Greetings from Manhattan!

Because I had errands to run that were nearby, and because I was curious, I just took a stroll over to the famous block of Park Place that includes the prospective site of Park51. My observations:

1> The block is utterly unremarkable visually. Just to look at it, there is nothing that would leave you thinking that there is anything special or historic about it. All you see are the buildings on the block, and none of them are anything special. The businesses, as has been previously noted, are nothing special either: the Amish Market, the Dakota Roadhouse, etc.

2> It is a great block for access to mass transit. It is a couple of blocks from the PATH, which can get you to or from Newark (and Amtrak) and Hoboken (NJ Transit), and at the end of the block is a subway station for the 2/3 and A/C, so there is great access to the West Side and to Brooklyn. A little farther away is the Fulton Street station which gets you two more subway lines. So for the proposed use, the location is pretty sweet: people can get there pretty easily from all over. That is a big deal for something like a community center, since you expect it to draw from beyond the immediate neighborhood, like the 92nd St Y does.

3> I like the Dakota Roadhouse. It is a divey sort of bar, with a pool table, foosball table, lots of TVs and nice long bar. Bass Ale is $6, and the bartender was cute. She was on her first day (or so she said). They give you a little prize card, and tell you if you peel back a number that’s an 11 or less, you get a free drink.

3> There were two protesters. Both look bored. One was “pro”, as he had a “Freedom of Religion” sign. The other I couldn’t tell. He was one of those guys who carries a big sign that has lots of small print on it. I give those guys a wide berth, because they are often loons.

So that’s my eyewitness account. Drab block, cold Bass, cute barkeep. Score it yourselves.