Castle Village

With this inaugural edition of CV News, we’re introducing a different format, with several new features aimed at building community. Our goals are to inform residents about what’s going on at CV, connect neighbors to each other, and foster involvement with the surrounding neighborhood. With such an abundance of talent and accomplishment among us, we will recognize one resident each issue with a brief profile. Also included is a community calendar of events, as well as a featured area business or two.

Classified advertisements are now unified in one section at the end. We also wanted to alert everyone to the newly launched website for Castle Village, designed by resident Bob and Bri Matsuoka. Eventually, CV News will be published mainly online (with hard copies for those residents who prefer paper). We urge residents to visit the site—it’s visually clean, user-friendly, and has great pictures and information.
In this edition, readers will find photographs of the reopened children’s playground; a column by the newly convened and already very active Events Committee; a profile, in memorium, of beloved, long-term resident Stanley Michels; and brief features on the YM&YWHA and the art gallery around the corner on 181st. Many thanks go out to Claire Stoddard for so wonderfully managing All Around the Village, the precursor to CV News, for these past seven years. We wish her the best in her new residence up the street.

—Stacy Spencer and Jennifer Dossin, Co-editors

A large-print edition of CV News is available on request.
Please contact the CV office, 212-927-0600.

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EXTERIOR MASONRY/SITE RETAINING WALLS

After a three-week delay resulting from the city’s new filing procedures, L&Z Contracting has commenced masonry work on the facades of buildings 140 and 160. Work on the facades is expected to take about seven weeks. After completion, the sidewalk bridging will be removed, and L&Z will move to other sections of 140 and 160 before advancing to the other buildings. Phase VII of the masonry project has an estimated completion date of February 15, 2009.

RUBBLE WALL MONITORING & CONSTRUCTION

Weidlinger, the engineer of record for the rubble-wall project, approved the long-term use and maintenance of the existing monitoring system initially installed by Geo-Instruments to monitor the wall’s behavior during construction. Cabling for the equipment in the north garden will be buried underground to protect it from UV rays.

PHASE II GROUNDS RECONSTRUCTION

The playground is open, and the cottages are now integrated with the rest of the property. Following a hectic week of construction, the contractor worked feverishly on Saturday, September 6, to prepare the
playground and the grounds for their grand opening on Sunday, September 7, at the Annual Garden
Party. There is still work to be done. Several trees will be planted around the playground and benches will be installed in and around the playground.

PERGOLA

Thanks to the generosity of the cooperative’s sponsors Ed Sonn and Carolyn Blitz, a pergola will soon stand on the terrace between the turrets as a permanent memorial to Bill Sonn, the general partner of the partnership that converted Castle Village into a cooperative. The pergola was designed by the RBA Group, the same architectural firm responsible for the garden and playground. Columns are made of a synthetic stone, and beams and runners are made of cedar wood. The pergola will be wired for lighting with an additional outlet in the adjacent garden bed. Perogla seating will comprise of eight Adirondack chairs. Entwining the structure will be vines, to be selected and planted at a later date.

FRONT ENTRANCES

Reconstruction of the front entrances of buildings 140 and 160 to make them handicap accessible cannot begin until the masonry work on their facades has been completed and the sidewalk bridging re-
moved. We expect this front entrance work to start by November. Work on buildings 180 and 200 are expected to commence spring 2009 followed shortly thereafter by building 120.

ENERGY ISSUES

The Board has received a draft of the Energy Reduction Plan commissioned from PowerCon. It is presently under review by the Energy Committee and the Board. Based on the outcome of these reviews, it is anticipated that a report will be filed with NYSERDA for its review and approval. Once approval is received, we can start the next phase of the plan which includes further analysis, determining loan requirement and availability of funds, obtaining competitive bids, and, finally,
implementation.

STORAGE

We will soon be able to offer from 50 to 60 new storage cages in buildings 160, 180, and 200. The relocation and abandonment of a few storage rooms allows for the construction of storage cages to ac-
commodate the storage needs of many shareholders currently on the waiting list.

