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WE HAVE MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS over the last five months.
New York State was the nation’s first epicenter and now we are one of the very few states where COVID is under control. We didn’t just bend the curve, we shattered it—thanks to the effort and smart choices of all New Yorkers.
Total hospitalizations have fallen below 600, reaching record lows. We are testing more than any other state and more than any other country per capita, and thousands of contact tracers are working around the clock to trace and prevent outbreaks. Every community in the state is now in Phase 4 of reopening. Happily, the infection rate has continued to decline even as the whole state entered Phase 4, showing that our cautious and science-based approach to reopening worked.
All this progress, however, comes with a flashing caution sign. Our state still faces two dangerous threats.
The first is the threat of COVID spreading from other states. In response to this threat, we have issued a travel advisory for people coming from states with high COVID rates, but our progress remains at risk until the COVID pandemic is under control nationally.
The second threat is that we become lax and let our guard down, allowing the virus to spread. Unlike the threat from outside infections, this one is in our control. We have the ability and the duty to act responsibly. That means wearing a mask. It means not hosting or attending large and crowded parties. It means getting tested, especially if you have symptoms, and it means cooperating with contact tracers if you are positive for COVID. In brief, it means looking out for one another.
Finally, I know that for all New Yorkers, this has been an extremely trying experience— whether you lost a loved one, a job, or if you continue to lose sleep due to the stress of this pandemic. I mourn with all New Yorkers on behalf of all those lost to this virus, and I share in the anxiety, too.
But we are New York Tough.
I have no doubt that we can continue our progress in our fight against COVID by depending upon the solidarity, strength, and compassion that makes New York New York.
Ever Upward.
A letter from Governor Andrew Cuomo
Larry Silverstein by Joe Woolhead
AS A LIFELONG NEW YORKER
born during the height of the Great Depression, I have watched with utter amazement at how this incredible town has, by sheer force of will, turned itself into a worldwide colossus in business, technology, media, arts, culture, and so much more. differences between the events of 9/11, which unfolded over a span of 102 minutes, and the slow-motion crisis that is the coronavirus. At the same time, there are some striking similarities that provide both a roadmap and a source of optimism for New York’s ultimate recovery. First and foremost is the extreme heroism we are witnessing from our fellow New Yorkers on the front lines.
In 2001, it was the firefighters, police officers, and construction workers who rushed in and did what they could to protect and save complete strangers. As anyone who lived through that period can tell you, their bravery, selflessness and kinship set the tone for the entire recovery and rebuilding effort.
This time around, we are taking our cues from the doctors, nurses, and emergency responders who are serving as the models of courage, grit, and community. In 2001, New Yorkers lined the West Side Highway to salute our first responders. Today, they lean out of their windows at 7 pm each evening to applaud our healthcare workers.
Larry Silverstein, Silverstein Properties
Saul Scherl Howard Hughes Seaport NYC
LIKE ALL NEIGHBORHOODS IN NEW YORK CITY, Lower Manhattan is pulling together in this time of profound global crisis. We are so proud to be part of this diverse and caring community, and continue to be inspired by the many local organizations and leaders devoted to helping our neighbors survive the pandemic and lay the groundwork for NYC’s economic recovery.
We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with nonprofits and organizations providing a lifeline amid these challenges, and we ask all who are able to please join us in supporting
the important efforts of groups like the City Council District 1 Food Pantry, with which we have worked over the past months as part of
an initiative spearheaded by Council Member Margaret Chin to provide meals and groceries to seniors and residents with limited food access; the Bowery Mission, which leads essential hunger relief services in Lower Manhattan and helped to distribute food donated by Seaport District restaurants as they prepared to close
in April; TUFF-LES housing advocates, who continue to provide food to residents in need in our area, including to the Smith Houses and 82 Rutgers Slip; Grand Street Settlement, which has been working to get groceries to vulnerable and elderly residents; and the Chinese-American Planning Council, which runs a vital program for home-bound seniors.
HHC is also committed to supporting the small businesses that fuel the Seaport economy. In partnership with Lower Manhattan property owners and led by the Downtown Alliance, we have established an emergency fund to provide area restaurants emergency cash grants as they get back on their feet.
We especially want to commend the extraordinary first responders and healthcare workers for their ongoing strength and sacrifice. We were pleased to donate PPE to New York Presbyterian-Lower Manhattan and FDNY Fire Engine 6, as well as provide meals from local restaurants to our Sanitation depot at Pier 36 and the NYPD 1st Precinct.
Seeing the work of so many after 9/11 and Superstorm Sandy, and now, on the front lines of this pandemic over the past several months, we are confident that the Seaport and Downtown will emerge stronger, more equitable, and more resilient than ever.
We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure our neighborhood and the city’s recovery.