Pandemic Diaries

The novel coronavirus pandemic began as a public health emergency and quickly spiraled into an economic catastrophe for many residential and commercial renters in New York State. Since mid-March, 1.4 million New Yorkers have filed for unemployment benefits, overwhelming the Department of Labor, and contributing to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. For small business owners living in the metropolitan epicenter of the pandemic, the economic shutdown has shuttered their industries and caused tensions with property owners to paramount. The staggering financial losses and absence of federal support have forced many to confront the harsh realities of terminating longtime employees, falling behind in rent payments, and closing their storefronts permanently. 

“98% of the businesses in New York City employ 100 or less people. They’re all small businesses,” said Diana Kane in an interview with ABC News. “New York will be a wasteland if we don’t figure this out.”

Kane, a Park Slope resident and owner of the brick and mortar shop, The Diana Kane Boutique, has been selling small designer, sustainable clothing collections, and handmade accessories since 2002. Small companies like Kane’s, employ more than half of New York City’s private sector workforce, strengthening the state’s economy and contributing to the culture and unique fabric of New York City. Recently, Kane and a coalition of local business owners launched the grassroots movement #WeBuiltThisNYC to bring attention to the plight of small businesses devastated by the economic shutdown. 

Photographs of small business owners wearing surgical masks and cloth face coverings are routinely updated on the initiative’s Instagram page. The owners, standing in front of their locked stores and boutiques, hold signs that read, #WeBuiltThisNYC and #WeBuiltThisBrooklyn. Their personal testimonies circulate through the app’s transient “story” feature; and joint posts demanding rent relief, lease renegotiations, and demands for government action are marked with the hashtags, #Recovery4All, #bettertogether, and #MAYDAY. 

Many of the businesses featured in #WeBuiltThisNYC are owned by women.

While some states have begun slowly reopening their economies, New York State remains under strict stay-at-home mandates. The aggressive measures taken to flatten the curve, are showing to be effective in reducing the spread of the virus; and are ultimately reducing the number of deaths per day. In a recent news briefing, Governor Cuomo sketched out the framework for reopening non-essential sectors of the state, beginning with construction and manufacturing in upstate New York before moving to the metropolitan area. 

“I hear sirens every night,” said Kane. “I think being closed is totally appropriate right now, so I agree with being closed. I don’t agree with having to go out of business because of it.”  

The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District recently reported that roughly 90% of the 500 businesses they represent are closed. 

Fonda, the owner of the Zuzu’s Petals, said that economic shutdown, including an inadequate amount of federal assistance and the accumulation of bills, is jeopardizing her business of 49 years. Her flower shop, in the heart of Park Slope, was shuttered on March 22, following Governor Cuomo’s Executive Mandate to close all non-essential businesses. 

“We have no income,” Fonda said. “Our rent and some bills, including utilities, insurance, and taxes have been temporarily suspended. The debt is accruing and will have to be paid when we re-open.”

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created with the intent of providing business owners with forgivable loans, but flaws in the program have hindered some small businesses from securing federal relief. The PPP’s initial $349 billion allotment for federal relief was exhausted within two weeks. Both the Senate and House have approved a second relief package of $310 billion. 

“I have applied for the PPP and the EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) from the Small Business Administration,” said Fonda. “I have received no funds. If I am approved for either loan, the money will be insufficient and will not cover the accruing debt. In order to have the loan converted to a grant, 75% of the PPP must be used for payroll. That leaves next to nothing for rent.” 

In an Instagram video, Tara Silberberg, owner of The Clay Pot in Nolita explained her situation. 

“Our Business Interruption Insurance will not cover us in this pandemic, and even when we reopen we don’t expect our sales to be the same,” said Silberberg. She paused before adding, “I was told by Chase that I did not get my PPP loan, and we have to pay our rent on May 1. My rent is $20 thousand a month and my landlord refuses to negotiate with me. He says the rent can be deferred and I will just pay it amortized out over the rest of the year. I can’t get unemployment so I will be forced to borrow money to pay my landlord the rent.” 

