Theaters, political and otherwise

east side observer

BY ARLENE KAYATT

Beekman blues — If ever a movie theater was designed for inaccessibility, it’s the Beekman on Second Avenue between 66th and 67th Streets. I just don’t get it. In order to get to the box office, you have to navigate several stairs going down. Then, when you enter the theater, there’s are two escalators — one for each screening room. Once you get down the escalator, there are more steps — one to get to the screening rooms, the other to get to the concession. To say nothing of how you get to the restrooms. It’s a challenge. And I don’t understand how they get away with it in this age of disability access. In all honesty, though, the layout is also a deterrent to those without disability. No question I’d be complaining if the Beekman closed down. But there has to be some accommodation so that the theater is user-friendly and accessible. Yes? Please. Thanks.

The ex files — An odd couple out on the political trail these days, in the wake of the federal bribery trial of ex-Cuomo aide and comrade, Joseph Percoco, are two other exes: state GOP Chairman Ed Cox and Manhattan GOP Chairwoman Andrea Catsimatidis, who is divorced from Cox’s son, Christopher. Cox and Catsimatidis joined forces as part of the state Republican Party’s campaign to bring attention to the federal bribery trial of Percoco and to bring home the connection to Cuomo. The Catsimatidis/Cox exes and their supporters rallied outside U.S. District Court in Manhattan at the start of Percoco’s trial with signs displaying colorful mock-up boxes of ziti under the brand name “Cuomo’s Bribezoni.” The reference to ziti is said to come from emails exchanged by Percoco and an alleged co-conspirator who referred to the cash they were getting as ziti. Like in the Sopranos.

Bittersweet suites — After more than 50 years, some families are coming home. Not to the homes they left, but to the place where their homes once stood. In a poignant article on January 30, “Yes, You Can Go Home Again, Even 50 Years Later,” The Times told the story of the Santiago family forced out of their home on the Lower East Side in 1967 because of an urban renewal project that went — or didn’t go — on and on and on for a half century. The families, including the Santiagos, were promised at the time that they would be able to return to the location where their homes once stood. And now, 50 years later, the time has arrived. And home is now in the massive development that is known as Essex Crossing. David Santiago, who is one of Essex Crossing’s first tenants, recalled the old days when the neighborhood was populated by mostly Puerto Rican, African-American, Italian, Jewish and Asian families. In those years, there were small businesses owned or run by individuals. What we came to know as or call mom and pop stores. The new neighborhood will have the mandatory blockbuster “grocery” — here, Trader Joe’s — as well as a 14-screen movie theater. No more single locally owned or run businesses. Just mega mega. Bigger may or may not be better, but it’s nice to know that some of the original tenants were able to reclaim their piece of Manhattan and go home again.