Photo by Ken Lupano, looking South at the Central Park Mall.

April 6, 2012 Weather: Sunny, High of 57 Degrees.

Notices:
Central Park will open its lawns and fields, including Sheep Meadow, tomorrow! (East Meadow will remain closed)

News:
Other neighborhoods, including the Upper East Side and the East Village, are considering asking for the same kinds of commercial retail restrictions now being discussed for the Upper West Side. “Lower Manhattan’s CB1 intends to examine the Upper West Side proposal as it contemplates storefront restrictions in north Tribeca. Discussions held by the Upper East Side’s CB8 in February have led the board to plan to examine potential zoning changes.” (Crain’s, subscription required).

Speaking of those proposed restrictions, The Real Deal architecture critic James Gardner doesn’t expect them to have a huge effect on the neighborhood, in a generally positive appraisal of the idea. “Yet it is quite likely that the effect of the legislation, if it passes, will be a subtle — and maybe more than subtle — enhancement of the Upper West Side. But even if it restricts the square footage of banks going forward, unfortunately it will have no retroactive effect on those that are already there.” (The Real Deal)

After some advocacy by NY1, The Association of Black Social Workers Senior Citizens Center on 107th Street is getting its gas turned back on. (NY1)

The participatory budgeting process will fund “climbing apparatuses, castles, and bridges for the Millbrook Houses in the Bronx and the Frederick Douglass Houses, between 100th and 104th streets on the Upper West Side.” (Columbia Spectator)

It’s not going to be easy for Adriano Espaillat to beat Charles Rangel. (DNAinfo)