Villager photo by Q. Sakamaki

News

Builder gives up a whole lot, but neighbors are still sore
By Lincoln Anderson
Though just a fraction of the size of the 111-block rezoning of the East Village and Lower East Side, approval of which is expected this November, the recent rezoning of two half-blocks in the southwest Village raised nearly as much concern and angst. In the end, though, it resulted in a pledge to create something not seen in the West Village in years: new affordable housing.

C.B. 2 report opens ideas for new open public spaces
By Albert Amateau
Community Board 2, which includes Greenwich Village, Soho, Noho, Little Italy and Hudson Square, has the second-lowest amount of open space of Manhattan’s 12 community board districts.

D.A. is investigating officer’s assault on cyclistBy Jefferson Siegel 
A videotape of a police officer knocking a bicyclist to the ground in Times Square during the July Critical Mass ride dominated local media for several days last week.

Villager ‘educates’ Connor on prison bill funding
By Josh Rogers
State Senator Martin Connor claimed falsely last week that a prison bill he voted for contained $643 million for New York City schools.

Falling through the ice
By Steven Snyder
For writer and director Courtney Hunt, being awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival last January came as both a blessing and something of a short-lived curse. Taking the stage to accept the award for her first feature, “Frozen River,” she was heralded as perhaps one of the next great New York filmmakers.

Sol mates in southern Spain
By Bonnie Rosenstock
John Reoli didn’t start out to write a gay play or a love story. He says it just turned out that way. “To me, that’s part of the adventure of writing,” explained the actor/playwright. “It’s like being on a ship. You’re the one not driving it. You don’t necessarily know where you’re going.”