Happening This Week, in “This Week In & Around Chelsea”

Free Fitness Book Camp in Bella Abzug Park / City Club’s Penn Station Panel Discussion / Wellness Wednesdays Free Fitness Classes / PRIDE at the High Line: Transformation Stories / NYC Government Hiring Hall / Tribeca Film Festival Online / Meatpacking District Photo Exhibition: District Defined / Free Classes at Pier 57 / Black Girls CODE Summer Camp / CSA Food Share / 

Panel Discussion: Are We Ready to Build a World Class Penn Station? What Stands in the Way? / Wednesday, June 28, 6:30pm via Zoom | The City Club of New York, its website tells us, “promotes thoughtful urban land use policy that responds to the needs of all New Yorkers.” Of late, that mission statement has expressed itself in efforts to oppose the wholesale demolition and dubious development plans put forth in the name of what many on any given side of this hexagon-shaped debate agree on: Penn Station is in serious need of significant changes. How that will be paid for and how ambitious the upgrade should be is where things have gotten tricky—and downright sticky (a press event earlier this week saw NYS Gov. Hochul back away from the office-towers-as-tax-generators plan that even sweetheart beneficiary Vornado Realty Trust had begun to disavow). Seeking to rise above the din created by “the many cooks in this crowded kitchen,” City Club (whose recent forum on the future of MSG can be viewed by clicking here) has booked a panel whose “diverse perspectives and areas of expertise,” they say, ensures “a well-rounded exploration of the topic” sure to spark “thought-provoking conversation and strengthen advocacy for a forward-thinking infrastructure plan.”

Note: A recording of this 6/28/2023 event can be viewed via CB5’s YouTube channel (runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes). To do so, click here.

Transit policy expert Felicia Park-Rogers, fiscal watchdog advocate Rachael Fauss, and land use attorney Richard Emery comprise the panel. Moderating the discussion is City Club’s new president, Layla Law-Gisiko. As Chair of Manhattan Community Board 5’s Land Use, Housing & Zoning Committee, the well-versed Law-Gisiko has long lived fully immersed in what the panel’s advance press release describes as “numerous projects, plans, and proposals including a real-estate deal to develop office towers, competing plans to rebuild the existing concourse… and a controversial proposal to expand Penn Station to the south.” As if the plot needed more thickening, this panel takes place as the clock ticks on the City Planning Commission’s (CPC) deadline to weigh in on the matter of a special permit request by Madison Square Garden that could allow it to operate as is, in perpetuity. Opponents want the iconic (non-tax-paying) arena to relocate, paving the way for a revamped Penn Station’s street level presence. (Following the lead of its Land Use committee, CB5’s full board voted to grant MSG’s permit for a limited number of years, but only with a bunch of “only if’s” thrown in–while Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine went all in a plan to keep MSG standing. With the CPC set to weigh in soon, all eyes will turn to NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher, who reps the Penn Station area. Meantime, steam gathers for a plan by Italian infrastructure design company ASTM to leave MSG intact, demolish its Theatre, and in its place create a grand, ground level entrance for Penn Station. Yikes! We’ll leave it up to the panel’s feisty, god-is-in-the-details-wonkish moderator, Law-Gisiko, to filter all of these mitigating factors into the mix, as the panel seeks to distill the matter down to this central question: What will it take to upgrade Penn Station? To register for the June 28 panel, a Zoom event, click here.

“Wellness Wednesdays” Free Fitness Classes, Through August 9, 6pm in the Flatiron South Public Plaza (Broadway btw. W. 22nd & 23rd Sts.) | The Flatiron NoMad Partnership presents this free fitness series, whose instructors hail from nearby gymns and studios. Wed., June 28, it’s DanceBody: Dance + Sculpt. Experience dance-inspired cardio and sculpt intervals set to the best music out there. No equipment is necessary—just wear sneakers, and come prepared to move. The class is comprised of 40 minutes of Dance Cardio and 20 minutes of Sculpt. To register, click here. For the waiver, click here. On July 5, SOUK Sweat is a rigorous flow of sweat-inducing, stamina-building yoga postures that include standing poses, twists, and shoulder opening backbends, that provide the occasion to de-stress at the end of your day. To register for the class, click here. On July 12, Life Time: Life Time’s MB360 is mind-body training that combines meditation, mobility, and functional strength training. Registration Begins June 28. On July 19, Bredwinners: Slimmer Driller breaks down the fundamentals of the art of boxing. Techniques include proper stance, throwing punches the right way, and the proper position to assure a safe, efficient, and functional workout. Then, the learned movements and punches are strung together to form combinations involving offensive and defensive thinking. Registration Begins June 28. On July 26, Equinox NoMad: Mat Pilates incorporates a continuous series of mat exercises rooted in the teachings of Joseph Pilates. Strengthen your core, improve flexibility, and dramatically transform your body. Registration Begins June 28. On August 2, Power Pilates: Open Mat teaches the classical Pilates exercise sequence. Using your own body as resistance, you will effectively work all muscle groups with low-impact movements such as the hundred and the teaser. This open class allows for easier modifications and challenging variations. Registration Begins July 19. Finally, on August 9, bodē nyc: HIIT 50 is a Tabata-style cardio class that combines High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), muscle toning, and cardio to create a powerful workout experience that strengthens your core, burns fat, and increases flexibility. Registration Begins July 19. These fitness classes are part of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership’s Summer Series, which also includes salsa music and dancing, and the opportunity to participate in experiential public art. For more info, click here.