GYM EXPANSION

Three proposals are being considering for the expanded gym layout and the equipment it will contain. The expansion will allow for the following additional equipment: two treadmills, one upright and one recumbent bike, two different types of ellipticals, and a new strength training station. The increased number of pieces will reduce or eliminate waiting times experienced by the before- and after-work crowd for popular cardio exercises.

HEATING SEASON

October 1 marks the start of the heating season. Maintaining a comfortable temperature for all of the residents of a multi-family building is a difficult task. We must try to balance the comfort of our residents
with the economical operation of the heating plant. Due to the configuration of the buildings and their exposure to the elements from all sides, it is difficult to keep them warm on extremely cold windy days. There are several ways you can help maintain a comfortable temperature indoors.

• Please report overheating conditions in your apartments.
• Instead of opening a window to cool an overheated apartment, turn off the radiator by shutting the valve located under the flap on the radiator cover.
• Dress warmly while in your apartment.
• To help prevent air infiltration, make sure your windows are shut tightly and locked. Window air conditioners should be removed; where impractical they should be insulated and adjoining area sealed.
• Avoid placing furniture in front of the radiators as it may limit the
  circulation of warm air.
• Window curtains should be open during the day to permit the sun’s rays to warm your apartment. Close them at night to act as a barrier against the cold.
• To ensure that the fins on the heating element of your radiator efficiently emit heat, remove dust accumulation on them by passing the vacuum cleaner hose through the opening at the bottom of the radiator cover.
• To introduce fresh air into your apartment, crack open a window in a seldom-used room.
• There are many factors that contribute to the temperature in one’s apartment; therefore, complaints of insufficient heat cannot be fully addressed if staff is not permitted to first investigate the problem within your apartment.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

HEAT COMPUTER & TEMPERATURE SENSORS

We endeavor to provide adequate heat through the aid of computers that are connected to temperature sensors strategically placed throughout the buildings. The sensors relay the temperatures recorded both inside and outside of each building to a computer that controls the on/off cycles of the boiler. Many of the sensors are either not operating or have been removed from their original locations. The
sensors must be repaired or relocated so that the computer has sufficient information to operate as it was designed. Please contact the management office if you wish to have a temperature sensor installed
in your apartment. If your apartment is deemed to be a suitable location, one will be installed.

CV Candidates Forum, October 23

There will be a Candidates Forum on Thursday, October 23, in the Community Room at 8:00 pm. The event will be aired lived on CVTV, cable channel 999. If you would like to pose any questions to the candidates, please send them to the CV office. Like questions will be grouped and posed by the moderator.

CV Annual Shareholders Meeting, October 30

The Annual Shareholders meeting is scheduled for 8 pm, Thursday, October 30, in the Sanctuary of the Fort Washington Collegiate Church, 729 West 181 Street. If you cannot attend the meeting,
it is very important that you participate by sending in your proxy. It is necessary for the corporation
to have a quorum of shares represented either in person or by proxy. The meeting cannot be conducted without a quorum.

Flu Shots at CV and Call for Volunteers, October 30

On Thursday, October 30, from 9:30–11:30 am, the Visitng Nurse of New York will administer flu shots free of charge to residents aged 50+ in the Community Room. Pre-register by calling the CV office. Volunteers are needed for the day to assist with completion of necessary paperwork and directing

—Frank Nadal, CV Property Manager

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We’ve been itching to improve the Castle Village web presence for some time, and thanks to some prompting from the Castle Village Community Connections Committee and some board members, we were happy to dive in!

Our foremost goal was to create an environment where people would share and interact with one another. A place where committees, individuals and management would present information and exchange thoughts. And we also wanted to show the public what a wonderful place we have in our Castle Village grounds and community. So, we built an environment that we feel is very user-friendly—easy to navigate and extend. The website allows you to subscribe to updates via email, so if you haven’t already, go to the site and sign up! The subscription links are at the bottom of each page.

