concerts featuring ancient Chinese instruments; and Ballet for Young Audiences.

Other grant winners included the Jackson Heights Beautification Group for its summer park concerts, and the Astoria Performing Arts Center and Queens Media Arts Development for their monthly film program presenting free screenings of independent lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender films. As QCA President Barbara Pryor put it, “The winners are so diverse, like Queens itself.”

This piece originally appeared in Queens Chronicle

Image: Flickr/Creative Commons

Trust the Moms to know where the best hot chocolate is. Mommypoppins got our afternoon mojo cranking again, after listing some of the best places to get your choco on. Here’s the list.

The blog notes that Hot Cocoa is said to beat out tea and wine when it comes to antioxidant concentration. To get the same amount of antioxidants that are present in a cup of hot chocolate, you have to drink two cups of green tea, or two glasses of wine [Mommypoppins.com].

So here’s the list for your Queens Hot Choc crawl:

• Sweatleaf says forget about Manhattan,they literally have “the best Hot Chocolate in town”.Made with 2oz. of shaved NuNu chocolate from Brooklyn and 2 oz of milk, this promises to be a fabulous treat. 1093 Jackson Ave, Long Island City NY. #917 832 6726
• Aubergine Cafe does a steamed hot chocolate, mint hot chocolate, and caramel hot chocolate. You can also pair them up with a delicious sandwich like Chive Egg Salad on Seven Grain Bread all for under $10. 49-22 Skillman Ave, Woodside NY, 11377. #718-899-1735
• Cannelle Patisserie A French bakery in the heart of Jackson Heights. They serve hot chocolate to die for and can be affordably paired with any of their amazing French pastries. 75-59 31^st Ave. Jackson Heights, NY 11370. #718-565-6200
• Sugar and Joe This unassuming café at the end of Greenpoint Ave’s main drag is a quaint spot with about 6 tables. They serve an unusual line up of hot cocos including our favorite, spicy Mexican hot cocoa. You can also stuff yourself silly on their Waffle selections. 42-20 Greenpoint Ave, Sunnyside NY 11104. #718-472-1070
• Omonia Café The Greeks really love their sit down cafes and in Astoria there is no shortage. This friendly and large café serves a delicious hot cocoa as well as Steamers (steamed milk with any flavor of your choosing). 32-20 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106. #718-274-6650

When Maggie Ornstein, a CUNY student, lived in Manhattan, the farmers markets that popped up almost 6 days a week at different locations was one of her favorite things about the city.

“I loved it,” she said “You could get fresh produce and meet the farmers.” Now, that she has moved to Woodside, Queens, the change in the food landscape, she says, is dramatic.

“In Queens, it’s a real struggle to find fresh food,” she said.

Even as ethnic enclaves serve up everything from samosas to moussaka and fast food joints form a necklace of fried chicken and value meals spanning the borough–finding fresh produce, grains and fish has been a challenge for those seeking to eat healthy.

Maggie and her friends hope to change this landscape by introducing a brand new Food Co-op–The Queens Harvest Food Co-op–that is set to launch late next year.

Located in Long Island City, the co-op will be the borough’s first and hopes to be a cheaper alternative to a Trader Joe’s or Wholefoods.

So far a hundred people have expressed interest and the group is expanding rapidly as they finalize plans on vendors, location and membership models.

“I want a store where people can buy directly from the farmers,” said Ornstein.
“Jackson Heights has the farmers market but that goes only till November. So it’s hard to stock up,” she added.
The new co-op hopes to be the one-stop shop for people year-long as they buy not just vegetables and fruits, but also cleaning supplies and pet food.

“Despite what experts would have you believe, it’s not that easy to get a healthy meal in New York City,” said Leah McLaughlin, Editor of Edible Queens magazine.

“Especially if you’re working class and have two jobs. Fresh vegetables are expensive and they take time to prepare. Many young professionals haven’t a clue how to cook for themselves, so they rely on takeout,” she added.

The food co-op movement seeks to change that outlook as young people can work for the food co-op in exchange for discounted food prices–a great option in this economy as the cost of living spirals.

Food Co-ops can provide discounted prices on their food because they purchase produce in bulk directly from farmers.

Not just that, they save on employee costs as co-ops are staffed by members who then receive discounted prices on the food.

