Weather

The event is still on. We will update everyone as the events warrant it, but right now it is on.

Vendors

Final instructions will go out on Friday Night.

Raffle

The pot is about $4000 in tickets. If the weather holds, the pot will be over $5000. The largest ever !

Silent Auction

We have gift certificates from the following local businesses, so stop by and bid!

• Amity Hall
• Ben & Jerry’s 
• Bloomingdales School of Music 
• Book Culture 
• Bosino 
• Cafe du Soleil 
• Community Food & Juice 
• Creative Health Foods 
• Fine Dental (teeth Brightening)
• Dive Bar 96 
• Dive 106 
• The Ellington 
• Effy’s Hair Boutique 
• Friendly Valet Cleaners 
• Fumo 
• Jack’s Art Gallery 
• Makana 
• Manhattan Valley Indian Restaurant 
• Manhattan Valley Wine & Spirits 
• Martin Brothers wine and Spirits 
• Mel’s Burger Bar 
• New York Tours by Gary
• Seraphina 
• Silver Moon Bakery 
• Slavik VIP Fitness 
• Spring Studio Life drawing classes 
• V & T Pizzeria and Restaurant 
• West Side Market 
• University Hardware 

Block Association Dues

Haven’t paid your dues? Why Not? It is easy! 
Click here. Boom. Done.

Contact Steven Zirinsky with questions.

Four of the tree beds on the south side of West 104 Street are rat infested.

The Block Association is employing several strategies to help confront this problem. 

But your help is also needed- when disposing of garbage:

• Use the brown composting bins. If not available, please contact the Block Association and we can help arrange the use of another building’s bins.
• Please wash out all containers meant for the trash. 
• Curb side bags should not be placed near the tree beds.

Dept of Sanitation Pilot Program

We have entered into an agreement with the Department of Sanitation to replace the curbside black bags with 35 to 45 gal garbage cans. We are one of the few locations where this is being tested in New York City. 

We are Attacking the Rat Burrows

By laying tree-friendly mesh and baiting affected beds

Each of These Efforts Require Coordination—Some Require Money.

To that end we ask you to pitch in. We estimate that we will need about $5000. Please help this effort with an additional personal contribution of $50 or more.

To contribute click here and be sure to select “Rat Appeal” in the dropdown.

Block Association Dues

Haven’t paid your dues? Why Not? It is easy! 
Click here. Boom. Done.

Contact Steven Zirinsky with questions.

Annual West 103 Street Earth Day Celebration
Between West End Avenue and Broadway
April 24th from 11 to 4 pm

Click here for details

Newsletter Input Requested 

• Neighborhood changes you would like to see?
• Something you want to celebrate? 
• Problems that need solving?
• Services or improvements that the neighborhood needs? 

Please tell Hanna here!Responses may be edited for length and clarity. 

Annual Meeting

May 12th at 7pm, by Zoom

There will be a presentation by the FDNY about Self Closing Doors and how they are an effective barrier to fire and smoke. Lasting 45 minutes, it will be followed by the annual meeting. Agenda will be forthcoming.

Newsletter Distribution Helpers Needed!!

For the Brownstones and 308 W 104. If you can help, contact Lynn Max here.

Curbside Composting

…can be an effective rat mitigation strategy. If you don’t have it, request here. If you have it, use it!

Block Association Dues

Haven’t paid your dues? Why Not? It is easy! 
Click here. Boom. Done.

Contact Steven Zirinsky with questions.

Live music added to the festivities. The Peter and Will Anderson Jazz Quartet kicked off the afternoon with fresh riffs on jazz classics like “St. Louis Blues.” Making a special appearance with the group was tuba player David Ostwald. The New Orleans sound was followed by classical guitarist Nora Spielman, a teacher at the nearby Bloomingdale School of Music. And Shailah Edmonds rounded off the day’s entertainment with rousing versions of Motown classics that—by the time she ripped into “Stop In the Name of Love”—had everyone dancing in the street.

