Tapped In

| 17 Feb 2015 | 04:12

    -Compiled by Adel Manoukian, Alissa Fleck and Paul Bisceglio Is Canal Street 'Manhattan's Next Great Retail Frontier'? When most New Yorkers think of Canal Street, they probably don't think of quality retail. Melinda Miller of Winick Realty Group, however, wants to usher in a new era for the downtown commercial street. "For Canal Street, it's a question of when, not if, the neighborhood will see its moment as the next great retail destination in the city," she said in a recent company statement. Miller is marketing 272-274 Canal St., a four-story, 1,800-square-feet-per-floor brick building at the northwest corner of Cortlandt Alley next to the new Tribeca Blu Hotel. Its owners, the Gindi family, have some big plans for its next retailer: a new glass façade and significant new signage. Majority of NY residents Oppose Soda Ban Mayor Bloomberg's plan to limit the size of sugary drinks to 16 ounces faces opposition from NYC residents. Quinnipiac University released a poll last Thursday revealing that 54 percent do not think the city should limit the size of drinks sold in movie theaters, food carts and restaurants, while 42 percent think the size should be limited. The number of respondents in opposition increased from the 51 percent who said the city shouldn't enact a size limit in a June 13 survey from the university. Young Illegal Immigrants Get Temporary Legal Status in NYC Hundreds of undocumented young people in New York City began lining the block around St. Mary's Catholic Church on Grand Street before dawn last Thursday, braving the rain and enduring an hours-long wait. By noon, the crowd was excited and in high spirits. It was the first day that these illegal immigrants could acquire temporary work permits and immigration status at various locations across New York City, including St. Mary's. These youth are among millions in America who would be eligible to receive permanent residency and documentation in the U.S. under the federal Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or DREAM Act. While the act has not been passed, President Obama has declared that his administration will stop deporting these eligible young people, and instead offer relief in the form of deferred action. This will grant those who are DREAM-eligible temporary legal immigration status and an employment authorization document. According to the New York Immigration Coalition, approximately 110,000 New Yorkers are, or will be, eligible for deferred action. Immigration agencies and coalitions have now set up locations throughout the city to help undocumented youths under the age of 31 receive their documents, as long as they moved to the country before age 16 and have no criminal record, among other requirements. (From City & State) Downtown Alliance App Is a Big Hit Among Museums Museums located Downtown have designated the Alliance for Downtown New York's recently released mobile application, "Downtown NYC," the official app for the Downtown Culture Pass. Created to help tourists and residents discover the latest events in the area, the app, supported by iPhone and iPad platforms, features information on all of Lower Manhattan's renowned cultural institutions, restaurants and hubs. It also features passes to attractions on Chambers Street and below. As an added perk, admission to these attractions is always free. The Downtown Culture Pass was founded in 2010 as a six-month pilot program to highlight the numerous cultural attractions in the area. It became an official program in 2011, helping to increase Downtown tourism.