CB1 Weighs in on Governors Island
One hundred fifty undeveloped acres of Governors Island lie tantalizingly close to Lower Manhattan, and the time for the Downtown community to say what it wants to see there is now.

This month Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff is expected to review the wish list of Community Board 1, whose district includes the former Coast Guard outpost, a seven-minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan. "This is a historic time," said Community Board 1's chairwoman, Julie Menin.

CB1 planned to detail its desires in a letter to Doctoroff, who is chairman of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation, the agency charged with redeveloping land that surrounds the 19th-century fortifications on the historic north end of the island.

The community board's priorities, drawn up last month by its Waterfront Committee, emphasize new parkland and public access to the waterfront, suggesting the creation of water taxi docks, marinas, and access for human-powered boats.

"Any proposal should be judged on the quality of the open space," Menin told the committee. "Open space for the community is of paramount importance, whether it's ballfields or parkland."

The committee said it supports a proposal for a Cornell University-sponsored maritime research center and public education attraction, Harbor 360, which would occupy two acres.

The community board also supports a related proposal by The River Project, formerly located at Tribeca's Pier 26, to have its underwater video program at the center.

The biggest question is how Governors Island will be maintained financially.

Linda Roche, chairwoman of the Waterfront Committee, said CB1 understands that "some economic development" is needed, but "development should be kept within the historic character of the island."

Pre-School Fair
Parents interested in applying to a pre-school for fall 2006 or 2007 can attend the Downtown Preschool Fair on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers St. The fair is a chance to meet representatives from Downtown preschools and nursery schools.

The event is co-sponsored by the Battery Park City Neighborhood Association and the BPC Parks Conservancy. For more information go to www.bpcnpa.com.

Call For Photo Entries
Soho Photo Gallery, at 15 White St., is accepting submissions for its annual juried photo competition.
Between 25 and 30 photographers will be selected to participate in a month long group show in July. Up to five prints can be submitted, and prizes will be awarded to winners.

The submission deadline is April 29. See the gallery's Web site, www.sohophoto.com, for contest guidelines, fee and entry form.

Hamill on Downtown
A benefit for the New York County Lawyers' Association (NYCLA) will feature a talk and reading by writer and journalist Pete Hamill, author of the recently-published "Downtown: My Manhattan." The fund-raiser is on Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. at the NYCLA Home of Law, 14 Vesey St.

Hamill will speak on the history of Lower Manhattan and read an excerpt from his work. Tickets range from $100 to $1,000. Proceeds will support the cataloging and preservation of NYCLA's archival collection.

RSVP to Terence Fitzgerald at 212-267-6646 ext. 206, or tfitzgerald@nycla.org.

One-Day Book Sale
The New Amsterdam Library, at 9 Murray St., will hold a one-day book sale on Jan. 18 from noon to 7 p.m. Paperback and hardcover books in all genres, including children's fiction and reference books, will be on sale.

Small Business Forum
A forum this month featuring local business leaders and experts will address the changing commercial landscape Downtown and offer strategies for surviving years of construction work.

The forum, sponsored by Community Board 1, will be held on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. at Pace University, 1 Pace Plaza, in the multi-purpose room. Speakers include representatives from Cushman & Wakefield, Brookfield Properties, General Growth Properties, and the Pace Small Business Center.

Forum on 9/11 Report
A forum to discuss the findings and implications of the final report on the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will take place on Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. at New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies, 15 Barclay Street, in the Woolworth Building.

Connie and Ruthie
On Jan. 12 the Hallmark seniors residence, at Chambers Street and North End Avenue, will host a free screening of "Connie and Ruthie," a documentary about two lesbian grandmothers and their struggles to be together and be themselves.

The film's stars, Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz, heroines in the fight for domestic partnership benefits, will attend a reception beginning at 7 p.m. The film starts at 8 p.m. For more information go to www.ruthieandconnie.com.