When all was tallied, the Block Association earned $7906 from the event, almost a record. The Book Table raked in $1475, the Bake Table scored $1630 with home-made treats, and the Silent Auction earned $2711. The 50-50 raffle brought the Block Association $1816, and generous winner Lynn Mandel donated $1000 to the block from her share of the pot. The board will use the Yard Sale revenues to undertake several long- postponed projects, including pruning the block’s trees and restoring the guard patrol to six evenings a week. The block’s volunteers, residents, participants and donors are what makes the Yard Sale special. This year, we asked some of them what they felt about the event:

“This was our first 104th Street yard sale and we had a great time. Our 4 year-old was so eager to tear open the games and toys he picked up that we opened them on the sidewalk before we could even get back upstairs to our apartment. Since we were having such fun playing Candy Land and Go Fish on the street, we also scooped up a pair of beach chairs so we could play comfortably, and called up a few friends and family to come spend the day. We ended up spending the entire day at the sale. When we got hungry we just ordered Sal and Carmine’s to the street and washed the pizza down with Janie’s Pie Crust cookies, which were absolutely delicious. We are already looking forward to next year!”
—Gul Stampur

“This year’s event was a particularly festive celebration. It’s a fundraiser – yes – but after the year we’ve had it seems appropriate to also call it a celebration. Many in the crowd appeared to be joyful to be (a) together (b) outside (c) on the block (d) on a warm fall day. One of the things I find to be so appealing about the block and the neighborhood is the friendliness of many residents; this contributes to a sense of belonging which is sometimes not easy to find elsewhere in the city. I volunteered this year for the first time because I appreciate the role played by the Block Association in fostering this sense of community.”
—Tom Monaco

“The block party brought an incredible sense of community and joy to the neighborhood. There were so many little treasures to be uncovered. My two- year-old daughter is still clinging to her secondhand lemur with a leprechaun hat stuffie as her new favorite. We can’t wait until the next one!”
—Henry, Dori and Alice Haber

“I’ve always loved the event—this year was just more so squared. It felt triumphant! What happiness to be out in that beautiful day and see so many neighbors that I hadn’t seen in a long time. And of course the dancing!!! Never like that before.”
—Miriam Duhan

“I’m not a haggler by nature, but it’s always fun to have a bit of a back-and-forth with buyers at the What a Bargain table, where I’ve volunteered for several years. Beyond that, the weather always seems to be perfect at the top of the block and the longtime volunteers Joyce Mann recruits every year are easy-going, making it a choice assignment.”
—Joe Rappaport

“Our Yard Sale is always a heartwarming event for me — a chance to share in community spirit galore! And this year’s seemed an especially wonderful remedy for pandemic angst and isolation—with thanks to the gods for the balmy weather! I started at the 50/50 raffle (my volunteer assignment later in the day). Then to heavenly baked goods, a struggle to balance my husband’s choices and mine along with our favorite lemon poppyseed cakes. I liked the mix of vendors, the fabulous arts and crafts, and had to resist the siren songs of the book emporium. And always a sweet ending, as Shailah and musicians send us home with the deep vibes of classic R&B!”
—Lani Sanjek

“I’ve always enjoyed being part of the Yard Sale—I love the whole event—but this year was exceptional. Felt so great to be back. I’ve been volunteering at the bake table at least 15 years. This year I made the Chocolate Beet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese
Frosting.” –Carol Prager

• A Helping Hand on the Block: Mark Smith Is a One-Man Pick-Up Crew
• A Golden Afternoon: The Block Association celebrated its 50th anniversary with a 50/50 raffle drawing
• $50 for 50 Donors
• October 2020 Financial Report
• Local Celebrities, Internet Stars: Riverside Park’s raccoon families are a hit

• Going for the Gold: Residents, neighbors and Block Association board members celebrated the organization’s 50 years of serving West 104th Street. And there was a raffle drawing too!
• A Zero Waste Gift Guide Sustainable gift ideas for the holidays
• The Rat Patrol Returns
• Block Sponsors Holiday Food Drive
• Neighborhood Services