Fortunately, the quality of the low-cost or free tools and services that allow for the development of this type of website have improved tremendously over the last few years. The site is running on WordPress, a very popular free website publishing tool, and we’ve created a private area using Google Apps, which is Google’s service offering for office-like functionality (email, documents, calendaring, and more).

Bob and I work in the tech field; Bob is a true technology expert. We have a company called MokaMedia whereby we create web projects for clients around the city. Bob also has a company in SoHo called Runtime Technologies that develops high-end backend technologies. I also have a company called Toodleoo Productions where I create and produce broadcast television content. Our projects take advantage of powerful and innovative technologies and tools that have emerged from the Web 2.0 revolution to better an organization and serve our constituencies. The tools will allow an organization and its staff to work more productively, communicate more effectively, and reduce costs.

We are happy to provide the community with this tool and hope everyone uses it and finds it helpful, as well.

—Brigitte Matsuoka

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Saturday, October 4
Village Flea Market

Call the CV office, 212-927-0600, to sign up for your own space, or donate gently used items to “Friends of the Village.”

Time: 12 noon–5 pm.
Place: On the grass along the Cabrini Blvd. sidewalk between the buildings
Price:CV residents may purchase a spot for $10
Event is open to the public.
Raindate: Saturday, October 11

Sunday, October 5
Three One-Act Plays

Three one-act plays by playwright Shannon Reed will be read by him. The plays are: The Vicar, or Hesitancy; Rosa Krantz and Gilda Stern say “Attagirl!”;
Horatio and Ismene

Time: 7:30 pm
Place: CV Community Room
Price: $5 to cover refreshments
Event is open to the public.

Halloween, Friday, October 31

Kids’ Halloween Costume Parade Whether or not you are the parent of a trick-or-treater, come and watch the flashlight parade! The kids will be showing off their costumes in the garden before trick-or-treating begins inside the buildings.

Time: 6:30 pm
Place: Garden
Will be cancelled in the event of strong rain.
Event is open to CV residents and 2 guests per apartment.

Friday, November 7
Wine Tasting

Cabrini Wines will conduct a private wine tasting for CV residents.
Time: 7:30 pm
Place: CV Community Room
Open to CV residents and their guests, 21 and over.

Stay tuned for . . .
December

• Tuesday, December 2: Book signing, author Gannon McHale, 7:30–9:30 pm
• Sunday, December 7: Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair
• Saturday, December 13: Kids’ Holiday Craft Workshop

Winter & Spring

• Recitals and music; Arts and crafts; Storytime for kids; Potlucks and mixers

Questions: Please contact the CV office or visit the CV website.

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Patrick Harper & Carmen Harper – 29/160
Richard Keck & Eva Vazquez – 116/120
Joshua Krinsky – 108/120
Annaliesa Place – 105/120
Oren Rawls & Ruth Weinberger – 126/180
Gary Rosenthal & Ariane Zoroniotti – 67/140

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A Castle Village Halloween is a unique city experience! We hope all youngsters will join in this year for a really wonderful Halloween.

• Only Castle Village children and their guests (two per child) are allowed to go Trick or Treating on the grounds and buildings of Castle Village.
• Children 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
• Older unaccompanied children must produce some proof identifying them as Castle Village residents.
• There will be a list of apartments participating in the Halloween festivities in each lobby. You should sign-up if you wish to be visited. Trick or Treaters are asked to check this list and to visit only apartments on that list.
• Participating apartments may also be recognized by the orange and black streamers attached to their doors.
• If you experience problems with Trick or Treaters, please notify the doorman who will take appropriate action.
• Anyone found not complying with these regulations, creating disturbances, or misbehaving will be asked to leave the premises and will not be allowed to continue trick or treating on Castle Village grounds

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You may have noticed “save the date” fliers in lobbies, laundry rooms, and under your door. These are all being produced by the Castle Village Events Committee. We’re a new group, having been formed specifically to produce events for Castle Village residents. Our purpose is to build our community by allowing residents to meet in public space, to give people a variety of activities close to home, and to have fun. Our goal is to create at least one event each year that you will want to attend, whoever you are.

