Tell People About Our Cause!



UPDATE:

The Tenement Museum has purchased 91 Orchard Street and

262 Broome Street immediately after the E.S.D.C gave a non-vote.

Amazing how simple it was for them to acquire 2 buildings the way normal private businesses purchase property. They now own 3 buildings on the block. We are watching the Museum and will fight to the death to keep our building out of their hands.

Lou & Mimi Holtzman


FEB-12-02 16:45 From-ASSEMBLYMAN SILVER

THE ASSEMBLY  STATE OF NEW YORK ALBANY
TESTIMONY OF ASSEMBLYMAN SHELDON SILVER


REGARDING THE CONDEMNATION HEARING OF 99 ORCHARD STREET,

EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (ESDC)
Convened on JANUARY 9,2002

        As the Assemblyman for the 62nd A.D., I represent
some of the most diverse and exciting constituencies in Now York
City. My district includes the Lower East Side, Little Italy,
Chinatown ,Financial District, Civic Center, South Street Seaport
area, and Battery Park City.

As Ms. Abram stated in her testimony, I have been a long time
supporter of the museum and am honored to have it located in my
assembly District. 'The museum is an important contributor to the
cultural integrity of the Lower East Side. Visitors to the museum get
more than just a tour of what hardships new immigrants faced upon
arrival to this country; they get a hands on learning experience that
illustrates where new immigrants lived, what struggles they endured
and how they found their place in American society and culture. Under
Ms.Abram's leadership the museum has flourished as a main attraction
for tourists and residents alike. I have been pleased to work in
partnership with Ms. Abram and the museum on the many projects.

In this instance, I join Community Board #3 and the Lower East Side
Business Improvement District in asking the ESDC not to condemn the
property on 99 Orchard Street and to allow the residential and
commercial tenants to remain there. As important as the museum's
contribution is to our neighborhood, so too is it imperative that we
protect the rights of tenants and landowners when they are threatened.

The power of condemnation by the government through eminent domain is
a grave one. As was stated at the Community Board #3 Housing Committee meeting if the Tenement museum's position is that the owners of 99 Orchard Street have been negligent in their construction and have caused structural damage to the museum, then the courts are the proper
authority to handle this matter. It is improper for the ESDC to get
involved in an issue that is clearly between two neighbors. 

If the ESDC were to condemn 99 Orchard Street based on the arguments made thus far, it would set the precedent that the state has the authority
to intervene in disputes between property owners. I strongly urge the
ESDC to take into account the testimony and opinion of the Community
leaders and members that have voiced their thoughts on the issue at
hand.

Thank You for this Opportunity.


A Letter from
Thomas K. Duane
State Senator


THE SENATE
STATE OF NEW YORK
February 7th, 2002

Joseph Petillo
Counsel, Empire State Development Corporation
633 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Via Fax: 803-3778
Attention Joe Petillo

Dear Mr Petillo:

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposal by the Lower
East Side Tenement Museum and the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) to seize  99 Orchard Street through eminent domain in order to allow the museum to expand into this property.

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is one of this city's most
valuable cultural institutions. The museum provides a unique and important service to the city, as well as to the millions of tourists who pass through every year, educating us about the roots from which our city grew, and reminding us of the struggles and triumphs of our ancestors. I have long supported the museum, and will continue to do so. However, I cannot support this plan as it would result in tenant displacement and the loss of valuable housing stock.

While I support the desire of the museum to expand, and will be happy
to support that expansion through any of a number of other means, I do not believe this expansion should result in the eviction of tenants from 99 Orchard Street. In light of the extreme shortage of housing stock which this city faces, I strongly insist that we not remove from the market needed housing units, even for the most worthy of causes such as the expansion of this venerable institution.

I have worked, and will continue to work, to cultivate, support and
expand this valuable cultural resource, and I am gratified to see that the ESDC is doing the same. But in this one instance, I must insist that the ESDC find another way to assist the museum, one which does not utilize eminent domain and which does not decrease the already chronically reduced housing stock in our city.

Sincerely,

Thomas K. Duane
State Senator


RLC-NY DEFENDS RESIDENTS FROM TENEMENT MUSEUM LAND GRAB WHICH WOULD REPLACE REAL RESIDENTS WITH ACTORS PORTRAYING PAST TENANTS. GOVERNOR'S AID AND THAT OF CHALLENGERS SOUGHT IN DEFENSE.

New York City 7/30/02: The Republican Liberty Caucus-NY (RLC-NY) calls on Gov. Pataki and his challengers to defend the residents of 99 Orchard Street in Manhattan from  their neighbor, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. The Museum seeks to expand at the expense of  Lou and Mimi Holtzman, co-owner Peter Liang and their tenants by having the Empire State Development Corporation, condemn the modernized building, which the museum will gut and turn into a tenement-style building. The Holtzman's live in the building, which has been in the Holtzman family for four generations. Cooper urges concerned Americans to speak out against the Museum's land grab by contacting Governor Pataki at Executive Chambers, Albany, NY 12224, (212) 681-4580, or gov.pataki@chamber.state.ny.us

Republican Liberty Caucus-NY Director Richard Cooper contends, "The Lower East Side Tenement Museum's director Ruth Abram  would force out the tenants of today living there, and have  living history interpreters portray immigrant tenants of the past. All this paid for by New York's taxpayers, and  to benefit a private organization at the expense of private landowners and their tenants. Libertarian Republicans call this legalized theft. The Republican Liberty Caucus-NY condemns this condemnation scheme's violation of property rights as unjust, outrageous, and comically absurd. The Governor and his challengers need to take a stand to stop a state agency from depriving owners of their property and residents of their homes. Eminent domain law must be changed to prevent transferring from one private owner to another." The Republican Liberty Caucus is a nationwide network for change by electing libertarian Republicans, according to Cooper, a former Libertarian Party of New York Chair
.


TENANT.NET
View Pictures From The Rally Held On 4/28

View Article On Our Situation

CASTLECOALITION.ORG


1/22/02
Community Board 3 votes a resounding no to N.Y.S. and The Tenement
Museum         NO  Eminent Domain.
Thank you all ,
Lou / Mimi Holtzman / Peter Liang


Update 01/10/02

The meeting of Community Board 3 on 1/10/02 was successful. The board saw through her shallowness and voted a resounding NO. However, Ruth Abram went on a scathing attack of my character. She should be ashamed.
She handed out a booklet full of half truths and lies.
I explained away her lies and told the people the reality, not Ruth's fantasy Land. The final and full Board vote is January 22nd P. S. 20 on Essex Street - 6:30 Pm

Thank you all. and stay updated.
Lou & Mimi


Update 01/09/02

The Public Hearing on 1/9/02 was a success. The Lower East Side Business Association voted NO to the Eminent Domain attack from NYS. My neighbors really rallied for us.


Thank you all. and stay updated.
Lou & Mimi

Support From Lower East Side Business Improvement District

Click Here To View Their Statement Supporting Us

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