• 50th Anniversary: A Salute to West 104th Street
• A Fresh Coat of Paint
• $50 for 50
• August 2020 Financial Report
• Who Designed Your Building? West 104th Street is part of a new neighborhood database that has key details on more than 1,000 buildings

• A View to Make You Smile
• Defying Gravity: Skateboard Park Reopens
• Changes at the West 103/104 Bus Stop
• Interview: From Paris Model to Yard Sale Star In her new memoir, Shailah Edmonds talks about the grit and glamour it took to succeed
• Police Report
• Neighborhood Services

• When It’s 7pm…West 104th Street Finds Lots of Ways to Say “Thank You!”
• Getting Set for Summer: Blooms to brighten the upcoming season
• Zoom into the Annual Block Meeting!

• April 2019 Financial Report
• Tulips Galore
• Bird Walk Photos (and a raccoon!)
• Neighborhood Services

• How It All Started: The Block Association Celebrates its 50th Year by Joyce Mann
• Letter From the Block President
• You’re Invited to the Annual Block Meeting!
• December 2019 Financial Report
• Meet Our New Neighbor
• Crosswalk Construction Project
• Pasta with a Purpose: Pisticci Restaurant is on a sustainable mission by Sharon Waskow

• Gilded Age Glamour-Part II: Riverside Drive’s Mansion Neighborhood Is Next-Door by Gil Tauber
• Prepping for Spring: Block association board members and helpers plant tulips
• Police Report
• Neighborhood Services

Newsletters of the West 102nd &103rd Streets Block Association and Friends of Straus Park are available on separate pages.

Newsletter Archive

Newsletters are in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format, except where noted.

Advertising is available in the newsletter and is a great way to reach our neighborhood residents. Learn how to place an advertisement in the newsletter.

Spring Bulb Planting

This Saturday Dec 1st at 10 AM – on the block

We can use the help! We are planting 1500 tulip bulbs and that is a lot of work. Can you be counted to do 30 bulbs, each tree bed will take about 75. It is good exercise and you might make a friend (that is not to say you don’t have any now). Anyway, you can hang with your neighbors rather than rushing past them like most other days. See photos from last year below.

Thanks!

Steven Zirinsky

Dear Neighbors,

Welcome to the first in a series of short, informational pieces regarding our block. News to report:

1. Lobby Sits– We are having block-wide lobby sitsthis Tuesday night from 5 to 7 pm. Board members will be in the lobbies of 315 and 320 Riverside, 308 and 309 West 104 Street, 895 and 905 WEA.
2. Come ask your questions, buy some merchandise, show some attitude.
3. Spring Raffle. First prize is $100. Tickets available only at the lobby sits and the annual meeting (you don’t have to be present to win).
4. Annual Meeting, May 16th 7 to 9 pm. Anche Chesed first floor. Speaker will be from the Riverside Park Conservancy.
5. Want to take a table in the fall Yard Sale? It is September 29th. Inquire, we still have tables left.
6. Interested in a one block long foot race for those 10 years and under on the block? If there is enough interest, we can make it happen.

Other Events:

• 102-103 Block Party May 19th. Click here for info.
• Landmarks West! Click here for info
• • Terra Cotta Dreamin’
  • The 1970’s and the Wild, Wild Upper West Side
  • Gems of Riverside Drive 94th Streets to 103 Streets
• Historic District Council. Click here for info
• Municipal Arts Society: Manhattanville tour Click here for info
• Bloomingdale Aging in Place. Click here for current activities

Look forward to hearing from you.

Steven Zirinsky, President

• Fighting for An Accessible NYC
• 28th Annual Block Party A Success
• Holiday Greetings from the Board of Directors
• October 2017 Financial Report
• 2017 Yard Sale Financial Report
• Thank You to Our 2017
  Block Party-Yard Sale Volunteers!