The Clay Pot has been in Silberberg’s family since 1969 and has employed thousands of New Yorkers over the years. Originally a pottery studio rooted in the heart of Brooklyn, the business evolved into a jewelry store after the stock market crash of 1987. 

The founders of #WeBuiltThisNYC are now turning to local politicians for help. In an email to Council Member Brad Lander, Kane explains the challenges looming over business owners. 

“Our landlords continue to expect full rent,” Kane wrote. “I received a letter from my landlord demanding back rent, with the addition of late fees and legal fees. While I know some landlords have been more understanding, this is awful added stress in an already disastrous moment. Though I applied for the EIDL, I have received nothing, and no further communication after submitting my application.” 

We asked Fonda of ZuZu’s Petals what she misses the most about pre-pandemic times. 

“I miss my job,” said Fonda. “I miss going to the wholesale market early in the morning and loading my arms with fabulous fresh cut flowers from all over the world. I also miss helping customers chose the right combination of flowers and the proper houseplants. I miss oohing and aahing with them over an incredible piece of handmade pottery. These are the things that I miss.”

A Note from the Editor: 
The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District has created a comprehensive list of local businesses that are open amid the pandemic, including essential proprietors and online venders. Out of the 500 retailers that the BID represents, almost 90% have closed. Please continue to buy local when possible. 

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Story update as of April 22: “The landlord will be able to provide an extended move-out period, with a final move out date that is 30 days after the lifting of the NY Pause mandate by Governor Cuomo. Currently, this is in effect until May 15th, which extends the move out until June 15th. We will be working closely with the landlord as things evolve. Since Spaceworks still must close operations, Spaceworks’ agreements will still be terminated on May 31, 2020.”

In the height of the global coronavirus pandemic, a group of Gowanus-based artists, working out of an old sweater factory on President Street, are once again falling victim to gentrification and facing displacement.

“Artists are foot soldiers for gentrification,” said Johnny Thornton, an established Brooklyn artist and Executive Director of the not-for-profit organization, Arts Gowanus. “They move into disused neighborhoods and they build communities. Developers come in and raise the rent so much that they are forced to relocate. This is nothing new.”

Spaceworks, a nonprofit organization and affiliate of the old factory building, operates below-market-rate workspaces and addresses issues of space affordability for artists living and working in NYC. On March 31 Spaceworks announced the untimely decision to shutter their organization, terminating rental contracts with artists and evicting those with rental properties at 540 President Street. The decision to close their doors came after the economic shutdown of New York State, and during the greatest unemployment crisis in US history. 

In a statement, Spaceworks suggested that the decision to close their doors was made in part from mismanagement of the charitable organization; lacking the sustainability model that the business was built upon.

“Thousands of artists have created countless works in our spaces. Ultimately, we could not create a path that would enable Spaceworks to achieve short or long-term financial stability given our organizational model and operating constraints.” 

“Spaceworks told us that after May 25th we would no longer be able to access the building via our entry cards,” Thornton said. “Moving a studio is not a small undertaking. Many of our artists are freelancers and gig workers; all of their work has disappeared. They’re struggling financially. Asking anyone to move during a pandemic is unethical.”

The announcement of Spaceworks departing blindsided the contracted artists, living in the epicenter of COVID-19 cases. The news came a few weeks after Governor Cuomo signed the “New York State On Pause” Executive Order, a 10-point policy closing all non-essential sectors of the state’s economy. The state mandate, signed on March 20, includes a 90-day moratorium on all residential and commercial properties and restricts landlords from evicting tenants and illegally changing locks. 

“Spaceworks wants the quickest and cheapest way to disband,” Thornton said. “They want us out of the building but without any legal ramifications.”

On April 16, Arts Gowanus, a nonprofit organization that promotes local artists and advocates for sustainable arts communities in Brooklyn, published a newsletter desperately urging real estate developers and property owners to help relocate the newly evicted artists. The newsletter explains that neither Spaceworks nor the property owners, PDS Development Corporation, can guarantee that artists unable to move before the deadline of May 25^th will have access to their property in the following weeks.