Some food co-ops like the Park Slope Food Co-op in Brooklyn has a closed membership model–which means only members have access to discounted food.

So far, the Queens food co-op has not finalized its membership model.

Members are also scouting for a property in the proposed location of Long Island City. “We chose LIC because it is a transit hub,” said Ornstein.

“Everyone going into Queens or going into Manhattan has to pass through LIC, so we chose this location.” But finding a property in LIC, Ornstein admits, will be “prohibitively expensive.”

As details of the food co-op are being ironed out, residents in Queens are excited at having new options to procure healthy and fresh food.

Co-ops, says Edible Queens Editor Leah McLauglin, strengthens a community by bringing people together and by offering low cost, high-quality food. “You can find food products from nearly every corner of the globe in Queens,” said McLaughlin. “But it’s rare to find a jar of, say, Rick’s Picks Pickled Vegetables or Milkimchee or Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. That’s shameful,” she said adding the new co-op would help local food manufacturers like these reach more consumers in Queens.

But most importantly, co-ops, she said, help us change our approach to food. “All you need is one teenager to swap his afternoon candy bar for a locally grown apple and it’s made a difference in that kid’s life,” said  McLaughlin.”Eating healthier is about simple steps–the ones we take individually–and the ones we take as a community, like this co-op.”

For more details on the food co-op and on how to volunteer–go to queensharvestcoop.com

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Jackson Heights Serves Up A Shot of Cool

This piece also appeared in the Queens Chronicle

Julian "Julie" Wager, affectionately known as "Mr.Steinway Street" passed away this month. (Pic Courtesy: Queens Gazette)

Those who knew Julian “Julie” Wager would agree that Frank Sinatra’s classic tune “My Way” reflected perfectly Wager’s life — a life lived on his own terms. Wager, affectionately dubbed “Mr. Steinway Street” for his involvement in the thoroughfare’s evolution, died Jan. 6. He was 80.

Friends describe Wager as tenacious and always willing to take on big challenges.

“He was an exceptional person, with a great can-do attitude,” said Tony Barsamian, editor of the Queens Gazette, where Wager worked for some time. “The greatest lesson he taught me was that nothing is impossible. If there is an obstacle, there is always a way around it. … He was driven by an inner desire to achieve.”

“If you knew Julie, you would have loved him,” said longtime friend and associate George Stamatiades. “If you didn’t know him, you were at war.”

On Friday, an estimated 300 people packed into the Astoria Center of Israel synagogue to bid final farewell to Wager. Many people at the services didn’t know him personally, but they appreciated his contributions in making Astoria what it is today.

The founder of the Queens Festival in 1979, a 30-year member of Community Board 1 and the founder and president of the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition (CALDC), Wager understood the relationship between community and business.
“If the community does not have a viable business district, then the community will die,” said Stamatiades, executive vice president of CALDC. “And if the business community does not have a thriving community, then the business will die. It’s a partnership. And Julie made sure everyone understood that.”

Stamatiades referred to the parking lot on Steinway Street between Broadway and 31st Avenue as a good example of that understanding. He said Wager recognized that for customers to shop on Steinway Street, it was important to have good streets and better parking.

“He intimidated my father,” recalled Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria), whose father, Peter Vallone Sr., served on the Council from 1974 through 2001. Wager reportedly called the former councilmember ten minutes after he had been elected.

“Julie took my dad up and down Steinway Street, saying it didn’t need to be repaved, but redone,” said Vallone. “Thanks to Julie’s tenacity, instead of throwing some asphalt, they went three feet down and made a new road.”

Not just new roads, Wager also brought together business establishments in the area under the common umbrella of the CALDC so businessmen would have a stronger voice and better bargaining power against City authorities.

Wager wasn’t all business, though. He was also instrumental in setting up Central Astoria’s waterfront concert series and movie nights.

“The movies on the waterfront was a big hit,” said Marie Tornielli who worked with Wager at the CALDC. “A couple of thousand people showed up when it was set up.” She added that “when he saw a need for something, he went out and got it.”

The Independence Day fireworks at Astoria Park were also something Wager held close.

“The fireworks show — that’s Julie’s baby,” Vallone said. “When we were told by the mayor’s office that it would not happen, Julie politely suggested I try harder. And that’s when it happened.”

