WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - Swank sushi place run by Adams donors got on VIP FDNY list, Revel stops NYC service, Parks Opportunity Program eliminated

 

Dear New Yorkers,

A high-end sushi restaurant operated by SL Green — a mega-developer whose employees are major donors to some of Mayor Eric Adams’ campaigns — opened after landing on a high-priority list of locations eligible for fast-tracked FDNY inspections.

As THE CITY first reported last week, the Deputy Mayor of Operations list is now in the spotlight in an ongoing federal investigation into the Adams campaign’s fundraising.

The former chief of the FDNY’s fire prevention bureau, Joseph Jardin, has told the FBI the list was supposed to cut red tape for small businesses. At the time FDNY inspections were badly backlogged; Jardin says the DMO list in some cases resulted in powerful real estate interests with connections to City Hall receiving expedited responses from the department.

The restaurant, JoJi, was able to open in September 2022 in one of SL Green’s signature projects, One Vanderbilt, three months after appearing on the DMO list in June 2022, according to a source familiar with the ongoing federal investigation.

In the summer of 2021, SL Green CEO Marc Holliday had hosted a fundraiser for Adams’ campaign after Adams had won the primary and was expected to win election to City Hall. The Aug. 11 fundraiser netted $30,900 from 41 donors, including multiple SL Green executives and employees and their wives, campaign finance records show.

On Sunday THE CITY asked the mayor’s office about any communications between Adams or mayoral staff with SL Green or the FDNY about the JoJi inspection.

In response, mayoral spokesperson Charles Lutvak claimed the DMO list did not exist, contradicting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh’s assertions in a Friday interview with NBC.

Read more here

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday's Weather Rating: 4/10. A very chilly start to the day, but at least we have some sunshine (for now). Clouds move in this morning and steady rain starts by early this evening. Periods of heavy rain and gusty winds are expected from tonight into Wednesday morning. The vibes are trending more unsettled!

Our Other Top Stories

Revel, the electric moped startup that began operating in NYC in 2018, stopped service last Saturday. Ridership had declined by 30% in July compared to the last year — and after the service had seen a string of injuries and fatalities. “I just thought it was weird that as long as you had a valid New York State license, that you could rent a scooter without any proper training or having any knowledge about how to ride one,” said Jason Malave, whose brother, Jeremy, was killed after he lost control of a Revel. Since 1994, the Parks Opportunity Program has employed people attempting to transition from public assistance to the workforce. Now it’s being eliminated as part of Adams’ proposed budget cuts that look to help close a $7 billion gap this year alone. “POP is about redemption,” said Cora Cofield, who cleans comfort stations. She noted how important these workers are to maintaining clean and vibrant parks: “A POP worker is a necessary workforce.”

Reporter’s Notebook

Radio Silence

The City Council held a hearing Monday on the NYPD’s plan to encrypt police radios — a move that has raised alarms among journalists who use scanners to pick up transmissions.

The estimated $500 million encryption plan is already in place in a handful of precincts. Chief Ruben Beltran of the NYPD’s Information Technology Bureau told the Council the plan was rooted in safety for their officers — and said they don’t want to keep information from the public. “The NYPD is the most transparent police force in the country,” he said.

But journalists who testified, including breaking news photographers who rely on radio chatter to find their next assignment, said the public will lose out when all the radios go silent. “Radio encryption affects people from disadvantaged communities the most and foremost,” photographer Lloyd Mitchell said. “It’s our job to keep information out there for the public and for these communities.”

The Council also heard testimony on a new bill that would require the Municipal Archives to create and maintain a searchable database of social media posts from elected officials. The bill was prompted in part by THE CITY’s reporting after the previous speaker of the City Council’s social media accounts were deleted once he left.

— Katie Honan

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Tuesday, Nov. 21: The New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show opened over the weekend, as part of an array of winter festivities through the garden’s 250-plus acres. Free with admission through Jan. 15 at the New York Botanical Garden in The Bronx. Tuesday, Nov. 21: Only two weeks left to see Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration, an exhibition that “explores the impact of the U.S. prison system on contemporary visual art.” Free at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center in Harlem, through Dec. 4. Wednesday, Nov. 22: The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon inflation event. Free from 12-6 p.m. on the Upper West Side (the entrance to the viewing area is at W. 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue).

THE KICKER: If you're a fan of THE CITY — and our mascot, Nellie — keep your eyes on Scoop and our social channels for one of our rare merch drops on Cyber Monday (Nov. 27).

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

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