“Artists and developers typically have a symbiotic relationship, so we reached out to the development company,” Thornton said. “We  (Arts Gowanus) offered to take over Spaceworks’ lease so that artists wouldn’t be evicted. The mission of Arts Gowanus is to keep artists in Gowanus and to stop developers from pushing them out. The model that they (PDS) offer is not sustainable.” 

Thornton contacted Tomasz Naklicki, a real estate developer at PDS. According to Thornton, Naklicki showed no remorse for the dismantling of Spaceworks, nor did the company show any compassion for the artists who are being illegally locked out of their studios and forced to relocate during state-mandated stay-at-home orders. 

“It was the same cold language that I’ve heard from other development companies and property owners,” Thornton said. “They want to remodel and remake the space. There was absolutely no regard for our safety.” 

“The development company is not willing to speak with us,” said Rachel Selekman, a mixed-media artist and longtime resident of 540 President Street. “They’re not willing to negotiate. It’s very clear that they aren’t concerned for the health or wellbeing of artists.”   

Selekman explained that many of the renters of 540 President Street began working from home after learning about the severity of the novel coronavirus outbreak is in NYC. 

“A few weeks ago I went to my studio for the last time,” Selekman said. “I want to decrease exposure for myself and for others.” She paused before adding, “We know of one artist who has COVID-related pneumonia.” 

Thornton also expressed concern for the community of 540 President Street.

“This virus is a real detriment to anyone with a compromised immune system. This is about life and death. It’s just not safe for anyone to be moving,” Thornton said. “They (landowners) are hemorrhaging artists. They would rather have empty studios than to offer a subsidy for artists facing an inconceivable situation. My hope is that some sort of concession can be made with PDS without endangering anyone’s life.” 

PDS Development Corporation did not respond to Park Slope Reader’s request for comment.

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During this time of uncertainty, we at the Park Slope Reader are committed to serving our community. Please follow us each week as we catalog changes in our neighborhoods while providing the latest medical developments and valuable resources. Park Slope and adjoining areas are unique to the New York City landscape, and we will continue highlighting our neighbors through weekly editorials. This is a challenging and historic time; please know we are committed to getting through this together. 

We want to know how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting you. If you have a story to share please contact us at office@psreader.com. 

“I’ve always worked in factories,” said Maya. “I’ve done this since I was 20 years old, and I’ve never really done anything else. I’ve just always done this. It’s very much a part of my lifestyle.” 

Maya McCarthy, 34, is a Brooklyn-based professional artist and self-described, “punk-rocker.” A native to Brooklyn and a child of artistic parents, Maya has always lived and worked in art communities. Gowanus Print Lab, a commercial screenprinting studio, has become a second home to Maya.  She works as a Master Printer, specializing in custom and bulk orders. 

“We’re a cultural enrichment shop,” Maya told me. “We serve clients who need contract-printing services like company t-shirts or paper products printed; but we also serve children, families, and other artists. We offer a variety of classes and supplies for artists. Workspaces like GPL are really fundamental to culture.”

Maya’s daily routine was disrupted in early March, soon after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed the state’s first case of the novel coronavirus. While New York officials determined that the spread of the virus was inevitable, Governor Cuomo, in a statement, assured the public that the patient “knew to take precautions and stay in a controlled situation.”  

“I didn’t really think much of it at first,” said Maya. “I was still wandering down 5^th Avenue and going to punk rock shows after my shifts at the print shop. Around the second week of March, our clients began pulling large orders. That’s when I realized how serious this would become.”  

On March 20th, Governor Cuomo issued an On Pause executive order, mandating restrictions to social gatherings and the closing of all non-essential businesses across New York State. The 10-point policy measure was created to assure uniform safety for all New Yorkers and to keep healthcare services available for patients who tested positive for the virus.

