Downtown Express photo by Lorenzo Ciniglio

Independence Plaza is one of several large affordable housing complexes Downtown that is trending to market rate rents. The lobbies have been renovated as part of the luxury apartment marketing campaign. Existing tenants have rent protections, but new ones don’t.

Any place left for middle class housing?
By Julie Shapiro
A group of Lower Manhattan residents recently set out to determine how much affordable housing their neighborhood has.

Book ‘em Dan-o — Squadron would fingerprint illegal vendors
By Julie Shapiro
New legislation by State Sen. Daniel Squadron would allow the city to fingerprint street vendors who break the law.

Take away mayor’s power over schools, C.B.1 says
By Julie Shapiro with Albert Amateau
Community Board 1 wants to end mayoral control of the city’s public schools.

West St. bikeway begins to reopen
A half-mile stretch of the West. St. bikeway has technically been closed in Battery Park City, but this week much of the area officially reopened to riders.

Sprucing up Wall St.

Saunterers are set to kick off

W.T.C. videos
Downtown Express columnist David Stanke says the Port Authority should provide World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein with more financial help in order to ensure construction continues throughout the site.

Boston terrier is among breeds in Housing Authority’s doghouse
By Rita Wu
Boston terriers and pit bulls will be banned from New York City public housing projects under a new policy on dogs set to go into effect May 1.

News

New cooking-oil pickup program getting cooking
By John Bayles 
Last Friday, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver were at Russ & Daughters Appetizers on East Houston St. to put their political will, and a little elbow grease, behind a new program making it easier for restaurants to recycle their used cooking oil.

Tribeca’s distinct curves won’t get new dressing
By Julie Shapiro
The Synagogue for the Arts scaled back plans for a new security fence after Community Board 1’s Landmarks Committee objected to the design.

City slams brakes on contentious bus plan
By Julie Shapiro
Under fire from residents and elected officials, the city agreed last Friday to nix its plan to move 18 commuter buses to West St.

Under the bridge, merchants say manager needs watching
By J.B. Nicholas
City officials have just begun an investigation into allegations that small business owners in a city-owned mall in Chinatown are in effect, being extorted by the mall’s managers.

C.B. 1: Beer & pizza are a bad late-night combo

Bar owner bellies up to the Council race
By Josh Rogers
A new candidate has joined Lower Manhattan’s City Council race hoping to appeal to the younger Obama supporters living Downtown, but he does not quite have the background one would expect: He’s 55, walks with a cane and first worked in politics more than three decades ago.

Tribeca Film Festival Reviews
“Blank City” and Handsome Harry

Tribeca Film Festival: Some things for nothing
BY STEVEN SNYDER
Tribeca Film Festival’s ‘escapist’ mission yields many free events 

All hail, Bette Gordon
BY TRAV S.D.
Film fest gives pioneering Tribeca artist her due.

Making filmmakers out of the digital generation
BY ELENA MANCINI
TFI Youth Program instills skills, nurtures talent.

When punk & indie film ruled NYC
BY RANIA RICHARDSON
Two tales recall long bygone era
of East Village edge.