We have three major themes: The Arts at Castle Village, CV Kids, and Changing Seasons at Castle Village. The arts series will seek to showcase the many actors, musicians, writers, and artists who live here and in the neighborhood. CV Kids will produce hours of art, music, and fun for the younger set. The Changing Seasons series will encompass a wide variety of events appropriate to the season—indoors and outdoors, rain or shine.

All events are the result of donated time and talents from committee members and Castle Village community members. Fortunately, there is a lot of talent here at Castle Village. Thank you to everyone who is making this possible: The artists and musicians. The parents who supervise games and races. The volunteer face painters. The cooks and bakers. The many, many volunteers who help wherever it is needed. The board members who approve the activities. And, of course, the Castle Village staff and office members.

The event committee members themselves are a diverse group, with a variety of interests and abilities. We have several parents working on events just for kids. The younger set can look forward to parades, craft workshops, plays, story hours, and singalongs. Our own talented artists and musicians on the committee are helping produce the Arts at Castle Village series—you can expect to see book signings, play readings, recitals and concerts. Then, there’s the “something for everyone” seasonal events—lawn parties, potluck dinners, arts and craft shows, wine tastings, flea markets and campouts!

Obviously, all this takes some coordination. That’s where I come in. If anyone wishes to donate time, materials, or ideas to the Castle Village Events Committee, please send me an email. I can’t promise we will do everything . . . but we can try.

—Renee Colwell, Events Chairperson, colwell@castlevillage.org

Be sure to check out the calendar events on our great new website, www.castlevillage.org/calendar.

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On August 1, Castle Village lost a good friend with the passing of Stanley Michels. Stan, who served as Northern Manhattan City Council Member from 1978 to 2002, used to joke that he lived his life within seven blocks. He grew up in Washington Heights, first residing in a building demolished to make way for the GWB. In 1948, Stan, his sister Ellen, and parents Anne and Lewis moved to 140 Cabrini Boulevard. After attending Hobart College and Cornell Law School, he married his wife of 48 years, Molly Michels. They spent a two-year stint in Yonkers, then returned to Castle Village, where they raised their three children, Jeffrey, Shari and Karen. Molly recently recalled how much Stan liked living here. He also enjoyed his neighbors. It could take him an hour to go from the parking garage to the 160 building, stopping to chat with everyone he met along the way. Stan served the people of northern Manhattan with a rare passion, energy, and sense of mission. His signature issues were environmental protection and tenants’ rights. As a legislator, Stan was remarkably effective. His many accomplishments include the Childhood Lead Poisoning Act, preserving the upstate watershed for NYC’s water supply, and the Clean Indoor Air Act, the first comprehensive law restricting smoking in public places. He was a true public servant who embraced his work. “He loved the challenges, loved every day,” said Molly Michels. “He did what he believed in, what he knew was right, and took the flak,” she said. “That was Stan.”

Our condolences go out to Molly Michels and the Michels family.

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Our congratulations to MIT professor John Ochsendorf, who was retained by Castle Village to advise us on the stability and maintenance of our retaining wall, for winning a 2008 MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as a “genius” grant. Ochsendorf, 34, is a structural engineer and architectural historian who studies building techniques from the past and identifies ancient technologies that can be applied in contemporary construction. He has focused on masonry vaulting in ancient Rome, fiber suspension bridges in the Inca Empire, and newly designed energy-efficient domes in England. “In the 21st century,” he said, “as we’re faced with climate change and diminishing natural resources, our buildings may look more like buildings from the past.”

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Be sure to place the faucet lever on the kitchen and bathroom sinks in the cold position when using small amounts of water. Placing the lever in the hot position uses energy to heat the water even though it may never reach the faucet.

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