Michael Oreskes

New York

Executive Editor at Global GoalsCast

ExecEditor: @GlobalGoalsCast Journalist. Author on #Constitution and why it matters. Writer on #News, #Politics, #Media. Retweets mean ideas should circulate.

Articles

Where Have You Gone, Andy Byford? Penn Station Turns Its Lonely Eyes to You

1 day ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

It is coming on two years since Andy Byford, the much-loved "Train Daddy" of New York City Transit, touted the "golden opportunity" to not just rebuild Penn Station but revamp the chaos of how trains move in and out of it. Byford stressed back then that he was speaking from his (considerable) experience as a transit operator and not on behalf of his current employer, Amtrak, which happens to own Penn Station. But if asked, Byford said, he would be happy to have a look at the situation.
Andy Byford to the Rescue?

5 days ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

It is coming on two years since Andy Byford, the much-loved "Train Daddy" of New York City Transit, touted the "golden opportunity" to not just rebuild Penn Station but revamp the chaos of how trains move in and out of it. Byford stressed back then that he was speaking from his (considerable) experience as a transit operator and not on behalf of his current employer, Amtrak, which happens to own Penn Station. But if asked, Byford said, he would be happy to have a look at the situation.
Trump Admin Says It's Not Footing Entire Cost to Renovate Penn Station

2 weeks ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

When the Trump administration seized control of plans to renovate Penn Station, Gov. Hochul said New Yorkers had won a major victory. "I want to thank the President and [Transportation ] Secretary Duffy for taking on the sole responsibility to deliver the beautiful new $7-billion station that New Yorkers deserve," she said.
A New Classical Penn Station? This Backer's Plan Inspired by Grand Original

4 weeks ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

Joseph Klingenstein must have known the architectural masterpiece was doomed when he took his grandson to see it. Visiting the iconic locations of New York was a thing for Grandpa Joe and his grandson, Tom. The Statue of Liberty. The Empire State Building. Yankee Stadium. The Stock Exchange, which was particularly appropriate since Joseph Klingenstein was the co-founder of Wertheim & Co., the legendary investment firm.
Hochul's Retreat on Penn Station Expansion, Will Spare Entire Block from Demolition

1 month ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

Governor Hochul pulled the rug out from under Amtrak's hope to double the capacity of Penn Station by tearing down the block immediately south of the present station. "I'm not going to destroy a neighborhood," the Governor said. She specifically rejected the demolition of block 780, the tax designation for the block between seventh and eighth avenues south of 31st street.
Communicating the Pandemic

1 month ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

I still remember the chill I felt watching Dr. Demetre Daskalakis in that video. "It's already here," he was saying, like the scientist in a sci-fi film warning that the alien invasion was underway. It was the 10th of March, 2020. The Novel Coronavirus had been spreading since some time late the year before, first in China and, by then, in Italy. Yet here in New York City, where both Dr. Daskalakis and I lived and worked, life had been continuing pretty much as always.
New $7.5B Penn Plan-This One Put Forth by Allies of Trump

2 months ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

The time has come to make Penn Station great again. That not particularly subtle message to Donald J. Trump-who routinely boasts that he was a great New York deal-maker before becoming President-was sent to Washington by a high-powered advocacy group called the Grand Penn Community Alliance, a grassroots organization underwritten by Trump allies who strongly support a revival of classical architecture.
What Does It Mean?

2 months ago | otdowntown.com | Michael Oreskes

It is unlikely that James Madison, when he was writing the Federalist Papers for publication in New York in 1788, contemplated the need for congestion pricing in lower Manhattan, which at the time had a population of around 30,000 and extended only as far north as present day Broome street. But a President who would declare himself King? That was right in Madison's wheelhouse.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Claims He’s an Environmental Activist. Is He?

Jun 28, 2024 | airmail.news | Michael Oreskes

A river runs through the personal saga of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. That river is the Hudson, or, in the language of the Indigenous Lenape, Shatemuc—the river that runs both ways with the tide. Kennedy portrays himself as a savior of the precious estuary. This narrative is central to his self-portrait, of a man who redeemed himself by overcoming his addiction and protecting and resurrecting the environment. But those who interacted with him on the banks of the Hudson say the story runs both ways, too.
CB5 Chairman Vote Heads Toward Contested Election in June

Apr 29, 2024 | westsidespirit.com | Michael Oreskes

Contested elections are rare at the city’s community boards. But Samir Lavingia, interim chair of Community Board Five, appears to be headed for one. Lavingia was thrust into the role of chair of Community Board Five by a series of surprise resignations, an event made more controversial because his day job is as campaign coordinator for Open New York, registered in Albany as a lobbyist for building more housing.