The tour will also offer participants insight into the history of Lower Manhattan's development, and the recent changes that have made it one of New York City's fastest growing residential neighborhoods.

This all happens Saturday, March 13, 2010, from 12pm - 3pm. Please meet the tour guide in front of the Equitable Building (120 Broadway, between Pine and Cedar streets) 10 minutes before the tour. Click here to purchase your tickets.

To learn more about the full season of Lower Manhattan food tours, which take place on alternating Saturdays through May 22, click here or e-mail foodtours@downtownny.com.

The AIA Awards jury, comprised of architects, public officials and professors, selected the winners from hundreds of submissions from around the world. The jury "picked projects that highlighted that good architecture is more than luxury – it's what works best for the end user, be it a government agency, a nonprofit organization, or a private business," said the judge symposium’s moderator, Architect’s Newspaper editor-in-chief William Menking.

All winning projects will be recognized at an awards luncheon on April 14 at Cipriani Wall Street, and will be exhibited at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, from April 15 to July 3. Winners' symposia are scheduled for April 27 and June 17. Press are invited to all events, and should RSVP to enemens@aiany.org or call 212-358-6126.

The national AIA]]> http://www.downtownny.com/news/?nid=252 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000 http://www.downtownny.com/news/?nid=252 The Downtown Connection bus service will be suspended today Friday February 26, 2010 due to heavy snow in our area. Normal service will resume on Saturday February 27, 2010.

The WTC Emergency Mass Notification System will be used during the exercise and will include tones and voice announcements. However, this exercise is for site workers only and streets/sidewalks surrounding the WTC site will not be heavily impacted, although workers will briefly gather in rendezvous spots before returning to the site.

As a result, the following MTA local and express buses that travel through the area are expected to be delayed: M20, M22, X3, X4, X6, X7, X9, X10, X25 and X90.

In addition, the Alliance for Downtown New York's Downtown Connection shuttle bus service will experience delays during this time period.

Customers who use any of the aforementioned routes should allow for additional travel time. For further information, please call NYC Transit's Travel Information Center at 718-330- 1234 or log on at www.mta.info.

Mr. Simmons brings more than 2½ decades of experience in media, communications and government to the Downtown Alliance. In February 2007, he became Communications Director for the New York City Comptroller’s Office, an agency with more than 725 employees.

Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth H. Berger said, "We are delighted that Jeff has joined us in this pivotal role. His years of experience and considerable accomplishments in New York government and media will bring a new dimension to the Downtown Alliance. We look forward to his guidance and leadership in helping communicate Lower Manhattan's message."

From 2002 to 2007, Mr. Simmons served as Press Secretary in the Comptroller’s Office. He also served as Communications Director on the Paterson for Lieutenant Governor campaign in 2006, and as Campaign Manager on the 2005 re-election campaign of New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr.

Before stepping into government, Mr. Simmons handled nearly every beat as a journalist, working as a reporter for New York 1 News, the New York Daily News, New York Post, and The (Bergen) Record of Hackensack, N.J.

Mr. Simmons]]> http://www.downtownny.com/news/?nid=248 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000 http://www.downtownny.com/news/?nid=248 Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth H. Berger addressed the City Council committees on Lower Manhattan Redevelopment and Public Safety on the proposed 9/11 terror trials in Lower Manhattan.

Click here to read her remarks.

Click here to read the story and click here to sign up for one of our upcoming tours.

Click here for an advisory and fact sheet.