The 2023 Tribeca Film Festival Online: Through July 2 | Tribeca at Home brings the Tribeca Film Festival, well, home, through July 2 with offerings available on platforms including Roku and Apple TV.

Photo Exhibition | District Defined: Streets, Sex, and Survival on view through Sunday, July 9 at 401 Gallery (401 W. 14th St.) | Sunday through Wednesday, 12-9pm and Thursday through Sunday, 12-10pm | Meatpacking (the BID of the Meatpacking District) has collaborated with NYC-based human rights activist and election reformer Tim Hayes and the American LGBTQ+ Museum to create this first-of-its-kind photography exhibition that dives deeply into the Meatpacking District’s rich history of queer nightlife from the late ’80s and into the ’90s.

Eight visionary artists are featured, with the work of Lynsey Addario, Jill Freedman, Lola Flash, Efrain Gonzalez, T.L. Litt, Joseph Rodríguez, Katsu Naito, and Catherine McGann revealing their perspectives of this pivotal time in history. Works from Spencer Tunick and Richard Young are also featured, including Young’s portrait of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, in which Freddie is adorned in a Mineshaft T-shirt (referencing the gay BDSM and leather bar once located in the District). “With this exhibit,” declare the organizers, “we aim to pay homage to the District’s rich history while acknowledging the hardships and struggles that shaped it, resurrecting a feeling that defined the time period and providing visitors with an opportunity to observe the neighborhood’s evolution.”

A variety of experiences await viewers alongside the expansive photo exhibition’s three-week run. Local coffee shop Terremoto (328 W. 15th St.) is on site with a coffee bar, daily from 8am to 4pm. In the evenings, there will be drinks and happy hour programming such as artist talks, panels, live music, and DJ sets. There will be DJ sets on Thurs. June 29, 6- 8pm: Rose Kourts; Sat. July 1, 7-9pm: Theoretic; Thurs. July 6, 6-8pm: Niyah West; and Sat. July 8, 7-9pm: MARJ. Live music will be presented on Friday, June 30 and July 7. For more info, click here.  

Free Classes at Pier 57  | “Ever give someone a birthday card, graduation card, or condolence card and wished you had made it yourself, and that something could spring to life upon opening said card? Well sometimes wishes do come true.” Talk about a narrative hook! If this class is as tongue-in-cheek fun to take as its descriptive text is to read—and we’ve every reason to believe that’s the case—then Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful lifelong practice of people making cards that spring to life upon opening. What’s more, the class (which its creator whimsically insists is actually an “Academy”) is free of charge and no advance sign-up is necessary. Chelsea’s own Gustavo is your instructor, and those instructions “pop” out at you Wednesdays, 6pm, in Pier 57’s Seahorse Classroom. For more info, click here.

Elsewhere on the schedule of free weekly instructional events, Gustavo is your guide once again, when school’s in for the Finger Puppet class—Tuesdays, 4-5pm at Pier 57’s ROOM. Puppetry enthusiasts and absolute beginners alike can learn how to craft an original creation from the raw material of poster board cylinders, air drying clay, and pure imagination. It’s appropriate for, the instructor tells us, “ages 4 to 104.” Sorry 1-,2-, and 3-year-olds—go find your fun some other place! Okay, sorry. Quit crying. You guys are babies! Speaking of which, instructor Rachel has something special for babies and toddlers: Her Musikgarten classes (ages 0 to 3 years) happen Tuesdays at 10:15am and 11:15am, offering “a chance for families to learn to connect with children in a musical setting.” Finally, on Thursdays at 6pm, Rachel’s Ukulele class is just for adults—ironic, because by the end of this one-hour class, you’ll feel like a kid again. Designed for any level of experience but with distinct notes of instruction for first-timers, Rachel makes sure that by hour’s end, everybody will be able to contribute good-sounding stuff to the group jam session. Best of all, no uke required! There will be some on hand for those who have yet to make the plunge and purchase one of the quirky little instruments. All of these classes run through July and are the brainchildren of Smartworks, an instructional business founded and staffed by married couple Gustavo and Rachel. For more info on all sorts of Pier 57 classes, click here. For all things Smartworks, click here.

Black Girls CODE Summer Camp: August 21 to September 1, Monday through Friday, 9am-4pm at the Google Learning Hub (118 Eighth Ave.) | Black Girls CODE  teaches young Black girls and girls of color computer programming and coding skills to spark their interest in technology, unlock their potential, and eventually change the face of tech. At this year’s Summer Camp, participants ages 12-17 will learn how to create an animated art piece with code (exactly what they create will be the product of their own imagination). For more info about the Camp, see the below flyer and also click here. The enrollment fee is $100—but scholarships are available! For details, click here.