“It all happened very quickly,” Maya said. “I put away my inks and organized all of my (silk) screens. I locked the door and that was it. I left without knowing when I would be able to return.”

Like millions of Americans, confronted with furloughed salaries, indefinite unemployment, and stay-at-home mandates, Maya is also facing the loss of income and instability. The halt in her career and interruption to lifestyle is met with an overwhelming sense of confusion and profound unease. 

“My identity is so tied into my job that it is tattooed on my neck,” said Maya. She pauses for a few moments before adding, “This has really affected me emotionally. I want to serve a purpose and be useful.”

Serigrafía, the Spanish translation of serigraphy or silkscreen can be read across Maya’s neck. The delicate cursive letters, blending permanently into her skin, convey an obvious and poignant personal narrative. A silkscreen and the physical act of screenprinting are fundamental to her identity as an artist, while the tattoo serves as an anchor for her individuality. 

State Governments have cautiously shut down many sectors of the economy, leaving over 16 million Americans unemployed and contributing to the worst financial crisis in US history. Many New Yorkers have gone weeks without a paycheck, while a surge in unemployment claims overwhelms the Department of Labor. New York State’s online application system is waiving the 7-day waiting period for Unemployment Insurance benefits for those out of work due to novel coronavirus closures, self-quarantines, and stay-at-home orders. A bipartisan $2 trillion economic relief package, recently passed by Congress, offers assistance to tens of millions of individuals and households affected by the pandemic. The historic extension of unemployment benefits includes expanded unemployment insurance, a one-time stimulus check, and low-interest loans and grants for businesses. 

“The subsidies will help me pay rent and buy food but they aren’t enough to keep everyone moving,” said Maya. “They’re not enough for people who have kids; a lot of people are still waiting on the deposits. This hurts us all.” 

As of Monday evening, April 13, health officials have laboratory-tested and confirmed 104, 410 cases of COVID-19 in the five boroughs, and 195,031 cases in New York State. New York City remains the epicenter of the global pandemic, with a state death toll of more than 10,056. In a news briefing, Governor Cuomo announced that he is extending the executive order, “New York State on Pause” through April 29. While the economic shutdown is slowing the spread of the virus, it offers little hope for essential workers who are at the greatest risk of exposure.

“Essential workers are the most affected,” Maya told me. “They don’t all have the resources to protect themselves or their families, and they’re not being compensated enough. They should be paid more. It’s appalling that people have to compromise their health just to keep their jobs and pay their bills. People are negotiating on so many levels. There’s no fucking easy way to do this.”

I asked Maya if anything has kept her hopeful during this dark and ominous time.

“Yes,” said Maya. “People are connecting and uniting on a true grassroots level. They’re donating food and resources; they’re making masks for essential workers; they’re grocery shopping for the elderly. People are doing what they can to help small businesses stay afloat. There are “mutual aid” groups on Facebook for almost every Brooklyn neighborhood. It’s really inspiring to see people connect with strangers. It makes me smile through the madness.” 

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During this time of uncertainty, we at the Park Slope Reader are committed to continually serving our community. Please follow us each week as we catalog changes in our neighborhoods, while providing the latest medical developments and valuable resources. Park Slope and adjoining areas are unique to the New York City landscape, and we will continue highlighting our neighbors through weekly editorials. This is a challenging and historic time; please know we are committed to getting through this together. 

We want to know how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting you. If you have a story to share please contact us at office@psreader.com. 

 “Once it came to New York, I knew I would get it,” said Dr. Dara Kass, an Emergency Medicine Physician in Manhattan’s New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The Park Slope resident and mother of three, is working on the frontlines of the novel coronavirus pandemic in New York City. The highly contagious respiratory illness, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), was first identified during an investigation into a coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, with the first case dating back to November 2019. 