Julie did not know the meaning of “no,” said Stamatiades. “He would wear people down till he got what he wanted, and he wanted the best for the community.”

In 2000, Wager was paralyzed by a spinal cord injury, but that did not slow him down. A native of Astoria, he continued to serve the organizations in his community. He was president of his synagogue, Astoria Center of Israel, and worked as advertising director of the Queens Gazette.

In 2008, The Powhatan and Pocahontas Regular Democratic Clubs honored Wager’s tireless efforts for “this, that and what was the other thing.” State Sen. George Onorato recognized Wager’s leadership with a proclamation which joked that Astoria would have to be renamed “Wagerville” if Wager chaired or joined any more boards, committees, clubs and associations.

“You missed out,” said Stamatiades, referring to people who did not have a chance to meet the robust community leader. “But he would have also made you crazy.”

He would have, after all, as Sinatra sang, be doing things his way.

Wager is survived by six daughters and nine grandchildren.

This piece originally appeared in Queens Chronicle

As the 7 train climbs overland and clatters noisily into Queens, the demographic shift in the subway car is perceptible. Skin tones get darker, hemlines lower and necklines higher.

The car slowly fills with Koreans, Hispanic families and middle- aged Indian men reading the newspaper.

Incomprehensible chatter fills the air and boils down to a babble as the train pulls into Roosevelt Avenue stop.

The train empties out as groups scurry into their different enclaves to either enjoy a lazy afternoon or get down to business.

No Habla Espanol!
As I get off the Roosevelt Avenue stop and walk across the rows of Mexican and Colombian restaurants, young panhandlers try to sell me fruits that I have never seen or Arepas I have never tasted.

I ask an old man minding a newsstand for directions. He responds in rapid Spanish. He notes my expression of total and utter incomprehension and waves me away from the Spanish side towards the Indian Side of Jackson Heights that starts at 74th street.

Is it just me, or does this place smell like Home?!
I knew I hit home-base, when I see the chaos on the streets. If we are what we drive, then the random parking, the honking and the abject jaywalking showed me the reassuring presence of less civic minded Indians.

A harassed looking traffic cop, explained to me as she wrote out a ticket to a protesting young Indian male ‘They would rather park on this one crowded street than go down three blocks and find some empty places’. Sounds just like home!

Loud Punjabi music blares in "Little India" - Jackson Heights (Pic: Smriti Rao)

The air gets thicker with music at each step. Loud Punjabi music blares from outside shops selling the latest Hindi, Punjabi and devotional music. A turbaned Sikh man hands me a leaflet for newly opened Mehak Beauty Parlor and says, in what can only be interpreted as a reprimand “Eyebrows- Wax!”  I pass.

The market on 74th street, with the South Asian shops pulses and pounds like any other market from back home. This could be Delhi, Dhaka or just plain Jackson Heights.

With an estimated 250 small and medium-sized businesses – the South Asian community (including Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshi and Nepalis)- works within a two block radius from 74th street to 76th street.

A relaxation of the immigration policies during the Kennedy Administration led to a sharp increase in immigration during the 1960’s. Thousands of Asians and Latin Americans arrived on the scene making Jackson Heights their home.

It prompted some people to call this section of Queens ‘The Ellis Island of the 20th century’. By 1965, South Asian and Latino immigrants settled into their neighborhoods giving rise to ‘Little India’ and ‘Little Colombia’

On 74th street, my greedy eyes spot a Kebab King in the corner, zoom into Jackson Diner which is ‘world famous in New York’ and then settle on Delhi Heights – one of the many places where one could drop by for authentic Indian Cuisine.

The choices have now expanded to include restaurants that serve Afghan, Tibetan and Nepali cuisine.

If you would rather whip up your own Dal Makhni or make a mean Paneer Tikka, then Patel Brothers is a virtual Wal-Mart of spices as you try and pick all the ingredients that go into a home cooked Indian meal. Patel Brothers also boasts of a clientele that comes in not just from  New York City but also New Jersey and Connecticut.

God Tussi Great Ho!