• If You Enjoyed the Yard Sale, Please ank…
  Our Generous Donors!
• Letter from the President 2017
• Where on this Block?
• Networking for Neighborhood Entrepreneurs
• Neighborhood Services

• Spotlight: Meet the Gardeners – Three Neighbors Make Green Magic on W. 104th Street
• Join the Hunt and Bag Your Bargains: 285 Annual West 104th Street Block Party, October 14th
• July 2017 Financial Report
• Where on this Block?
• How the Garden Started

• Hostel History: Hello to HI NYC – Local Hostel Welcomes Neighbors as Well as Travelers to Its Landmarked Building
• Community Corner:
  • Block Security Guard Update
  • Winner of May Newsletter Photo Contest
  • Upcoming September Events
• The Truth about Dogs and Trees
• Neighborhood Services

• Bringing Oslo to Broadway: Actor Dan Jenkins on Staging, Accents and Playing a Real Person
• Save the Date! The 28th Annual Yard Sale Is Coming
• Dues Reminder
• April 2017 Financial Report
• Annual Member Meeting Features Landmark West! Presentation
• Special Landmark West! Offer
• Welcome New Board Member Alexandra Bell

• Riverside Drive Improvements: Parks Department and MTA plan West 104th St. intersection tweaks.
• Community Corner: Tree Guard Painting, New Plantings Beautify Block
• Community Corner: Traffic Problems Flagged
• Community Corner: Neighborhood Crime Update
• Gwyneth Hotaling, 1942-2017: A Remembrance by Miriam Duhan
• Neighborhood Services

• Nonprofit Head Focuses on Vulnerable New Yorkers: Aiding Women and Teens to Rebuild
• Letter from the President
• Save the Date: Member’s meeting, February 22, 7:30-9:00pm
• December 2016 Financial Report
• Attention Parking Garage Customers!
• Daffodil Bulbs Planted: If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?
• TriBloomingdale Activities: Three community Groups Come Together to Offer Members a Richer Activity Menu

• Community Corner: Community Board 7 January Meeting: Midblock Traffic Light and Broadway Mall Renovation
• Community Corner: 24th Precinct Community Council: Graffiti Incidents
• Opinion: Preserving the Upper West Side’s Character: Landmark West! President Kate Wood on Our Neighborhood’s Historic Preservation and Development Challenges
• Neighborhood Services

We have a few places left, Don’t miss this chance to reserve your place at the Block Party this SaturdayThe 28th West 104 Block Association Block Party is scheduled for Saturday, October 14, from 10AM to 5PM on West 104th Street from WEA to RSD.

If you have already signed up for a space thank you, if you are still waiting to reserve you place now is the time!

Registrations for table places to sell items are:

       • $50 ** Discount rate if you are a West 104 Block Association Member **

       • $55 for residents of the 300 block of West 104th St. or live in 895/905 West End Ave. or 315/320 Riverside Dr.

       • $60 for non-block residents

Spaces are assigned as registrations are received so don’t wait! Sign up now for the best chance to secure the your preferred space.

Additional information and a registration for, is available at Please log on to www.bloomingdale.org/vendor.htm.

If you have any questions regarding spaces, please respond to this email or contact our vendor coordinator, Gary Waskow at (212) 932-9082.

See you at the Fair!

Our Annual West 104th Street Block Association Member Meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 22, 2017: 7:30pm – 9pm. The meeting will be held in the Marseilles Community Room – 230 Broadway @103rd Street.

Please attend and contribute to a wide ranging discussion of key issues facing our neighborhood. You will have an opportunity to voice your recommendations or concerns, meet the Board of Directors, and mingle with your neighbors.

Our key note speaker is Kate Wood, president of Landmark West which together with the West End Preservation Society, spearheaded the successful campaign that earned our neighborhood historical-district status.

She will discuss our block’s historic district architecture, our neighborhood’s new historic designation, and upcoming local landmarking issues.

After the meeting, continue the conversation over refreshments. Local Law 16 of 2016 that will charge a 5 cent fee for plastic and paper bags is due to go into effect February 15. Check out our NEW block association tote bags which are larger and will give you plenty of room to carry your purchases.

See you on February 22!

Best regards,

Mary Koval

President West 104th Street Block Association