UES as Epicenter of Political Power in City is Still Growing
Through most administrations, the mayor has been an UES resident at Gracie Mansion, but there’s a growing number of other powerful politicians beyond the mayor who call the UES side. The latest is the new parks commissioner, Tricia Shimamura.
UES power grid grows–As my last column noted, the UES’s become the epicenter of political power in NY with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin residing on the UES. And now the mayor has appointed Upper East Sider Tricia Shimamura as Commissioner of Parks and Recreation. She’ll oversee the parks, beaches and wetlands that make up about 13 percent of city’s land. Then there’s the UES’s Assembly member Alex Bores, who’s one of 11 Democrats running for the coveted 12th District Congressional seat being vacated by Jerry Nadler.
Perhaps at no time in recent history has the UES been such a nerve center of political power.
Shimamura previously served on Community Board 8 and most recently served as the City Department of Parks & Recreation’s Manhattan Borough Commissioner.
Her appointment as Parks Commissioner brought to mind Henry Stern, also an Upper East Sider and a former member of the City Council (he, along with Bobby Wagner, Jr., were Councilmen-st-Large, a role which has since been abolished). Stern served as Parks Commissioner under mayors Ed Koch (1983 to 1990) and Rudy Giuliani (1994 to 2002). Koch and Guiliani at some point in their mayoralty lived at Gracie Mansion, making them Upper East Siders!
When Stern was parks commissioner during the Koch years, he joined Our Town’s founder and then publisher Ed Kayatt at an OTTY awards ceremony when Donald Trump was given an OTTY for his role in renovating Central Park’s Wollman skating rink.
Where the bus doesn’t stop–The bus stop on Lex between 88th and 89th Sts. is a local bus stop. There’s a timer at the stop that lets you know how many minutes until the next M102 and M103 will arrive. There’s an indicator for the M101 Express bus, but Express buses don’t stop here. The timers are usually accurate. Sometimes, unfortunately, it lets you know that the next bus is 45 minutes away. Imagine forty-five minutes away as M101s fly by with No Service buses not far behind. That’s not the way to get New Yorkers on the way to work, shopping, home, or around town, MTA.
Babka or biscotti?–Patis, a popular kosher bakery on the UES, is a favorite go-to. It’s small. Comfortable. Been around for the last few years with a closing in between. Located at 1311 Lex, it has a clear view of the aforementioned bus stop. There’s an empty storefront alongside Patis. The name of the old occupant, Jack’s Store Brew Coffee, remains in individual-sized letters above the storefront although its been out of business for a long long time. And a forever Store For Rent sign is plastered on the inside of the storefront window. No takers. Until now. Maybe. According to Upper East Site, Fellini’s, an Italian coffee cafe, will be opening. I guess while waiting for an M102 or M103, I can chill out with a kosher babka or some Italian biscotti. Either works so long as I have a view of the timer at the bus stop across the street.
Babes in Book Land–I’m for free child care. Not because I have or have ever had a child. But I shop bookstores. And it’s not easy getting through some sections of Barnes & Noble at their 3d and 86th St location. The aisles are tight. The check-out lines are long and winding and crowd the aisles. Add to that the oodles of infants and strollers spread across the floor spaces. Makes it’s hard to choose a book. Few, if any, seats in sight. Free child care matters.