Eagle Theatre in Jackson Heights screens all the latest Hindi movies

But apart from the food and shopping, Little India’s cultural aspirations would be miniscule if it did not include a large bit of Bollywood. At Eagle Theatre, visitors and residents of Jackson Heights get their weekly dose of drama and fantasy song and dance sequences.

Audiences sigh and clap and indulge Bollywood’s absurdity as two long lost brothers unite half way across the world thanks to matching tattoos on their arms.

Hard core hindi movie buffs can hop off the ‘7’, trade popcorn for samosas and immerse themselves in 3 hours of magic and mayhem.

Beneath The Business
Beneath the frantic throb of business on 74th street however, there’s a hum of anxiety. Rising rents and a lack of proper parking space on the main strip worries traders.

At the JMD Mall, which proclaims to be the first South Asian mall in New York – the tension is tangible. K K Sharma, a long time employee points outside the window to a parking meter.

‘It’s a big market, but there’s no open parking. Customers want to shop, but they double park on this street, then get tickets. They have no place to park their cars’.

3 stores down, Mudassar Khan of Khan Electronics agrees with Sharma. He adds skyrocketing rents as one of the other reasons why business on 74th street is floundering. Thanks to the high connectivity with Manhattan and the rest of New York, real estate values in the commercial area have shot up, increasing rents to a level that’s unaffordable to most of the small Mom and Pop stores in the area.

As a result, many of them have shut shop. Sitting in his small shop stacked with electronic goods, Mudassar points out that he pays $6000 a month as rent and barely makes a profit.

The existence of the Jackson Heights Traders Association is crucial to these businesses. It provides them with not just a means of redressal in an area, dominated by traditional rivals – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh; but also allows the traders to formulate programs that promote cultural harmony.

Mudassar says he looks forward to the Diwali program – which not just has DJs and hindi music, but also draws in a huge expat crowd from across NYC and New Jersey. It’s not just great entertainment but also good business.

Together, But Separate:
But despite the South Asian community coming together for trade and cultural purposes- just a few blocks down- The Latino side of Jackson Heights, with a mixed population of Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Ecuadorians, stays on its side of the fence.

Traders from both sides don’t mix and don’t see any reason to. Bill Rubino, of Stanley’s Home Furnishings on the Latino side of Jackson Heights has worked in the area since 1961. He says he never goes over ‘to the ‘other side’ except to get his ‘hair cut and eyebrows done’.

Part 2 of “In Jackson Heights” will have more about the neighborhood and feature the  famed Garden Apartments.

The MTA is getting set to eliminate the Queens bound W train, drawing howls of protest from Astoria residents (Pic Courtesy: The Daily News)

The “W” line that runs from Astoria, Queens, to Manhattan’s South Ferry is the quintessential middle child. It has trouble attracting attention and competes with its three other siblings, the N, Q, and R lines.

The elimination of the “W” line drew howls of protest from local commuters who take the train to and from Astoria, but what about commuters downtown – who take the train from Manhattan to South Ferry?

Kiwi Grady, who commutes from New York University to Whitehall each day, says she could easily take other trains if the “W” doesn’t show up. “As long as the “R” runs I will take that. I can also take the 4 or 5 which are faster but more crowded.”

Grady believes the elimination of the “W” would hit commuters to Queens the hardest. “Down here in Manhattan, you have a lot of options. But for those in the outer boroughs, they’ll be hit hardest”. Fred Willis, who hopped on the “W” at 42^nd Street, agreed. “I don’t think, it makes a big difference downtown,” he said, adding, “it is just a convenient connector.”

The axing of the “W” line is just one of the several service reductions outlined in the MTA’s 2010 budget. The “Z” train and 24 bus routes are also to be canceled, and free student MetroCards will no longer be offered. The cuts are meant to close a $383 million budget gap.

But for commuters on the downtown “W” line, crowds are not a worry. “It is crowded only in rush hour,” said Davawn Cassidy, a package delivery man from Brooklyn who rides the train more than ten times each week. “The R train runs on the same line, and the N is an express – so no worries,” Cassidy smiles and draws his big bag of packages around him in a car that has only two other people in it.

So, will commuters downtown miss the “W” when it is finally guillotined?

“I missed it now,” puffed Maria Bido, as she watched the train pull away from the platform.

Read more:

Commuters in LIC/Astoria protest “W” train cuts.

Why the “W” should stay