“This is running like wildfire through our city and we’re seeing younger generations test positive for infection,” Kass said. “The level of impact is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”

Kass tested positive for COVID-19, after caring for patients in the ER. A few weeks later, news broke that the New York metropolitan area, surging in novel coronavirus cases, had emerged to the epicenter of the global pandemic. By March 31, New York City had topped over 38, 000 confirmed cases of the infection. The Trump Administration’s lack of preparedness, including budget cuts for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and allowing for a contract to lapse, maintaining stockpiles of ventilators, has fundamentally contributed to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals throughout NYC are overrun with an influx of infected patients and strained by the limited resources available. Shortages in test kits, personal protective equipment, and life-saving ventilator machines are making both patients and medical personnel vulnerable to infection. In many ways, the Federal Government, lacking a uniform response to the novel coronavirus, set up the healthcare system for failure.   

As a native New Yorker, Dr. Kass has lived and worked through some of the city’s greatest catastrophes, including the coordinated terrorist attacks of September 11 and the unprecedented flooding of Hurricane Sandy. 

“This is a continuous thing,” Kass said. “These other events, like 9/11, were traumatic, but this is much bigger and riskier to people’s lives. It’s very dangerous and unpredictable. It will keep infecting people.”

Dr. Kass watched as the coronavirus spread throughout China, Asia, and Europe, planning for when the virus would eventually come to NYC. 

 “We had to mobilize quickly,” Kass explained. “We were all thinking about policy, and we didn’t know exactly how it would come to NYC, but we knew that it would come and that we would see it through. I sent my kids to stay with family.” 

After testing positive for COVID-19, Dr. Kass took drastic measures to protect her husband. She wore a mask indoors while quarantining herself in a separate living area of their home. She was able to continue assisting her patients remotely through telemedicine, a medical practice that relies on technology to connect patients and physicians without in-person visits. 

The state mandate to close all non-essential businesses and NYPD enforced social distancing guidelines, are part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s stay-at-home executive order, termed “New York State on PAUSE.” New data offers evidence that vigilant measures, including restrictions to social- distancing and non-essential gatherings, are slowing the spread of the virus.

“Flattening the curve keeps our hospitals open,” Kass explained. “What we know is that a vaccine will take about a year to develop, but until then, we have to stop people from getting infected.” She added, “Cuomo has been extraordinary. He is exactly what we need. He has treated the New York hospital systems as a whole, and I look forward to his press conferences every day. He has really been remarkable.” 

In a New York Times feature, Dr. Kass and her co-authors urge government officials and authorities to make mask-wearing a national policy. The editorial explains that in a randomized control trial, participants who wore a surgical mask were 80% less likely to contract a respiratory illness. Kass and co-authors ask the public to restrict buying N-95 masks while offering resourceful alternatives, including cloth masks and handmade face coverings. While surgical masks should be given to workers in essential jobs, cloth masks can reduce the viral spread of the virus and avoid a second wave of infections. 

Recently, President Trump announced in a news briefing that new guidance from the CDC urges Americans to wear cloth face coverings in public. President Trump rejected the advice from the CDC and his administration’s counsel, by adding,  “This is voluntary. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it.”

At the time of publication, New York State has  123,160 laboratory- tested and confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 4,159 deaths. There are 67,551 cases in the five boroughs. 

16, 479 New Yorkers are currently being hospitalized throughout the state. 

Although Dr. Kass has made a full recovery from COVID-19, she is planning to move out of her home for the duration of the pandemic. The decision was made in part to protect her family, and also to be readily available for her patients and colleagues. 

I decided to ask Dr. Kass something that I’ve wondered about regarding all medical professionals and essential workers: has the coronavirus pandemic made her regret going into the medical field.

“No, not even a little bit,” she told me. “I did my job, and I’m going to go back to do this job until the end. Emergency medical people live for this. This will always be who we are.”

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Dr. Dara Kass (@darakass) is an ER Doctor, Professor of Emergency Medicine, public speaker, political activist, and founder of FemInEM, an online platform that cultivates a community for females working in emergency medicine. 

For information on cloth masks in Park Slope: Diana Kane https://www.dianakane.com/products/liberty-print-mask